Brennan Halsey demonstrates his capstone team’s 3D-printed spacer with flow control valve project sponsored by Lakeland Regional Health during the annual Capstone Showcase at Florida Polytechnic University on Thursday, April 24, at the Barnett Applied Research Center.
Teams of Florida Polytechnic University seniors presented their innovative capstone projects to faculty, guests, and industry sponsors on Thursday, April 24, at the University’s annual Capstone Showcase.
The event is the culmination of the teams’ work throughout the academic year to devise solutions to real-world problems posed by industry partners.
International student Korrie Smith said his team’s energy assessment, analysis, and recommendations project for MacDill Air Force Base achieved solid results that can save the base tens of thousands of dollars and significant amounts of energy.
The five-member multidisciplinary team concluded that air conditioners installed in a building in 1994 had far outlasted their 10-to-15-year intended life cycle and were performing inefficiently, requiring both more maintenance and energy than necessary.
“We found they could see a 17% reduction in energy consumption only attributed to HVAC (air conditioning) and we could also estimate within two-and-a-half to three years they could see a savings of $67,000,” Smith said. “The entire process was a very humbling one because we had never done these kinds of assessments before, but our team was able to pull together, we did our necessary research, conducted the analysis, and were able to have a great relationship with our sponsor.”
The sponsor said she was impressed with their work.
“I was amazed at the way they came in and took charge; they let me know that I could trust in them and their results,” said Chassity Smith, continual process improvement wing project manager at MacDill Air Force Base, and no relation to Korrie Smith. “We really needed this information. Energy reduction of 17% is amazing. Government is always looking for ways to improve energy use.”
Brayden Reece was part of a team of computer science majors that created a virtual reality calming scenario for Lakeland Regional Health. The group ultimately created a beach-themed virtual reality location that offered users the opportunity to leisurely collect shells from the shore. A shell library opens as certain shells are collected.
“It’s simple to use, and anybody in the hospital who wants to use this is able to,” Reece said. “It can be used for someone who is agitated, someone who is undergoing surgery who doesn’t need to be completely unconscious, or someone who just doesn’t want to be there. I’m really proud of what we learned as a group and the project we completed.”
Computer engineering major Miriam Singleton was part of a multidisciplinary group building a marsupial rover with autonomous navigation that could prepare the surface of the moon for road paving by another vehicle. She said although she was proud of her team’s work and final product, Wednesday’s experience was bittersweet.
“I’m a little sad that it’s over,” Singleton said of the project sponsored by the Florida Space Center. “We’ve been putting a lot of hours into this, literally staying until 4 a.m. one day, but it’s been a really fun experience working really hard and getting to see it turn into something great.”
Single-Discipline Team: Smart storeroom inventory management project, sponsored by Lakeland Regional Health. Computer science majors. Team members are Melia Rodriguez, Andrew Wernersbach, David Johnston, Damian Cutie, Melina Ramos, and Noah Burton.
Medium Multidisciplinary Team: Gamification of incentive spirometer for pediatric patients, sponsored by Lakeland Regional Health. Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science majors. Team members are Jacob Bargeron, Joyselle Sarmiento, Jared Roberts, Jenna Castlewitz, D’Angelo Rodriguez, and Elijah Needham.
Large Multidisciplinary Team: Branch site selection, sponsored by MIDFLORIDA Credit Union. Business analytics, data science, computer science, and applied mathematics majors. Team members are Andrei Bailes, Alexia Belden, Anthony Nguyen, Susan Nunez, Claire Robinson, Madison Yonash, Justine Saylor, and Emily Crowley.
Dozens of teams of senior capstone students present their industry-sponsored projects
to faculty, industry members, and guests during the annual Capstone Showcase at Florida
Polytechnic University on Thursday, April 24, at the Barnett Applied Research Center.
Contact:
Lydia Guzmán
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
