Senior Design Expo 2022

The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and 

Applied Science Presents the Ninth Annual 

Thursday, May 5 th | 12pm-3pm 

Roone Arledge Auditorium 

Columbia University

Table of Contents 

Applied Physics & Applied Mathematics 

Laser-Induced Crystallization of Multilayer Amorphous Si Thin Films (p.5) 

Laser Synthesis and Processing of Silicon Carbide (p.5) 

Characterizing nano-ceria particles by Pair Distribution Function analysis (pg. 6) 

Thermoreflectance based thermal microscope (p.6) 

Indigo as an ecofriendly electrode material in lithium-ion batteries with graphene oxide coated 

separator (p.7) 

NeuroNotice (p. 8) 

Biomedical Engineering 

deSTIgma: A Digital STI Test Recommendation Platform (p. 8) 

budDLS: Buddy for Daily Living Skills (p .9) 

LUMA (p.9) 

CAUTIcare (p .10) 

JawLign (p. 10) 

SleepSense (p. 11) 

CERV (p.11) 

Stabilitek (p.12)

The Inferno Arch Bridge (p. 13) 

Civil Engineering & Engineering Mechanics 

Governors Island Center for Climate Solutions (p. 14) 

The Lodge at Gore Mountain: Skiing Reimagined (p. 15) 

Lion’s Den Fitness and Wellness Center (p. 16) 

Earth & Environmental Engineering 

Feasibility of PFAS Destruction Through Catalytic Incineration (p. 17) 

Moss Could Save the Subway (p. 17) 

Hydrogen in the Transportation Sector: A Feasibility Study of Long-Haul, Hydrogen Fuel Cell 

Freight Trucks in the US & Southern California (p. 18) 

Electrical Engineering 

Obstacle Avoidance and Autonomous Landing Systems (p. 19) 

A Programmable Switched-Capacitor Analog Equalizer for Audio Signals (p. 20-21) 

Resilient Raspberry PI Power Backup (p. 22) 

Smart Pet Door System (p. 23) 

Digital Tug of War Game: Using Electromagnetic Resistance to Replicate Human Force (p. 24) 

Wired-to-Wireless Converter (p. 25-27) 

EMG Wrist-Set (p. 28-29) 

Wizard’s Chess (p. 30)

Mechanical Engineering 

Super Cool Underwater Frequency Emitter (p. 31) 

Rocket Payload Bay (p. 31) 

Chicken Friend (p. 32) 

Beach Cleaner Pro (p. 32) 

Adjustable Shelving (p. 33) 

KnitFix (p. 33) 

RollControl (p. 34) 

HydroHand (p. 34) 

CuttingBoard+ (p. 35) 

Calypso (p. 35) 

Equi-Table (p. 36) 

Speed-Star (p. 36) 

Boat Bath & Beyond (p. 37) 

TruckStop (p. 37) 

Small Oil-Spill Cleaner (p. 38)


Laser-Induced Crystallization of Multilayer Amorphous Si Thin Films 

Jonathan Katz 

Laser recrystallization of amorphous silicon shows promise as an alternative pathway of GAA- 

FET manufacture, but further questions need to be answered to fully assess the viability of the 

approach. It appears that recrystallization of the silicon layers within a multilayer substrate is 

possible and could be consistently achieved with greater control of conditions and parameters. This 

process would further the development of transparent or in-situ display transistors, as well as 

providing an alternative pathway for GAA-FET manufacture within a laboratory environment. 

Laser Synthesis and Processing of Silicon Carbide 

Alexander Killips 

Advisor: James S. Im 

Laser induced synthesis and processing of silicon carbide (SiC) was studied by irradiating a thin 

carbon layer on top of silicon, as well as amorphous SiC (a-SiC). The carbon coated silicon was 

prepared by evaporating carbon threads onto amorphous Si. The amorphous SiC was procured by 

sputtering SiC onto a glass substrate. Each sample was then laser irradiated and studied via Optical 

and Raman spectroscopy. The carbon layer was delaminated when irradiated by the laser. 

Therefore, we were unable to synthesize SiC from the starting material. When the a-SiC was 

irradiated with the laser, above a threshold energy density, a color change and Raman spectral shift 

was observed. We suggest that the SiC underwent some crystallization to a nano-crystalline 

microstructure, based on what the observations indicate. Further research is required to 

demonstrate the feasibility of laser annealing of SiC for device use. 

Keywords: Silicon Carbide, Laser Irradiation 

5


Characterizing nano-ceria particles by Pair Distribution Function analysis 

Haolan Sun 

Advisor: Prof. Siu-Wai Chan 

Cerium oxide, also known as ceria, has attracted serious consideration due to its utility in industrial 

and technical applications. In catalytic systems, ceria is used as an oxygen storage element in 

automotive converters. Over the years, it has become an essential component of three-way 

catalysts for the conversion of exhaust emissions in automobiles. In addition, cerium oxide has 

some specific chemical defects, including oxygen vacancies. Due to these vacancies, the material 

has a high oxygen ion conductivity, which is an important factor affecting the performance of solid 

oxide fuel cells. Doping of the ceria with different elements can vary the structural, electrical, and 

optical characteristics of nano-ceria particles. In this research, ceria was doped with different 

concentrations of Copper (Cu). The characterization technique used for the analysis of Cu doped 

ceria nanoparticles was the pair distribution function (PDF). PDF, which is obtained from Sine 

Fourier transformation of powder diffraction data, is the density function of atomic pair distance. 

Our samples were prepared by the co-precipitation method. The fitting algorithm is generally the 

Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. We are fitting the data with the perfect crystal in 20Å and 50Å. 

The PDF analysis on our samples shows that the particle size of our nano-ceria decreases as we 

increase the doping concentration of Copper. Interestingly, the lattice parameters decrease from 

0% concentration of copper to 1% concentrations of copper, and then increase monotonically. We 

can observe that the data fits very well with the difference between the observed PDF and the 

calculated PDF. Rw is a metric to describe how two PDF curves on the same r-grid are alike. In 

our fitting, Rw are 0.11 and 0.13 which are relatively small showing the goodness of fit. As the 

doping concentration increases, the fitting gets worse and worse. The relationships between the 

particle size, lattice parameters, and doping the concentration of Copper came out very well as we 

expected. 

Keywords: Nano-particles, Ceria, Cu-doped ceria, Pair distribution function 

Thermoreflectance based thermal microscope 

Shiyi Yuan, Yuxin Wang, Zicong Huang 

Advisor: Ioannis (John) Kymissis 

Thermoreflectance based thermal imaging is a technique to map the temperature distribution of 

small devices in a micro scale. This thermography technique, which is based on measuring the 

relative change in reflectivity of the device surface as a function of change in temperature, provides 

high-resolution thermal images that are useful for hot spot detection and failure analysis, mapping 

of temperature distribution, measurement of thermal transient, optical characterization of photonic 

devices and measurement of thermal conductivity in thin films. We used a 12-bit CCD camera to 

detect the changes in reflectivity from 333K to 393K of a gold sample. MATLAB is used in the 

process of calibration to produce the coefficient. It also contributes to overcome misalignment and 

use masks to separate areas of pictures. We got a thermoreflectance coefficient at the scale of 10 - 

4 

for gold. 

Keywords: Thermal Imaging, Heat profile, Gold, Electronic 

6


Indigo as an ecofriendly electrode material in lithium-ion batteries with graphene oxide 

coated separator 

Ruiwen Zhang 

Principal investigator: Prof. Yuan Yang 

As Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) become more and more attractive as energy storage 

devices, they also raise many environmental concerns. The currently popular active materials in 

batteries’ cathodes involve elements like cobalt which are both toxic and expensive. In this way, 

the batteries are not only costly to be manufactured, but also harmful to the environment. Indigo 

carmine can be a solution to such problems. Indigo carmine, also called indigo, is an organic dye 

that can be obtained from plants and used for coloring objects like clothes. Indigo is a powerful 

candidate for the organic cathode material in lithium-ion batteries because it is cheap and eco 

friendly. 

One challenge of using indigo in batteries is that the reduced indigo ions dissolve in the 

liquid electrolyte. As the indigo ions diffuse in the electrolyte and are reduced and oxidized at 

different electrodes, energy is consumed. This internal consumption of energy can cause the 

coulombic efficiency of the batteries to be lower than 80% for the first 10 charging and discharging 

cycles. The discharging specific capacity would also drop to 15.5 mAh/g after 100 cycles, which 

is only 23.4% of the initial value. To solve this issue, a graphene oxide coated separator is used 

when building the cell. The negatively charged graphene oxide can produce an electric field to 

prevent the indigo ions from diffusing. The coating of graphene oxide nanosheets onto a polymer 

separator is done by vacuum filtration. The batteries with indigo as the active material and the 

graphene oxide coated separator show excellent performance. The coulombic efficiency is 

typically above 97%, and the discharging specific capacity after 100 cycles increases to 69.4 

mAh/g. Therefore, the graphene oxide coated separator allows the performance of batteries with 

indigo as the active material to be greatly improved. With this method, indigo, a cheap and eco 

friendly material, becomes more applicable in energy storage devices. 

Keywords: organic cathode material, indigo dye, graphene oxide, batteries, sustainable. 

7


NeuroNotice 

Golda Daphna, Luis Muncharaz Duran, Kalsoum Mbacke, 

Rhea Sablani, Elaine Tan 

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common consequence of diabetes marked by damage to peripheral 

nerves. PN usually originates in the extremities (hands and feet,) and if left undiagnosed can lead 

to infections, amputation, and life-threatening illness. Current diagnostic procedures include 

electromyograms and nerve conduction studies. However, the high cost, inconvenience, and 

invasiveness associated with these procedures may deter at-risk patients from regularly getting 

checked for PN. We propose NeuroNotice, an affordable, at-home, and user-friendly solution that 

allows patients to monitor symptoms of PN. NeuroNotice is a size-adjustable device that randomly 

stimulates, via vibration, regions of the foot. Users respond based on whether they detect the 

stimulation, indicating potential loss of sensation that would occur with PN. Acquired data will be 

presented in a simple graphical interface. Initial prototype testing demonstrates that NeuroNotice 

can successfully determine a difference between healthy and simulated symptomatic feet, thereby 

allowing for frequent tracking of PN and supporting physicians’ continuous monitoring of 

neuropathy. 

deSTIgma: A Digital STI Test Recommendation Platform 

Susanna Baek, Katharyn Fatehi, Andy Garcia, Vivian Shi, Ruxandra Tonea 

Despite the many medical advances of the last decade, sexually transmitted infections and diseases 

(STIs) continue to pose a significant public health issue, with cases increasing continuously for 7 

years up to 2020. STI testing, which typically requires an in-person clinic visit, can be inaccessible 

due to time, travel, and financial limitations. Due to a lack of education and awareness, STIs are 

also highly stigmatized. The deSTIgma STI Test Recommendation Digital Platform streamlines 

the STI test-seeking process with a test recommendation questionnaire, clinic map, and educational 

resources in an app and website. The questionnaire uses relevant medical history, sexual activity 

history, and symptoms to inform and guide users to appropriate tests and resources in NYC. The 

machine-learning-based algorithm, stored on a HIPAA approved platform, may be trained with 

real patient data, pending IRB approval. deSTIgma aims to make STI testing an easily accessible 

component of regular healthcare for all. 

8


budDLS: Buddy for Daily Living Skills 

Kaitlin Abrantes, Amy Jang, Hyunjee Lim, Kelly Pu, Joa Yun 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability affecting 1 in 44 children in the 

U.S. Although symptoms vary, ~90% of children with autism struggle to learn daily living skills 

(DLS) like hand washing and toileting due to difficulties with task sequencing, transferring skills 

from school to home, and initiating independently. In particular, atypical sensory behavior can 

result in excessive playing or avoidance of household liquids. The burden is on caregivers to 

supervise or use hand-over-hand assistance to ensure successful and safe completion of DLS. 

Children with ASD and their caregivers need a solution that enhances independence during 

household tasks requiring the use of hygienic liquids. The budDLS dispenser provides a 

multimodal solution: (1) a dispenser that locks to prevent excess pumping, (2) combination-locked 

liquid reservoir to prevent pouring liquids out of a bottle, and (3) built-in screen that displays stepby-step 

instructions and responds to user interactions to teach DLS. 

LUMA 

Jui Buamahakul, Leanne Pichay, Justin Saintil, 

Pavin Sethbhakdi, Joanne W. Wang 

A root canal procedure is a mechanical and chemical intervention that treats dental pulp infections. 

It relies on chemical irrigants such as sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) to sterilize the canal after the 

removal of infected material. However, NaOCl’s cytotoxicity prevents dentists from irrigating 

within 2-4 mm of the tooth’s apex, where the majority of bacteria resides, leading to a 35% 

reinfection and retreatment rate. To address these shortcomings, our Luma device leverages 

photodynamic therapy, using the combination of a photosensitizer with a high-powered laser to 

eradicate bacteria. The Luma device seamlessly integrates into the root canal protocol, clamping 

onto the dental dam isolating the tooth. Here, it irradiates the root canal over a period of minutes, 

effectively disinfecting the tooth without adverse effects to surrounding tissue. Initial testing 

indicates that Luma is capable of reaching the energy density required to eliminate more than 97% 

of most reinfection-causing dental bacteria. 

9


CAUTIcare 

Ozgenur Celik, Michaela O’Donnell, Neil Kennedy, 

Prithi Chakrapani, Emma Glajchen 

The most common and severe complication of indwelling catheterization is the inoculation of 

bacteria into the body, leading to catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Patients 

are not regularly tested for CAUTIs due to time and resource restrictions. Undetected CAUTIs 

cause further kidney and bladder infections and lead to increased length of hospitalization, excess 

healthcare costs, and increased mortality: The estimated cost per year for CAUTIs in the United 

States is $340 – $450 million. CAUTIcare proposes a way to provide automated screening to detect 

CAUTIs earlier in the infection progression. Our system uses a bimodal approach for the rapid 

detection of infections. First, we measure urine cloudiness (turbidity),, which is an early clinical 

indicator of infection. Turbid urine is then directed to a testing chamber, where a secondary, 

analyte-based test is performed to confirm infection. Turbidity detection triggers alarms to notify 

healthcare providers that a possible infection is present, drawing attention to the results of the 

dipstick test and requiring further medical care if needed. 

JawLign 

Joshua Fuller, Isabella Leite, Joseph Borison, Yeji Cho, Miranda Wang 

Up to 5% of the United States population has facial deformities such as temporomandibular joint 

disorders and cleft palates, which require orthognathic surgery to correct. Orthognathic surgery 

can have a relapse rate of 10% - 40%, in which the jaw moves back into the pre-surgical position. 

Relapse often occurs after patients have stopped coming in for frequent checkups, but can be 

remedied through orthodontics if identified early. Therefore, there is a need for patients to monitor 

their relative jaw position post-surgery without coming into the physician’s office. JawLign aims 

to create a platform to allow patients to track their jaw position at home, allowing for early 

detection of relapse. The JawLign platform uses dental impressions which can be analyzed in an 

app to track relative jaw position over time. Initial tests have demonstrated that wax molds can 

accurately measure jaw displacement, underlying their ability to be used in our device. 

10


SleepSense 

Keni Chen, Eileen Choi, Olimpia Gavaudan, Michelle Kim, Michael White 

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) is characterized by falling asleep in an uncontrollable 

fashion, and is a major cause for accidents in high-risk situations. A reported 16.5% of fatal car 

crashes are attributed to people falling asleep. Uncontrollable sleepiness can often lead to 

unpredictable incidents, such as falling down while walking. However, current sleep pattern 

monitors focus primarily on recording and predict behaviors during nighttime. Safety devices 

related to EDS are only applicable to limited activities. SleepSense addresses the ambulatory need 

to track fatigue and uncontrolled sleeping throughout the day and alerts when sleepiness is 

detected. From our prototype testing, SleepSense was able to identify potential bouts of daytime 

sleepiness through changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and detection of stereotypical 

movements when falling asleep. As a lightweight, wearable, our device will allow for ambulatory 

monitoring and alerting of unregulated sleep, helping users combat falling asleep during critical 

activities 

CERV 

Hannah Ballard, Aala Nasir, Kiarra Lavache, Joyce Liu, Emme Pogue 

In the United States, 12% of children are born preterm, a leading contributor to infant mortality. 

During pregnancy, the cervix remodels to prepare for vaginal delivery by softening and shortening. 

Although cervical length is the clinical standard for diagnosing cervical insufficiency, research has 

shown premature cervical softening to be a more consistent indicator. We propose a biomechanical 

device to measure cervical stiffness, allowing patients the ability to monitor their risk of preterm 

birth more confidently and affordably. Our speculum-free device entails small-scale cervical 

compression to determine tissue stiffness. Proof of concept testing for circumferential compression 

of cervix phantoms has produced promising results for statistically distinguishing between 

different stiffnesses. We are confident that the successes of our proof of concept will translate 

directly into our final design and support risk detection of preterm labor. 

11


Stabilitek 

Erik Emsbo, Shivanni Ramdass, Adi Shastry, Elizabeth Thomas, Micah Woodard 

Falls are the leading cause of injury death for the geriatric population, resulting in 3,000,000 older 

adults being hospitalized each year. With only 37% of physicians assessing fall risk and standard 

assessments being time-intensive, there is a lack of evaluation for severity over time. This limits 

understanding of patient stability, progression of neuromuscular diseases and cognitive decline, 

and effects of medication changes, all of which can put patients at an increased risk for falls and 

hospitalization. Stabilitek aims to address this limitation by measuring a person's fall risk at home 

over an extended period of time through the use of motion sensing insoles. By integrating force 

sensors and an inertial motion unit, Stabilitek provides an innovative wearable that can be 

integrated into the patient’s daily life. The detection device records data in a format that is able to 

be easily interpreted by users and physicians in order to quantify how fall risk is changing over 

time. 

12


The Inferno Arch Bridge 

Joelle Sherlock, Julian Briggs, Haya Ghandour, Luke Ciarelli, Devin Hart 

Advisor: Tom Panayotidi 

Within the context of New York City, over 6.6 million people are underserved by the 

existing transit structure due to living in boroughs other than Manhattan. Having safe, efficient, 

and reliable public transportation is proven to have numerous benefits on the mental and physical 

wellbeing of commuters, increasing their access to resources—such as healthcare centers and 

educational facilities—and opportunities. Thus, in assessing this pressing need for more 

comprehensive and accessible public transport in New York City, fast and reliable connections 

between the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn are a priority. The proposed design is that of a threetrack, 

network arch bridge between Queens and Ward and Randall’s Island northeast of the 

existing Hellgate Bridge in order to facilitate the construction of subway lines that would connect 

Astoria, Queens to the South Bronx and present an opportunity for the creation of an inter-borough 

line that connects Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx without relying on Manhattan transfers. 

Hence, the Inferno Arch bridge will provide the needed infrastructure to proceed with the proposed 

subway line construction project that aims to benefit underserved communities. 

The Inferno Arch Bridge was designed to carry three additional railroad tracks in parallel 

to the existing tracks on the Hellgate Bridge. Seeing as the design is for a railroad bridge, a network 

arch bridge was chosen for this project due to the increased torsional and lateral stiffness provided 

by the structure in comparison to something like a cable-stay or suspension bridge. The structure 

spans the width of the Hellgate strait from Astoria, Queens to Randall’s Island with a span length 

of 1000 ft. Following AASHTO guidelines in determining the necessary clearances between 

tracks, the three-track bridge will have a width of 72 ft. The bridge will be placed on land using 

delta frames, adjusting for the height difference between the two sides with a concrete cap on the 

Astoria end. 

Therefore, the construction of the Inferno Arch Bridge will have a myriad of benefits both 

on the human and environmental levels. Shifting the focus to a safe, efficient, and reliable railroad 

promotes more eco-conscious decisions while also prioritizing the needs of the local communities 

that the bridge connects. The Inferno Arch Bridge will play an integral role in the historic creation 

of subway lines connecting the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. 

13


Governors Island Center for Climate Solutions 

Christine Roa, Selena Tan, Chana Tropp, Elisha Zhao 


In September 2020, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to develop a Center for Climate 

Solutions on Governors Island to place New York City at the forefront of the race to combat 

climate change. The center would house labs, classrooms, a convention center, and other facilities 

to conduct research, develop sustainability solutions, and engage the visiting public with 

pioneering findings. Our Columbia Climate School Research Center is our response to the City of 

New York and the Trust for Governors Island’s allocation of $150 million to a global competition 

to design, build, operate, and maintain an imperative facility. Our building will be situated on the 

Island’s Western Development Zone, a prime location with views of the New York Harbor and 

the Statue of Liberty and immediate ferry access to Manhattan and Brooklyn. As part of our efforts 

to make our building as environmentally conscious as possible, our design includes a cumulative 

footprint of 25,600 square feet of tiered rooftop gardens and green decks to mitigate stormwater 

runoff and reduce the heat island effect. This, along with a water harvesting and reuse system, onsite 

solar production, optimization of energy performance via demand response and energy 

metering, and life-cycle impact analyses of construction materials, have allowed us to certify our 

building with LEED Gold. We also emphasized flood mitigation in our design, due to the 

building’s location directly on the shore of the Upper New York Bay. Sitting atop an artificial hill 

constructed with imported soil, the facility will be raised to a design flood elevation of 14 feet over 

the 100-year floodplain, with sloped landscaping buffered by seawalls to provide a dual use of 

public recreational space. 

The structure is three stories tall with a 33,200 square footprint, rendering it flat and wide to 

minimize the stress on the low quality soil in Governors Island. It contains a steel frame with 

diagonal bracing to protect the building from seismic, wind, rain, and snow loads. Supporting the 

loads beneath the structure is a 100-feet-deep end-bearing pile foundation consisting of 136 steel 

pipe piles. The exterior walls are made from high performance Low-E glass to offer the facility’s 

occupants abundant sunlight and views of the surrounding greenery in addition to improving the 

building’s energy efficiency. Given the facility’s maximum occupancy rate of approximately 300 

people at any given time, we incorporated a large auditorium in our building to host conferences 

and gatherings. We also included glass interior walls, modern offices and classrooms, and outside 

workspaces on the green decks, giving occupants convenient access to greenery. The structure was 

conceptualized in AutoCAD and then designed and analyzed in SAP2000. Scheduling was 

determined using a work breakdown structure, critical path network diagram, and Gantt Chart. 

Construction is expected to commence in 2023. Keywords: Governors Island, research facility, 

green roof, LEED, flood mitigation, end-bearing deep foundations, water reuse system, 

concentrically braced frame, high-performance glass, hill 

14


The Lodge at Gore Mountain: Skiing Reimagined 

Maria Talero (Team Captain), Ricardo Aguilar, Daniel (Tak) Sohn, Andrew Zhang 


Our group proposes the redevelopment of the Gore Mountain base village in North Creek, 

New York. Gore Mountain ski resort is owned by New York State and operated by the Olympic 

Regional Development Authority. As the demand of new purpose-built ski resorts rises, this alpine 

resort in the Adirondack Mountains is redesigned to not only meet the future needs of skiers but 

also to support year-round operations. Our ski resort consists of upscale overnight 

accommodations for an unparalleled experience alongside daily regular ski operations, including 

ski rentals, a diner-style café, and gathering areas for taking a break from the slopes. The new ski 

resort will be roughly 225,000 square feet and contains state-of-the-art amenities, such as a spa, 

infrared sauna, remote work spaces, and yoga studios. 

Our proposal was developed considering the following fundamental aspects of civil 

engineering: Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and 

Construction Management. The structural components adhere to the applicable building codes and 

design requirements outlined in ASCE/SEI 7-16 and the Building Code of New York State. In 

addition, various loading configurations were considered to provide a resilient design to meet 

service life needs. The geotechnical slab foundation was designed based on an analysis of the 

strength of the area’s existing bedrock and soil components. The ski resort is compliant with a 

LEED Gold Certification and contains a rainwater harvesting system. Lastly, the construction of 

the resort used a Design-Build delivery method and leveraged the use of technological advances, 

such as a Building Information Modeling (BIM) execution plan, 4D construction scheduling, and 

virtual reality (VR). 

Keywords: Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR), LEED Certification, Ski 

Resort, Steel Structure, Slab Foundation, Infrastructure, New York State, Structural Design, 

Geotechnical Design, Construction Management, 4D Modeling, Design-Build 

15


Lion’s Den Fitness and Wellness Center 

Noufel Benteftifa, Spencer Good, Alison Selman, Rachel Wolf, Maen Yusuf 


New York City is recovering from the global pandemic, and people are moving back to New York 

with a renewed dedication to maintaining their personal health. Wellness is coming to the forefront 

of people’s priority lists, and fitness classes and gym memberships are recovering after fitness was 

moved online. In an effort to capitalize on the health craze, we propose constructing a high-end 

fitness and wellness center on the west side of Manhattan. In the heart of Hell’s Kitchen at 354 W 

52nd St, there is currently an available lot of .35 acres. The plot has a frontage on 51st and 52nd 

street, and the proposed gym will be a 4 story building with a rock wall extending to the roof. 

There will be a basement with a pool, as well as a green roof with a small garden, and a soccer 

field. 

The objective of this project is to develop a profitable fitness center, while also considering 

sustainability in construction and operations. The main structure dimensions are 75 ft by 102 ft 

and the height above ground will be 56 ft and 13 ft extending below ground. This totals 527,850 

square feet of gym space. A main feature of the gym is the 4-story rock wall, which will be one of 

the tallest rock walls in New York City. The basement houses a pool and mineral baths, while the 

first floor houses a smoothie bar and cafe area, as well as a beautiful lobby check-in space. The 

second floor will be the locker rooms, and the third floor will contain the cardio machines, weight 

area, and gym equipment. The fourth floor will house the studios that will be used for spinning, 

yoga, dance, and pilates classes. The main floor will have a walkway extending from the 51st street 

frontage and the walkway will be a 99 ft glass archway that is 20 feet in diameter with greenery 

and seating for the smoothie bar. 

The structural design was executed using the software SAP2000 for the structural component. The 

structure consists of steel framing and bracing with concrete slabs. The geotechnical component 

was completed using hand calculations. For the environmental component, LEED standards will 

be met. A component of this is the green roof that was designed to capture rainwater as well as 

vertical hydroponic greenery that is placed throughout the building. Construction Management 

components of the schedule, cost estimate, and delivery method were completed and detailed in 

the report. A physical model of the building was constructed using a scale of 1:25, with the main 

building dimensions being approximately 3’x4’x3’. 

Keywords: structure, steel frame, concrete, combined footing, LEED, green roof 

16


Feasibility of PFAS Destruction Through Catalytic Incineration 

Isabela Yepes, Brooke Bakish, Charmane Gabriel, Griffin Deans 

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that 

contain a fluorinated carbon backbone which makes them exceptionally resistant to degradation, 

resulting in their widespread use in water, heat, and stick-resistant consumer products. Despite 

the fact that they present a direct risk to human health and ecosystems, these chemicals continue 

to be manufactured and accumulate in the environment. Thermal destruction at temperatures above 

900 o C is currently the only commercially viable method to destroy PFAS at scale. Unfortunately, 

such higher temperatures result in higher energy consumption, costs, and greenhouse gas 

emissions. Drawing from research on the use of calcium compounds to catalyze PFAS destruction, 

we propose the use of a catalytic oxidizer with a calcium oxide bed and 500-700 o C operating 

temperature to destroy fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) volatilized from an industrial fabric 

coating process. This design is compared to a conventional, non catalytic thermal oxidizer with a 

750-1000 o C operating temperature using a simplified life cycle matrix analysis (SLCA). Results 

show that the use of calcium oxide would lead to reductions in energy consumption and produce 

a less hazardous final fluorine residual (calcium fluoride as opposed to hydrogen fluoride). As for 

costs, the catalytic system requires greater capital investment than the non catalytic system, 

indicating that further research is required to lower calcium oxide catalytic oxidizer system costs. 

Finally, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of calcium compound-catalyzed 

thermal destruction for a greater diversity of PFAS and characterize the effects of co-contaminants 

and operating parameters. This would enable the design of systems for catalytically treating PFAS 

volatilized from contaminated soils and other media. 

Moss Could Save the Subway 

Abigail Cawley, Justin Paik, Melissa Emerson, Zico Gharrafi, Perfect Eadric 

As one of the world’s most frequented subway systems, the air quality in the NYC subway stations 

is of utmost importance. High levels of particulate matter in the stations may put the health of 

riders and MTA employees at risk. In most stations, filtration is reliant on the mechanical air 

circulation caused by the movement of the trains; however, researchers and anecdotal evidence 

suggest that ambient circulation might not be enough. In this project, we explore the viability of 

moss, a nature-based solution as a more environmentally friendly filtration method in the subway 

system. Within the Union Square subway station, we first conducted air quality testing for heavy 

metals in the air at various sample locations. Analyzing this data showed that heavy metals were 

not the PM category of most concern, so we requested additional testing in the future for the 

PM2.5 category. We followed these results with comparative designs of moss filtration and 

conventional filtration where we looked at required materials and filtration rates of PM2.5 in the 

station air. Our findings suggest that moss is a potentially suitable filtration method in terms of 

filtering ability and cost; however, limited literature on the efficacy requires additional lab testing. 

Therefore, our report also outlines lab modeling and proposes simulation designs to test the 

efficacy of moss in the future. 

17


Hydrogen in the Transportation Sector: A Feasibility Study of Long-Haul, Hydrogen Fuel 

Cell Freight Trucks in the US & Southern California 

Peter Cruz-Grace, Madison Ingling, Joshua Solomon, Alexandria Urbina 

As the world progresses towards its decarbonization goals, the transportation industry is a key 

sector in need of zero-emissions technologies. The trucking sector, because of the higher power 

vehicles and demand for faster fueling, requires additional technologies than traditional battery 

vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks are a developing technology to meet industry demand. This 

study investigates the underlying technology for hydrogen fuel cells, analyzes the potential market, 

and considers the California market as a case study to investigate hydrogen fuel cell integration 

into the trucking industry. 

18


Obstacle Avoidance and Autonomous 

Landing Systems 

Michael McGrath, Zhenguo Sun, Muhammad 

Faseeh Farrukh 

Professor David Vallancourt, Department of Electrical 

Engineering, Columbia University 

Introduction 

Drones are currently being used in many 

applications, including delivery services, 

emergency rescue, agriculture, and military 

applications to name a few. Drone 

technology has evolved from the simple 

remote-control drone to models 

incorporating more complex autonomous 

designs. For this project we explored 

different autonomous systems, such as 

object avoidance and autonomous landing. 

Drone 

Our first task was to construct the drone. We 

assembled the motors, propellers, remote 

controller, the remote controller receiver, 

compass, frame, electronic speed controllers 

(ESCs), battery, and flight controller (FC). 

The battery powers all of the drone’s 

components. In most drones, when the user 

moves the joystick of the remote controller, 

instructions are sent via radio waves to the 

remote controller receiver, which then sends 

these instructions to the FC. The FC’s 

software creates a new set of commands 

which are sent to each motor via the ESCs. 

In our implementation, we insert an Arduino 

micro-controller between the remote 

controller receiver and the FC. 

Obstacle Avoidance System 

The Arduino has object-avoidance software 

installed and six HC-SR04 ultrasonic 

distance sensors, which use ultrasonic waves 

to measure the distance between that sensor 

and the nearest obstacle (detects obstacles 

up to about half a meter away). As an input, 

the Arduino takes the outputs of all six 

sensors and the output of the remote control 

(RC) receiver, which outputs the instructions 

given by the RC controller (controlled by 

the user on the ground). Each sensor points 

in a specific direction of the drone (front, 

back, left, right, up, and down). These 

sensors output their results to the Arduino 

and the software decides if there is an 

obstacle at any side of the drone and then, if 

necessary, alters the instructions given by 

the user on the ground on how the drone 

should move. It then sends these altered 

instructions to the FC which controls the 

motors. If the user directs the drone too 

close to an obstacle, the Arduino will force 

it to move in the opposite direction to avoid 

contact. Our obstacle avoidance system is an 

alternative implementation of the idea 

presented by DIYLIFEHACKER. [1] 

Autonomous Landing System 

The autonomous landing system uses a 

camera, a landing zone (LZ), autonomous 

landing software and an altitude sensor. The 

camera is attached to the bottom face of the 

drone, aiming downward. The LZ can be 

constructed from any material, but must be 

one solid color, circular, and flat. The LZ 

must be placed on level ground and its color 

should be different than the ground on 

which it sits. The autonomous landing 

software is a program which uses an open 

source computer vision algorithm to identify 

any circles in images captured by the 

camera. [2] The program uses functions from 

the Image Processing OpenCV library. [3] 

When more than one circle appears in an 

image, the altitude sensor is used to 

determine which circle’s radius matches the 

landing zone. 

References 

[1] DIYLIFEHACKER. Obstacle Avoidance 

(part 1). (Jan. 18, 2020). Accessed: Apr. 14, 

2020. [Online Video]. 

[2] HK Yuen, John Princen, John Illingworth, 

and Josef Kittler. Comparative study of hough 

transform methods for circle finding. Image and 

Vision Computing, 8(1):71–77, 1990. 

[3] Image Processing. (4.5.5). OpenCV. 

Accessed: Apr. 14, 2022. [Online]. Available: 

https://docs.opencv.org/4.x/d7/dbd/group__imgp 

roc.html 

19


A Programmable Switched-Capacitor Analog Equalizer for Audio Signals 

Cade Gleekel (cdg2159), Ethan Roberts (edr2126) 

I. ABSTRACT 

This design aims to implement a programmable analog audio 

equalizer with a second order switched capacitor filter. There 

are several advantages to utilizing switched capacitor 

technology for analog filter design, including higher power 

efficiency, smaller size requirements, and frequency dependent 

transfer function parameters. Specifically, the filter transfer 

function is characterized by the equivalent impedance of the 

switched capacitors; when the switching frequency f s is much 

larger than the signal frequency f (a condition given by Equation 

1), the switched capacitor impedance appears approximately 

resistive, with an equivalent resistance given by Equation 2. 

f s >>2πf (1) 

When the condition given by (1) holds, one may utilize the 

switching frequency of the switched capacitors as a means of 

programming the analog filter. 

In light of this important relation, a programmable audio 

equalizer is proposed. A high level overview of the design can 

be seen in figure 1 1 . The design includes a first-order 

antialiasing filter that will suppress any high frequency 

components from contaminating the signal, a second-order 

equalizer that utilizes the switched capacitor technology 

aforementioned, and another low pass filter for the purpose of 

smoothing the signal before it is sent out to its next destination. 

The design provides amplification to a variable band of 

frequencies specified in the design of the EQF filter, while 

passing all other frequencies at unity gain. By utilizing switched 

capacitors in the design, this amplification, or ”boost” band can 

be shifted by changing the frequency at which the capacitors are 

switched. When the boost band is shifted, the bandwidth f b and 

quality factor Q of the filter stay fixed. Consequently, varying 

the switching frequency serves to shift the boost band without 

changing its shape, thus providing uniform function relative to 

every band within the programmable range. 

(2) 

There are several filter topologies to choose from when 

implementing an analog filter. For the sake of versatility, and 

its wide variety of implementations, the design of the EQF 

component of the system was implemented using a TowThomas 

configuration (general topology given in figure 2). Figure 3 

shows the specific topology used, where the two phi values are 

two non-overlapping clock signals (square waves) of the same 

frequency (physical implementation of this is shown in figure 

4). This form of the biquad utilizes switch sharing, and a 

property of switched capacitors that approximates a negative 

resistance, allowing for only two op amps to be used for an 

efficient design (eliminating the need for the inverter at the end 

of the more traditional configuration in figure 2) [1]. Capacitor 

values were calculated in order to produce an equalizer with a 

center frequency gain of 12 dB, a quality factor of .667, and a 

two-octave bandwidth symmetrical about the center frequency. 

With a default switching frequency of 10 kHz, the center 

frequency of the equalizer rests at 125 Hz, and increases with a 

linear proportionality to the switching frequency. All values 

were chosen to boost frequency bands characteristic of standard 

audio equalizers. In order to ensure a desirable output sound, 

the filter’s effect on audio signals was simulated and listened to 

in Matlab prior to design implementation. 

The design was simulated in LTSpice, realized on a 

breadboard, and implemented physically on a 4 layered printed 

circuit board (PCB). Figures 3, 4, and 5 give an overview of the 

simulation, and realization process of the design. 

II. REFERENCES 

[1] Schaumann, R., Xiao, H., amp; E., V. V. M. (2011). 

Analog filter design. Oxford University Press. 

[2] Dickson, T. (2021, November). Integrator-Based 

ActiveRC Second Order Filters. Columbia University. 

[3] Two-phase non-overlapping clock generator. (n.d.). 

Retrieved April 13, 2022, from 

://tams.informatik.unihamburg.de/applets/hades/webdemos/12 

-gatedelay/40tpcg/two-phase-clock-gen print.html 

1 

All figures are displayed in their own section at the end of the paper. 

20


III. FIGURES 

Fig. 5. Design Simulation Schematic 

Fig. 3. Non-Overlapping Clock Signals [3] 

Fig. 4. Design Block Diagram 

Fig. 7. Schematic of Component Layout on PCB 

21


Resilient Raspberry PI Power Backup 

Jules Gaston Comte 

Prof. Vallancourt, Electrical Engineering 

Following a turbulent time in Bitcoin history 

known as the "Blocksize War", it became 

widely understood that the best defense 

against malicious actors in Bitcoin is having 

as many users as possible running their own 

nodes to interact with the peer-to-peer 

network. As a result, since the conclusion of 

that period, the number of reachable Bitcoin 

nodes has more than doubled, to reach 15'000 

today. A significant fraction of these consists 

of the reference software implementation of 

Bitcoin running 24/7 on the well-known 

Raspberry PI hardware platform in 

residential settings, to which is attached a 

1TB SSD for the storage of Bitcoin data. 

While this network is strong and healthy 

today, a major vulnerability of these setups 

comes from sudden power outages. The 

Bitcoin software running on these Raspberry 

PIs is very robust, but no amount of software 

engineering can completely erase the 

possibility of memory corruption as a result 

of a sudden power cut. And in the case of 

Bitcoin, such a failure can be very impactful, 

as it would require the software to download 

about 450GB of data in order to be 

synchronized once again with the Bitcoin 

network. 

In order to solve this issue today, most 

Bitcoiners resort to buying an uninterruptible 

power supply from a well-known 

manufacturer, including a special-purpose 

proprietary battery. Nevertheless, the product 

literature clearly shows that these have been 

engineered with the goal of having 

downstream devices outlast the power outage 

entirely. This yields to very bulky and costly 

designs, and in the case of a prolonged power 

outage, results in the complete drain of the 

battery. Eventually, the user has to contact 

the manufacturer in order to have their 

specific battery shipped to them. In a time of 

increased power outages, and stressed supply 

lines, this isn't a sustainable situation. Even 

more importantly, the main worry of Bitcoin 

node runners isn't to outlast a power outage, 

but rather to avoid the memory corruption of 

their Bitcoin data. 

This project is an attempt to build a device 

that addresses this use case. The main design 

requirements are the following: first, the 

device should send a signal to the Raspberry 

PI whenever the mains power line is cut, so 

that the board may initiate the shutdown 

sequence. Second, the battery of the device 

should supply enough power to the 

Raspberry PI for two minutes, which is a 

conservative upper bound on the time it takes 

for a Bitcoin node to shutdown cleanly. And 

finally, the battery should be of a well-known 

and widely available standard, such that it 

can be easily replaced with a trip to a nearby 

convenience store. At every step in the design 

of this device, this project has sought to avoid 

manufacturer lock-in by using the most 

generic and elementary parts possible. 

This results in a project with two main 

components. The first is a voltage regulator 

that will take the variable 9V coming from 

the battery unit, and step it down to a constant 

5V supply needed by the Raspberry PI. And 

the second is a power multiplexer, which 

watches the mains power line, and 

immediately switches the drawn power to the 

battery unit as soon as a power outage is 

detected. With this device, this project hopes 

to offer a resilient, cheap, and reliable device 

that will help Bitcoiners power their nodes 

during the turbulent times ahead. 

22


Smart Pet Door System 

Leoni Lu, Mingyuan Zhang 

David Vallancourt, Electrical Engineering 

This system is an appliance designated for 

domestic use. It provides a secured gate for 

recognized pets to enter or exit the residence. 

The system has two major divisions: a 

powered part and a remote part. The powered 

part is to be installed indoors onto the pet 

door. The remote part is a pet identifier 

operating outside of the residence in 

proximity to the gate. This allows the lowpower 

outdoor sensor part to be fully battery 

powered, while the indoor higher-power 

processing and door activation part (locking 

or automatically opening the door using a 

high-torque brushless DC motor controlled 

by a Raspberry Pi) is run from a wall outlet. 

To utilize the system, the pet shall be tagged 

with Radio-frequency identification (RFID) 

transponder, which is a small-size device that 

can be easily integrated into a dog collar. The 

pet identifier will read the RFID tag and 

transmit that information to the other part 

which will lock or open the pet door 

depending on whether the animal was 

identified to be one of the registered pets. The 

two divisions of this system communicate 

wirelessly in order to enable installation 

without altering or damaging the structure of 

the building, which makes this system 

particularly attractive for rental residences. 

last long on battery to operate continuously 

for at least two week without charging. 

The wireless communication between two 

divisions of the system utilizes a radio system 

operating at medium frequency (~475kHz) 

within the amateur service band [1]. Each 

division of the system is equipped with a 

customized loop antenna with a diameter of 

25cm for signal transmission and reception. 

The radio system utilizes amplitude shift 

keying modulation to transmit serial data 

from the remote part to the powered part 

indoors. After demodulating the received 

signal by analog circuitry, the transmitted 

serial data would be sent into a Raspberry Pi 

for decision making, whether sending the 

opening or locking control signal to the 

motor. 

The indoor division contains a central 

controller implemented with Raspberry Pi 

which offers great future expansion 

capabilities. Modular add-ons such as feeders 

or water dispensers may be designed and 

installed in the future. 

References: 

[1] Report and Order, F.C.C. 17-33 (2017). 

The pet identifier reads EMID and 

ISO11784/11785 compliant transponder at 

134.2 kHz and transmits tag information 

wirelessly to the indoor division. This part of 

the system does not rely on microcontrollers 

and is implemented mostly by analog 

circuitry and therefore has minimal power 

consumption. The pet identifier is designed to 

23


Digital Tug of War Game: Using 

Electromagnetic Resistance to 

Replicate Human Force 

Jewel L Day, Morgan U Bakker 

Many companies including Tonal [1] are 

bringing exercise products to the market that 

use “digital weight.” These systems employ 

a combination of electromagnetic forces and 

a pulley system to accurately produce a 

force equivalent to a weight value. 

The natural progression of a technology like 

this is to eventually employ in a virtual 

reality system, used to digitally reproduce 

the resistances of motion. In doing so, 

games and other virtual reality applications 

can be made to replicate reality closely. 

As a proof of concept for the idea of digital 

weights in a game application, our project 

aims to replicate the childhood game of tugof-war 

through the use of electromagnetic 

resistance. In a multiplayer environment 

each player pulls on a rope attached to a 

digital system connected to the internet. 

This allows the systems and players to be 

distant from each other and still participate 

in the same game. When one player pulls 

the other receives resistance and the end 

goal is to fully pull the rope in your 

direction ala traditional tug-of-war. 

Each player’s system is composed of a rope, 

light sensor, electromagnet, metal wheel, 

crank attached to this wheel, power supply, 

and raspberry pi microcontroller all attached 

to a firm base to ensure no sliding of the 

system. 

crank, used to rewind the rope after every 

game. 

The portion of the rope inside the casing 

then connects to the metal wheel acting as 

the force generating object. Attached to this 

wheel are two instruments. First the 

electromagnets, which when current driven 

generate resistance for the pulling player. 

The second instrument is a light sensor used 

to detect the speed of the wheel which is 

then transmitted to the other system. The 

light sensor operates due to a consistent 

pattern of colored dots on the wheel, which 

the light sensor tracks. A dot per second 

count can then be calculated on the 

raspberry pi and transmitted to a competing 

system to determine resistance force. 

To generate necessary current through the 

electromagnet for resistant forces, a power 

supply is used and controlled by the 

raspberry pi system. The raspberry pi 

system is mounted with PiPython software 

to interact with IO pins. Python is also used 

to establish a server connection with the 

other system to generate a game. 

Altogether the individual pieces interact to 

create a fun proof of concept game for the 

power of digital weights 

References 

[1] Zavadsky V., Sherstyuk M. (2012). 

Method and apparatus for facilitating 

strength training (U.S. Patent No. 

8287434B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark 

Office. 

The outwards casing has two openings. The 

first opening is for the rope that interacts 

with the player. The second opening is for a 

24


Wired-to-Wireless Converter 

Jakob Hutter, Jakob Stiens, James Zeng, 

Richard Mouradian, Richard Thomson 

Prof. Vallancourt Columbia University, 

Department of Electrical Engineering 

The premise of our project is that, for a given cable, 

if we cut the cable in half and randomly route the 

exposed wires into both halves of the device, the 

device will automatically detect the identity of the 

individual wires and wirelessly transmit the signal 

from one end of the cable to the other. The first half 

collects the signals and wirelessly transmits them to 

the second half which reconstructs them (Figure 1). 

This allows us to wirelessly join two cables via 

WiFi without knowing what the specific wires are, 

nor having to worry about the specific type of data 

being sent over the wires. We have specifically 

focused on demonstrating the transmission of USB 

2.0 cables. 

The detector circuit (Figure 2) is designed with the 

USB 2.0 protocol in mind. This protocol has 4 

wires, 5V, D+, D-, and GND. These four wires are 

routed from the USB port of the host device (via a 

cut cable) into the detector circuit. During the 

detection phase, we take advantage of electrical 

properties (such as the added resistance to ground 

on the data lines) of these 4 wires to distinguish the 

identity of each unknown wire. The major detection 

components include multiplexers, comparators and 

a simple voltage divider. The voltage divider allows 

us to compare each of the mystery wires to a known 

voltage. We feed these known voltages and mystery 

wires into comparators and then a digital circuit to 

identify and interpret each mystery wire as a unique 

4 bit sequence. These 4 bit sequences contain at 

most one high bit which corresponds to the 

identification in this order: 5V, D-, D+, and GND. 

Each Nth bit (ex: first bit from each wire test) is fed 

into one of 4 encoders which output a unique 2 bit 

sequence. Each sequence is used to control the wire 

routing that maps the unknown wire inputs to 

known wire outputs. Additionally, this 2 bit 

sequence is stored in D-Flip-Flops so that we can 

maintain the connection mapping after the detection 

circuit turns off and transmission begins over the 

USB wires. 

Once the unknown wires are identified, the wires are 

passed to the WiFi chip. The WiFi chip is running a 

server written in C which reads the values on the 

datalines (such as the data seen in Figure 3) and 

packs these individual high and low values into 

packets. These packets are transmitted over a 

2.4GHz WiFi connection to another WiFi chip 

running a client. We choose to utilize a TCP 

connection for transmission to minimize the packet 

loss and resolve any out of order packets. Since TCP 

packets contain 30 byte headers, it is much more 

efficient to transmit a large number of samples 

within a single TCP packet instead of having a 

smaller packet size. Once the client receives the data 

packets, it then recreates the waveform at the 

required clock frequency and transmits it to the 

USB device. Because the USB data rate is 

~1.5Mb/s, we require a sampling rate of at least 

3MHz to prevent any aliasing effects. The TCP 

packet transmission is also done at around 4 times 

the packet decoding and USB signal rate which 

provides us room for dropped packets. This ensures 

a smooth and reliable wired to wireless connection. 

References: 

[1] Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, 

Lucent,Microsoft, NEC, and Philips. “Universal 

Serial Bus Specification”, 27-Apr-2000. 

[2] Postel, J., "Transmission Control 

Protocol",STD 7, RFC 793, DOI 

10.17487/RFC0793, September 1981. 

25


Figure 1: Block Diagram 

26


Figure 3: Sample Packet 

27


EMG Wrist-Set 

Daniel Addison, Ji Ku, Saul Partida, 

Talaya White, Marc Sorrentino 


EMG or Electromyography is a technique that 

evaluates and records the electrical activity 

resulting from skeletal muscle movement. 

Utilizing EMG has been useful to comprehend 

nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction or 

dysfunction between nerve 

and muscle [1,2] . 

This project aims to develop a wearable, sensing 

wristband that can avail the electrical signaling 

taking place near the wrists—a heavily 

innervated region of our bodies—to manipulate 

an external device. Potentially, we can transduce 

EMG sensors [3] (Fig.1.) into a digital signal—to 

be wirelessly transmitted to a computer (for 

processing and interpreting)—that we then relay 

to an arrow-based keyboard for applications such 

as video games. This wristband can also be used 

for early detection of abnormalities in motor and 

sensory nerves. 

The project begins with placement of electrodes 

on both sides of the forearms and retrieving 

measurements of arm muscles. Then, a switching 

circuit and Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) 

are used to convert analog electrode signals to 8 

bit digital signals to be read to an arduino device. 

The switching circuit multiplexes four 

independent signals into a single ADC. 

After digital conversion, signals are classified 

using a three-layered neural network 

(implemented using Tensorflow) [4] . The trained 

model is packaged into an arduino header file to 

be accessed in the arduino IDE and uploaded to 

the Machine learning enabled Arduino Nano 33 

BLE 

Sense. The classified signals are broadcasted to a 

videogame of choice for a comprehensive 

demonstration. 

Testing of the circuit shows successful 

discrimination of two key movements of the 

wrist: wrist flexion and extension (Fig. 2). The 

multiplexor cycles promptly and cleanly through 

multiple different waveforms (Fig. 3) passed 

simultaneously into the MUX-ADC circuit (Fig. 

4). These results demonstrate the feasibility and 

scalability of the intake of several sensors using 

limited resources (e.g. the use of a single ADC 

and 8 digital I/O pins of the arduino). 

Reference 

[1] D. Moores, “Electromyography (EMG): 

Purpose, procedure, and results,” Healthline, 

20-Mar-2018. [Online]. Available: 

https://www.healthline.com/health/electrom 

yography. [Accessed: 13-Apr-2022]. 

[2] “Electromyography (EMG),” Mayo Clinic, 

21-May-2019. [Online]. Available: 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/testsprocedures 

/emg/about/pac-20393913. 

[Accessed: 13-Apr-2022]. 

[3] AdvancerTechnologies, “Hack your 

muscles! A muscle (EMG) sensor for a 

Microcontroller,” Instructables Workshop, 

06-Jul-2011. [Online]. Available: 

https://forum.arduino.cc/t/hack-your-muscle s-amuscle-emg-sensor-for-a-microcontrolle 

r/65475. [Accessed: 13-Apr-2022]. [4] S. Mistry 

and D. Pajak, “Get started with machine learning 

on Arduino: Arduino documentation,” Arduino 

Documentation | Arduino Documentation, 11- 

Apr-2022. 

[Online]. 

Available: 

https://docs.arduino.cc/tutorials/nano-33-ble - 

sense/get-started-with-machine-learning. 

[Accessed: 13-Apr-2022]. 

28


Fig. 1. EMG circuit 

Fig. 2. Demonstration of MUX circuit 

alternating between the capture of a 1 Hz 

sine wave and the EMG output. 

Fig. 3. switching and Analog to 

Digital Converter (ADC) circuit 

Fig. 4 Demonstration of channel 2 

(green) spiking after wrist extension and 

channel 1 (yellow) spiking after wrist 

flexion. 

29


Wizard’s Chess 

Victor Sanchez, Tanvi Pande, Aisha 

Malik, Callan Hall, & Charles Escott 


Department, Columbia University 

Wizard’s Chess is a fully voice automated 

and touchless chess board. From set up to 

the end of the game, all the pieces will be 

controlled by the board, and involve no need 

for human intervention. 

The board is a standard 36” x 36” board, 

with a graveyard on one side to keep track 

of the pieces that have died. The pieces have 

small neodymium magnets a xed to the 

bottom of these personally designed pieces, 

and there is an accompanying magnet on the 

opposite side of the board to keep the piece 

steady. The magnet below is the primary 

method of moving the pieces across the 

board. They are moved via a CNC laser 

engraver that has been repurposed to move 

pieces magnetically. The head latches onto 

the magnet below, and moves the piece as 

need be. 

The computer system, controlled by a 

Raspberry Pi, is responsible for controlling 

the movements of the pieces, along with 

keeping track of the positions of the pieces 

and the validity of the moves. Through 

voice recognition, also powered by the Pi, 

the system will interpret the player's moves, 

and if valid, move the piece accordingly. 

The board also features an interactive LED 

set up, which shows the users the status of 

the piece. Each corner has a LED, and if a 

piece in that square has been killed, the 

square lights up red to con rm the kill. Fun 

sound e ects accompany the killing move, 

and discarded pieces are moved to the 

graveyard until the end of the game. A timer 

system also exists on the board, and assists 

to create an immersive chess experience. 

Controlled via an FPGA, the timer keeps 

track of turns. When the game is over, the 

board is capable of resetting itself, and 

placing the pieces back in starting position. 

The aim of providing chess in this manner is 

our desire to o er users a unique experience 

while playing the classic board game, and 

open the doors for physically disabled folks 

to play as well by eliminating the need for 

phy human intervention in any aspect of the 

game. 

References: 

1. IEEE Standard for Measuring 

Accessibility Experience and 

Compliance. 

2. Square O 

30


Super Cool Underwater Frequency Emitter 

Thomas Danza, Ian Irish, Joseph Licht, James Haddad 

Advisor: Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy 

SCUFE is the Super Cool Underwater Frequency Emitter that was designed and created in order 

to direct fish towards specific directions underwater. The top portion has a solar panel on the very 

top to generate power. The solar panel rests on top of a buoy that houses the control system. The 

bottom portion is the waterproofed frequency emitter that’s connected to the top portion using an 

insulated wire. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, acoustics, frequency, buoy 

Rocket Payload Bay 

Eduardo Mintzias, Alfonso Ussia, Talha Özemre 


Rocket Payload Bay is a cost-effective mechanical device which hosts small-scale biological 

experiments that fly on rockets to space to make student-led space biological experimentation more 

accessible. Our user-friendly design employs active temperature control to maximize research 

reliability and success, as well as extensive modularity to adapt to the dimensional constraints of 

space payloads. We hope that our project will make space research more ubiquitous and cut the 

high-cost barriers to small space research groups. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, rocket, payload, space, research 

31


Chicken Friend 

Augustus Devaul, Arachelle Harrison, Jessica Hernandez, Catherine Schmidtberger, and Simon 

Weisberg 


Chicken Friend is an all in one food and water system designed to meet the needs of both urban 

and rural chickens, while considering the threats of weather and pests. Chicken Friend provides 

access to clean water 24 hours, 7 days a week, while also warming the water to prevent freezing. 

The device also dispenses food at regular intervals, and then hides leftover food in a sealed 

compartment to keep pests out. With both battery and wall plug in options, Chicken Friend is 

versatile enough to serve the needs of chickens everywhere. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, chicken, feeder, water, sealed 

Beach Cleaner Pro 

Evan Lien, Mik Lei, and Qingchen Zhang 


Beach Cleaner Pro is a novel device designed to assist humans in efficient beach clean-up. 

Equipped with innovative technological features, Beach Cleaner Pro is built to not only quickly 

dig through large amounts of sand, but also filter out and collect trash simultaneously. While a 

powerful screw picks up and moves sand along a tube, numerous holes at the bottom of the device 

filter out the sand, and a bag attached to the end of the tube collects sand-free trash for easy 

disposal. A green technology, Beach Cleaner Pro is powered through rechargeable batteries, 

making it an environmentally-friendly choice. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, beach, cleaning, auger, pollution 

32


Adjustable Shelving 

Cam Dillon, Joe Franzese, Michael Roussos 


This shelving unit is a manually operated device designed to increase storage in small living 

spaces. The user has the ability to raise and lower shelves at any desired height. Two support rods 

are included in order to hold the shelves in place as additional ones are raised and lowered. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, shelving, adjustable, raise, lower, support 

KnitFix 

Nicole Harr, Lucinda Cahill, Blossom Parris, Agnes Thornberg, Mary Zaradich 


The KnitFix is the quick fix easy to use sew-lution that can alter the size of your clothing by swiftly 

adding an almost invisible elastic seam, ensuring flexibility and adjustability. The KnitFix is an 

at-home sewing device that is as easy and intuitive to use as a stapler. The KnitFix secures the 

thread with two crimped beads on each side of the thread, allowing the thread to stay in place. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, knit, tailor, clothing, adjust 

33


RollControl 

Delphine Lepeintre, Eric Xue, TaeHyung Kwon, William Xie 


RollControl is an assistive walking device that helps its users as they navigate through daily life, 

providing convenience through its modularity. The design is based on an existing push down 

rollator, with three main additional features. A set of modular handles allows users to switch 

between two walking positions, one with handles near the waist and another with handles that your 

arms rest on. Users can also adjust the braking force required to stop with a built-in spring 

tensioner, which is useful when the rollator is supporting heavy loads like laundry or groceries. 

Lastly, the eddy-current brake modules attached to the wheels prevent the device from rolling 

away too quickly, preventing accidents and falls stemming from this issue. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, assistive, rollator, braking, adjustable 

HydroHand 

Nick Hall, Ben Klassen, Armand Pappas, Andrew Pomposelli 


HydroHand is an easily attached device in the reservoir of a hydroponics system that solves leaking 

problems and automates the tedious tasks of managing a hydroponics system. Community 

hydroponics operators can spend less time and money monitoring their systems and provide more 

fresh produce to local communities. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, hydroponics, monitoring, pH, nutrients 

34


CuttingBoard+ 

Arielle Feder, Ahmet Karadeniz, Yehuda Lehrfield, Andrea Quinones 


CuttingBoard+ is a device which helps people slice food using the proper cutting technique. The 

device guides the user’s knife to cut in the proper slicing motion, increasing safety and efficiency 

during food preparation. The user simply clamps their own chefs knife to the guide, applies the 

cutting force and can cut like an expert. If desired, the user can remove the cutting guide and the 

CuttingBoard+ functions as a regular cutting board. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, cutting board, knife, assistive 

Calypso 

Rohin Modi, Jayson King’ori, Pol Bernat 


Calypso is a solution to the problem of loud noises in apartments of New York City. It consists 

of a panel with an array of acoustic metamaterials that is meant to attach over your window to 

block out sound at specific frequencies while still letting air and light in. It works mechanically 

by Fano-like interference, a phenomenon that manipulates the phase of sound waves to force 

destructive interference. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, acoustics, window, metamaterial 

35


Equi-Table 

Estevan Mesa, David D’Ambrisi, Tzipora Hirsch, and McKenna Gillard 


The Equi-Table is a unique, space-conscious adult changing table that gives individuals with 

disabilities a private, safe, and sanitary public restroom experience. Not only can the Equi-Table 

fit in any ADA-compliant public restroom or stall, but also it is designed such that a caregiver has 

space to move in the bathroom and position a wheelchair for transfer. Operation for a caregiver is 

simple. The caregiver deploys the device with a light, consistent pull; gas springs return the Equi- 

Table to its unobtrusive storage location on the wall. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, assistive, adult changing table, bathroom 

Speed-Star 

Deanna Duqmaq, Sophia Ladyzhets, Luis Pupo, Andrew Song, Nadine Wong 


Our game is a playground structure that allows children in wheelchairs to race mini car pieces 

around a game track. Children turn their wheels and transmit energy to rollers underneath that are 

coupled to the car pieces that progress forward. This solution takes inspiration from wheelchair 

treadmill designs and applies it in a fun, accessible way for kids to play with each other. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, assistive, wheelchair, racing, playground 

36


Boat Bath & Beyond 

Vittorio Bottoli, Rushawn Childers, Justin Donovan, Sean Dugan, Aidan O’Hara 


BoatBath&Beyond is an autonomous, easy-to-set up, robotic system designed to clean the hulls of 

boats ranging between 30ft to 150ft in length. The robotic system is comprised of 3 parts: a cabling 

system the extends around the edges of the boat, a robotic cleaning head that removes biofouling 

from the hull, and a slider that moves along the cabling system and control the position of the 

robotic head. This system was designed for affordability, portability, ease-of-use, and, most 

importantly, effective cleaning. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, boat, clean, biology, robotics 

TruckStop 

Nate Coulibaly, Tobias Eegholm, Sabrina Guedes, Sarah Wilkinson 


TruckStop is a custom truck that has a built-in skateboard braking system for use on non-electrified 

skateboards. It consists of four servo motors and is controlled by a central computer. When the 

user presses the brake button on the handheld remote, the brake system will activate and gradually 

decelerate the rider to a stop. TruckStop was designed to make skateboarding safer and more 

enjoyable for beginners. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, skateboard, braking, motors 

37


Small Oil-Spill Cleaner 

Derek Jackson, Sakib Ahmet, Denver McCollum, Jonathan Cator 


The Small Oil-spill Cleaner(SOC) is a folding mechanism that uses absorbent pads to clean small 

oil accidents. SOC is a spring-loaded mechanism attached with these absorbent pads to soak oil 

that’ll automatically unfold when ready for deployment. SOC is then retracted using a winch to 

collect the oil filled pads and fold the mechanism compactly for storage. 

Keywords: Mechanical Engineering, oil spill, deployable, spring-loaded, cleaner 

38

Table Key

Senior Design Expo 2022

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