Hands-On Learning
Hands-On Learning: Capstone Projects Create Distinctive Learning Experiences Capstone projects in PSU's Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (Maseeh College) are designed to complete students' undergraduate education and to launch their professional lives. The Capstone combines the principles of inquiry and group process learned in Maseeh College's core curriculum.
The Capstone program is designed to give students experience working on real-world, industry-relevant projects. As they would in industry, students work as part of a team under the supervision of faculty and at times a practicing engineer from a local company. Each Capstone results in a summation, closing project or final product that brings closure to the student experience. Capstone projects often attract commercial interest.
Locagent:
"We construct a database of every room in your office building, hospital or campus, then provide access to our centralized server," says Tim Brenner, LocAgent president. "Our system determines the best directions to any destination throughout your location, and can transmit these directions to either a WAP-enabled (Wireless Application Protocol) cell phone or to a personal computer with an Internet connection." The directions may be used by visitors, guests, and emergency teams to pinpoint their destination. An especially functional feature of the program is that it provides display images of the floor plans, as well as written directions. Brenner says Locagent's mapping service will go beyond helping people find their way around. He believes the project was one of his most rewarding experiences at PSU. He learned that to be successful in the computer industry, you must work well with others and must utilize each group member's unique skill set. The Capstone experience also provided him with valuable, real-world experience. "I would have to say our team wouldn't exist if it weren't for the Capstone process, and specifically if it weren't for the guidance and help of Warren Harrison, our Capstone professor. He's continued to advise us in his spare time, and has been incredibly helpful," Brenner says. LocAgent is negotiating with PSU to be the company's first customer. Biomedical Signal Processor Toolbox:
The Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) team created the Biomedical Signal Processing Toolbox as the result of a Senior Capstone project. The toolbox helps researchers analyze natural processes in the human body such as respiratory or blood pressure rates. The toolbox is based on a set of software routines tailored to the analysis of physiologic signals. "The primary outcome is that we are able to perform rapid preliminary analysis of physiologic signals," says James McNames, faculty advisor to the project. "Before the toolbox, we would have to make a significant investment of time and energy writing software to analyze the signals." Still in the early development phase, the tool kit has potential use by the Complex Systems Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University, which assisted the work done by the PSU team. The team is exploring the commercial potential for the toolbox. Bulldozer bucket design for ESCO:
Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology:
Recent Capstone Sponsors
For further information about Capstone projects, please contact Civil and Environmental Engineering
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