Conference Session

Multidisciplinary Engineering Division Technical Session - Best Paper

Collection

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Micah Lande, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; Thomas Machamer, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

projects. All throughout childhood kids see rockets go tospace, cars drive so fast you barely see them go by, and robots becoming more advanced as theyears go on. Growing up with this it is no wonder the view of engineering is a sleek and cool jobwhere it seems you can sit around and invent all day. This also demonstrates why engineeringprograms have such a high dropout rate as students become immersed in the curriculum. As theygo along, students see less and less of the cool results and see more of the difficult and uglycomputations that are hardly ever seen by outsiders. The intent of this study is to consider howwe can display the results of engineering over the course of the undergraduate curriculum, in anattempt to motivate the students to

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Poster Session

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ellen Zerbe, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kevin Haas, Georgia Institute of Technology; Alexandra C. Muscalus

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

, they need to understand the different stakeholders who are impacted by thedesigns they create. In a typical civil engineering design process, direct stakeholders (e.g. theclient) may be involved during the beginning of the process when establishing the criteria of theproject, with perhaps some limited community engagement during public outreach. This approachhowever limits the perspectives contributing to a project. Values Sensitive Design (VSD) is amethodology that asks the engineer to systematically consider values and norms, direct andindirect stakeholders, and the long-lasting impacts early and throughout the design process to craftmore equitable solutions and reduce or eliminate unintended consequences. In a senior technicalelective

Conference Session

Military and Veterans Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alyson Grace Eggleston, The Citadel; Robert J. Rabb P.E., The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Military and Veterans

, demonstrating that the student veterans werehaving a positive impact in the classroom. This paper presents a brief overview of a new project-based assignment in a technical writing course designed to assess multiple outcomes, itsinstitution-specific implementation, and current veteran success indicators. Data from surveysand institutionally-defined leadership characteristics are presented. Finally, by teaming studentveterans with traditional students, technical writing educators can provide opportunities forstudent veterans to demonstrate in-classroom leadership and contribute experiential insight forthe collective benefit of student veterans and their traditional student counterparts.IntroductionIndustry has recognized the need for engineers with

Conference Session

ABET Accreditation of Multidisciplinary Programs

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Grondin, Arizona State University; Darryl Morrell, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Multidisciplinary Engineering

-disciplinary degree program. Thisconcentration is not intended to qualify for ABET accreditation under the programspecific criteria for electrical engineering.The Overall BSE Degree ProgramAfter extensive discussions, the founding faculty team decided to build around corevalues of engaged learning, agility and a focus on the individual. Engaged learning isaccomplished by having the main spine of the program be 8 semesters of project workconducted inside an engineering studio. This is an Aalborg style approach3 in whichthere is a single project experience every semester, accompanied by formal instruction inseparate courses. The overall four-year program of study is illustrated in Figure 1. Thespine of projects is the sequence of courses on the left

Conference Session

Improving Mechanics & Structural Modeling Courses

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Junling Hu, University of Bridgeport; Linfeng Zhang, University of Bridgeport; Xingguo Xiong, University of Bridgeport

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

background inmathematics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and programming, however, most of them were goodat computer aided design in ProE and were very interested in learning CFD as a design tool inindustries. STAR-CCM+ was chosen as the CFD software to teach students the entire CFDprocess in a single integrated software environment. After building a geometry model in ProE,students learned to import the CAD model, set up mesh model, physical model and solver, andpostprocess the results in STAR-CCM+. Based on projects, CFD numerical methods andfundamentals of heat transfer and fluid flow were introduced to help students understand theCFD process, interpret, and validate simulation results.IntroductionComputational fluid dynamics was introduced in the

Conference Session

Preparing Engineers for the Global Workplace

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alan Parkinson, Brigham Young University; John Harb, Brigham Young University; Spencer Magleby, Brigham Young University; Chelita Pate, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

International

studied in detail.4 The next step was to “take the plunge” by running our own programs. Aspart of an overall strategy to prepare our students, 5 the college decided to move aheadaggressively by sponsoring study abroad programs in China, France, Romania, Mexico andTonga, a BYU led design project involving student teams in ten countries, and internationalinternships. In this paper we will discuss what we learned from running these programs this pastyear. In particular, we will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the various formats, thechallenges that arose, and changes we intend to make in the future. As might be guessed, we hadsome surprises; in particular we had not anticipated that humanitarian projects would emerge asan important focus of

Collection

2003 GSW

Authors

Ronald E. Barr; Thomas J. Krueger; Ted A Aanstoos

. IntroductionThe field of Engineering Graphics has been greatly impacted by the use of computers over thelast twenty-five years. Traditionally, engineering designs were conveyed in a 2-D drawing thatused orthographic projection and drafting standards. Engineers in the past had to learn thesecommon graphical practices as part of their formal education. With modern computer tools, theconveying of design ideas now begins with the development of a 3-D solid computer model.The model not only creates a visual image that allows the designer to see the geometry, but italso creates a 3-D digital data base that can be applied to all phases of the design process. Thefreshman “Engineering Design and Graphics” course at the University of Texas at Austin reflectsthis

Conference Session

Industrial Engineering Division Tech Session 1: IE-ing a Broader Perspective

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Faisal Aqlan, Pennsylvania State University, Erie (Behrend College); Yuan-Han Huang, Pennsylvania State University, Erie (Behrend College); E. George Walters III P.E., Pennsylvania State University, Erie (Behrend College); Osama T. Al Meanazel, The Hashemite University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Economy, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering

industrial and system engineering at the University of New Haven where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses. Dr. Aqlan has also worked on industry projects with Innovation Associates Company and IBM Corporation. His work has resulted in both business value and intellectual property. He has published several papers in reputed journals and conferences. Dr. Aqlan is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and has received numerous awards and honors including the IBM Vice President award for innovation excellence.Prof. Yuan-Han ”Rick” Huang, Pennsylvania State University, Erie (Behrend College) Dr. Yuan-Han Huang is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering at Penn State Behrend

Conference Session

Electrical and Computer Division Technical Session 11

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steven P. Jacobs, University of Pittsburgh; Alaine M. Allen, University of Pittsburgh; Linda W. Demoise, University of Pittsburgh

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Electrical and Computer

signal. The majority ofthe time is spent constructing and troubleshooting a simple model for a traffic light controller,consisting of a 1 Hz oscillator, a two-bit counter, and a binary decoder to produce a four-statemachine. Red, yellow and green LEDs are connected to appropriate outputs so that the LEDsflash in the sequence produced by a two-way traffic signal. This project provides a way toconnect the abstract ideas of digital circuits and multi-state systems with an example fromeveryday life.The project has been conducted on an annual basis for over ten years. Key to the success of thisactivity is the support provided by faculty and students in the ECE department. Undergraduateand graduate students assist in construction and troubleshooting

Conference Session

First-year Programs: Teams and Teamwork

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jean Carlos Batista Abreu, Elizabethtown College; Brenda Read-Daily, Elizabethtown College

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

data obtained through amixed-methods approach. Results indicate that students’ attitudes toward teamwork andtheir perceptions of their own teamwork skills improved over the semester.IntroductionTeamwork is vital to engineers’ professional lives. Passow 2012 surveyed over 4000practicing engineers representing eleven different disciplines asking them to evaluatethe importance of the different ABET competencies in their careers [1]. Teamwork(ABET Outcome 5, formally ABET Outcome D) received the highest rating.Considering its importance to the field, team-based assignments, particularly semester-long design projects, are commonly employed in engineering curricula. Whileteamwork can be a rewarding experience, it can also be a source of anxiety and

Conference Session

Aerospace Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth W. Van Treuren, Baylor University

Tagged Divisions

Aerospace

, aLightweight Fighter Design Project, a Glider Design Project, homework, two exams and acomprehensive final exam. The desire was to update the course with new approaches to teachingintroductory aeronautics. The framework for change came as a result of a Kern EntrepreneurialEngineering Network (KEEN) Innovating Curriculum with Entrepreneurial (ICE) MindsetWorkshop. Since 2007 Baylor University has been involved with the KEEN. KEEN is “a nationalpartnership of universities with the shared mission to graduate engineers with an entrepreneurialmindset so they can create personal, economic, and societal value through a lifetime ofmeaningful work” [1]. This is accomplished by incorporating entrepreneurially minded learning(EML) into the classroom

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division: Self Efficacy

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joshua L. Hertz, Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

naturally uncomfortable towork on open-ended problems, because it feels risky to proceed along an ambiguous solutionpath. Nevertheless, some students seem to be more confidently uncomfortable, ready and willingto begin working on open-ended problems. We sought in this study to understand the factors thatmake a student better able to begin work on these projects without directed guidance from theinstructor. Here, this student ability is ascribed to, in part, a student’s ambiguity tolerance andself-efficacy on open-ended problems. A survey instrument to measure ambiguity tolerance and self-efficacy on open-endedproblems was created and subject to internal validation. Students taking a 2-course sequence ofrequired, foundational courses over

Conference Session

Humanitarian and Sustainability in a Global Engineering Context

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez, Colorado State University; Caroline Murrie Clevenger P.E.; Laura Thornes; Svetlana Olbina

Tagged Divisions

International

Paper ID #24532Cross-cultural Collaboration Inspired by a Sustainable Building Course inCosta RicaDr. Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez, Colorado State University Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Construction Management at Colorado State University. He is committed to advancing research and teaching in the sustainability of infrastructure projects. He believes that educating the next generation of professionals will play a pivotal role in making sustainability a standard practice.Dr. Caroline Murrie Clevenger, Caroline M. Clevenger is an Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Construction

Conference Session

A Technology Potpourri I

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bin Hu, Old Dominion University; Steve C. Hsiung, Old Dominion University; Matthew B. Kersey

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

, andcompatibility. There are needs of an intelligent device that can be flexible enough to beintegrated into any type of engineering systems. It is particularly demanding in the scale ofcomplexity of those large-scale engineering systems. This is also true in many engineering issuesoccurring in different Navy systems. This proposal is aimed to address these issues bydeveloping an intelligent mobile sensing platform that integrates intelligent sensors (e.g., Lidarin this project) with necessary peripherals and makes it portable and customizable for differentapplications. Lidar is a range measuring sensor that uses laser signals to detect and measure thedistances and angles to the surrounding objects. Lidar has been used in variety of

Conference Session

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott W. Campbell, University of South Florida; James Franklin Wysong Jr., Hillsborough Community College; Peter Stiling, University of South Florida; Gerry G. Meisels, University of South Florida; Robert L. Potter, University of South Florida

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

this grant, he advised over 500 individual calculus students on their course projects. He was given an Outstanding Advising Award by USF and has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards at the department, college, university (Jerome Krivanek Distinguished Teaching Award) and state (TIP award) levels. Scott is also a co-PI of a Helios-funded Middle School Residency Program for Science and Math (for which he teaches the capstone course) and is on the leadership committee for an NSF IUSE grant to transform STEM Education at USF. His research is in the areas of solution thermodynamics and environmental monitoring and modeling.Dr. James Franklin Wysong Jr, Hillsborough Community College Dr. James Wysong has

Conference Session

Issues in Engineering Technolgy Education

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Terence Geyer, Eastern Washington University; William R Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

for bothstudents and faculty.IntroductionThe courses covered in this report give a representation of the various class instructional modesexperienced by Engineering Technology students (lecture-nonmathematical, lecture-mathematical, lecture/lab, lecture/discussion) and span the full range of types of studentworkload, as well as instructor grading demands. The project was conducted using twoinstructors who were attempting to gain a better control of all of the demands placed on studentsand faculty in our changing economic realities in higher education. In most colleges that have ahigh amount of transfer students, it has become increasingly more difficult to estimateenrollment numbers and program/course demand in a timely manner. While students

Conference Session

Practical Teaching in Manufacturing – 2

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jenifer Blacklock, Colorado School of Mines; Derrick Rodriguez P.E., Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Manufacturing

 and  understand  basic  manufacturing  topics  in  the  classroom.1  For  this  reason,  it  is  essential  for  ME  undergraduates  to  understand  how  parts  and  components  are  manufactured,  with  the  goal  of  developing  better  engineers  and  designers.      With  the  incorporation  of  several  open-­‐ended  design  challenges  and  hands-­‐on  projects  throughout  Field  Session,  specifically  related  to  manufacturing  topics,  students  begin  to  learn  the  following  concepts  early  on  in  the  undergraduate  curriculum:  1)  proper  dimensioning  and  tolerancing,  2)  manufacturing  tolerances,  3)  material  selection  4)  automated  manufacturing  techniques,  5)  manual  manufacturing  techniques,  6)  CAD-­‐CAM

Conference Session

First-year Programs Division Technical Session 10: Paying Attention to Retention

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Steffen Peuker, California Polytechnic State University; Nova Alexandria Glinski Schauss, Oregon State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

developed linking student development focused first-year coursesand a project called “Design Your Process of Becoming a World-Class Engineering Student”.The project is set within first-year engineering orientation courses that pair academic successstrategies with engineering college knowledge. Through the project students are challenged todesign their individually tailored learning process to have a significant impact on their academicsuccess by improving the students’ skills, confidence, and motivation to succeed in engineering.The approach is currently implemented in over 30 institutions nationwideError! Reference source notfound. . The results from two four year institutions— Oregon State University and University ofAlaska Anchorage—one

Conference Session

Exploring the Entrepreneurial and Innovation Mindset

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Miles J, Mabey, Arizona State University; Shawn S. Jordan, Arizona State University, Polytechnic campus; Micah Lande, Arizona State University; Steven Weiner, Arizona State University, Polytechnic campus

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

courses, and studies the use of context in both K-12 and undergraduate engineering design education. He received his Ph.D. in Engineering Education (2010) and M.S./B.S. in Electrical and Com- puter Engineering from Purdue University. Dr. Jordan is PI on several NSF-funded projects related to design, including an NSF Early CAREER Award entitled ”CAREER: Engineering Design Across Navajo Culture, Community, and Society” and ”Might Young Makers be the Engineers of the Future?,” and is a Co-PI on the NSF Revolutionizing Engineering Departments grant ”Additive Innovation: An Educational Ecosystem of Making and Risk Taking.” He was named one of ASEE PRISM’s ”20 Faculty Under 40” in 2014, and received a Presidential Early

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nicholas Rees Sattele, Ohio State University; Krista M. Kecskemety, Ohio State University; Kadri Akinola Akanni Parris, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

holder of a Master’s Degree in Transportation Engineering and received his Doctorate in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) with a concentration in Pavement Design, both at OSU. In addition, he holds Project Management Professional (PMP) certification with the Project Management Institute (PMI). Dr. Parris is actively involved in curriculum design, introduction of innovative pedagogies of engagement and the practice of engineering education through teaching several courses across the department. He is integrally involved in the design and delivery of the Pre-Freshman and Cooperative Education Program and others of that ilk at OSU, as a part of his specific interest in soft skill development, diversity, recruitment and

Conference Session

ERM Technical Session 2: The Study of Identity in Engineering Education

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Meagan R. Kendall, University of Texas, El Paso; Luis Miguel Procter, University of Texas, El Paso; Anita Patrick, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

traditional department than for students in thenon-traditional department. However, students in the non-traditional department showedstatistically significantly higher levels of collaboration compared to the traditional department.This work contributes to the ongoing conversation about engineering identity development bybeginning to explore the pedagogical approaches that impact students’ engineering attitudes.Implications of results are discussed.MotivationThe purpose of this research paper is to ascertain the impact course activities that areintentionally designed to develop engineering identity in students has on engineering identitydevelopment. The overarching goal of this project is to help students persist in engineering,particularly those

Conference Session

Cooperative and Experiential Education Division Technical Session 4 - Innovating Engineering Education through Industry and Community Partnerships, Maker Spaces, Competitions, Research Initiatives, and Experiential Education

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Jeremy Straub, North Dakota State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Cooperative and Experiential Education

years.The paper concludes with a discussion of the program’s efficacy and participant benefits.Planned future changes and activities are also discussed.2. BackgroundThis section presents prior work in two areas relevant to the current study. First, prior work onexperiential education and project-based learning is presented. Next, prior relevant work incybersecurity is discussed.2.1. Experiential Education & Project-based LearningUndergraduate research experiences, as the name would suggest, fall squarely in the category ofexperiential education. Undergraduate research is a project, with answering the identified researchquestions as its key goal (from students’ perspectives). For educators, undergraduate researchprojects seek to provide students

Conference Session

Engineering Without Borders: Programs Involving Students

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Margaret Pinnell, University of Dayton; Eger Bill; Phillip Aaron, University of Dayton; Charles Schreier, University of Dayton

Tagged Divisions

International

communication, leadership and business skills.Furthermore, globalization in industry makes international experience an important, but oftendifficult to implement part of the engineering curriculum.1, 2 Experiential learning can be implemented into the engineering curriculum in a variety ofways including co-ops, internships, project and problem based learning, laboratory experiencesand service-learning. However, integration of international experience into an already packedengineering curriculum can be a little more difficult to attain. Study abroad, internationalinternships and co-ops and international service-learning represent some of the ways in whichengineering academia has provided international experiences for some of its students

Conference Session

Integration of Engineering and Other Disciplines (Including Liberal Arts)

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arthur Felse, Northwestern University; Igor Kourkine

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Multidisciplinary Engineering

education has been noted by the National Academyof Sciences 4 and echoed in the “Engineer of 2020” report of the National Academy ofEngineering5 and more recently in President Obama’s strategy for American innovation6.Following the lead of the NAS and NAE, several universities have launched a variety oftechnology commercialization and entrepreneurship programs – short courses, workshops, cross-disciplinary courses, commercialization projects, and others7.This paper describes a sequence of three technology commercialization courses in the Master ofBiotechnology Program at Northwestern University. We developed these courses based onrecommendations of our industrial advisory board, our interactions with business developmentprofessionals, previously

Conference Session

New Concepts for Alternative Energy Courses and Concepts

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kendrick T. Aung, Lamar University

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

for Engineering Education, 2012 Integration of System Thinking, Engineering Reasoning and Decision Making Skills in Design of Thermal Systems CourseAbstract Design of thermal system is in essence a Capstone design class for thermal andenergy systems. One of the major difficulties encountered by instructors in theseCapstone design courses is that many senior students do not have adequate preparation inapplying design skills such as critical thinking, engineering reasoning, and decisionmaking to successfully complete their design project. In this paper, the process ofintegrating system thinking, engineering reasoning and decision making skills intoDesign of Thermal Systems course is

Conference Session

Instrumentation Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zachary Cody Hazelwood; Saleh M. Sbenaty, Middle Tennessee State University

Tagged Divisions

Instrumentation

Paper ID #10699Designing, Building, and Testing an Autonomous Search and Rescue Robot— An Undergraduate Applied Research ExperienceZachary Cody Hazelwood Cody Hazelwood is currently a software developer at the Alpha High Theft Solutions division of Check- point Systems. He received the B.S. degree in Professional Computer Science from Middle Tennessee State University in May 2013. He currently does freelance projects involving mobile software develop- ment, microcontroller applications, and electronics. He enjoys learning about and testing ways to improve people’s lives with technology.Dr. Saleh M. Sbenaty, Middle Tennessee

Conference Session

Socio-cultural Elements of Learning through Service

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carla B. Zoltowski, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Antonette T. Cummings P.E., Purdue University; William C. Oakes, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

students from across campus worktogether on long-term projects that benefit the local or global community. Project work centersaround the engineering, technology, and computing needs of a community partner, butinterdisciplinary team interaction is an integral element for project success. Students mayparticipate in EPICS multiple semesters and participation for multiple consecutive semesters on aproject team is encouraged. Teams are composed of first year students through seniors from anydiscipline, as well as graduate students in a few select disciplines such as audiology or industrialdesign.Most EPICS projects last at least one-year, although partnership with the communityorganization continues for several years. Projects are intended to solve

Conference Session

Astronautics and Space Technology

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

Robert Melton; Michael Micci; Deborah Levin; Charles Croskey; David Spencer; Sven Bilen

educationalprogramming available to students of diverse backgrounds and academic interests. Oureducational goal is to prepare students at the undergraduate and graduate levels for productivecareers in technical and nontechnical fields relating to space systems and science. The LionSatmission introduces relevant hands-on opportunities to students through design problems, sciencequestions, case studies, research investigations, leadership experiences, organizational issues,etc. LionSat introduces meaningful and realistic project examples into the classroom andlaboratory, which enhance student learning. The LionSat mission was selected as a participant in the University Nanosat-3 (NS-3)program, which is a joint program between the American Institute of

Conference Session

Computed Simulation and Animation

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

Bugra Koku; Ali Sekmen

teaching an introductorycourse on Mechatronics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Middle East TechnicalUniversity. This course attracts students from multiple disciplines. Being offered at the thirdsemester, rather than focusing on theoretical aspects of different disciplines, this course focuseson the system integration aspect of Mechatronics systems and emphasizes this with hands-onlaboratory exercises and a semester project. The semester project requires the design andconstruction of a simple closed loop system. To make the programming aspect of these projectseasier, it is intended to develop the necessary software on a PC rather than an embeddedplatform. To facilitate this, a software package is developed. With the help of this

Conference Session

Capstone & Educational Resource Developments

Collection

2005 Annual Conference

Authors

Donald Peter

all. A separateultrasonic tracking system has also been designed that utilizes two microphone ‘ears’ withaccompanying electronics to provide the capability of determining the direction of an ultrasonicbeacon. Each robot can then utilize this information to influence how to act – whether to follow,or run away, or make position decisions based on the origin of the sound. An additionaltechnical improvement has been made by replacing the standard AA battery power source with aset of lithium-ion batteries, thus extending operating time to several hours.Introduction As a project for the Seattle Pacific University Electrical Engineering Department’s JuniorDesign course, the three-member Mindstorms Lobotomy team created a system for wireless