WHAT: Students from the UNLV Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering will put their undergraduate education to the test when they showcase year-long projects designed to solve everyday challenges at the spring 2008 Senior Design Competition.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
All projects will be on display for the duration of the event, with a scheduled break from noon to 1:15 p.m.

WHERE: Thomas T. Beam Engineering Complex, Building A, at UNLV

DETAILS: The Senior Design Competition is the culminating project for undergraduate engineering students at UNLV. The event, which is judged by local industry representatives, will display novel projects developed by senior students in the electrical, mechanical and civil engineering departments. With thousands of dollars in prize money on the line, the competition also serves to introduce students to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the benefits of commercial application.

This semester boasts a variety of projects including mini unmanned aerial vehicles, a motorized palm tree trimmer, an electronic Rubik's Cube, a GPS livestock monitoring system and more.

NOTE: A partial list of projects is outlined below. A complete, detailed list of all 14 projects can be found online at http://engineering.unlv.edu/.

SELECTED PROJECTS ON DISPLAY

Motorized Palm Tree Trimmer - Current palm tree trimming requires strenuous effort and can be dangerous due to shaky ladders and insecure foot spikes. This cordless, adjustable-length tool utilizes a dual blade cutting technique, which eliminates vibration and cuts at a faster rate. The adjustable feature also nearly eliminates much of the danger involved in palm tree trimming.

Electronic Rubik's Cube - This electronic device simulates the movement of rows and columns on a traditional Rubik's Cube using light emitting diodes (LED). Colors on the cube change via touch-control sensors, and the cube has the ability to scramble and solve itself based on user input.

Gas Heat Pump Water Heater - This project provides a more efficient means of heating water through the use of a heat pump. Heat pumps use less energy because the method for heating the water is to use the ambient air generated from the engine as the energy source. This doubles the output-to-input ratio of gas water heaters and bypasses transmission losses associated with electric water heaters.

Livestock Monitoring System - By simply looking at a computer screen, ranchers can locate stray cattle and more effectively manage their business. Using a GPS system and a small device located on each animal, ranchers will be able to locate and monitor their investment, saving both time and money in the process.

Dragonfly Aircraft - Miniature unmanned vehicles have the potential to be a novel and excellent means for surveillance inside buildings and over short distances. This team developed a radio-controlled dragonfly with flapping wing technology that enables it to sustain minor impacts into walls without damage or loss of flight control.

Grassroots Irrigation Solutions - This project involves design of a subsurface irrigation system for golf course problem areas. Surface runoff and over-watering trouble spots is common with most golf course irrigation; this water waste is eliminated with direct root zone injection of water via this system, which works in tandem with existing sprinkler systems.