Fire-fighting drones. Salads on the International Space Station. Improved surgical tools. Faster blood tests. These are but a few of the more than 90 senior projects that will be displayed during MSOE’s annual Senior Project Showcase on Friday, May 24.  

Throughout their senior year, students collaborate with classmates on a final project related to their degree program. It’s an opportunity for them to take everything they’ve learned in their time at MSOE and put it to use in a real-life application. The projects are often sponsored by companies looking to solve a problem, and others are driven by a student’s interests.  

Projects will be on display throughout campus:

• 1:30 to 3 p.m. – School of Nursing Campus Center, Ruehlow Nursing Complex, 1025 N. Broadway
• 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department Walter Schroeder Library and Werwath Mall, 500 E. Kilbourn Ave.
• 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Physics and Chemistry Department Campus Center, second floor, 1025 N. Broadway
• Noon to 3 p.m. – Mechanical Engineering Department Campus Center, Todd Wehr Auditorium, 1047 N. Broadway  

A sampling of projects is below, and a more information can be found online: msoe.edu/senior-projects.  

Fire-fighting Drones

Mechanical engineering students have identified a way to extinguish small indoor fires through fire-detection systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (quad-copter drones). When thermal and smoke sensors are triggered, the drones are autonomously deployed to the scene and extinguish the flame. Location: Campus Center, Todd Wehr Auditorium  

International Space Salads

Watering the lettuce aboard the International Space Station could be much easier with the autonomous watering system developed by mechanical engineering students—it doesn’t use electricity and works in microgravity.  Location: Campus Center, Todd Wehr Auditorium  

Improved Pelvic Retractor

After observing an operation and consulting with the surgeon, biomedical engineering students designed a prototype for an improved pelvic retractor for abdominal surgeries. The new tool will help surgeons effectively reach the deep pelvic region thanks to multiple geometric adjustments on the retractor and improved lighting. Location: Library  

Faster Blood Tests

Industrial engineering students identified delays in the blood retrieval process. The process takes an average 6.6 minutes, but 5.7 minutes consisted of non-value-added wait time. The students developed four alternative processes in order to reduce wait time, thus improving the rate at which blood can be retrieved and sent for testing.  Location: Campus Center, Todd Wehr Auditorium