2005-2006: With support from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, this entrepreneurial student team designed and prototyped an autonomous robot to shelf-read in a library, identifying mis-shelved books by utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and pattern recognition technology. This…
Improved Design of a Blow Molded Running Board for Ford F-150 Trucks
2005-2006: In collaboration with Ford Motor Company, this student team designed a blow molded running board for Ford F-150 trucks. Blow molding is of particular interest as a manufacturing process for running boards as it offers the potential to reduce…
Design of an Environmental Impact Quantification System for Public Transportation in London
2005-2006: In collaboration with Ford Motor Company, this student team designed a system to quantify environmental impact of public transportation in London. The project originated from Ford’s desire to diversify its business strategy, beyond its present scope as a vehicle…
Design of a Mobile Hazardous Materials Treatment Unit
2005-2006: In collaboration with Fuss & O’Neill, this student team designed a mobile hazardous materials treatment unit for use in emergency response situations. In biological attack emergencies, for example, professional and volunteer emergency responders utilize mass decontamination trailers that use…
Design Improvement of a Dewatering and Conveyance System for Wastewater Treatment Sludge
2005-2006: In collaboration with GE Plastics, this student team improved the design of the dewatering and conveyance system used for wastewater treatment in GE’s Ottawa, IL facility to minimize water usage and reduce waste disposal costs at the plant. The…
Sustainable Design for Lumber Company Power Generation
2005-2006: In collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, this student team designed strategies to improve the power generation system of Roberts Brothers Lumber Company in Ashfield MA, reducing its environmental impact and enabling the company to remain in…
Design of a Fishway for the War Memorial Park Dam in West Bridgewater, MA
2005-2006: In collaboration with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this student team designed a fishway to restore access to spawning and rearing habitat for anadromous fish on the Town River in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Many anadromous fish spawning runs…
Design of a Storm Drainage System for the Elm St. Brook Region in Northampton, MA
2005-2006: In collaboration with the Northampton Department of Public Works (DPW), this student team designed drainage modifications to minimize flooding in the lower Elm Street region of Northampton, Massachusetts. During large rain events, Elm Street Brook floods the lower Elm…
Renewable Fuel Design for Smith College
2005-2006: In collaboration with vanZelm, Heywood, and Shadford, this student team developed solutions to integrate renewable fuels into Smith College’s heating plant. The Smith College boilers, largely unchanged since upgrades in the 1970s, suffered from several shortcomings regarding emissions and…