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Treadmill Platform for Quadrupedal Robots
Get PDFCal Poly Legged Robots, led by Professor Refvem and Professor Xing, has been leading Cal Poly’s attempts to simulate, produce, and test their legged robots. The initial testing of the locomotion of these robots can be dangerous to the robot since any bugs in the code could cause the robot to fall over and harm itself. Our responsibility as a team was to deliver a portable platform for testing the locomotion capabilities containing a fall prevention mechanism. In short, we have designed a platform for this purpose that consists of a treadmill surrounded by a wheeled chassis with a system of ropes, pulleys, and a winch for a fall prevention mechanism. Our method of lifting the robot is a success in two ways. First, our method only requires the addition of four eyebolts to the robot, a rather minor modification. Second, our method does not impede the motion of the robot when it is running normally. However, it was found that our method requires 1-1.7 seconds to lift the robot (depending on where the robot is located on the treadmill) – a rather crippling amount of time to lift a robot, seeing as how it is desired for the robot to run at 8 mph on the treadmill. Regardless, our design provides a great starting point for future Senior Project teams to improve upon it. It is our hope that our design will allow Cal Poly Legged Robots to further the development of legged robots and to generate interest, both at Cal Poly and hopefully around the world, in this area of study
In-Situ Mechanical Tester
Get PDFOver the course of the 2022-23 Cal Poly SLO school year, a small tensile tester device was developed specifically for Dr. Long Wang to test thin film materials under a microscope and generate accurate force versus displacement graphs. A tensile tester was manufactured using purchased and machined components, electronics were consolidated in a separate box and connected, and a program and user interface were written to control the motion, provide custom inputs, and organize useful data for the researcher. Tests were conducted to compare the performance of the device to universal tensile testers available in the Composites lab. The device proved to be more accurate in measuring smaller magnitude forces with a greater number of data points, suggesting that the team was successful in building a specialty device superior to using a common tester not purpose-built for Dr. Long Wang’s applications as a materials researcher. Furthermore, clear images were successfully taken of the samples tested under the microscope and the usability of the device’s user interface was approved by the sponsor. Finally, the cost was less than purchasing a similar specialty device for the application, a key requirement requested by the sponsor
Development of Cal Poly’s Hybrid AC/DC House
Get PDFThe Hybrid House provides an example for what sustainable housing solutions could look like. It also functions as a potential solution to the current rural electrification issues many developing countries face. The use of a DC-DC MISO converter allows for combining multiple power sources into a single DC bus. The Hybrid House integrates the DC bus by employing the use of DC-DC converters for home use. This system may potentially improve the overall system efficiency by avoiding the losses associated with AC-DC converters. The use of the DC bus further leverages the Solar Panel renewable energy solution to become a more formidable power solution. This increased efficiency aligns with the overall goal of the Hybrid House which is to utilize mostly renewable energy in a home while still having the capability of integrating the grid power. Consequently, the Hybrid AC-DC House also offers an alternative solution for future sustainable house with improved reliabilit
The Integration Between Housing and Transportation in Contemporary City and Regional Planning: Transit-Oriented Development for the San Luis Obispo Station
Get PDFThis transit-oriented development will help mitigate the housing crisis in California starting with San Luis Obispo at the local level by developing housing for all demographics. The project will be beneficial towards increasing the livability and connectivity of current residents, commuters, and visitors of the San Luis Obispo region. The project will also activate the spaces by providing a walkway and commercial development for people that were previously not present. The proposed development is projected to activate the area, with new amenities, while promoting the site’s existing uses; The existing cafe and restaurant within the project site will not be relocated nor impacted in economic yield as a result of this project.
The TOD project has been designed to protect the historical sites in San Luis Obispo, which includes the Train Station and the Union Pacific building. As the surrounding buildings are designated as historically significant, preserving the style and look of the Train Station area as a whole is significant. An important objective of the project is that the Train Station project site shall conform to the pre-existing Spanish architectural style of the area. The project site is anticipated to blend the proposed development into the surrounding area while complimenting the current uses and architectural style
Urban Design on a Global Scale: A Comparison of Four Cities
Get PDFThis senior project encompasses an analysis of urban design on a global scale. The authors chose four cities to analyze using eight different urban design elements. The cities chosen were Los Angeles, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. Understanding how each city exemplified the urban design elements, assisted the authors in conducting a compare and contrast of the most and least desirable design attributes within each city. The authors were able to conclude with important takeaways and lessons from the analysis and comparison
Frontier - A Bus Rapid Transit system in Frisco, TX
Get PDFThis study explores the increasing inaccessibility produced by reliance and catered infrastructure to mass ownership of personal vehicles. Accessing employment, service, and activity destinations has become extremely difficult for those who cannot possess, afford, or operate personal vehicles; even cyclists have a more difficult time navigating roads due to limited infrastructure and accommodations. Public transit has often become an afterthought within cities, with local routes competing with other cars on the road and adding to overall traffic volume. Bus-Rapid Transit (BRT) systems are an expanding concept within car-centric regions, often being called the subways, but on wheels , that not only change the hierarchy of traffic were implemented but make bus-form transportation more efficient and accessible. The North Texas city of Frisco was chosen for two reasons; the city has an increasing presence in the region due to the multitude of diverse businesses and people wishing to call the municipality home, and there is an absence of a centralized public transit system. According to the Department of Transportation, economically thriving communities are often the ones with good public transit systems. Finally, this study proposes a BRT route within Frisco called Frontier (page 23). The purpose of this system is to improve interconnectivity and accessibility of Frisco\u27s residents, giving them an option for an alternative, affordable, and efficient mode of transportation
Optimization of Flagellar Locomotion in the low Reynolds Number Regime
Get PDFThis report investigates the computational and theoretical techniques - modeled by E. Lauga and C. Eloy - used to optimize the shape of an activated flagellum for enhanced cell motility. Cell motility is ubiquitous and has a large affect on biological systems such as marine life ecosystems, reproduction, and infection. The physical principles governing flagellar propulsion are explored using computational fluid dynamics simulations, mathematical modeling, and the sequential quadratic programming (SQP) optimization algorithm. Through iterative refinement, we can identify optimized flagellar shapes that would minimize the energetic cost dependent on a single dimensionless sperm numbers (Sp). The computation of the optimum shapes are discretized into a series of Fourier modes that are parameterized by Sp. This research provides valuable insights into the design principles underlying efficient flagellar locomotion, with potential applications in biophysics
Concrete Masonry Program (CMD21) Usability
Get PDFThe Concrete Masonry Design Program, CMD21, can be utilized in the design of beams, columns, and walls, but this project focuses on the use of the program to analyze shear walls loaded in-plane. This report critiques and describes the learning process behind the CMD21 program
Practical Podcasting: A Technical Guide to Producing Studio-Quality Podcasts
Get PDFPodcasting exists at the intersection of the technical aspects of audio engineering and disciplines such as journalism and story-telling. Podcasts at KCPR, the student radio station, cover a wide range of topics including the soundscape of the DIY music scene in San Luis Obispo (SLO) on SLO-Fi, the intricacies of navigating SLO on Cal Poly 101, the best of Cal Poly Athletics on The Gallop, and the voices of underrepresented populations on campus on Different Matters. KCPR utilizes podcasts to entertain and inform its audience of the various experiences possible as a Cal Poly student. As a student-run entity, KCPR depends on the student body for volunteers to produce and host podcasts for the station. Incoming podcast producers may come from various audio production backgrounds ranging from beginner to experienced. Despite this, there is no formal training for these incoming students. Practical Podcasting endeavors to provide a basic background into the more technical aspects of podcasting by teaching users fundamental techniques and Sarmiento 2 processes for recording, mixing, mastering, and production. In comparison to existing resources for these audio disciplines, Practical Podcasting consolidates information often found scattered across different sources into one document that will level the playing field, such that all podcast producers have an understanding of the fundamentals of these audio disciplines. With this knowledge, it is the hope that the podcasts produced by KCPR will be able to compete with professional podcasts in terms of audio quality
The Center for Centering Dome
Get PDFThe Center for Centering seeks to create a large-scale healing center, conducive to individual centering of the mind and body. This mobile installation provides a relaxing, enclosed space while still maintaining a connection to the outdoors. The clients liked the idea of having a pop-up installation that could be easily set up as a touring display. With a deadline for installation looming in June 2022, a team of students had five months to design and manufacture the structure.
In winter 2022, the students developed custom geometry to minimize the number of individual parts and built a ¼ scale model of the design. In spring 2022, the students digitally modeled each part and manufactured the designs in the woodshop, culminating in the construction of the pavilion. What made this project remarkable was the students\u27 opportunity to work with real clients, meet real deadlines, and learn how their design impacted construction while manufacturing the structure all by themselves. From creating countless digital models to troubleshooting tolerances and manufacturing mishaps, this project was the epitome of Cal Poly’s “Learn by Doing” motto