EE and ME Capstone Design

The importance of real-world experience

Seniors in the Electrical Engineering (EE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) programs work in teams to address complex and multidisciplinary problems. Capstone projects originate as statements of need from local companies and/or faculty research projects and are conducted with the direct, continuous mentoring by engineers and Engineering faculty.

From a company's perspective, a Capstone project offers the opportunity to work directly with seniors who are likely to be candidates for entry-level engineering positions when they graduate. Company engineers get to take a long-standing problem off the back burner and often consider the mentoring role a welcome addition to their more typical duties.

Students relish the opportunity to engage in engineering practice as preparation for work in industry and as application of the theory they have been learning. These real-world projects, which often involve teams of both EE and ME students, also allow Seniors to engage in teaching each other the fundamentals of their disciplines, an important and useful experience in learning and collaboration.

Course material related to design project fundamentals and the involvement of industry contacts add to the students' design education and strengthen links between industry and the School of Engineering.

Video Demonstrations of the Final 2011-12 Design Projects

	Project Name (Client)
	A Zero-Emissions Vehicle for Transporting Scientific Payloads Across Permanent Frozen Landscapes (NASA)
	Interactive Electromechanical Educational Display (IBM & ECHO Museum)
	Votey Roof Solar Array Test Facility (UVM Clean Energy Fund)
	Design of an Algae Biofuel Mixing Test Facility (Dept. of Energy)
	Analog Modeling Effects Processor (Student Sponsored)
	Design Refinement and Extension of a Miniaturized Moving Ferro-Fluid Gyroscope for Small Spacecraft (NASA)
	CATSAT2: Extension of the UVM CubeSat Prototype (NASA)
	Low Cost Actuation & Non-contact Sensors (Goodrich)
	Wireless Monitoring of Maple Sap Tubing Systems (UVM Proctor Maple Research Center)
	Practical Human Power Transducer for Application in the Developing World (Pedal Power)
	Molten Chocolate Pump (College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences)
	Portable Radar System (MITRE Corp)
	Ohmic Steam Wand (Ideas Well Done)
	Refinement and Automation of a Hops Baler for Small Vermont Producers (UVM Extension Services)
	Design of Historic Windows Energy Efficiency Facility (National Park Service)
	Underwater Vehicle Attitude and Inertial Navigation System Test Fixture (GreenSea)
	A Portable Interrogator for Passive Wireless Sensors
	Energy Harvesting from Helicopter Vibration (Goodrich)
	UAV Wind Speed Measurement Without Pitot Tubes (Applied Research Associates)
	Adjustable Suspension for an Off-Road Vehicle (UVM Baja Club)
	Cryo-Pump Poppet Valve Redesign (IBM)

To start a Capstone Project

If your company or pending grant-funded project might gain by involving a Capstone Design team, contact Mike Rosen at 802-656-2318 or mrosen@uvm.edu. Development of partnerships and project definitions for Fall 2013 is ongoing.

Costs of Capstone projects and other engineering design activities in the School are underwritten by UVM's Senior Experience in Engineering Design (SEED) program. SEED in part is supported by generous contributions from outside donors, including project partner companies.