Capstone Design

Participation in Capstone Design Projects synthesizes theory learned in class, lab work, and real-world experience from co-op programs.

Students are able to create design projects in areas that interest them. Capstone Design projects often lead to the creation of a marketable product and entrepreneurial opportunities for the graduating students.

Students own the ideas and devices they create for the design competition and there are several pitch competitions that follow the Capstone Design Event, acting as a platform for students to compete for funding to commercialize their devices. Some projects are developed in collaboration with industry partners or community organizations. This allows students to address real-life challenges and potentially contribute to positive change in the world.

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Capstone design in the News

Professor Hany Aziz and members of Team 12 holding certificates
Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Capstone team wins first place for innovative surgical technology

Team 12 was a big winner at this year's Capstone Symposium. Their Team took first place for the Nanotechnology Engineering Fourth-Year Poster and Prototype, and received the Norman Esch Engineering Entrepreneurship Award. Their project was titled “MedSens: Intrabody Force Sensing Advancement for Medical Probing”.

Team members William Kim, Andres Miranda, Andrei Perez, Brian Periku and Yunheng Zou were supervised by Dr. Peng Peng at the Centre of Advanced Materials Joining. The team has developed cutting-edge technology designed to enhance the safety and precision of endoscopic procedures.

Team 12’s project addresses a critical issue for surgeons performing procedures, particularly endoscopies where success hinges on the surgeon's skill. During these procedures, it is often hard for surgeons to tell how much force they are exerting on the patient’s body.

Andrea Parra, Sara Thompson, Nube Torres and Karla Castro
Monday, April 29, 2024

Capstone Team wins Esch Competition and advances personalized medicine for depression treatment

Nanotechnology Engineering Team 18 won this year’s Esch Competition with their project GeneDetek. Team members Karla Castro, Andrea Parra, Sara Thompson, and Nube Torres developed an electrochemical biosensor for genetic mutation detection.

Depression is a complex mental health condition that affects millions worldwide. For many patients, finding an effective treatment can be a daunting challenge, often complicated by adverse side effects of prescription drugs.

AnAndrea Pesse Roman,Isabella Conti, Roxana Chabok, Emma Proud and Meghan Pell
Monday, April 22, 2024

Capstone team receives dual honours for innovative biomedical device design

Capstone Team 2 had two big wins at this year’s Capstone Design Symposium. They won the Baylis Medical Award along with Team 3. They also won the UN Sustainable Development Goal Award for the Nanotechnology Engineering Program. The team’s project was titled “ A+ Blood Typing”.

This team aimed to address the increasing demand for O-negative blood for blood transfusions. The demand for O-negative blood, also known as the "universal donor" blood type, is high because it can be safely transfused to patients of any blood type in emergency situations. This is critical when there isn't enough time to determine the patient's blood type. O-negative blood use is crucial in trauma situations, where quick transfusions are necessary to save lives.