DCU-Final-Year-Projects-Booklet-2025

113 243. Use of Force-Sensing Resistors (FSRs) in Electronic Drums This project investigates how an FSR performs when tasked with detecting andmeasuring the velocity of a hit and if a simple measurement of the resistance is acceptable for this application. Practically, this project is a series of exploratory experiments which test the accuracy and reliability of Velostat, a conductive material that demonstrates the piezo-resistive effect. This means that the resistance changes as stress is applied to the material. This project also involves the development of Arduino code to obtain data from the experiments and the designing of prototypes to address problems encountered. Student Programme Mechatronic Engineering (Year 4) Project Area Arduino, Device Design, Sensor Technology, Materials Testing Project Technology Arduino IDE Student Name(s) Cian Doran Email cian.doran25@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Alan Kennedy 244. Design of 3DBioprinted Coral Structures This project explores the use of 3D printing to create sustainable scaffolds for coral reef restoration. By combining eggshells, a biocompatible material, with sodiumalginate, the project aims to develop artificial reef structures that mimic the complex, porous nature of natural coral reefs. Preliminary tests on the eggshell and sodiumalginate mixture show promise in enhancing structural integrity and supporting coral growth. Various scaffold designs were tested, with cylindrical models chosen for their scalability and ability to support marine life. The project aims to contribute to coral regeneration andmarine ecosystem preservation. Student Programme Biomedical Engineering (Year 5) Project Area Biomedical Engineering, Materials Testing Project Technology Excel/VB, Solidworks, Bioprinting Student Name(s) Kim Feehily Email kim.feehily2@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Tanya Levingstone 245. Improving ANovel In-Situ Sensor For Aquatic Environments Gaining real-time information on water bodies can help us better understand the health of the water and the surrounding land, in addition to providing a quicker response time to potential dangers affecting them. This project focuses on improving a novel in-situ sensor for aquatic environments. Since the level of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a water body is a good indicator of water and soil quality, the primary goal of this stage of development is to plan, design, and implement amethod for detecting DOC. This project requires both an in-depth knowledge of the engineering techniques used in cutting-edge commercial sensors and an understanding of the analytical chemistry related to sensing platforms. Student Programme Mechatronic Engineering (Year 5) Project Area Arduino, Circuit Modeling, Data Analytics, Device Design, Information Retrieval, Mechatronic Systems, Sensor Data, Sensor Technology, Software Development, Optical Sensing Project Technology C/C++, Excel/VB, Python, R Student Name(s) Emmanuel Essien-Thompson Email emmanuel.essienthompson4@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr Nigel Kent