Student ingenuity was placed in the spotlight at Carleton from March 21-24 as the research-intensive Faculty of Engineering hosted its first ever Innovation Expo.
Student projects from all walks of engineering, as well as architecture and information technology, were displayed throughout the week in the University Centre’s Galleria.
“We are constantly impressed by the calibre and scope of the ideas that come from our engineering and design students,” said Rafik Goubran, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design. “In hosting our first annual Innovation Expo, we put these outstanding ideas front and center in order to share them with the Carleton and Ottawa community.”
This year’s batch of projects didn’t disappoint, with a wide assortment of advanced innovations having been included in the showcase. Fourth year students in electronics, software engineering, and computer systems engineering displayed high-tech inventions such as a human interface for robotic control, a rail assisted space launch, an electric race car, and even a robotic ringette coach.
Mechanical and aerospace engineering students showcased the CuSAT satellite design project, a hybrid natural gas vehicle project, and a specialized crash test dummy and launch system. An assortment of rotary-wing and fixed-wing uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) were also presented.
The majority of innovations presented at the Expo fell under the category of Capstone Fourth-Year Projects, which serve as the hallmark of an undergraduate engineering degree. While Carleton engineering students engage in hands-on design projects throughout their years of study, fourth year students are required to work in teams to produce an original design innovation – one that applies everything they have learned over the course of their studies.
“As Dean, I can testify to the exceptional talent and ingenuity of our engineering and design students,” said Goubran. “Capstone Fourth-Year Projects are one of the many ways that Carleton integrates hands-on, real-world experience into its programs.”
While real-world application has always been a key focus of Capstone projects, many of the innovations presented were also designed to fill a need. Examples included a computer-based speech training and rehabilitation system, a wearable assistive device for the hearing impaired, and an electronic swimming coach for blind athletes. Additional projects focused on serving the community as a whole, such as a water quality fiber optic monitoring system and a home energy monitoring and conservation system.
Expo visitors also had the chance to test their multiplayer and problem solving skills, as students from Carleton’s School of Information Technology showcased playable demos of their very own video game creations. While students were permitted to use traditional open-source software in developing their games, the group behind the title “Party, Darling?” even chose to develop and utilize their own custom game engine, dubbed “S-Tengine2.”
The final day of the Expo saw projects from civil and environmental engineering, such as a specialized concrete toboggan and a number of bridges from the recent Troitsky bridge building competition. Framed works of housing were also displayed by students from the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism.
While the Departments and Schools within the Faculty of Engineering and Design have hosted individual showcases in the past, this year’s Innovation Expo served as a unique opportunity for those outside of engineering and design to experience a diverse array of talent and ingenuity.
“The feedback from our inaugural Expo has been extremely positive,” noted Adam Landry, Communications Officer for the Faculty of Engineering and Design. “We’re already looking ahead to next year to see how we can expand the event to include even more outstanding student projects.”
