2023 Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) - Hardware-In-The-Loop Reaction Wheel Testbed and Computer Vision - Object Tracking for Reaction Wheel Testbed
The College of Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) is a unique opportunity for college of engineering undergraduate students to engage in hands-on research with a faculty mentor while using critical thinking, collaborative, and entrepreneurial skills. SURP is an 8-week long program (can be non-contiguous), and students are expected to spend at least 20 hours/week working on their research projects and additional time preparing and presenting their poster for the annual SURP symposium; SURP students and their faculty mentor will agree upon a start date and timeline for their research project (with a suggested start date of June 26th, 2023). The goals of SURP are to:
- Help Cal Poly Engineering students develop professionally and enhance their portfolios for future employment.
- Give opportunities for CENG faculty (including lecturers) to advance their research/project agendas over the summer quarter.
- Build lasting student-faculty mentoring relationships
- Provide opportunities for industrial and other external sponsors to work with Cal Poly faculty and students to advance connections, gain access to Cal Poly talent and capabilities, and engage in valuable collaborative activities.
Our Summer 2023 SURP will support over 30 projects (with some projects taking 2 students) for 39 students. You can apply to up to 3 projects on MustangJobs (each project has its own job posting). You need not be in the same department as the faculty advisor to apply to a given project.
Each SURP student participant will receive a CENG Summer Research Grant of $3,500.
Please note that the grant amount is fixed, and additional funding is not available. This grant will be disbursed through the Financial Aid Office toward the end of the summer. Preference will be given to students who have not yet participated in SURP.
This Project
Project Title: a) Hardware-In-The-Loop Reaction Wheel Testbed b) Computer Vision-Object Tracking for Reaction Wheel Testbed
Faculty Advisor: Stephen Kwok Choon
Faculty Email: skwokcho@calpoly.edu
Faculty Department: ME
Number of Students for this project: 2
Description of Project: I would like to submit a joint proposal for two students working on different aspects of the same project. Whereby each student would have their own deliverables and their combined work would allow for the creation of an integrated Hardware-In-The-Loop Reaction Wheel Testbed that can track, follow and adjust its orientation through the use of an on-board camera. This project is collectively focused on the design, development, and testing of a hardware-in-theloop reaction wheel testbed that can be used for research and teaching applications related to satellite navigation and control. With the goal that the collective work completed can be submitted for a conference publication. The proposed project would have both Student 1 and Student 2 initially working on the fabrication, design, and preliminary testing of the hardware required for the reaction wheel testbed. Then at the start of week 3 once the necessary parts and components have been purchased. Student 2 would focus on the computer vision – object tracking, and control required for the reaction wheel testbed through the use of a raspberry pi. Whilst, student 1 will focus on the completion of the reaction wheel testbed, and implementation of the speed control of the wheel.
HOW TO APPLY:
PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING TWO DOCUMENTS VIA HANDSHAKE AND SEE RUBRIC BELOW FOR EVALUATION CRITERIA. YOU CAN APPLY TO UP TO THREE SURP PROJECTS, BUT CAN ONLY BE AWARDED ONE.
- Submit your resume
- Submit a cover letter that answers the following three questions:
- Describe why you are interested in this research project.
- Describe how participating in SURP and working on this research project, will help you advance your academic and professional development goals
- Describe how your past experiences have helped prepare you for your participation in SURP. This includes relevant academic, other formal, and informal preparation.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS COULD DISQUALIFY YOU FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
Note that applications are due April 30; selected students will be notified by no later than May 12.