College Seniors Inspire the Future of Science and Technology

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College Seniors Inspire the Future of Science and Technology

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For DeVry University students majoring in Information Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, or Biomedical Engineering Technology, required senior projects are about more than just completing requirements needed to graduate.

“For me, my senior project was not only an opportunity to showcase everything I had learned, but about how I could take those skills and contribute something significant in my field and find a way to help others,” says Angelita Dudley, a student at DeVry Atlanta. Campus-wide, DeVry University senior project presentations or “fairs” are held several times a year. Employers and business leaders in the community are invited to attend the events, view the projects up close, talk to the student inventors and get a first-hand look at the imagination, creativity and industry prowess a student might bring to a job.

Many Senior Project Fairs include more than one robot. Professor Forough Ghahramani of DeVry believes there’s a simple explanation for the students’ interest in robots. “There is a limitless horizon to what robots can do in our world, and how they can help from the most complicated to the most simple of tasks and our students take full advantage of the opportunity to explore those functions and capacities,” she says.

At DeVry University Fremont, Calif. campus, a robot named AMI for Artificial Machine Intelligence (and pronounced “Amy”) responds to the verbal commands of her inventors, students Eduardo Arreola and his teammates Perseo Gonzalez and Feras Khatib. Using voice recognition software, artificial intelligence and Bluetooth technology, AMI not only responds to voice commands, but when thanked, answers, “You’re welcome.” According to Michael Zohourian, Dean of Engineering programs at the Fremont campus, “Senior projects are not only about the ‘wow factor’ — students have to demonstrate elegance of design, technical merit and marketability.”

For DeVry Calgary student Fady Khaled, his senior project was the culmination of a childhood dream. The electrical engineering student created Nova 5, a compact robot mounted with a camera that combines visual images with sound waves and infrared sensors and may be fitted with an electronic nose to sniff out harmful gases, making it useful in such emergency situations as mine collapses or fires.

Khaled saw an opportunity “to build something that saves lives, that’s the bottom line.” Employers seeing the robot at the campus Senior Project Fair apparently agreed. “It’s absolutely brilliant,” says Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems President Don Matthews.

According to Dr. Li Tan, a faculty advisor for Biomedical Engineering Technology degree program at DeVry Decatur campus, students enjoy the scientific challenge and opportunities that senior projects present. “By the time these students have reached their senior year, they have the education in scientific discovery to make their projects not only significant in terms of a grade or degree, but also important for a potentially broader audience as well,” he says.

Although not all senior projects make it into commercial production, the experience of identifying a need and creating a solution is just as important a part of the learning process.

Students Nyemady Toe and Muznah Zakai joined Serge Psarev in creating a small-scale mini wheelchair, powered by optical control that allows the wheelchair to change direction with the change of eye movements. Using specific circuit amplifiers, circuitry filters, supporting software and electrodes attached to the eyes, the mini wheelchair records voltage that allows the chair to change direction depending on the movement/command given by the eyes.

“We created a mini wheelchair to stay within the scope of our senior project’s budget and time constraints, but someday it would be great to test the technology on a full-size wheelchair,” says Psarey.

Not all senior projects are technological in nature. Angelita Dudley’s senior project explored the importance of capturing and retaining knowledge of soon-to-retire baby boomers so that government, corporations and non-profits do not experience the negative impact of a phenomenon referred to as “brain drain.” Using the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta as a case study, Dudley proposed implementing a structured mentoring program that would create a mechanism for capturing knowledge and passing that information down to younger, less-experienced workers.

“To DeVry faculty, we see our students as prodigy,” says Professor Lou D’Agostino of DeVry’s Pennsylvania Metro campus. D’Agostino notes that it can be challenging for students when it comes to senior projects. “Science takes repetition, persistence and hard work, and it can often be frustrating for college students. Students have been guided, cajoled, coaxed, and whatever else is necessary to move them toward their goals. Their senior projects are really the fruit of everyone’s dedication and hard work.”

Courtesy: ARAcontent

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