Reflection 1

WHAT? You are walking down a sidewalk, headed to a coffee shop to begin designing your capstone project. You are juggling a laptop and a stack of papers with information that you have gathered about your capstone. You look down at your phone to look at the time. As soon as you look up, you accidentally bump into a stranger. You have a death grip on your laptop, but your papers fly everywhere. The stranger bends down to help you gather your papers and cannot help but notice the word “Capstone” on more than one page. After retrieving a few papers that have flown away, the stranger returns them to you and asks, “What is a capstone?”

 

• How do you respond to the stranger?

 

A capstone is essentially a project in which the student is able to culminate their academic and life experience to answer a thoughtful question. This project may be a performance, it may be acts of service, or it may be something totally different all together. That is the beauty of a capstone. It is unique to each individual, like a signature.  

 

• Explain your proposed project and its importance.

 

The project I am working on is developing a low cost, small footprint, UVC light emitting robot that will disinfect surfaces of spores, bacteria, and viruses in non-hospital environments. Disinfection has gained importance recently and its methods are evolving. Although there are autonomous robots capable of disinfecting areas, there is a lack of small footprint and low-cost equivalents in the market.

 

• What issues will you address in the development of your project?

 

We will address the issue of making the device low-cost. We will also face the challenge of coding the robot to travel unknown areas with potential obstacles blocking its path and hindering its job. The device should be easy and safe to use, and should ideally require little to no training.

 

• What interests you about the particular topic of your capstone?

 

This project interests me mainly because of its relevancy. We face an unknown future with many new protocols and I am interested to learn more about what those could be. I also enjoy working with micro-controllers and the trial and error process that is included in this project’s design.

 

• What academic experiences, skills and abilities will you use to develop your project?

 

I will use my coding skills to code the robot to travel across unknown areas. I will also use my team leadership skills to guide our group to success. In addition, I have taken two classes regarding medical device design prior to this year and hope to apply the skills I learned in those classes to this current one.

 

• How does this project connect to your core values?

 

I am passionate about providing medical devices, such as this one, as well as technology and knowledge, to areas where it is less accessible, whether that be across the world or in the next town over. If this project comes to fruition, then this low-cost robot can be used nearly everywhere.

 

• What are three words that come to mind as you create your project?

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Clean. Safe. Accessible. 

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Reflection 2

SO WHAT? You say goodbye to the friendly stranger, and you continue on your journey. You have finally made it to the coffee shop. Your place your order, sit down at a vacant table and you plug in your laptop. You pause for a minute and take a deep breath. (No, really. Take a moment and take a deep breath.) You look toward the counter in the coffee shop and you see a familiar face. The stranger who bumped into you on the sidewalk works at the coffee shop. Intrigued by your project, the stranger/barista brings your order to you and begins to ask you more questions.

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• How did you choose the topic of your capstone?

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When given a list of projects to join, I was most intrigued with the UVC light related projects. UVC light as a method of sanitization should be used more often than it currently is. With this new climate, I could see this method being used more often and in less formal environments. Although there are industrial versions of the robot I am working on, a small footprint version could help those with smaller scaled areas and with less funding.  

 

• How did you decide on the particular approach or theories guiding your project?

 

Luckily, the course I am in has a very organized way of going about fulfilling the project. For example, the design of the robot isn’t the first thing you should work on. It is more important to see the scope of the product and really adjust your view based on what the user needs for this product would be. The approach for developing the project will be done in tandem with the course outline. 

 

• How are you growing through the process of developing your capstone?

 

The process of developing my capstone so far has been pretty interesting. Its fun learning more about UVC light and brainstorming ideas about the design of the robot. Although, it is frustrating trying to comply to all the parameters set out in the beginning, but I am up for the challenge. .

 

• What have your feelings been towards the development of your capstone?

 

I am excited to continue the development of my capstone. My team and I enjoy the challenges we have been given and are looking forward to bring our ideas into fruition. I have no idea what the final prototype will look like but I sure am excited to find out.

 

• What are your plans for collaboration on your project?

 

There are around three to four other teams who are also working on UVC related projects, so we all have the common goal of proving that UVC light is able to kill bacteria, spores, viruses, etc. This requires each team to collaborate through one chosen member and work together to reach this goal. Also, my team is comprised of members with different skill sets, so we all can contribute equally while bringing something different to the table. Additionally, my team and I will be meeting at least one a week to work on the next deliverable.

 

• What has excited AND discouraged you throughout this creative process?

 

The brainstorming portion of the project has excited me because I am able to use my creativity to come up with different designs. The discouraging part of this process is keeping in mind the different needs that must be met, all while having a design that is novel.

 

• Explain how the three words apply to your creative process.

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The word clean must be kept in mind since the purpose of this robot is too clean surfaces. This must be done while staying safe for the people around the robot. Unfortunately, UVC light can harm someone if they are too close, so precautions must be in place to protect the user. Lastly, the whole purpose of creating this device is so that there is a low-cost option for those with less funds. This must be kept in mind while designing, since the cost of materials tends to add up.

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Reflection 3

NOW WHAT? You have spent all evening in the coffee shop working on your capstone project. You notice that you are the last person in the shop and the baristas are beginning to prepare for closing. As you begin to pack up your things, the barista thanks you for indulging their curiosity and asks a few more questions before wishing you well on your journey.

 

• How are you incorporating your previous learning in this project?

 

I will be using my coding skills from previous years to code the robot as it moves around the space it is required to clean. I am also using my instrumentation knowledge to decide which and how many LEDs to use along with analyzing the consequences of using LEDs, such as heat generation.

 

• How will this project prepare you for your future career?

 

This project involves a lot of communication and group work in order to be successful. These skills will definitely help me in the work place in my future career since these skills are essential to fostering a healthy environment. This project is also interdisciplinary in the fact that engineering, materials science, and virology must be used to create a solution. Working across engineering borders will help me in the future as I am sure that everyone around me will have a different set of skills and experiences I will have.

 

• What are some of the connections between your work and current events?

 

The purpose of this project is to provide a low-cost method of disinfecting an area, which is definitely something that is needed given the current pandemic. Schools with less funding would be able to purchase this low-cost, small footprint robot and be able to disinfect their classrooms. Eventually, this robot could be used in other environments as well. The need for disinfection continues to rise and alternative means are required in order for everyone to reach their goals.

 

• How have the three words shaped your process, changed, or transformed your thinking this semester?

 

I have had to keep in mind those three words as I work on this project and remind myself what the overall goal is. As exciting as this project can be, I have to keep myself grounded and make sure that the end goal will be met. I am excited to continue working on this project next semester.

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Reflection 4

WHAT? Your class has just ended and you decide to head to the MSC for lunch. As you are packing up, you hear someone say “Howdy!” in your direction. The barista you met last semester with whom you discussed your capstone project is a fellow Aggie and you two are in the same class together. They begin to ask you about your project.

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• What is the biggest obstacle you have encountered this far in your project?

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The biggest obstacle I have encountered so far is finding the correct balance between quality and cost. This device is intended to be a low-cost product to the user, which means that the materials being used to construct the device should also be of a low cost. However, I do not want this mentality to force my team to compromise on the quality of the product. So long as the main aspects of the device are not compromised with lesser quality substitutes, I think making this device low-cost is still possible.

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• What has gone well with your project?

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Our teamwork has definitely been one of our strengths. The diverse backgrounds and skill sets we bring to the table help us overcome whatever obstacle we may come across. Our communication and collaboration have definitely helped us reach our goals.

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• What kind of roles have you taken on during the creation of your project?

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I have taken on a somewhat liaison and managerial role. I am usually the one reaching out to the sponsor of the project or our instructor with updates or questions regarding our project. Also, I make sure that our team is on track with the goals we have already set and that we are doing all we can to meet these goals.

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• How has this project reinforced your goals?

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This project has showed me that I would enjoy a position as a project manager in an engineering setting. I enjoy communicating with people and being able to be a part of the engineering aspects of the project as well as the discussion and marketing of the project. This project has also reinforced my goal of working in industry. I would love to be a part of a team working on something like this where I get to problem solve and work with others.

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• What would do differently if you were starting over?

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If I were to start over, I would definitely try to get a head start in some of the programming and construction aspects of the project. Most of this will be done this semester but it would have been nice to start this process last semester so that we would have more time to do testing and re-designing if need be. Regardless, I am hopeful for the direction we are heading.

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Reflection 5
The two of you head toward the MSC and decide to grab lunch together. You begin discussing why you selected the particular capstone program and they ask you about your confidence, your influence, and your feelings towards developing your capstone and coming to the completion of your project.

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• How has your confidence grown as you build expertise on your capstone topic?

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My confidence has definitely grown throughout this process. I am more comfortable discussing what my project is and how it operates as time goes by, which can be seen in the documentation I created last semester compared to this semester.

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• What has caused you to feel accomplishment during your process?

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I felt accomplished after my team members helped construct one of our LED panels, which required soldering and quite a lot of troubleshooting. We are also making progress in 3D printing the body of the robot, which is very exciting to see. Positive feedback from our sponsor, professor, and TAs has also reinforced this feeling of accomplishment.

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• What has caused you to feel concern during your process?

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I am concerned that we will not have a fully functional robot at the end of the semester, but I think that would be understandable since the goal is just to create a prototype. With more time, more resources, and the ability to collaborate in person, I believe we could have gotten farther with the construction of the robot thus far.

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• Why does this capstone project matter to you?

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This project matters to me because it is such a great solution to current methods of sanitization and could be a step into the future. Although larger, more expensive versions of this robot exist, there will be a need to market towards those who cannot afford to buy the large-scale versions. Those people deserve to be a part of the revolution as well.

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• How have you grown in awareness of the particular issue that your capstone is addressing?

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I wouldn’t necessarily say I have grown in awareness. Although demand for cleaning supplies remains high, I would argue that supply has done an adequate job in catching up. What I probably should do is reach out to teachers and workers at elderly care facilities to see what they are currently doing to sanitize their facilities since it has been so long since I checked in with them.  

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• What have you enjoyed most about your project?

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I very much enjoy the collaboration aspect of problem solving. Whenever someone in my team reaches a problem that they are struggling with, I enjoy trying to reach a solution together. For example, we need to print the backbone of our robot, preferably through the FEDC, but appointments are hard to come by. Instead, there are a few of us who have access to 3D printers from the labs we work. These are smaller printers though, so we need to break down the design to be able to print smaller portions and then jerry-rig them together.

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• What are some of the things that you would change regarding your project?

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I would change the pace of our project so that we can have more accomplished earlier. This would allow for more time to test our prototype and have design reviews. The LEDs we purchased are not of the best quality, so I would also spend more time looking for more, or even purchasing multiple different types and testing them all to see which would be best.

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Reflection 6

Having finished your lunch, not only have you inspired another Aggie through the development of your project, but you have also gained clarity on explaining your process and reflecting upon the different events leading up to project completion. Your fellow student asks:

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• How has your understanding of this topic evolved throughout your project?

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My understanding of the topic at hand has grown throughout this process. Every assignment forces me to learn more about this technology and different ways it can be applied.

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• In what ways do you think this experience will help you as you move forward?

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This experience has helped me work in a group. I am thankful that my group members are great at what they do and that I can trust them to perform exceptional work. Usually, I find myself doing more than my fair share of a group project because I don’t trust my team members, but this experience has been the opposite. When I move on to a workplace, this mentality should help me be more communicative towards other group members and should be the standard that I will try to meet or to exceed.

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• How has this project enabled you to build confidence in your abilities as you embark upon a career?

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This project required a lot of presentations, and it has really helped me develop that skill. Especially in cases where you might not be so familiar with the topic. Being able to speak to a room, or rather a Zoom meeting, full of people about a topic really has its ways of building your confidence.

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• How will you celebrate your success upon completing and presenting your project?

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I will celebrate by handing all of my documents and prototypes to the sponsor and never having to think about this again. I will also be hanging out with my team and reminiscing about the days we struggled. Hopefully, there will be more success to celebrate if we end up wining a prize in our showcase.

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• What is next in the pursuit of your long-term goals?

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Next, I hope to excel in my career. Definitely a long-term goal, but a goal nonetheless. I also hope to further my education later on as I figure out where I want to go in life.

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• Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself a year ago?

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I would have told my past self to stress less and to rely on your team members. Everything has a way of working itself out in the end.

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• What advice would you give to a student beginning their capstone project?

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I would tell them to spend some time in the beginning brainstorming with their team. If there is an idea that you don’t know whether it will work or not, it is still worth it to share the idea. You never know if it might spark innovation somewhere else, or lead to you think about ideas that have more potential.