Reconnaissance and Documentation (RAD)

The Reconnaissance and Documentation (RAD) mission aims to utilize a Low Earth Orbit satellite using machine learning enabled image recognition and optical remote sensing to observe countries currently experiencing Stage Nine of the United Nations’ Ten Stages of Genocide. The primary objective of the RAD satellite, Leza, is to observe high-risk countries at adequate spatial and temporal resolutions to capture evidence of genocide. The secondary objective of Leza is to process images on-board, so flagged images serving as evidence may be distributed to proper authorities, the United Nations, and mainstream media outlets as soon as possible. Using remote sensing to survey the surface of the planet is far from a new concept but using it to uphold current international human rights laws is revolutionary. Evidence gathered during the operational lifetime of the satellite could be used not only to persecute those inflicting chaos, but also to push for new policies on the international level. A prototype system that will test the machine learning software on the ground before utilization aboard Leza includes a drone, Olorun, and testing payload, OWL. The Olorun drone will act as a testing platform for image recognition software developed as part of the OWL payload. OWL will use a pre-trained neural net to evaluate if 3D modeled test beds of simulated evidence of genocide can be identified. This prototype will also analyze the capability to downlink images of interest and discard irrelevant photos. Testing of the Olorun and OWL will be completed in April 2022

Monitoring Environmental Trends In Levels of Influenza Virus and SARS-COV-2 in Prescott, AZ

Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies collect surveillance data for cases of influenza. During the flu season of 2019, SARSCoV- 2, which causes the symptoms known as COVID-19, caused a global pandemic. In turn, the surveillance and testing data showed a dramatic drop in influenza case numbers compared to previous years. Influenza is one of the deadliest viruses in human history, so it seems unlikely that this drastic change would occur due to the emergence of a similar virus. This research is designed to show that the prevalence of influenza in the community of Prescott, Arizona is much the same as during most flu seasons and is comparable to the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2. To do so, environmental sampling of a gas station, courthouse, urgent care center, a Walmart and a university library was conducted to obtain a base-level of viral RNA present on various highly touched surfaces throughout the fall and winter viral respiratory season, which runs from October through April each year. RNA extraction to isolate the viral RNA present in the environment was performed. Levels of viral RNA present were quantified through real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results of the RT-qPCR will be interpreted to quantify the levels of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 RNA present on the sampled environmental surfaces. This data will be compared to an analysis of the public health data throughout the 2021-2022 viral respiratory season

Interactive Planetarium Project

The Interactive Planetarium Project will design and build the software framework for connectivity between the Digistar 6 planetarium projection software and the smartphones of all audience members in the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium. The goal of this project is to make planetarium shows more participatory, add a feature to our planetarium shows that many other universities do not yet have, and create a framework for future students and faculty to build from. To demonstrate our technology, we will make a real-time competitive trivia game able to support 60 concurrent users (number of expected audience members in the planetarium). The framework created by the Interactive Planetarium Project will serve as a unique opportunity that will allow future students to explore and create more complex interactive software within the planetarium with mass scale audience participation. The project will also be an additive to the current STEM Outreach program, gaining the attention of outside communities to this new experience provided at the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, with the potential to be used not just for video games played by the audience but also for interactive planetarium shows, surveys or group activities. This project is based on modern web programming paradigms as well as research in the Human-Computer Interaction space. Smartphones are ubiquitous and the ability for them to interact with the world around us is a frontier that is still being explored. This project aims to explore how smartphones can make shows and performances more engaging and participatory

Studying Aspects of Teamwork and Communication in a Virtual Reality Environment

This study aims to look at levels of teamwork and communication in virtual reality gaming systems. Researchers hope to analyze participants’ communication during the study with the assistance of Virtual Reality. This will allow an experimental view of how subjects interact together when presented with a difficult situation that requires communication to be their top priority if they wish to succeed as a team. Researchers believe that this experiment will allow a better look into the human element of Virtual Reality. This data will prove useful for a variety of applications beyond this study including, but not limited to, consumer, military and computerbased training simulations

Eaglenautics: Sae Aero West Design Competition Team

Eaglenautics is an engineering club affiliated with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Every year, Eaglenautics participates in the SAE Aero West Design Competition. This competition challenges teams to design a competitive R/C scale aircraft from the ground up. Eaglenautics tackles this challenge by using a modified design-build-fly (DBF) process by adding a simulation step after the design step. Simulation software allows for a faster convergence to a design before the build process starts. Eaglenautics utilizes simulation programs like XFLR5 and OpenVSP to aid with the design of the aircraft to save time building multiple aircraft iterations. This process is especially helpful for Eaglenautics because of the size and complexity of the aircrafts. The competition requires teams to design a heavy lift aircraft that must carry steel plates and a minimum of one soccer ball. Due to these competition requirements, this year’s aircraft has a 6.8 ft wingspan and a length of about 6.4 ft. The gross take-off weight of the aircraft will be about 30-32 lbf. The process that Eaglenautics follows to design aircraft more closely mimics a typical design process of companies in the Aerospace industry. This in turn provides students with experience that is applicable to Capstone projects and jobs in the Aerospace industry. In the picture is an example of the aircraft’s finale iteration of the wing and vertical and horizontal stabilizers in XFLR5. An XFLR5 simulation was performed that showed the streamlines of the air leaving the wing and control surfaces

Thermal Analysis of the Temperature Gradient Across Pintle Injector Face

Proper analysis of the temperature gradient across the pintle injector face is a complicated surface to acquire a reading from. Complications arise from the extreme temperatures seen on the combustion side mixed with the ambient temperatures seen on the fuel side of the injector. The orientation of temperature sensor placement is critical to mitigate hot spots and not disrupt the thermal flow through the injector face. The installment of the temperature sensors is also a critical issue since a new medium would need to be added to keep the sensor in place. The goal of this research is to figure out the correct orientation of temperature sensors to acquire an accurate depiction of the thermal gradient

Identification of Fire-Retardant Chemical Treatments Via Instrumental Analysis

Fiber trace evidence is one of the most common forms of evidence found at a crime scene; these evidentiary items often have unique flame retardant chemical compositions or volatile chemical signatures. The retardant compounds can be used as an additional piece of evidence to trace a fiber from a victim to a source sample. This analytical comparison will require the use of specialized equipment available at the Prescott campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. This equipment and instrumentation includes scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), using both liquid and volatile samples. The volatile analysis will be performed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) which allows for non-destructive testing of samples. Each instrument allows for a different means of flame retardant identification in carpets and fibers. This project aims to determine the feasibility of creating a universal testing protocol to match any flame retardant compounds present in an unknown or trace evidentiary sample to a known or crime scene sample

MyBody Safety System

To any university, the safety of students, faculty, and staff when on campus is paramount. To enhance safety, many campuses have “safety stations” of some sort scattered throughout. However, campuses such as Embry-Riddle Prescott also have hiking trails nearby. Safety pillars on hiking trails would be prohibitively expensive to build and maintain, and would also be less useful due to a longer response time for security officers. The MyBody System seeks to resolve these issues by introducing a system which is affordable, self-enclosed, solar powered and easy to maintain. The system would achieve this via custom wireless speakers disguised as rocks. This system would be able to play a loud sound such as a police siren when activated via either an app on a phone or some sort of wearable device. While an attacker might not be completely deterred, any hesitation on their part would give would-be victims precious seconds to reach safety

Space Debris Characterization Using Machine Learning Methods

Orbital debris is a form of pollution that is growing at an exponential pace and puts current and future space infrastructure at risk. Satellites are critical to military, commercial, and civil operations. Unfortunately, the space they occupy is increasingly becoming more crowded and dangerous, potentially leading to a cascade event that could turn orbit around the Earth into an unusable wasteland for decades proper mitigation is not introduced. Unfortunately, existing models employed by NASA rely on a dataset created from 2D images and are missing many crucial features required for correctly modeling the space debris environment. Our approach uses highresolution 3D scanning to fully capture the geometry of a piece of debris and allow a more advanced analysis of each piece. This approach, coupled with machine learning methods, will allow advances to the current cutting edge. Physical and photographbased measurements are time-consuming, hard to replicate, and lack precision. 3D scanning allows much more advanced and accurate analysis of each debris sample, focusing on properties such as moment of inertia, cross-section, and drag. With these additional properties, we stand to substantially increase our understanding of the space debris environment through advanced characterization of each piece of debris. Once the characteristics of space debris are more thoroughly understood, we can begin mitigating the creation and danger of future space debris by implementing improved satellite construction methods and more advanced debris avoidance measures

AIAA Design Build Fly Humanitarian UAV

Every year AIAA issues a challenge to any undergraduate universities willing to meet it: to build an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to mission and product characteristics. This year the UAVs are to carry two different payloads in four missions with varying objectives, take-off distances, flight times and flight distances. The two payloads are large plunger syringes and mock vaccine vial packages. The Embry-Riddle Prescott team has decided that the best way to approach these competitions is to split responsibilities evenly between four integrated product teams (IPTs); Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion and Missions. In the early stages of the design process, Missions is responsible for deciding the objectives of the team’s design considering the mission constraints. This year Missions recommended the UAV carry 4 packages and 50 syringes due to energy constraints and to balance quantity against loading time. The Aerodynamics IPT is responsible for weighing the concerns of the Missions, Structures, and Propulsion teams to develop a configuration for the UAV. This year the Aerodynamics IPT decided on a high “Hershey bar” wing with an aspect ratio of 7, a conventional tail, and tricycle landing gear. While Structures is modeling and building the plane, Propulsion does research for their recommendation of the motors and propellers, which are then mounted on various prototypes to test their viability. This year Propulsion recommended Sunny Sky V4014 motors and 10x16E propellers. The team is currently refining the integrated prototypes, with delivery mechanisms built by the Missions IPT