Group collage photo of the members of the team working on the Autonomous U.A.V. Project.

A hotel and casino complex, a report on rain and water drainage, a virtual escape room designed to test your knowledge, cooking-assistance applications and surveillance software: What do they all have in common? They are some of the many projects showcased at the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s 2021 Virtual Senior Design Project Showcase.

While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced this event to go virtual for the second year in a row, this did nothing to stop the creativity exhibited by the participants on May 7.

“Year after year, our students spend their entire senior year working on their capstone projects at CSUN. Unlike many other institutions, we build the project into the curriculum, providing the students and faculty with valuable learning and teaching experience,” said Houssam A. Toutanji, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “These projects include more than just the design and building; the students become competent in skills pertaining to working with teams, oral presentations, visual display, and more soft skills, as some refer to them.”

Twenty-eight student teams presented projects — ranging from proposals on improving and storing rainwater and drainage, to designing a brand new Las Vegas casino, to a human-powered vehicle, to an app utilizing eye control to help teach cooking.

One winner was selected from each of five major groups represented at the showcase.

Photograph of the Go Gloves team together, alongside their finished project.

From Civil Engineering and Construction Management, the winning team was What To Do With All This Water?: a project analyzing and evaluating current rainwater drainage systems on campus, as well as proposing sustainable solutions.

In the field of Computer Science, the winner was EureQa: a mobile application designed to allow people to get quick answers to various questions.

Within Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ultrasonic Transponder, a system of devices designed to help differentiate known devices from each other, was the winner.

In Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management, the Grappler 1000, a robotic arm built from innovative materials like carbon fiber won.

And in Mechanical Engineering, the winning student team was Aerospace Senior Design. The team utilized multi-disciplinary techniques (aerodynamics, design, electrical, manufacturing and marketing) to create a competitive and innovative radio controlled electric aircraft.

Civil Engineering and Construction Management, College of Engineering and Computer Science, CSUN mechanical engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Senior Design Project Showcase