Over the past 20 years, digital microscopy has been advancing for visualizing cellular structures and studying biological processes. One significant advancement is the use of LED light sources, which have been replacing conventional mercury-based illumination in fluorescent microscopes. Mercury-based lamps are inefficient, produce hazardous waste, and require frequent replacement. Commercially available LED systems remain expensive and lack customization, while also requiring physical light sources changes to observe different molecules adding to cost and complexity. LED technology offers a more energy-efficient and sustainable alternative. This underscores the need for an affordable, customizable LED light source capable of generating multiple wavelengths, enabling precise excitation of different fluorophores. The goal of this project is to design a variable frequency, digitally controlled LED array light sources changes for fluorescence microscopy. This design will enable wider use of LED technology, enabling fluorescence microscopy as a tool to a broader audience.

Team Advisor: Dr. Tuzel

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Yah-el Har-el

Team Members: Aseem Chaudhry, David Kim, Aidan Gutherman, Weyllin Taveras

A nano printed mold has been designed to create spatial confinement to keep cells in a singular area to track their movements through live cell imaging. We will be focusing on obtaining clear and even gelatin squares for the cell to adhere to.

Team Advisor: Dr. Bojana Gligorijevic

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Yah-el Har-el

Team Members: Allison Hawk, Victoria Kurylec, Shahrizoda Rizokulova

Temple University researchers currently use an outdated and expensive Instron 5542 mechanical tester, which is limited to uniaxial testing. This project aims to design and construct a biaxial mechanical testing device optimized for neonatal brain tissue research. The device will enable simultaneous tensile and compressive force measurement along both x- and y-axes, improving experimental accuracy. Designed for soft tissue, it will feature a secure sample stabilization system, real-time data display, and interchangeable components for expanded functionality. Current biaxial testers are costly and lack proper stabilization for delicate samples. This new device will offer an accessible, cost-effective alternative tailored for preclinical neonatal brain tissue experimentation, advancing research in neurodevelopmental biomechanics.

Team Advisor: Dr. Anita Singh

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Yah-el Har-el

Team Members: Sydney Hutcheson, Helena Slupianek, Daniel Featherstone

Spasticity — muscle stiffness caused by prolonged contraction—affects 67% of patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI), which reduces quality of life. We are designing a low-cost device to measure oscillation caused by spasticity in the forearm of rats to push research toward a novel therapeutic. The design consists of an exoskeleton sleeve embedded with an accelerometer/gyroscope paired with a "rat-pack" housing the microcontroller/microSD datalogger connected with minimal and safe wiring via STEMMA QT. This independent system continuously logs data of linear acceleration and angular velocity without restricting the rat's movement. The linear acceleration data will undergo signal processing, such as FFT and PSD, to identify moments of clonus (~4.7 Hz) and spasticity (~30 Hz), while angular velocity data will be integrated to attempt to estimate joint angles, though its reliability is yet to be validated. Together, these readings will help researchers identify and quantify spasticity to develop targeted SCI therapies.

Team Advisor: Dr. Andrew Spence

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Yah-El Har-El

Team Members: Diana Smyles, Joelle Shinkle, Hafsah Ahmad, Akshay Bharath, Shannon Kedanis

Current hemodialysis patients live a restrictive lifestyle as they are receiving treatment for about 12 hours a week and hooked up to a large machine. They are unable to move around, complete daily activities, and overall have a lower quality of life. This creates a need to be able to effectively treat End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) while still allowing the patient to get up and move around. 
A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pump leverages Lorentz force, which involves a magnetic and electric field perpendicular to each other, causing ions to move in the orthogonal direction. This makes it particularly effective to pump charged fluid. Our team is utilizing the properties of an MHD pump to pump blood on a smaller, more compact scale. The end goal is to create a portable, wearable dialysis device, granting a patient mobility and enhancing their quality of life..

Team Advisor: Dr. James Furmato

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Yah-el Har-el

Team Members: Lauren Wilson, Mia Columbus, Lee Vighetti, Sophia Kane

The groundwater in Wall Township, New Jersey has been contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) due to previous dry cleaning operations. The goal of this project was to remove the contaminants of concern (COCs) and restore the groundwater to drinking water standards. The chosen treatment method was a groundwater pump and treat system consisting of air strippers, bag filters, liquid phase granular activated carbon (LGAC), and vapor phase granular activated carbon (VGAC) vessels to ensure the levels of PCE and TCE are below the maximum contamination limits (MCL) determined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Team Advisor: Dr. Gangadhar Andaluri

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: Kaitlin Glass, Rachel Felix, John Kellett, Don Roe

The Cranaleith Spiritual Center faces stormwater management challenges including excessive surface runoff leading to parking lot flooding, clogged piping systems, and sediment buildup in the sites pond. In response, the 2024 Senior Design Teams 28 and 29 independently proposed stormwater control measures, designing a rain garden and an infiltration basin, respectively, to mitigate these issues. However, their proposed designs were developed in isolation and had high implementation costs that exceeded the clients budget. Our team combined the efforts of the previous projects by modifying their designs to ensure the systems function cohesively, reduce costs, and maximize overall site performance. Furthermore, site soil analysis revealed poor infiltration capacity, necessitating the use of engineered soil to enhance permeability and overall system performance. By conducting comprehensive hydrologic analysis using PCSWMM, we evaluated stormwater flow patterns, runoff volumes, and infiltration rates under various storm conditions to assess system performance and optimize design parameters.

Team Advisor: Dr. Rob Ryan

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: Kiana Bozorgnia, Jacob Perna, Zach Silverglade, Matt Hendrickson

The intention was to create a bridge design that fulfilled safety and cost-effective build requirements while leading to a time-effective build with a durable, sustainable bridge created in the process. Based on the findings determined by the analysis relative to deflection, stability, dead load, live load, fire response, and material selection requirements relative to impact, Box Truss was chosen as the most sustainable option. The South Skunk River at Peterson Park lacks a safe, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian bridge, hindering connectivity and recreation. This project will provide a cost-effective and environmentally responsible solution, benefiting park visitors, paddlers, and the local ecosystem by enhancing access while preserving natural beauty.

Team Advisor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: Elias Leon, Evan Luff, Elias Apostolopoul, Nick Ferrante

This project is needed to provide a bridge on the Skunk River Water Trail, in Story County, Iowa. This bridge will help all of the people that use the trail. The bridge is to be designed for quick construction and durability, as it is to be built in a sandbar area. Story County Conservation requires the bridge to be constructed from steel due to its strength, durability, and sustainability. The bridge must support park users and maintenance vehicles while minimizing environmental impact and maintaining aesthetic appeal. Adhering the Student Steel Bridge Competition 2025 Rules, the Team is designing and building a 20 feet long and 5 feet wide bridge.

Team Advisor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: Giselle Abucayon, Caleb Heiser, Daniel Cronin, Joani Hoxha

For our senior design project, the team is looking to design an efficient, sustainable timber bridge for the Abington Golf Course in Jenkintown, PA. After a 2021 flood made a previous pedestrian bridge unsafe, the club wanted a durable replacement tailored to functional and aesthetic needs. The new 7-by-25-foot bridge will accommodate golf carts and pedestrian crossings and resolve previous issues such as narrow widths and arch designs that impede traffic flow. The timber bridge is preferred because of its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and consistency with the current clubhouse facilities, favoring local sourcing of materials with minimal, eco-friendly preservative treatments.  The team has referenced a variety of codes such as AASHTO and NDS (National Design Specifications for wood construction) to ensure that our bridge meets our design criteria.

Team Advisor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: David Kosiborod, Victor Okiye, Kyle Desmond, Akhmed Aladinov

The primary objective of this project is to design and fabricate an advanced nozzle system capable of enabling in-situ CO₂ curing during the 3D printing of carbonatable cementitious materials. The project aims to develop an in-situ CO₂ curing nozzle system for 3D printing of carbonatable cementitious materials to improve material performance/properties, enhance sustainable construction practices, and support global efforts to reduce environmental impacts. Successfully completing the project will significantly enhance the sustainability of the construction industry by reducing the environmental impact of traditional cement curing methods.

Team Advisor: Dr. Mehdi Khanzadeh

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Sanghun Kim

Team Members: Belal Mohammad, Meme Udeh, Darnel Therjuste, Paul Pearce

This project aimed to design a cost-effective force feedback flight simulator yoke using magnetorheological (MR) fluid. Unlike traditional systems that rely on expensive DC motors or hydraulic systems, MR fluid offers adjustable viscosity under a magnetic field, providing realistic control forces. The design integrates an MR fluid damper, electromagnetic coils, and a micro-controller to interpret real-time flight data from the X-Plane simulator. By dynamically adjusting the fluid's viscosity, the system accurately simulates aerodynamic forces with a response time of approximately 0.8 ms, surpassing the 1 ms target. Operating within a 12-24V range and consuming under 50W, it ensures energy efficiency. This innovation offers enhanced realism for pilot training and serves as a scalable solution for both commercial and military simulation applications.

Team Advisor: Sherwood Polter

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Maryam Alibeik

Team Members: Nakharaj Chandavong, Phene Jean-Claude, M. Luka, Eric Seip

The ISIP Machine Learning Demonstration (IMLD) project addresses the issue of making machine learning concepts more accessible using interactive visualization. To achieve this, our project converts the existing, desktop version of IMLD into a fully web-based application, eliminating installation barriers and allowing users to access the platform from any device with a web browser. This modernization ensures broader accessibility while maintaining the core functionality of enabling users to generate datasets, apply machine learning models, and visualize classification results. Quantitative evaluation of the web-based implementation includes performance testing on different datasets and algorithms, demonstrating comparable accuracy and improved user accessibility. By removing technical barriers, IMLD expands its impact, making machine learning education more approachable for students, educators, and researchers worldwide.

Team Advisor: Dr. Joseph Picone

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Maryam Alibeik

Team Members: Shane McNicholas, Brian Thai, Kayla Toner, Raynel Lopez-Morel

We are designing and building an experiment payload module intended to find the correlation between solar radiation, the magnetic field of the earth, and altitude. It will be launched in June aboard a small sounding rocket as part of the NASA RockSat-C program.

To achieve this, we have integrated a gamma ray spectrometer, muon detector, magnetometer, and real-time clock through an Arduino Mega microcontroller, and all data recorded is stored in an onboard SD card. The devices are powered by an onboard battery, housed in a metallic structure that is built to survive the extreme physical conditions from launch.

Team Advisor: Dr. John Helferty

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Maryam Alibeik

Team Members: Ned Satchfield, Jacob Grinshpun, Mit Patel, Ani Nele

A critical need exists to address the stark disparity in STEM education access for underserved youth, as evidenced by the fact that while 93% of children aged 7-14 express a strong interest in learning about space, only 14.8% of participants in NASA-related STEM activities come from underrepresented backgrounds. To directly combat this inequity, this project aims to stimulate the interest of these underserved K-12 youth, who often lack sufficient access to engaging STEM education resources, particularly in aerospace engineering.  By modernizing the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule mock-up, specifically Panels 13D and 13E, into interactive, digitally-enhanced learning tools, we are creating a hands-on experience that bridges the gap between historical space exploration and modern technology. This effort, which involves simulating complex spaceflight systems through 102 inputs and 24 states, aims to make space education more accessible and engaging, ultimately fostering a greater interest in STEM among these students.

Team Advisor: Mark Calhoun

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Maryam Alibeik

Team Members: Ahmod Riddick, Stephanie Mayo, Kyle Lutek, Damian Choi, Caitlin Stevens

Professors often spend around 10 minutes retrieving packages, taking time away from teaching and research. We developed an autonomous delivery robot to address this by navigating the engineering building independently and delivering packages directly to faculty.

Quantitatively, the robot achieved over 94 percent obstacle avoidance, maintained 2 percent mapping accuracy, and completed path planning over 60 meters. It operated for more than 2 hours on a single charge, reached speeds of at least 1.3 meters per second, and passed all control website functionality tests.

Qualitatively, the robot demonstrated consistent and reliable behavior in complex indoor environments. It successfully avoided moving obstacles, adapted to hallway traffic, and completed deliveries without disrupting surrounding activity. The system integrates smoothly into existing workflows.

These results highlight the feasibility of autonomous delivery in professional settings and its potential to improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, and eliminate repetitive tasks through dependable robotic solutions.

Team Advisor: Dr. Philip Dames

Team Instructor: Dr. Maryam Alibeik

Team Members: Jared Levin, Damian Badawika, Lucas Raab, Nasri Ibrahim

Project addresses the manual scheduling of employees that takes around 6-9 hours to complete.  This process is handled by one supervisor. 12+ hour workdays are frequent and due to the burden of the task, employees often get over-scheduled leading to conflicts of overtime and fatigue. Task is usually done Thursdays and cannot be done at any other time. This project aims to optimize the scheduling process which will not only decrease the completion time but also reduce employee fatigue due to a less labor-intensive workload and a more accurate schedule. Other manufacturing teams that rely on burdensome manual scheduling can benefit from reduced labor time and increased employee satisfaction.

Team Advisor: Dr.Julie Drzymalski

Team Instructor: Dr.Julie Drzymalski

Team Members: Michael Quinn, Kyle Madden, Emma Nolin

Traditional classroom designs often fail to meet diverse student needs, affecting engagement, accessibility, and comfort. To assess these challenges, we conducted surveys and physical measurements in sample classrooms reflecting common layouts and purposes. Our analysis examines accessibility compliance (36" wide, 48" deep wheelchair access), WiFi speed (minimum 200 Mbps), working technology (projectors, screens, assistive tech), safety compliance (exit routes, fire safety), power outlet accessibility (75% student access), furniture ergonomics (desk and chair comfort), lighting conditions (500 lux), and acoustics (≤35 dB). Additionally, we measured font readability from different seating positions, and podium size and placement. Insights from engineering faculty and students, gathered through surveys, will help contextualize these findings and shape data-driven recommendations to improve inclusivity, comfort, and learning outcomes.

Team Advisor: Dr. Mohammad Ali Al-Adaileh

Team Instructor: Dr. Julie Drzymalski

Team members: Tara Chacko, Shaima Diab, Majd Labbad

Creating a HVAC system to properly cool a medical building in Manchester, UK. It should last for a lifetime of 30 years, be as economically sustainable as possible, and be able to cool rooms to a temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit

Team Advisor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Instructor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Members: Erin Reese-Batting, Aaron Harris, Daniel Sinyal

This project is about designing and simulating a medical office building in Manchester, England. The building must stay at 72°C in winter and 75°C in summer while keeping the relative humidity between 30-50% to ensure a comfortable environment. It also needs to be quiet so patients can be comfortable. The total cost must stay under $10 million, including heating, cooling, and plumbing costs based on Manchester’s standard rates. The design will focus on energy efficiency, using a VAV system to keep costs low while following building rules. Computer simulations such as trace 3D plus and Revit will help test different designs to make sure the building is comfortable, quiet, and affordable.

Team Advisor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Instructor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Members: Zane Takyeldin, Ahmet Kucuker, Sude Erken, Chris Berry

Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as promising alternatives to lithium batteries. Creating accurate models is a critical step to advance these technologies and make them more efficient. The battery dynamics are governed by porous electrode theory, and the resulting models require accurate estimates of over 30 internal parameters. The goal of this project is to measure these multi-physics and multi-scale parameters.  

Experiments like galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were conducted on a whole commercial cell. Then, the cell was dissected for a more thorough measurement and analysis. A small-scale cell was fabricated in a glovebox by carefully preparing the samples from the previous step. The physical, chemical, and electromechanical parameters were obtained through electrochemical testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These experiments led to a comprehensive list of parameters characterizing the material properties, dimensions, and electrochemical properties of the cell for battery models.

Team Advisor: Dr. Soudbakhsh

Sr. Design Instructor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Members: Amanda Brandenburg, Hunter Gelber, Noila Sattarova

Our project focuses on designing and building a Mercury space capsule shell for spaceflight simulations. Working with a cradle team, we integrated a one-degree-of-freedom pitch system while ensuring structural integrity and cost-effective manufacturing.

We modeled the shell in SolidWorks and performed FEA to validate strength. The design needed to support 500 lbs with a factor of safety of 2, which static analysis confirmed. However, buckling studies showed a low FoS, indicating a need for reinforcement.

To enable rotation, we designed a center of gravity ring with a female connection block for the cradle team's axle. This cost-effective simulator enhances education and lays the foundation for future upgrades like a heat shield and motorized rotation.

Team Advisor: Mark Calhoun

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Members: Shane Britton, Myles Curtis, Yvette Lai, Eve Ventura

This capstone project involved designing and fabricating a steel truss cradle to support a 660lb space flight simulator. The cradle was designed to hold the space capsule at its center of gravity, enabling controlled rotation about its pitch axis. A locking mechanism keeps the capsule secure at key angles (0°, 45°, and 90°). Its modular design includes removable braces, allowing mobility and transport to external sites such as schools and museums for educational or recreational use. Constructed from rectangular steel tubing, the cradle offers strength, stability, and cost-efficiency. Classical stress analysis and computer-aided design (CAD) simulations confirm its ability to withstand expected loads, with a safety factor exceeding industry standards. The final prototype meets all requirements for structural integrity, mobility, and operational safety, making it a reliable solution for supporting the simulator. The project delivered a fully functional prototype, demonstrating the design’s effectiveness for future educational and recreational applications.

Team Advisor: Mark Calhoun

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Hamid Heravi

Team Members: Steven Mathai, Benjamin Ortolani, Dan Waltrich, Lisandro Chacin Bellera, Dimitrios Stasinos

In the US, over 237 million tires end up in landfills each year. A scalable recycling solution would assist in further research into tire recycling, allowing for the recycling of smaller vulcanized rubber materials without utilizing high-cost, low-efficiency recycling systems. 
By successfully cooling the tire pieces in a bath of continuously flowing liquid nitrogen, the samples remained below -120C. To be separated into components, the pieces were moved into an insulated channel, which led to a crusher and shredder. The machines were insulated and cooled by fan-forced evaporated nitrogen. With this, the metal components of the crusher and shredder were cooled below -40C and did not raise the sample's temperature past the glass transition point of -80C.
The project cost under $3,000. The total size of this assembly is smaller than 1m^3 and less than 90kg, demonstrating how cryogenic tire recycling can be done inexpensively on a small scale.

Team Advisor: Dr. Kurosh Darvish

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team Members: Elliot Johnson

Temple Formula Racing (TFR) team is unable to obtain reliable suspension tuning data with their current driver feedback method. A well tuned suspension is imperative for good results in the FSAE competition. A professional suspension tuning is too expensive for TFR to afford, and an in-house rig would allow for reliable tuning year after year.
A proof of concept prototype of a One-Post Shaker Rig is being developed that will oscillate one wheel of the car. This is intended to be improved upon in future years to increase oscillation frequency in order to sweep the entire range of expected frequencies during driving.

Team Advisor: Dr. Pillipakkam

Sr Design Advisor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team Members: Bernadette Mooney, Tulin Oztas, Alex Derrico, Collin McGuire, Fred Marcks

We were tasked with designing a yoke that could be used along with the existing apparatus. It also versatile enough to test both dog bone samples in a laboratory setting and flat surfaces such as beams that would be found in buildings and bridges. Thus, our yoke needed to have parallel legs that could sit flat against a beam, as well as being wide enough to fit a dog bone sample in between with only a small shim for contact.

Team Advisor: Dr. Chopra

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team Members: Benjamin Platchek, Shane Tappany, Marco Stella

The project addresses the development of a compact, high-performance, and cost-effective piezoelectric (PZT)-based acoustic emission transducer for structural health monitoring and fatigue detection. The objective was to achieve competitive sensitivity, frequency response, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) relative to commercial devices while maintaining a minimal footprint for versatile applications. Inexpensive PZT disks ensure low production costs without compromising performance. The approach integrated iterative design refinements, advanced machining techniques, and prototype fabrication via 3D printing. Controlled experiments including Gaussian waveform excitation and pencil break tests yielded a peak amplitude at 60% of commercial benchmarks and an SNR exceeding 120 dB. These quantitative results confirm the transducer’s ability to reliably detect micro-cracks and deformation events, validating its potential for non-destructive evaluation in critical industrial applications. The design offers a customizable and affordable alternative to traditional commercial acoustic emission sensors.

Team Advisor: Dr. Osman Sayginer

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team Members: Jonah Tesler

The goal of this project is to develop a fatigue testing machine that is capable of reliably testing different round samples using rotation and constant bending through four-point bending. The testing machine will be used in the university’s material lab to test different steel sample fatigue life. The machine will be designed so that all corresponding number of cycles and stress will be displayed on a computer and stop operation once the sample fails. At the end of senior design, we plan to present a working prototype of the fatigue testing machine that will work with fatigue testing system platform in the materials lab.

Team Advisor: Dr. Kurosh Darvish

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team members: Emad Mohamed, Connor Barrett, Roshish Thapa, Reuben Thomas

The EPA27 Twin Module lifting brackets were redesigned to improve compatibility, structural integrity, and manufacturability. The original design caused interference with various truck frames, leading to inefficiencies in installation. We addressed this by optimizing the bracket geometry, selecting high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel for durability, and conducting finite element analysis (FEA) to validate load distribution.

Quantitatively, the new design reduced material usage by 15%, maintained a safety factor of 3, and decreased stress concentrations by 20%. Load calculations confirmed each bracket supports 2,500 N safely, while moment of inertia and bending stress analyses ensured minimal deflection.

These results are crucial for reducing production costs, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing ease of installation. The redesigned lifting brackets improve reliability in heavy-duty vehicle applications, ensuring safer and more efficient assembly processes while extending the operational life of the EPA27 Twin Module.

Team Advisor: Alex Kushner

Sr Design Instructor: Dr. Laura Riggio

Team Members: Jyot Patel