The next big Canadian innovation could be among the engineering student projects on display at the annual Capstone Design symposia running until March 28 at the University of Waterloo.
Senior-year engineering students will be on hand to showcase their projects ranging from a train brake sensor testing system designed for VIA Rail to tattoo removal that’s minimally invasive and painless.
Over 750 students in 13 programs will present more than 150 projects they have spent months designing and building. New this year is the biomedical engineering symposium taking place on March 14.
On April 2, 15 qualifying teams will compete for $60,000 in a pitch presentation funded by the Esch Foundation. The winner of the Sedra People's Choice Award will receive an additional $3,000 in funding.
“Capstone Design challenges students to develop new and practical solutions, integrating what they have learned in their engineering programs and co-op experiences,” said Pearl Sullivan, dean of engineering.
“I’m always amazed to see the vast range of inventive ideas turned into ready solutions that address difficult industry, health and societal problems. We are so proud of our engineering students who are truly talented and remarkably resourceful.”
Additional project highlights this year include:
- Enhanced mobility wheelchair with a novel drive system that allows the operator to go further and faster
- A communication system for people who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally
- An online shopping app that helps shoppers make better-informed clothing purchases
- Cuffless, smartphone-based blood pressure measurement system
- A mattress designed to prevent pressure injuries, including bedsores, in bed-ridden individuals
- Eco-friendly disposable coffee cup with a water and heat resistant, biodegradable lining
- Housing solution that addresses the Canadian Indigenous housing crisis in the Maritimes
- An image processing system that identifies when a fatigued driver should take breaks
- Glasses designed to indicate which direction sound is coming for people with hearing loss
Symposia dates and times:
Biomedical
Engineering
Thursday,
March
14|
1
to
4
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Systems
Design
Engineering
Thursday,
March
14|
1
to
4
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Mechatronics
Engineering
Friday,
March
15
|
1
to
4:30
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Civil,
Environmental
and
Geological
Engineering
Monday,
March
18
|
1
to
4:30
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Electrical
and
Computer
Engineering
Wednesday,
March
20
|
9:30
a.m.
to
4
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Management
Engineering
Friday,
March
22
|
9
a.m.
to
4:30
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Mechanical
Engineering
Friday,
March
22
|
1
to
5
p.m.
|
Sedra
Student
Design
Centre,
Engineering
5
Nanotechnology
Engineering
Friday,
March
22
|
9
a.m.
to
4:30
p.m.
|
Engineering
7
Software
Engineering
Thursday,
March
28
|
9
a.m.
to
5
p.m.
|
Great
Hall,
Davis
Centre
Norman
Esch
Capstone
Design
Awards
Tuesday,
April
2
|
1:30
p.m.
|
Engineering
7