Tag: Physics

Title: The Millersville Autonomous Vision Inductive Sorter with 3D Printed Technology (MAVIS^3D )

Abstract: The Millersville Autonomous Vision Inductive Sorter with 3D Printed Technology (MAVIS^3D ) was built off of a piece of recycled aluminum and constructed with two goals in mind: Simplicity and Task completion.  Most of the components on the robot were designed, prototyped, and 3D printed by Association of Applied Engineering, Technology and Management (ATMAE) Student Chapter of Millersville University (aka MU Robotic Team ATMAE).  These components were then integrated with other industry standard components to form MAVIS^3D to complete the tasks in the most efficient way. MAVIS^3D has both manual and autonomous functions to complete the 2015 ³Building Bridges² Competition. For the obstacle course, MAVIS^3D went over two obstacles manually including a burlap bridge and teeter-totter, before using sensors along silver tape and collecting blocks into a carousel. After collecting the blocks, the robot sorted them to spell ³ATMAE². In the relay race, the challenge for MAVIS^3D was to collect pieces of a logo puzzle and place them in an area marked for assembly. From there, the student team assembled the puzzle by hand.

Keywords: 3D printing, technology, puzzle

Title: A study on electrical characteristics of photovoltaic cells

Abstract: Renewable energy production is one of the most important topics in energy today due to increasing global energy needs and global warming. Today,  as fossil fuel reserves continue to diminish, scientist try to make photovoltaic (PV) cells a more viable and cost-effective method of generating electricity to partially fulfill the word’s energy needs. The main goal of this research is to determine the electrical characteristics of a PV cell by a variety of measurements including: Current-Voltage (I-V) characteristic curve, fill factor, internal resistance, and temperature dependence of the Power-Voltage characteristic curve of the PV cell.

Keywords: photovoltaic cells, global warming, electricity

Title: Simulations for More Efficient Wind Turbines

 

Abstract: The main goal of this research is to develop a mechanism that will change with wind speed to get maximum efficiency from the wind turbine while it is operating. We will determine optimal condition to develop more efficient wind turbines using computational fluid dynamics simulations. So far we successfully made a three-dimensional model of an airfoil, applied specific boundary conditions to the flow of air, ran time-dependent simulations, and gained results of the simulation giving force, pressure, and velocity of the air along the surface of an airfoil. This research is being done in an effort to make wind power a more economically viable option and alternative to fossil fuels.

Keywords: wind turbine, efficiency, simulation, fossil fuels

Title: Structural Colors of Birds

Abstract: Structural colors create iridescent colors in bird feathers. The goal is to understand why structural colors act the way they do in certain situations. The research conducted over the course of the fall semester was to understand the optical phenomenon producing colors in individual barbules. Through the use of a polarizing optical microscope, certain hypotheses were built to explain certain phenomenon. Using a dark field illumination involving light acting at wide angles in microscopy, the barbules were not affected by polarization. So it can be suggested that the barbules have certain characteristics, possibly internal, which prevents wide-angle polarization. More recently, it was found that the barbules, when stacked upon one another, create a discoloration at the cross over point. It can be suggested that the barbules act as thin films and create a situation of thin film interference.

Keywords: birds, color, barbules, polarization