About the Competition
Senior Design Guidelines
The objectives of the Senior Design projects are to:
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Demonstrate the students’ ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
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Connect curricular knowledge to engineering design principles in order to generate solutions that address needs within the realms of public health, safety, and welfare taking into consideration global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
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Engender utilization of a team approach to problem identification and solution generation.
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Allow students to be more effective in identifying emerging technologies that are having major impact in their field of study.
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Employ project management tools in the planning, review and implementation of design projects.
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Demonstrate the ability to communicate their design concepts and solutions, orally, graphically and in writing.
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Promote cross disciplinary projects and teamwork within the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Guidelines
- All teams enrolled in a senior design course are invited to participate.
- Poster title and registration are typically due in early March.
- Posters are typically due mid-April.
- For the 2021 event, each team will present their posters to judges in a virtual format.
Awards
The highest scoring team from each department will receive departmental awards. The next four highest scoring teams will receive the college-wide awards. The innovation award is sponsored by the Alumni Affiliate Council and granted to the team with the highest innovation score. However, in the event of a tie, the final selection will be made by a team of alumni affiliates.
During the competition, each senior design poster is to be reviewed by three professional engineers using criteria detailed in the rubric below. Projects receiving the highest cumulative score from each department are the departmental winners. The next highest scoring projects exclusive of the departmental winners are the college-wide winners.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Unacceptable | Marginal | Admirable | Exceptional | |
| Need/Objective of the system, component, or process | The need was not established and/or the design objectives are not well defined | Need not clearly articulated or the design objectives are not clearly connected to the articulated need | Need is clearly articulated with limited rationale. Design objectives clearly outlined. | Clearly articulated need statement, well explained rationale and clearly outlined design objectives |
| Project Planning | No evidence of planning | Little planning or forethought. Project hastily completed for deadline | Basic planning and time management needs necessary for project completion met | Exhibits a professional level of planning and time management |
| Technical requirements, constraints and trade-offs | Technical and non-technical constraints (economic, safety, environmental, etc.) were assumed, but not incorporated in the design. | Identified a few technical constraints and non-technical constraints. | Identified realistic technical constraints with limited attention to non-technical constraints. Trade-offs were considered. | Identified/ realistic technical, economic, safety and environmental constraints and performed trade-off analysis |
| Concept generation and selection | Developed only a single solution | Developed technically feasible alternative solutions, selected a solution using limited criteria. | Developed technically feasible alternative solutions, compared alternative solutions and selected best solution using criteria. | Developed technically feasible alternative solutions, compared the alternative solutions, and recommended one of the solutions based on well defined criteria. |
| Prototyping, Testing and Validation | Team did not build a virtual or a physical prototype | Prototype was built but did not meet the design requirements and constraints or prototype was inadequately validated | Prototype met most of the requirements and constraints and was validated. | An iterative prototype and redesign process was utilized .Final prototype met all of the requirements and constraints. The design was adequately validated. |
| Poster aesthetics and Presentation | Team members were not prepared to present their project Poster is dull with poor appearance |
One team member is dominant; Poster design lacks creativity. Inappropriate use of color and space, font too small, diagrams are not clear. |
Some team members contribute to discussions; Adequate use of color, layout, and space with clear diagrams, layout follows a logical flow |
All team members contributes to speaking. Lessons learned are clearly articulated Overall design is pleasing and harmonious. Creative poster design. |
| Innovation: project idea and approach | Design was not innovative | Utilized existing knowledge and resources to develop a solution based on an existing solution to the problem. | Developed a novel approach of solving to an existing problem that has commercialization potential | Developed a novel solution to a new problem that may be patentable and commercializable |
2021 Senior Design Competition Projects
CIS1: Teen Driving Simulator
A virtual reality application that teaches good driving habits to early teen drivers created for AAA
CIS2: PrintAPart
A 3D printing web application that connects those who need 3D printed parts to those who have 3D printers.
CIS3: Healthy Latina Lifestyle
Healthy Latina Lifestyle will be a mobile application whose purpose is to provide resources for the betterment of users' physical and mental well-being. The app aims to guide users through relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga, teach them about self-care and health topics, and create a space for reflecting on their thoughts with the help of journal prompts. It will also use challenges to incentivize users to complete self-care tasks and in-app messaging to encourage them to reach out to one another. By the end of August, the Healthy Latina Lifestyle app will be on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
CIS4: DocuSTIP
The objective of DocuSTIP is to have an application and website that will allow for employees of a dealership to store customer data virtually. The application and website should also allow employees to access this data at a later time in a quick and efficient way.
CIS5: Think Ad Portal
CIS6: Scratch
Social media platform that allows businesses and consumers to connect through reviews and rewards.
CIS7: North Star Reach
The North Star Reach mobile application is designed to improve the efficiency of the NSR camp by taking their current physical documentation system and transferring it into a virtual app with unique components and features that can aid the camp staff members. This will include features such as a login system, camp schedule, songbook feature, training manuals, maps, maintenance form submission, photo albums, messaging feature, and push notifications in the event of an emergency.
CIS8: Victory for Veterans
This is a unity game designed to help veterans and others seeking to find a job or make a career change.
CIS9: Collect/Connect
“Collect/Connect” is an educational mobile and computer application game that encourages users to discover and create interesting relationships between objects across seemingly unrelated collections at the University of Michigan Libraries and Museums.
CIS10: Beehive
Organization event management.
CIS11: Relish Beta Social Media App
Relish is an Android social media application geared towards a more personal experience. The drive behind creating this application is to address some of the shortcomings experienced with typical social media apps. Some of the unique selling points include: custom ordering of friends for a static feed, post limit of 1 and expiration time to keep information more relevant, more control over availability status, no likes or comments to increase personal communication, only making posts visible to certain groups of friends, non-searchability of friends (users must share an expiring link, to keep interactions less networking-oriented and more personal.
CIS12: MainBids Corp.
Mainbids is an app that allows a user to find the right service provider for a job they need. The new Mainbids app now features Google and Facebook Login, Ratings & Reviews, a chat feature, and more!
CIS13: Michigan Treasury Local Government Data Parser
A program that extracts relevant data from widely-varying financial audit reports and compiles said data into an organized CSV file. The goal of extracting data directly from the audits is to eliminate clerical errors found in the subsequent, standardized F65 forms that are currently transcribed by hand.
CIS14: Moonlight Helpdesk Application
A ticketing service that can provide a unique service
CIS15: Muslim Women's App
Muslim Women's App is an app for connecting all women, in general, and especially Muslim women from different professional or interest. Users will be able to find women based on skill/profession/location aspect as well will be able to seek mentorship.
CIS16: Automatticc
E-commerce Website
CIS17: GigBuddy Upgrade: A Complete tool for Freelance Earners
We developed an upgrade to the Freelance Earner mobile application called GigBuddy. We have improved the mobile application so that it serves as a more complete tool for its user's. The app's new features includes a visual map to track location and driving costs, an admin webpage so that an admin can update the application with custom images and links, custom Gig creation, and other bug fixes and stability improvements.
CIS18: AGI Ticker Tape
AGI Ticker Tape (AGITT is to be a piece of software that can simulate a general-purpose expert system. That is, a user may query this system and it should be able to provide a recommendation which is in line with one expected from an expert on the subject, without being limited to a narrow range of topics.
CIS19: A2Zero TreeTracker Web App
A web application to support the implementation of the city of Ann Arbor's 10,000 Trees initiative.
CIS20: Waisons Realty Website
Waisons Realty website is an IDX website that provides information about Waisons Realty, a real estate brokerage in Michigan. The website connects to Realcomp IDX system to provide real time listings, enables customers to search for homes, view details about them, and send inquiries to the agent if they favor a specific listing.
CIS21: Treasure Hunter
Treasurer Hunter is an immersive 3-dimensional multiplayer turn-based strategy game. Players will earn points by completing missions and gaining “quest points” which will unlock new worlds and allow the player to continue exploring.
CIS22: OvenBlaze
Oven Blaze is an application that allows chefs to sell their home cooked meals from home. The app is created in flutter which allows for a cross-platform app (ios & android.
CIS23: Ride Wise
This application is being developed to provide luxury rides to users with a system to set up and find a ride to a specified destination. This application will most often be used by executives and VIP’s to find a car for hire to fit their needs.
CIS24: Dearborn Wallet
Our product is meant to paint a positive image of Dearborn, Michigan by promoting Dearborn businesses by advertising discounts for their products and events.
ECE1: Electronic Brass Musical Instrument
In this project, a trumpet is modified to create a new type of electronic musical instrument. The resonant frequency response of the trumpet is exploited to create musical tones through electronic excitation, while the length of the trumpet's air column is controlled electromechanically. The unique musical capabilities of this instrument are explored and demonstrated, in order to unlock new creative possibilities for music producers and composers.
ECE2: DC-DC Boost Converter
Boost circuit boosts voltage from 5 V to 9, 12, or 15 V controlled by a Tiva C microcontroller. Boosted voltage is user selectable and voltage is displayed on lcd display.
ECE3: Snap-Braille-Translator
The main focus of the project is to create a device to assist users that are visually. The project of interest is to design a device that identifies words and sentences in textbooks, newsletters, mailing letters etc. through a camera stream and convert the corresponding words/sentences to braille on a customized braille pad unit. The braille pad unit is constructed where the user is able to feel the corresponding raised bumps according to what sentence/words was processed in the image capture.
ECE4: Personnel Assistance Technology (PAT)
Prototype warehouse floor delivery robot
ECE5: Social Distancing Chess
Chess with physical pieces and board, but social distanced through Wi-Fi. There will be two chess boards, one per player, and when their opponent makes a move, the LCD on their board lets the player know which move was made so they can copy it. 64 switches connected to the board detects where the pieces are and an array keeps track of what type of piece is where.
ECE6: Battery Bank
A lithium-ion battery bank able to be charged using an external power supply. It features numerous software components that protect the battery cells, and can also provide power output over USB Type-A connections.
ECE7: Intelligent Battery Management System
Advanced battery management system which implements new techniques to balance cell voltages quickly and efficiently to fully utilize available battery capacity in addition to other features.
ECE8: Automotive Cybersecurity
Our project intent is to add an extra layer of security to the CAN protocol which consists of several Electronic Control Units (ECUs that communicate with each other in the CAN network. We will be making a neural network that will be trained to be able to detect which ECU is transmitting a signal within the CAN network.
ECE9: Web Controlled Rover
Web Controlled Rover is a system that aims to monitor the surrounding environment parameters by collecting temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure data through sensors, storing this data into a database, and displaying these data into a specifically developed web application. The application will also allow for remote operation of the rover through a web server, as well as alert the operator for front obstacles located at a certain range from the rover. In addition, the system shall ensure crash prevention, by automatically stopping the rover if there is no feedback from the operator within a certain time from the obstacle detection, or if the critical distance to the object is hit.
ECE10: Ambulance Detection
Ambulance Detection
ECE11: Smart Lock Safe
We have created a three factor authentication (RFID, personal user pin, and SMS random pin tool via touch screen and raspberry pi that will allow access into a safe to store any personal items. There are timeout values, an override code for multiple wrong attempts, and encryption features to our design. All data of accepted users as well as an access log is created and stored via MySQL database features.
ECE12: Self parking RC car
Our project is an RC car that detects a parking spot and parks itself.
ECE13: Smart Mailbox
A mailbox that connects to your phone for increased security via locking, video/audio communication, and automatically sending a notification when anyone's face is detected near the mailbox.
ECE14: Bluedoor
A system allowing a mobile application register students and verify them for campus access. Once verified, the mobile application connects to a door, which automatically opens when the user approaches it.
ECE15: Voice-Controlled Elevator
IMSE1: Redesign of an EV Battery Disassembly Process
For their senior design project, the project team decided to analyze and redesign the processes used to disassemble the electric vehicle (EV batteries at an End-of-Life Battery Handling Facility. The project team plans to study the unnamed company’s current EV battery disassembly process in order to uncover system issues and implement lean methods to improve process efficiency, quality, and safety.
IMSE2: Disc Golf Cart Redesign
IMSE3: Solutions to Distribution Center Turnover Rates
our team analyzes possible causes for high turnover rates and offers solutions
ME1: Heart Sensor Steering
Our project considers the safety of drivers in medical crisis, in order to alert them and the passenger to pull over.
ME2: Portable Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Chamber for Automotive Applications
The project goal was to design an efficacious and practical storage unit to be stored inside an automobile cabin with the ability to neutralize bacteria and pathogens adhering to the surfaces of common handheld objects. This was primarily of interest given transmission concerns pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ME3: The End-Cap Human Fist
Designing a human like fist that would be fitted on a linear impactor and accelerated to a FOCUS head form to determine injuries sustained from intimate partner violence.
ME4: Electric Motor Assisted Sled
Our goal is to create a track system driven by an electric motor to assist in the pulling of a sled used in ice fishing.
ME5: Smart Gas Pump and Electric Charger Mechanism
The project idea ultimately selected for our senior design project is a smart pump that allows the user to remotely fill up their vehicle’s gas tank (and potentially/eventually recharge its batteries from the comfort of inside their vehicle. The user will pull up to the gas pump station just as they normally would now. From using an application on their phone, the user will choose the payment option to pay for their gas fill-up remotely through the app sending a remote signal to the current, selected pump. In choosing the payment, the gas pump will recognize the payment method. The user will then select their fuel octane grade on the app. From there, the smart pump mechanism will begin to move into position. This smart pump will be able to move in the x, y and z directions and know where to position itself along the same axis as where the fuel tank filler entrance is on the side of a vehicle. This positioning will be determined based on the coordinates received from a camera, mounted onto the pump hose line, that will detect this entrance. Once the mechanism is in the proper x and y position, the pump will then move to the designated z position to insert the nozzle into the gas tank and begin to dispense fuel.
ME6: Radial Tesla Valve in Mask for Controlled Airflow
Our project is a wearable face mask, similar to an N95, that incorporates the use of a valve that is inspired by the mechanics of a typical Tesla Valve. The valve is designed to encourage fluid flow in one direction, while resisting fluid flow in the opposite direction. This is especially applicable to people who have respiratory issues that may hinder their ability to breathe through a typical mask. They will be able to breathe air in more easily, but the air they breathe out will be subjected to a resistance that lowers the risk of infecting those around them.
ME7: Auto-leveling Wheelchair Seat
Our wheelchair seat design uses a combination of actuators and wheel systems that work together to keep users upright while traveling along uneven terrain. This design aims to broaden the capabilities of wheelchair users by equipping them with more advanced technologies to assist them out on the trails.
ME8: Jeep Wrangler Easy-Lift Spare Tire Mount
Spare tire mount that can swing out and easily be lowered and lifted by a lift system.
ME9: Mattress Topper to Prevent Pressure Ulcers in Bed-Ridden Patients
Bed-ridden patients are typically turned every 2-4 hours in order to maintain blood flow to prevent pressure ulcers, also called bedsores. Bedsores are caused by soft-skin tissue pressed against a surface for a prolonged time, reducing the blood supply to that area. The cost for treatment of pressure ulcers can be high, requiring more care around the clock. If pressure ulcers go untreated after their first stages, they can develop into blisters or even go deeper into the tissue, requiring wound dressings or even surgery in severe cases. The most common places where pressure ulcers are located are on bony areas, including the hips, tailbone, shoulder blades, elbows, and even heels.
Our solution is to create a mattress topper for hospital beds that has two main functions: rotating the patient 30-45 degrees on their side and helping distribute pressure across the body using inflatable air bladders. The air bladders will have different zones, allowing certain zones to be inflated while others are deflated, which allows pressure to be re-distributed. Likewise, the angle of rotation will also be driven by an air mechanism, and it’s neutral position will just be flat. Both processes will be semi-automated, allowing caretakers to easily rotate patients as well as relieve pressure on those high-pressure areas mentioned above. We aim for this to be a user-friendly system, so anyone is able to use this, not just nurses or caretakers. This mattress topper will also comply with all current functions and positions on a standard hospital bed.
ME10: Micro Fish
Microscopic device that moves through the human body, specifically the arteries, to deliver prescription drugs to particular areas.
ME11: Therapeutic Sleeve For Stroke Patients
One side effect of a stroke is spasticity, a condition that stiffens the muscles and makes movement difficult. The project we are proposing is a sleeve specifically designed to help with spasticity in the arm. The sleeve will detect if the user is experiencing a spastic episode, alert the user that an episode is occurring, and provide a therapeutic stimulus to work and loosen the muscles in the arm.
ME12: Regenerative Energy: Thermal Electric Brake System
An automotive brake system that harnesses the thermal energy lost during the braking process. This design implements a thermoelectric generator in the brake pad to convert thermal energy into electrical energy and return it to the automobile.
ME13: Autonomous Raspberry PI Supply Carrier
We designed a cart that can carry supplies to reduce strain on the user's body. The cart has a lift that is powered by a crank and the cart will follow around the user autonomously at a safe and close distance.
ME14: Pandemic Respirator
Full face respirator which utilizes UVC LEDs for additional sterilization.
ME15: Retrofitted Blind-Spot Monitoring System
Our group is creating a low-cost method for adding blind-spot monitoring systems to vehicles, especially older models. This method will give car owners an affordable option for a highly effective safety system that has become prevalent in new vehicles.
ME16: Wearable Breast Cancer Early Detection Device
Our group will create and test a sensor to detect changes in blood flow and oxygen levels within the skin, which can be signs of breast cancer.
ME17: Residential Windmill
Working in cooperation with the Detroit Windmill Project, preform a full analysis of their current windmill design, as well as offer any improvements that we are able to identify. In addition to improving upon their current design, we have designed a power transmission system that is able to feed any generated electricity in to the power grid.
ME18: Soft Exoskeleton
The project is a soft exoskeleton which uses cords woven into the suit to assist with lifting by redirecting force from the knees to the shoulders and elbows.
ME19: Currently Rolling
Device that utilizes kinetic motion of rolling apparatus to charge battery pack and provide electrical current for resource poor regions of Asia and Africa
2019 Senior Design Day Winning Teams
Congratulations to all our senior design competition teams! Thank you to ZF Group, our judges, and donors for making this event possible.
| Team Name | Team Members |
| S-mug | Ali Jawad, Ivan Hernandez, Youssef El Moussawi, Ali Chammout |
| Department | Team Name | Team Members |
| Computer and Information Science | Frequency | Jessica Bacheldor, Ashley Baker, Samanatha O’Brien, Joshua Shewmaker |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | MDAS.ai Drive-By Wire Using V2X or Enhanced Safety | Athanasios Argyris, Kayleigh James, Sarah Overbeck, Joshua Quejadas |
| Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering | Systems Design for Washtenaw County Racial Equity Office | Amber Bageris, Namariq Al Riyami, Nina McDaniel |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bow & Arrow Holder | Marina Goocher, Nicholas Hitchcock, Victor Lenart, Tim Poore |
| Team Name | Team Members |
| Backyard Ice Resurfacer | Scott Dunford, John Filiatraut, Miranda Mclean, John P Megdan |
| Push Point | Benjamin McAllister, Jaycie Raby, Matthew Kohls, Srinivas Simhan |
| Circulating Tumor Cell Bioreactor | Maya Choukair, Ali Rida, Firas Farran, Ali Abdel-Salam |
| Steampunk Airship | Adriana Haddad, Travis Bates, Jeremy Chao, Christopher Thompson |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn Class Express | Rakshit (Rocky) Bhatt, Heba Abu-kwaik, Akshita Joshi, Karam El-loh |
Past Competitions
Learn about our past competitions and winning teams by visiting the competition archive.
Please note the 2020 event had to be canceled due to the pandemic.