Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alexander White and Julie Crockett, Mechanical Engineering The purpose of this report is to remind the reader of goals initially set in conjunction with the original ORCA Grant project proposal in October 2017, to discuss logistical difficulties in carrying out the original project and subsequent adjustments in scope and topic of work, to represent efforts […]

S. Adam Stringham and Dr. Steven K. Clarles, Mechanical Engineering Introduction Essential Tremor (ET) is among the most common movement disorders. It is characterized by involuntary, rhythmic movement in the body, most often in the hands or head. The primary treatment options include deep brain surgery and/or medication, both of which can cause undesired side […]

Jeffery Smith, Cyera Bishop and Matthew Jones, Mechanical Engineering The purpose of this research project was to explore Peruvian social and cultural behaviors that typically prevent successful improved cookstove adoption in resource-limited settings as well as suggest ways to educate locals about the benefits of improved cookstoves. This will be done by a BYU Global […]

Stephen Pinnock and Anton Bowden, Mechanical Engineering Patients who undergo surgery may experience infection in the surgical site due to bacteria with a biofilm phenotype. This biofilm can render the bacteria resilient to standard antibiotics and the wound must be disinfected with an antimicrobial solution. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a commonly used surgical antimicrobial used […]

Josh Cannon, Brian Iverson, Mechanical Engineering Introduction Effective fault detection is vital for safe and reliable spacecraft performance. Traditionally, developers have relied almost exclusively on on-board instrumentation to detect faults in spacecraft performance. Remote inspection can provide a holistic complement to on-board instrumentation, but it is seldom incorporated into spacecraft missions due to its cost and […]

D. Jacob Butterfield, Dr. Brian Iverson, Mechanical Engineering Introduction This paper reports observations from condensation heat transfer tests performed on superhydrophobic (water-repelling) surfaces. Condensation is used in heat transfer applications ranging from industrial power generation to desalination. Superhydrophobic surfaces have been discovered to increase the effectiveness of this heat transfer process by increasing water droplet mobility. […]

Alexander White and Dr. Julie Crockett, Mechanical Engineering Department The purpose of the given document is to remind the reader of goals initially set in conjunction with the ORCA Grant project proposal in October 2016, to present experimental findings obtained during the grant period, and to discuss the results of the work and their implications […]

Michael Farrell and Dr. Tim McLain, Mechanical Engineering Department Introduction Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are becoming increasingly prevalent in society today. One of the most important problems for such vehicles is obstacle avoidance. Common applications for small UAV require them to navigate through an environment containing many obstacles, both static and dynamic. As part of […]

Taylor Davis and Sr. Brian Iverson, Mechanical Engineering Department Introduction The objective of this project was to create, characterize, and optimize carbon nanotube (CNT) films as a surface functionalization strategy through modifying the growth, infiltration, and patterning during fabrication. Carbon nanotubes have drawn attention in various disciplines in the scientific community because of their incredible […]

Ivyann Oveson Running and Dr. John Salmon, Mechanical Engineering Department Inspired by the mechanics of how sunflowers follow the sun, we designed a system to increase output from solar panels by only using simple mechanics and beeswax. Solar power is becoming increasingly popular even in developing countries. We wanted to create a way to increase […]