Electrical and computer engineers create innovative and practical solutions to invent, design and build technologies and products. Our graduates design important technologies and products, including medical devices, tablet computers, smart phones, video games, wireless networks, 3D television and highfidelity audio.
2026 Final Semester Senior Design Projects
Appliance Status & Energy Monitoring
MEMBERS: Madison Koester, Cara Crowley, Christian Malunga
ADVISOR: Arun Manoharan
Many common household appliances such as washers, dryers, and ovens lack advanced monitoring and safety features found in smart appliances. Without these capabilities, users have limited awareness of appliance behavior, which can increase fire hazards and lead to unnecessary energy usage. Our appliance monitoring system addresses this problem by combining the functionality of smart appliances with the energy monitoring capabilities of a smart plug. This system provides smart monitoring and alert features, giving users greater functionality and operational safety of their household appliances. The system itself is made up of three main parts: a sensor patch to monitor appliance status, a smart plug to measure energy consumption, and a UI to display relevant data to the user and provide alerts for any hazardous conditions.
Drone Attachment for Vegetation Encroachment
MEMBERS: Zachary Berry, Olivia O'Reilly, Nicole Tran
ADVISOR: Aravinthan Visvakumar
Vegetation encroachment on distribution lines can cause fires and damage to the lines
and structures that are costly to repair, along with causing power outages and safety
concerns in communities. Our project provides a lightweight, adaptable, modular drone
attachment to detect vegetation encroachment along distribution lines. The attachment
will capture photos of areas of risk with real-time GPS coordinates to the utility
company with the goal of reducing inspection costs and time, thus improving the safety
and reliability of the grid.
FPGA-based Eye-Tracking
MEMBERS: Austin Antony, Brady Martin, Hyler Green
ADVISOR: Mehnaz Tabassum
The primary goal of this project is to develop a highly responsive, hands-free human-computer
interface that empowers users to control a computer mouse cursor using only their
eye movements. Traditional gaze-tracking systems often suffer from noticeable input
lag because they rely entirely on software to process heavy video feeds. Our project
overcomes this bottleneck by pushing the most intensive image processing workloads
directly into custom hardware. By analyzing the video stream at the silicon level
before it ever reaches the host computer, the system can locate and track facial features
with near-zero latency. This hardware-first approach creates a seamless, natural user
experience, offering a robust foundation for accessibility tools designed for individuals
with motor disabilities, as well as advanced interaction methods for professional
workstations.
To achieve this, the architecture utilizes a multi-disciplinary hardware-software
co-design strategy. The physical infrastructure centers on a custom-designed printed
circuit board (PCB) that integrates an FPGA with an OV7670 camera sensor. The FPGA
executes a custom RTL pipeline that streams 480p video directly into a hardware-accelerated
Sobel edge detection filter. A dedicated spatial Accumulator module dynamically calculates
the bounding box coordinates of these edges in real time, while a VGA frame buffer
visually outputs the tracking overlay to a monitor. These precise (X, Y) hardware
coordinates are packaged and transmitted via UART to a host PC. Finally, a dedicated
software backend fuses this hardware telemetry with a secondary 1080p camera feed
to accurately predict pupil orientation, translating the spatial data into fluid,
OS-level cursor actuation.
Laser Tank
MEMBERS: Michael Boydo, Jace Lavigne, Ty Allenbrand
ADVISOR: Marina Rani
We are making remote controlled tanks that can play with each other and shoot laser like laser tag for kids.
Monitoring and Switching Unit for Pre-OBD II Vehicles
MEMBERS: William Dirnbeck, Silas Salano, Yao Christian David Ephraim-M Koffi (David Koffi)
ADVISOR: Ryan Doll
The Vehicle Monitoring and Switching Unit (VMSU) is a self contained, dashboard mounted
computer that increases the life of older vehicles by enhancing performance data shared
with the driver and appealing to modern characteristics of new cars. The VMSU provides
numeric readouts for analog sensors on a digital display to supplement inaccurate
analog gauges and factory warning indicators. The VMSU also functions as a control
center for accessories using its integrated power distribution system, controlled
by the touchscreen display.
Park Monitor
MEMBERS: Alec Walter, Carter Bartonek
ADVISOR: Hyuck Kwon
Park Monitor is an ecological data collection network, gathering critical environmental
data like air temperature and humidity, and relaying it using a 915mHz signal back
to a gateway. The gateway then uploads it to the cloud, where an application visualizes
the data.
Smart Prosthetic Hand with Haptic Feedback
MEMBERS: Dristen Raney, Antonio Campos, Austin Cho
ADVISOR: Ryan Doll
This project focuses on the design and development of a low-cost smart prosthetic
hand with haptic feedback. The system uses electromyography (EMG) signals from the
user’s forearm to detect muscle activity, which is processed by an ESP32 microcontroller
to control servo motors that drive finger movement.
Force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) embedded in the fingertips measure grip force and
provide real-time feedback through vibration motors located at the wrist. This allows
the user to sense object interaction and improve control of the prosthetic.
The hand is designed using CAD software and fabricated through 3D printing, enabling
a lightweight, customizable, and cost-effective solution. The project integrates embedded
systems, sensors, and mechanical design to create a functional and accessible prosthetic
device that enhances user interaction and usability.
Spice it up!
MEMBERS: Aline Pham, Jacob Partridge, Gonzalo Oviedo
ADVISOR: Arun Manoharan
Automated spice dispenser for cooking.
Twist & Tune: PID Speed Control
MEMBERS: Dara Amphone, Quang Cao, Aidan Young
ADVISOR: Arun Manoharan and John Watkins
PID (Proportional–Integral–Derivative) controllers are fundamental to modern automation,
yet their internal mechanics are increasingly obscured by "black box" implementations
using digital devices such as microcontrollers and DSPs. Twist & Tune is an analog
educational platform designed to expose these systems by focusing on low-level hardware
principles. Utilizing a transparent, Op-Amp-based architecture to drive and control
a DC motor, the system allows users to manually adjust control gains via precision
potentiometers, providing a tactile understanding of stability and response. While
the control loop remains strictly analog, a secondary software interface provides
real-time PID response and gain measurement, as well as setpoint control, bridging
the gap between the low-level electronic design of Twist & Tune and high-level interactability
of competing products. By emphasizing hardware-level transparency, Twist & Tune equips
students and technicians with a deeper intuition for the tuning and maintenance of
PID-based industrial control loops.
2026 Initial Semester Senior Design Projects
Autonomous Chicken Tractor
MEMBERS: Blake Bohnert, Severo Amador, Dyaaveer Singh
ADVISOR: John Watkins
SPONSOR: Nick Bonghi
This project develops an autonomous, solar‑powered chicken tractor designed to reposition
itself once per day, giving poultry access to fresh pasture while reducing the daily
labor required from the owner. By automating this movement, the system helps prevent
overgrazing in a single area and supports healthier pasture rotation. The design outlines
the core engineering challenge as creating a reliable outdoor mechanism that can coordinate
power, sensing, and motion in an agricultural environment.
A central focus of the system is animal safety. The tractor employs a crush‑deterrent
mechanism that encourages chickens to move away from the back edge before the tractor
lifts or advances. In addition, a front‑mounted collision detection system prevents
the tractor from moving into obstacles such as fences, feeders, or other animals.
Together, these features support a controlled and predictable operation while reducing
the risk of harm to animals or damage to equipment.
To support operation in agricultural settings, the system is powered by a solar setup
with battery storage, allowing year‑round functionality without external power. This
project integrates embedded control, renewable energy management, and mechanical automation
to create a practical, low‑maintenance solution for small‑scale poultry farmers. Overall,
the design demonstrates how engineering principles can be applied to solve everyday
agricultural practices in a simple, effective, and sustainable way.
CNH Component Tester
MEMBERS: Jacob Mickelson, Antonio Graciano, Luis Munoz
ADVISOR: Abu Asaduzzaman
SPONSOR: CNH
Low Voltage Component Tester designed to provide users with an easy, safe, and efficient
method to test off and on road vehicle electrical components. The system focuses on
diagnosing sensors, actuators, switches, and wiring without requiring full vehicle
operation or expensive diagnostic tools. By operating at low voltage levels, the device
minimizes the risk of damage to sensitive electronics while ensuring user safety.
The tester combines signal generation and measurement into a single portable unit,
allowing users to simulate inputs and observe component responses in real time. This
enables quick identification of common issues such as open circuits, short circuits,
and faulty components. The interface will be simple and clearly labeled to accommodate
users with varying levels of technical experience.
Designed for portability and versatility, the device can be used both in the shop
and in the field, reducing downtime and improving troubleshooting efficiency. Overall,
this project aims to bridge the gap between basic testing tools and high cost professional
equipment by delivering a reliable, cost-effective diagnostic solution.
The LineLink
MEMBERS: Reagan Bohm, Carson McCachern, Hafsa Cheema, Jimmy Nguyen
ADVISOR: Arun Manoharan
SPONSOR: Wichita Transit
The LineLink is an accessible and convenient display system installed at a bus stop. At a glance, it will dynamically inform riders of which buses are on the way and when they are due to arrive using information from Wichita Transit's GPS bus tracker.
The Meltdown
MEMBERS: Austin Tee, Ray Boese, Nathaniel Bliss
ADVISOR: Mehnaz Tabassum
The objective of this project is to design and develop a reliable stand-alone monitoring
device that continuously measures freezer temperature, detects sustained unsafe conditions,
and provides a timely local alert, including during power outages. The system must
operate with low power consumption, function in cold residential environments, be
simple to install without modifying the appliance, and maintain operation using battery
backup. The final outcome will be a compact, low-cost prototype demonstrating reliable
operation under typical household conditions, along with an assessment of estimated
production cost, implementation feasibility, and recommendations regarding potential
future development or commercialization.