Students from UNLV's Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering will present their senior design projects at the college's Fall 2004 Senior Design Competition on Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Thomas Beam Engineering Complex, Building A, on the campus of UNLV.

The event, which is juried by local industry representatives, will showcase several projects developed over the past academic year by senior students in the electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering departments. The most interesting and visually appealing projects will be presented and judged at the following times:

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.: Radio Frequency Child Tracking Device - This device alerts a parent or guardian that a child may be out of a designated safety zone.

10:15 a.m. - 11 a.m.: Electrostatic Automotive Air Filter - This unique design uses an electrostatic precipitator as an air filter for a car, increasing engine performance over standard air filters.

11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.: System for Wheeled and Inexpensive Mobility (SWIM) - This project provides an inexpensive alternative to conventional wheelchairs, which could be used particularly by physically disabled persons in developing countries.

1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.: Surface Climbing Automated Robot (SCAR) - This robot is designed to climb vertical and horizontal surfaces while inverted or upright, and could be used for window cleaning, scanning sensors, and surveillance, among other applications.

2 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.: Auto-Leveling Wheelchair - This addition to a standard wheelchair compensates for changes in ground level automatically, without user manual input - eliminating the unnerving feeling of losing stability when a wheelchair user goes up or down a ramp.

2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.: GPS Golf Ball - This system helps you find your golf ball using GPS signals routed to a PDA.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is being co-sponsored by the student Entrepreneurship Club (E-Club) and the College of Engineering.

The Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering provides research and academic programs to over 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students. With more than 60 full-time faculty, the College offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees through its four academic departments.