Mechatronic Design (Fall 2026) – Project Interest Survey

This short survey helps me shape the course projects and form balanced teams. There are no wrong answers, and your responses will not affect your grade in any way. It takes about 5 minutes.

What everyone will learn (the core): Regardless of project, all students will learn multivariable design optimization in MATLAB: problem formulation, gradient-based methods, genetic algorithms and other heuristic methods, and surrogate/AI-assisted optimization. You will then apply these methods to a real design problem: modeling it, optimizing it, fabricating it, and validating it with real measurements and electronics (sensors, Arduino-class microcontrollers, actuators). Every project must include a fabrication component: 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, or a combination. The projects below are connected to active research in my Mechatronics Laboratory on drone detection and tracking, so your work can have impact beyond the classroom.

Dr. Osman Sayginer

The Project Options (brief descriptions)

Project 1: Acoustic Horn (Mechanically Amplified Microphone). Design and optimize a 3D printed acoustic horn/resonator structure that amplifies the sound of a drone before it reaches a microphone, extending acoustic detection range. You will optimize the geometry in MATLAB, print it, and measure the gain with real drone audio. Electronics: MEMS microphone, preamp, microcontroller running live FFT.

Project 2: Microphone Array Geometry. The placement of microphones in an array determines how accurately we can estimate the direction of a sound source. You will optimize the array layout in MATLAB, fabricate the optimized array structure and a naive baseline array, and measure which one localizes a drone sound more accurately. Electronics: multi-microphone array, microcontroller-based direction finding.

Project 3: Camera Vibration Isolation Mount. Motor vibration blurs tracking cameras. You will design a 3D printed isolation mount whose internal geometry (an optimized pattern of holes) filters the vibration, then prove it with accelerometers and image sharpness measurements. Electronics: accelerometers, microcontroller computing live vibration attenuation.

Project 4: IMU Noise Cleanup (Optimized Isolation + Signal Quality). Inertial sensors (IMUs) on drones are corrupted by frame vibration, which causes orientation drift and navigation errors. You will design and optimize a fabricated isolation mount for an IMU, then quantify the improvement in firmware: noise floor, bias shift, and orientation drift with and without your mount, tested on a shaker and on a real drone. Electronics: IMU, microcontroller, real-time filtering and data logging.

Project 5: Propose Your Own Project (highly encouraged!). Bring me a real-world problem you care about: from your co-op, your hobbies, your community, anywhere. If it can be formulated as a design optimization problem and includes fabrication and an electronics/measurement component, we can build a project around it. You do not need it fully defined; a good problem and genuine motivation are enough, and we will scope it together.

About You

Name

Temple Email

Your Interests

First-choice project

—Please choose an option—Project 1: Acoustic HornProject 2: Microphone ArrayProject 3: Camera Vibration Isolation MountProject 4: IMU Noise CleanupProject 5: My Own ProposalNo preference

Second-choice project

—Please choose an option—Project 1: Acoustic HornProject 2: Microphone ArrayProject 3: Camera Vibration Isolation MountProject 4: IMU Noise CleanupProject 5: My Own ProposalNo preference

If you chose "My Own Proposal" (or have an idea anyway), briefly describe the real-world problem and your idea. Remember: it must involve design optimization and fabrication.

Which general areas interest you most? (check all that apply)

Acoustics and sensingCameras and computer visionVibration and structuresAlgorithms and simulationElectronics and microcontrollersFabrication and prototyping

Your Skills (be honest, this is for team balancing, not grading)

MATLAB comfort level

1 - Never used it2 - Basic scripts3 - Comfortable4 - Strong5 - Expert

Arduino / microcontrollers

1 - Never used it2 - Tried it once or twice3 - Comfortable4 - Strong5 - Expert

CAD / SOLIDWORKS

1 - Never used it2 - Basic parts3 - Comfortable4 - Strong5 - Expert

Hands-on fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting, machining)

1 - No experience2 - A little3 - Comfortable4 - Strong5 - Expert

Electronics wiring and instrumentation

1 - No experience2 - A little3 - Comfortable4 - Strong5 - Expert

Your Goals

Working on a project connected to a live research system (drone detection and tracking) sounds:

Exciting, I want my work to be usedFine either wayI would prefer a self-contained course project

Would you be interested in continuing your project as your senior design / capstone next semester?

YesMaybeNo

Would you be interested in aiming for a conference paper or a student design competition?

YesMaybeNo

Honestly, which describes you best this semester? (No penalty either way; this helps me scope projects fairly.)

I want to explore deeply and push myselfSomewhere in betweenI mainly want to complete the requirement well

Team Preferences (confidential)

Is there anyone in the class you work particularly well with?

Anyone you would prefer not to be grouped with? (Kept strictly confidential)

Anything else I should know? (Schedule constraints, shop experience, relevant hobbies, prior projects)