A team of senior capstone design students from the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering has designed and built a new interactive kinematics display called “The ElectroCycle” for the Boys and Girls Club of Brazos Valley. Tailored for children aged 8-12, this exhibit demonstrates the conversion process between human and electrical energy.
The exhibit features a bike connected to a generator using a belt; as the user pedals the bike, the generator produces electricity to charge items such as lights and batteries. The exhibit also shows the different efforts required to power LED bulbs versus Halogen incandescent bulbs, helping users better understand the efficiency of LED lights.
The exhibit encourages children to be curious about everyday concepts like the functioning of light bulbs. Children may start investigating other familiar items in their daily lives to better understand how they work.
“The most impactful part of the project has been the opportunity to utilize the curricular knowledge we have accumulated over the years of our undergraduate studies towards a project that has such a great impact on the local community,” said Pepito Thelly, a student on the team. “The exhibit gives kids an early introduction into physics and engineering concepts.”
The most impactful part of the project has been the opportunity to utilize the curricular knowledge we have accumulated over the years of our undergraduate studies towards a project that has such a great impact on the local community.
Alongside Thelly, the team included Riley Pruett, Luis Rodriguez, Clayton Maywald, Caleb Johnson, and Anthony Le. They were advised by Dr. Ravi Thyagarajan, who provided mentorship and technical guidance.
Pruett stated that the team’s most significant challenge was tackling an electrical design since none of them had extensive experience in electrical work. However, they overcame this obstacle by learning along the way, consulting professors and industry experts, and testing the project at various stages.
The team also produced age-appropriate educational videos for Boys and Girls Club members that explain engineering concepts related to the project. They also visited the Boys and Girls Club to teach children about the fundamental principles related to the exhibit.
“I would say that this point is where this project shifted from a traditional project on paper to a real-life experience,” Thelly said. “The creativity that the kids at the club showcased through an activity we did with them was extremely motivating to us both in terms of perfecting the product, but also in remembering why we wanted to become engineers in the first place.”
The senior design capstone program enabled the team to apply their academic knowledge to a project benefiting the local community.
“We feel that this project encapsulates what makes Texas A&M Engineering fruitful in developing competent leaders. Working with a non-profit truly gave us a new lens through which we can see the uses of our engineering skills,” said the team.
The team extends its appreciation to the sponsors at the Boys and Girls Club of Brazos Valley for their invaluable support and collaboration in making the project a success.
"We are grateful for Texas A&M's partnership! The innovative ElectroCycle is such a fun and creative way to attract kids to science,” said Fatima Burgueno, BGCBV director of programs and Latino outreach. “Connecting that the transfer of their physical energy to making light bulbs turn on and Xbox controller batteries recharge truly brings STEM alive for our Boys & Girls Club members. One of our favorite parts of this collaboration is that with Aggie college students engaging in this way, our youth can see a future path for themselves in post-high school education."
If you are interested in sponsoring a senior design project, please contact meen-capstone@tamu.edu or visit tx.ag/NsknDjH.