University Technology Exposure Program 2022: May Update

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14 Jun, 2022

University Technology Exposure Program 2022: May Update

With articles related to Microfluidics, Swarm Robotics, Biomedical Instruments, Aviation, and more, University Technology Exposure Program saw another fantastic month of project showcases by student researchers.

This article is a part of our University Technology Exposure Program. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe.

In this article, we present a summary of the 5 submissions we published in May 2022 as a part of the event.

Submissions from May 2022

#1. How 3D-printing technology be used to fabricate low-cost microfluids on mm-scale? By Harry Felton

The submission relates to innovation in microfluidics. It’s a branch of technology that deals with the control and manipulation of fluid in the order of microLitres or nanoLitres with the help of thin channels. The author explains how additive manufacturing can make experimenting with microfluidics accessible for education and scientific research. 

To ensure that the proposed technique is fully democratized, an open-source Autodesk Fusion add-in has also been developed, allowing any user to design and export interconnecting microfluidic channel scaffolds for 3D printing. By making the technology more accessible, the approach inspires the next generation of research in microfluidics.

Read the complete article by visiting this link.

#2. Phormica, a functional and cost-effective system for stigmergic coordination in swarm robots by Garzon Ramos David

Swarm robots are a group of robots that operate in a distributed (but collective) way to accomplish a task they individually can not. Their operation is often reminiscent of how social insects like ants work. To coordinate among the other members of the same species, insects change their environment by leaving chemicals (known as pheromone) to pass on some message.

The author of this article presents the concept of phormica, a system that enables swarm robots to leave artificial pheromones to achieve stigmergic coordination and perform significantly better than the swarms that rely on other collective behaviors to carry out their tasks.

Find out more about the idea here.

#3. Bio-inspired tissue transportation system, an alternative to aspiration-based devices in MIS by Aimee Sakes

Minimally invasive surgeries provide surgeons with a means to carry out the operation with small cuts. The key benefits of minimally invasive surgeries are: they cause less pain to the patient; patients can recover quicker, reducing the burden on the hospitals; they are also considered safer.

The article presents a concept of a tissue transportation system inspired by the egg-laying needle, also known as the ovipositor, of some species of parasitic wasp. As the adoption of minimally invasive surgeries increases, the proposed prototype might fill the need for longer and thinner transportation instruments in the future.

Continue reading by following this link.

#4. Reducing the noise emission from an aircraft engine at its source by Christopher Teruna

Even though modern aircraft have become much quieter than before, the number of flights have significantly increased over the last two decades. This has given rise to a widespread problem of airplane-induced noise pollution, which is most dominant in areas near airports.

This article presents a detailed review of the sources of noise within the aircraft and proposes some solutions that can fix the problem. Christopher, the author of the article, writes about using porous material for building the tips of aircraft wings to bring down the overall sound power level. The idea seems promising, and hence, more investigations are required to identify the relationship between the physical aspects of a porous material and their impact on sound generation. Once the characteristics of the application are better understood, it would be possible to manufacture tailor-made porous parts for different aircraft components.

For more details, check out the complete article.

#5. Project MARCH: Improving the Quality of Life for People with Spinal Cord Injuries by Ianthe Rijpkema

Spinal cord injuries are considered very serious due to the presence of multiple nerves that carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. Injuries to the spine can cause paralysis or loss of sensation below the site of injury. Suffering from a spinal cord injury significantly reduces the satisfaction with life.

To help patients stand up on their feet again, Project MARCH aims to build an exoskeleton that can be used in day-to-day life. The use of an exoskeleton comes with medical benefits and increased user satisfaction. Each year, as a part of Project MARCH, students strive to solve new challenges and improve on the existing state of the technology. The team behind the project, has made the software open-source and is striving to make hardware open-source as well for the greater good. 

To read the article, visit this link.

About the University Technology Exposure Program 2022

Wevolver, in partnership with Mouser Electronics and Ansys, is excited to announce the launch of the University Technology Exposure Program 2022. The program aims to recognize and reward innovation from engineering students and researchers across the globe. Learn more about the program here.