E1.01 Radiation-Tolerant Crew Laptop
Sponsor: NASA – Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC)
Student Team: Kyra Ely, Bryce Gill, Abeer Ahmed, Nick Johnston, Marco Rueda-Guzman
Faculty Instructor: Mr. Jeffrey Stevens
Our project continues with the ongoing TSGC Radiation-Tolerant Crew Laptop project, focusing on the design and development of the overall motherboard architecture. It will integrate the PIC64-HPSC processor with key motherboard subsystems, including SSD storage, graphics, audio, and user-input devices such as the keyboard, track-pad, and fingerprint sensor. The architecture will emphasize modularity and compatibility with the existing Framework 16 chassis. Conventional electronics are highly vulnerable to space radiation. According to NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, next-generation HPSC architectures deliver over one hundred times the computational capacity of legacy flight processors, enabling high-performance computing capabilities for astronauts operating in space.
E1.02 Psyche Rover Surface Detection
Sponsor: NASA - Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC)
Student Team: Bret R Lantz II, Joao Klein Terck, Cameron Tobias, Sean Wiemken, Dawn Nosker
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Rich Compeau, Dr. Karl Stephan
Faculty Instructor: Mr. Jeffrey Stevens
Our project integrates a very low frequency metal detection system with a pulse induction coil to determine ferrous materials for the Psyche Rover. The two metal detection suites will be mounted on arms that can be extended from the chassis body. The pulse inductor is included to verify ferromagnetic composition. Additionally, we will aid the mechanical engineering team with motor selection, power, and drive control.
E1.03 UAV Inbound
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering (ISoE)
Student Team: Tony Cabello, Matthew Wagner, Michael Larios, Zach McCall
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Charles Wiame, Dr. Joarder Sadique
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Marcelo Carvalho
Our project is an AI-Driven Drone Search and Rescue system in which multiple drones locate an emergency call using smartphone signal mapping and adaptive localization. The objective of UAV Inbound is to develop a process using quadcopter drones with Universal Software Radio Peripherals (USRP’s) to detect and locate the origin of emergency calls and quickly locate victims in remote areas. The real-world environment platform AERPAW will be used to simulate, run, and analyze experiments virtually.
E1.04 Plexus
Sponsor: NXP
Student Team: Isaac Darr, Seth Ledezma, Jonathan Shull Thomas Tran,
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Mark Welker
Our team is designing an autonomous robot arm that solves the Tower of Hanoi as efficiently as possible. The arm calibrates itself using sensor data, plans an optimal sequence of moves for the puzzle's starting layout, and continuously monitors its surroundings so it can pause instantly if it detects a human obstruction. An NXP FRDM-MCXN947 controller board drives the arm's motion, while a custom PCB supplies the power to the arm and the controller. OSHA recorded 77 severe robot-related injuries between 2015 and 2022, which emphasizes the need for reliable safety systems as robotic automation becomes more common in the workplace.
E1.05 Lord of The Rings
Sponsor: NXP
Student Team: Kristen Lewis, Michael Beckon, Shi Yuang Ong
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Mark Welker
This project focuses on developing an autonomous robotic arm capable of solving the Tower of Hanoi puzzle. The system will integrate embedded hardware, sensors, motor control, and software to identify and manipulate the puzzle rings while following the rules of the Tower of Hanoi. The robotic arm will execute an efficient sequence of movements while incorporating obstacle detection and safety considerations. The project demonstrates the integration of robotics, embedded systems, and autonomous control in a real-world engineering application.
E1.06 ARM UVM
Sponsor: Vikash Kumar
Student Team: Karsten Salinas, Steven Main, Luther Silva, Trey Fields
Faculty Instructor: Mr. Jeffrey Stevens
A Universal Verification Methodology (UVM) Model that is built by hand and by an AI-assisted flow to test a bus bridge model. We wanted to know if given the same specification and engineers, how much of an AI-generated UVM testbench actually verifies the design compared with a hand-built one. We are comparing based on total coverage, correctness, and efficiency.
E1.07 Power Rangers
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering (ISoE)
Student Team: Alok Parajuli, Avash Aryal, Michelle Su, Ashok Paudel
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Dinusha Herath Mudiyanselage
Our project develops a high-efficiency power converter using GaN HEMTs (Gallium Nitride High-Electron-Mobility Transistors) that combines solar and wind energy to provide stable power for a smart city model. Team-fabricated GaN HEMTs are used in boost and buck converters to regulate renewable energy, charge a battery, and power loads such as EV charging and LEDs. The project shows how wide-bandgap semiconductor technology can support higher-frequency switching, improve power-conversion efficiency, and reduce energy losses.
E1.08 SumoBot
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering (ISoE)
Student Team: Ryan Jurado, Sara Almadi, Yara Almadi
Project Advisor(s): Mr. Fawzi Behmann
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Lawrence Larson
Botzilla is an autonomous SumoBot designed to navigate a competition field, detect opponents, and push them out of the ring while avoiding the field boundaries. The robot will operate without human intervention by using sensing and control systems to detect objects, determine its surroundings, and control its movement. The team will develop and integrate the systems needed for autonomous operation, including object and boundary detection, motor control, power, and wireless monitoring. The final project will demonstrate Botzilla’s ability to detect boundaries, pull a 1000 g block, and compete in tug-of-war and SumoBot competitions.
E1.09
Sponsor:
Student Team:
Faculty Instructor:
E1.10 Clanker Crusher
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering (ISoE)
Student Team: Aiden Long, Kiana Monsivais, Frankie Pham
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Lawrence Larson
Clanker Crusher is an autonomous robot created to dominate challenges and battle against other robots. Our robot utilizes infrared sensors, autonomous logic, motor controls, and a custom PCB to create a quick-acting response to any opponent, obstacle, or boundary line. Clanker Crusher demonstrates how well-designed subsystems can integrate to create one cohesive, autonomous, and unstoppable robot.
E1.11 D1 Sumo Bot
Sponsor: Mr. Fawzi Behamnn
Student Team: Trevor Surgeson, Isac Barbosa, Rylan Jander
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Lawrence Larson
Our project is creating an autonomous robot car designed for object and border detection within 1 meter. The bot is expected to work to pull or push objects that are over 1000 grams withing a circular and rectangular border. The robot will be designed to hook and pull an object a given length inside a given space and compete with other robots in a sumo match by outlasting the opposing robot inside the boundary of a ring.
E1.12 ASTA Bot
Sponsor: IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)
Student Team: Christian Lachica Vazquez, Jackson Postema, Anthony Romo, Eric Thompson
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Mark Welker
Our Autonomous Service Telepresence Application (ASTA) Bot is a home security robot designed to provide a safer and more flexible way to monitor a home. ASTA Bot will allow users to remotely inspect rooms they are uncomfortable checking in person, and monitor abnormalities from the comfort of their device. ASTA detects potential emergencies, including but not limited to abnormal temperatures, unusual air quality, and alarming noise. The web application sends real-time alerts directly to the user, supports low-latency live video calls, manual robot control, and real-time telemetry, giving users continuous awareness of both their home environment and the robot’s status.
E1.13 Spray King Hoist Circuit Driver
Sponsor: IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)
Student Team: Jonhatan Martinez Pena, Ayesha Imran, Marcin Koc
Faculty Instructor: Mr. Jeffrey Stevens
This project is a custom PWM controller and redesigned in-cab control box that gives truck operators safe, reliable control of Spray King water spray. It generates a ramp-limited 500 Hz PWM signal between two technician-configurable setpoints. It also replaces the in-cab control box the driver uses to turn spray heads on and off by providing switching and status indication into one redesigned unit.