Engineering – ASSET

Arduino Powered Navigation Device For The Visually Impaired

admin — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 21:45:09 +0000

Introduction: Approximately 7 million people around the U.S. have visual impairments. Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are some types of impairments that cause people to lose their vision. Thousands of people with visual impairments rely on adaptive technology to assist them with daily tasks. From smart canes and vests to screen readers, people rely on these devices to help them live with ease and comfort. Moreover, recent technologies, such as AI-assisted devices, have allowed for a broader range of capabilities.
Significance: However, even within the adaptive technology market, there has been little development of navigation devices that aid the visually impaired in navigating difficult environments with obstacles or people. Although devices such as phone apps and wrist cameras are sold to thousands of clients, they do not address the specific needs of the visually impaired. For example, certain devices only detect objects below the waist, are bulky, and are uncomfortable. To address this problem, this project focused on developing technology to meet the needs of the visually impaired and to better equip users with a personalized configuration.
Methods: To understand the needs of the visually impaired, community members of the Carroll Center for the Blind were interviewed. From them, certain preferences such as lightness and comfort, subtleness, and haptic feedback design were requested. These requests were integrated into the first iteration and prototype, which consisted of an Arduino Micro and an ultrasonic sensor. Next, because a two-part device would be more convenient, Bluetooth communication was implemented. However, the first trial did not go well; the HM-10 Bluetooth devices did not connect. Therefore, ultimately, 2 Arduino ESP-32 were used to establish a Bluetooth ESP-NOW connection. These iterations were developed through trial and error, especially with feedback from our clients, the members of the Carroll Center for the Blind. Ideas were developed by the project members, and suggestions were tested through building and testing.
Results: Through weeks of trial and error, we developed a device containing 2 ESP-32s, with one connected to an Arduino Time-of-Flight sensor and the other to a haptic feedback buzzer. The ESP-32 and sensor are attached to a brooch to ensure they are above the waist. The second ESP-32 is connected to a haptic buzzer in a watch-like form, attachable to the user’s wrist. One ESP-32 sends distance data, which is converted into a haptic signal for the user to feel. Additionally, new C++ code was implemented for a logic system that enables faster and more accurate haptic feedback. With these new components, we presented our device to the members of the Carroll Center for the Blind, who tested it and used it.
Conclusion: This project delivered an effective solution for navigation difficulties for the visually impaired. It includes aspects such as a lightweight design and efficient above-the-waist detection, which members of the visually impaired community requested during the design process. Through this device, we aim to address challenges, improve the quality of life for the visually impaired community, and encourage their independence.

Authors List :

Alyssa Yasuhara, Hannah Sheppard, Morgan Olszewski, Karina Florian, Sophia Fu

Presenting Author :

Alyssa Yasuhara

Affiliations :

Newton North High School, LigerBots

Email :

alyasu929@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Cataracts, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, ESP-32, HM-10

Design & Development of Low Cost Decibel Meter

admin — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 20:07:16 +0000

Noise pollution has emerged as a significant environmental and public health issue due to rapid urbanization, increasing traffic density, and widespread use of electronic devices. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can lead to adverse health effects, including hearing impairment, stress, reduced concentration, and sleep disorders. Although monitoring noise is essential for awareness and prevention, the high cost of commercial sound level meters limits their accessibility, particularly in educational settings. This study presents the design and development of a low cost digital decibel meter using an Arduino microcontroller to promote noise pollution awareness and support environmental education. The system comprises an Arduino UNO, a microphone sensor module (KY-038 or MAX4466), a 16×2 LCD display, and basic electronic components. Ambient sound is detected by the microphone sensor and converted into electrical signals, which are processed through analog-to-digital conversion to estimate sound intensity levels in decibels. The measured noise levels are displayed in real time on the LCD interface. The device was tested in multiple locations, including classrooms, playgrounds, and roadside areas, and calibrated using smartphone-based decibel meter applications to enhance measurement consistency. The results showed noticeable variations in noise levels across different locations, demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in identifying high-noise zones. While the measurements are approximate, they are sufficiently reliable for educational use and awareness activities. The developed system provides an affordable and practical tool for introducing students to concepts in acoustics, electronics, and embedded systems, while encouraging active participation in environmental monitoring. This work highlights the potential of low-cost technological solutions in addressing environmental challenges and offers scope for future enhancements such as data logging, wireless connectivity, and integration with smart monitoring platforms.

Authors List :

Salman, Sayeed ur Rehman, Haider Ali

Presenting Author :

Salman

Affiliations :

S.T.S. School, Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh, A.B.K. High School (Boys), Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Email :

skhan233529@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Decibel Meter, Sound, Noise Pollution, Arduino, Sound Measurement

Benefit of SONO-VOLT system for the production of renewable energy

admin — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:57:28 +0000

Rapid urbanization has led to two major challenges in modern cities: increasing noise pollution and rising energy demand. Conventional renewable energy sources such as solar power are limited by weather conditions and time of day, resulting in inconsistent energy generation. At the same time, large amounts of mechanical energy produced by urban noise, traffic vibrations, and raindrop impacts remain unused. The SONO-VOLT project proposes an innovative system that converts sound waves and rain-induced vibrations into electrical energy using piezoelectric technology. Honeycomb-shaped acoustic panels installed along highways, flyovers, metro tracks, and buildings capture noise and vibrations. These vibrations are converted into electrical energy by piezoelectric transducers and stored in energy storage units such as supercapacitors or batteries. The generated electricity can be used to power streetlights and small urban infrastructure. In addition to energy generation, the system also helps reduce noise pollution by absorbing sound, thereby contributing to a quieter and more sustainable urban environment. SONO-VOLT demonstrates that urban noise and rain, usually considered as disturbances, can be transformed into valuable renewable energy resources.

Piezoelectric technology, mechanical energy, acoustic panels

Authors List :

Ghousia Begum

Presenting Author :

Tahura Unnisa

Affiliations :

IQRA Mission High School

Email :

iqramissionhighschool@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Sono- volt Piezoelectric tech Energy conservation Mechanical energy

Smart reminder watch for homework management

admin — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:49:06 +0000

Abstract
In the present educational scenario, students often face difficulties in completing homework and maintaining concentration due to distractions such as mobile phones, television, games, and social media. Forgetting homework and poor time management negatively affect students’ academic performance and learning habits. This project introduces a Smart Reminder Watch designed specifically for students to help them remember homework and manage study time effectively. The Smart Reminder Watch allows students to record homework using a voice recording feature and follow a structured study routine based on the Pomodoro technique, which includes focused study sessions and short breaks. Vibration alerts notify students about study time and breaks without disturbing others. During break periods, limited-time memory games are provided to refresh the mind and improve cognitive skills. The simple design and minimal buttons make the watch easy and safe for student use. This innovative device aims to improve homework completion, enhance concentration, reduce dependence on mobile phones, and promote disciplined and independent learning habits among students.

Keywords
Smart Reminder Watch, Homework Management, Student Concentration, Pomodoro Technique, Educational Innovation, Study Habits, Memory Games

Authors List :

Ghousia Begum

Presenting Author :

Syeda Ayesha Fatima & Manha Khan

Affiliations :

IQRA Mission High School

Email :

iqramissionhighschool@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Smart Reminder Watch, Homework Management, Student Concentration, Time Management, Pomodoro Technique, Educational Innovation, Study Habits, Memory Games

Modeling and Visualizing the Impacts of Pets on Household Wellbeing

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:19:07 +0000

Background: Pet ownership is universal. 66% of US households (86.9 million households) had a pet in 2024, and 97% of pet owners consider their pets to be a part of their family. Various studies show that caring for pets and interacting with them help pet owners improve their physical and mental wellbeing and, in turn, their life satisfaction.

Objective: Since pets become a vital part of the family, they should be considered in the economics of the household as other household members are. However, pets have barely been analyzed formally in economics or any other disciplines. Therefore, this work studies a formal model that applies economic principles, such as utility optimization, budget and time constraints, opportunity cost, and diminishing marginal utility, to describe and explain the household’s choices about having pets.

Methodology: Assuming the demand for pets is analogous to the demand for children, the proposed model follows the microeconomic theories of the household, particularly for fertility. Economic analysis of fertility was pioneered by Becker (1960, 1973), and his framework inspired numerous subsequent models (Doepke et al., 2023). The model in this work is particularly inspired by de la Croix and Doepke (2003) and Apps and Rees (2004).

The proposed model considers key economic parameters in pet ownership choices such as the household preference to have pets, the number and welfare of pets, the price of pet care goods and services, the time spent for caregiving, the household income, and the household utility (household wellbeing). Based on the model, this work formulates an optimization problem in which a household maximizes its utility as a rational economic agent by choosing an optimal combination of those economic parameters.

Results: This work solves the optimization problem analytically through a marginal cost-benefit analysis and finds the optimal number of pets and the optimal time spent for pet care with respect to the household utility. This work also carries out computational experiments by supplying empirical data to the model. Experimental results illustrate a utility landscape for average pet owners in the US and reveal the combinations of parameter values at and around the utility equilibrium.

This work is intended to aid the current and prospective pet owners to explore quantitative economic reasoning about pet ownership in the hope of reducing the chances of impulse pet acquisition, helping schedule pet care routines better, and reversing the on-going trend of pet relinquishment.

Becker, G. (1960) An economic analysis of fertility, Demographic and Economic Change in Developed Countries, Columbia University Press.

Becker, G. and Lewis, H. (1973) On the Interaction between the Quantity and Quality of Children, J Political Econ, 81(2):S279–S288.

Doepke, M., Hannusch, A., Kindermann, F. et al. (2023) The Economics of Fertility: A New Era, Handbook of the Economics of the Family, 1(1), Chapter 4, North-Holland, 2023.

de la Croix, D. and Doepke, M. (2003) Inequality and Growth: Why Differential Fertility Matters, Am Econ Rev, 93(4):1091–113.

Apps, P. and Rees, R. (2004) Fertility, Taxation and Family Policy, Scand J Econ, 106(4): 745–763.

Authors List :

Hanna Suzuki

Presenting Author :

Hanna Suzuki

Affiliations :

Bedford High School

Email :

Hanna.S.Suzuki@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Household economics, computational economics, pet ownership, household wellbeing, economic optimization

How to Gain Admissions to U.S. Colleges & Universities: Exploring Scholarship Opportunities for Studying Abroad

admin — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 06:23:09 +0000

Securing financial support is just as crucial as meeting admission requirements for undergraduate and graduate programs in the United States (US), Europe, and other developed countries. Among the most prestigious opportunities is the Fulbright Program, a U.S. government initiative that provides one of the largest scholarships for studying in the U.S. Similar scholarships are available for studying in Germany, the UK, and other nations. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program https://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/apply offers graduate students, young professionals, and artists from over 160 countries the chance to study and conduct research in the U.S. Every year, approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships. This program is managed by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies, and all applications must be processed through these offices. The U.S. Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) administers the largest Fulbright program in the world. The USEFP manages scholarships for both undergraduate semester exchange programs and graduate (MS, PhD) studies. For Pakistani citizens, applications for fully funded MS and PhD programs in the U.S. are currently open, with a March 5, 2025 deadline.
For more information, please visit the YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_-4CRgXhLT7EE9gSXi0pdQ

Authors List :

Mushtaq A. Memon, BVSc, PhD,

Presenting Author :

Mushtaq A. Memon

Affiliations :

Professor Emeritus, Washington State University

Email :

memon3249@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Education, Scholarship, Financial Support, Fulbright Program, United States

AI in IT

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 03:16:57 +0000

In recent years, the increase in prevalence of AI, especially in the tech industry, has caused many to wonder if it can cause problems for the IT industry. Like with most problems, it’s a mix of both good and bad. On one hand, as can be seen with Microsoft copilot and apple intelligence, it’s clear that AI can be used as a sort of stack overflow replacement, helping make code for specific examples, that, while still needing a specialist to correctly understand the code, makes said specialist’s job much easier. However, it does come with drawbacks. Most corporation need efficiency, meaning all this innovation does is most likely keeping the workload for the average specialist the same or higher, but in turn reducing the number of jobs. This makes IT a weird career that is both getting easier to do, while also having the amount of jobs decrease.

Authors List :

Ishan Palapra

Presenting Author :

Ishan Palapra

Email :

ishanishal2016@gmail.com

Innovative Approaches for Metal Extraction from Coal Fly Ash: Towards Sustainable Resource Recovery

admin — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 02:36:20 +0000

Coal fly ash (CFA), a significant byproduct of coal-fired power plants, is a rich source of valuable metal ions, such as nickel, cobalt, and iron. These metals are critical for various industrial and technological applications, including energy storage, catalysis, and alloy production. The current study focuses on optimizing the leaching process followed by characterization using UV-Vis spectroscopy for metal ions extraction from CFA. The acid digestion process involved treating CFA with concentrated acids, such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid, under controlled conditions of temperature and reaction time to break down the matrix and release metal ions. Subsequently, the leaching process was performed, with parameters such asControlled temperature, leaching time, solid-to-liquid ratio, and acid concentration using acid-based leaching reagents, which included sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. Systematic process parameter optimization aimed to maximize recovery efficiency and minimize environmental as well as economic costs. The leachates were analyzed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, a sensitive and reliable method for identifying and quantifying metal ions through their characteristic absorbance peaks. Standard calibration curves for nickel, cobalt, and iron were established, thus allowing the concentration of each of these species in the extracted solutions to be determined with precision. In addition, the formation of metal-ligand complexes during leaching was examined to understand the chemistry of the extraction process.Recovered metals have good usage opportunities. Nickel and cobalt have a crucial role in making nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries, widely used lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles and portable electronic products, and the iron may find its use in steel and precursors to catalytic or magnetic materials. This work thus demonstrates the potential of coal fly ash as a secondary resource for these critical metals, contributing to the sustainability of resources and to reducing the environmental burden associated with the disposal of CFA. The integration of efficient leaching techniques with spectroscopic characterization will provide a pathway toward integrating waste valorization into a circular economy framework that addresses both environmental and industrial challenges while supporting the growth in demand for renewable energy technologies and advanced materials.

Authors List :

Insha Parvez, Ilma, Tashifa Fatima, Ayesha Fatima, Suhail, Mohammad Zain Khan*

Presenting Author :

Insha Parvez

Affiliations :

Aligarh Muslim University

Email :

inshaabbas77@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Coal fly ash, extraction, circular economy

Impact Study of Pre-treatment with DIC on Cannabis Sativa L.

admin — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 02:49:46 +0000

Objectives
Instant Controlled Pressure Drop (DIC) is an emerging agri-food technology that applies high-temperature, short-time treatments, altering material structures by expansion while preserving product quality. DIC shows promise for applications such as biomolecule drying, sterilization, and extraction, reducing energy costs and better preserving product quality compared to conventional processes. This research aims to determine the impact of DIC pretreatment on the extraction of essential oils and cannabidiol (CBD) from Cannabis Sativa L. buds. Objectives include decarboxylating the plant, improving extraction efficiency, preserving compounds, increasing storage stability, and exploring product and byproduct applications. This work investigates how to enhance process efficiency from harvest to product formulation by integrating DIC technology for hemp pretreatment, addressing scientific challenges, and offering higher-quality hemp products.
Methods
DIC processing was performed using pilot equipment from ABCAR DIC Process (France). The DIC process involves increasing the pressure in the treatment chamber, maintaining it, and then depressurizing the chamber. Typical parameters include:
• Pressure
• Duration
• Number of cycles
Treatment parameters were optimized based on the plant material and the target outcomes, aiming to decontaminate and decarboxylate the flowers, and improve the extraction of bioactive compounds. Parameters ranged from 1 to 35 seconds, 1 to 6 bars, and 1 to 8 cycles.
CBD extraction kinetics were studied by dynamic maceration on samples of hemp buds:
• Non-treated
• Treated by DIC
• Non-treated and steam distilled
• Treated and steam distilled
CBD yield was determined by gas phase chromatography analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Results
The decarboxylation rate of CBDA to CBD was assessed by comparing concentrations of CBDA and CBD in the extracts. DIC treatment alone achieved a decarboxylation more than 80%. DIC treatment significantly enhanced the extraction kinetics of CBD. The conventional extraction method yielded 140.94 mg of CBD after 15 minutes, whereas with DIC pre-treatment, a similar amount (135.49 mg) was recovered in just 5 minutes. The aromatic profile of the essential oils, analyzed by GC-MS, revealed differences between oils extracted from DIC-treated buds and those obtained by traditional methods. Oils from DIC-treated buds demonstrated a fractionated extraction of volatile and non-volatile compounds. DIC treatment significantly improved drying efficiency, shortening the drying time to one-third of the traditional process. This results in reaching the target moisture content in just 640 minutes compared to the traditional 1920 minutes. The antimicrobial effectiveness of DIC was evaluated by comparing microbial colony counts (bacteria and fungi) on treated versus untreated hemp buds. DIC treatment reduced microbial counts by approximately 4 log (cfu/g of dried buds), highlighting DIC’s effectiveness for plant product decontamination and improved storage stability. Essential oils in the discharge waters of the DIC equipment formed stable emulsions, showing promise for bio-pesticide formulation. These emulsions, classified between nanoemulsions and macroemulsions, exhibited potential as fungicidal pesticides, insecticides, and nematicides, indicating additional applications for DIC-treated hemp flowers.

Authors List :

Bouchekioua Dounia (1,2), Mhemdi Houcine (1), Benali Mohammed(1), Bauffe Tanguy(1), Lefrançois Victor (2)

Presenting Author :

Bouchekioua Dounia (1,2)

Affiliations :

(1) Université de Technologie de Compiègne, ESCOM, TIMR (Integrated Transformations of Renewable Mater), Centre de recherche Royallieu - CS 60 319 - 60 203 Compiègne Cedex (2) Abcar DIC Process SAS, 11 Rue du Four Saint-Jacques, 60200 Compiègne

Email :

dounia.bouchekioua@utc.fr

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

Cannabis Sativa L., Extraction, Essential Oils, CBD, Decarboxylation, Instant Controlled Pressure Drop

Crafting a Sound-LED Interface to Elevate Musical Visualization and Enrich Entertainment Experiences for Seniors.

admin — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 23:03:47 +0000

Background: During my volunteer experience playing jazz violin for senior individuals, I observed that many aging people gradually lose their hearing capability and eventually cease to enjoy listening to music. Additionally, in conversations with my grandparents, I discovered that they don’t derive as much enjoyment from music as they did in their younger years. Consequently, I envisioned a project to convert the tone of music into the ‘dancing pattern’ of LED lights. Through Python coding on Raspberry Pi connected to Arduino and LED, I aimed to create a device attached to the violin that senses the tone and volume of the music, converting the audio information into a dancing pattern of LED lights with varying colors.

Aims:
(1) I aim to test whether information such as tone (pitch), volume, and rhythm of the music can be extracted through the microphone connected to Raspberry Pi using Python coding.
(2) I aim to process the information and output the processed data through a digital-to-analog converting electrical circuit to feed into LEDs (through Arduino).

Novelty: While there have been many LED projects utilizing LED displays/strips as an interface for audio systems, many of these projects only extracted the intensity of the sound wave, simply feeding the information into the LED control. In my new project, I plan to extract not only the volume of each tone but also multiple parameters, including the tune of the music, wavelength, rhythm, etc. I intend to perform real-time signal processing to control the pattern and color of the LED strip, maximizing the impact of the visual effect.

Preliminary Progress: As illustrated in Figure 1, I have developed a Python code (Fig. 1) that enables LED strip illumination (Fig. 2) according to the sound picked up by a microphone.

Future Plans:
(1) We plan to upgrade the system to Raspberry Pi 4.
(2) We plan to interface Raspberry Pi 4 and Arduino in a master-servant relationship connected by serial communication.
(3) We plan to use a longer LED strip.
(4) We plan to implement a USB audio input interface to enable Raspberry Pi 4 to perform real-time signal processing.

Authors List :

Alyssa Yasuhara and Erica Yasuhara

Presenting Author :

Alyssa Yasuhara

Affiliations :

Day Middle School

Email :

alyasu929@gmail.com

Key Words (5 Words Maximum) :

LED music visualization, Raspberry PI, Arduino, Real-time signal processing, Audio-to LED conversion