Previous Projects

The Problem

Irrigators have little knowledge on energy costs per unit of irrigated water (kW/ac-in). Electric meters are difficult to read and only give a total, and the electric companies only provide a monthly reading with their bill.

Team

Kate Gibson
Ellen Emanuel
Caleb Milliken
Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute

Solution

A smart Energy and water Meter to monitor the power usage to the pump. Developed by smart water Metering of Canada the meter measures energy being used by the pump and correlates that energy usage to the flow rate. Data is then sent wirelessly to a server to be analyzed and accessed by participating irrigators. This project is a collaboration with the DWFI to our lab managers background servicing center pivot irrigation systems.

The Problem

Measuring pollutant levels in lakes or rivers at or near the surface of the water using a water quality sonde to determine the effectiveness of rushes planted in highly polluted waters. 

Team

Dr. Tiffany Messer, BSE Dept.

Solution

A platform was developed capable of traveling along the surface of a body of water. The platform allows the water quality sonde to be raised and lowered to measure pollutants and nutrients at different water depths.

The Problem

Finding a low-cost solution to measure a horse's activities to provide better information to the caretaker on the nutritional requirements during feeding.

Team

Dr. Lena Luck, ANSC

A grant application has been submitted to support this project.

The Problem

To create a safer means of gathering golf balls from behind a golf simulator screen. The screen has a net to stop golf balls after passing through the screen and allow them to fall to the ground. A potentially dangerous situation may arise where a student is retrieving balls while an unaware student uses the simulator.

Team

Mr. Brad Goetsch, PGA Golf Management

Solution

A ramp system was designed to reduce the likelihood of a person needing to walk behind a screen to gather golf balls. The ramp integrates a backstop to allow the net to move freely but at the same time force the golf ball to stay on the ramp. Golf balls are returned on either side of the screen for convenient pick up.

The Problem

Control a high voltage power supply charging a capacitor, which reaches a set voltage level to discharge the capacitor across a spark gap to a treatment chamber in a non-current limited circuit.

Team

Emily Bender, Graduate Research Assistant
Dr. Jayem Subbiah, BSE and Food Science Dept.

Solution

Using an Arduino control circuit to allow the high voltage power supply to charge the capacitor in cycles, that when the voltage was discharged across the spark gap the researcher and equipment could observe the discharge and log the data before the next discharge event occurred. Another function of the circuit was to allow a the researcher to set the number of discharge cycles without having to manually stop the circuit when the target number of discharges happened.

The Problem

Determining parameters to estimate the time it takes to dry a batch of hops in Eastern Nebraska. Hops are typically harvested at moisture contents over 80% and the dryer temperature must stay below 140 degrees F to preserve the essential oils and acids in the hops. With the varying ambient humidity and temperature of Nebraska, these limitations can greatly affect the drying efficiency and drying time in hops.

Team

Annette and Bruce Wiles, Midwest Hop Producers, LLC

Solution

Temperature, humidity, and air pressure measurements above and below the hops, as well as ambient conditions, during the drying process were taken to determine if the moisture content of the hops when completely dry, approximately 8 ~ 12%, could be realized without a sample removal or probe being inserted into the dryer.

The Problem

Automating nutritional intake of toddlers in a childcare setting.

Team

Dr. Smart Plate Dipti Dev, CEHS

Solution

An automated platform design accurate within 1g and capable of logging the data for research purposes. This project was to advise the NU Sensi-Plate senior design team on instrumentation and electronics to accomplish the sponsor's goals. The project was the Platinum Award winner for UNL Computer Engineering senior design projects, Spring 2018.