Engineering seniors and graduate students听put their skills to the test听through capstone design projects. In most cases,听mechanical engineering teams are sponsored by industry partners听or pitch their ideas to听investors. Follow听capstone design teams through our series of Capstone Design Q&As听to learn how听students are using engineering to solve听real-world problems.听
A rendering of the residential energy monitoring system currently under development by CU Boulder mechanical engineering capstone design students.听
What problem does your project solve?
Team Give-A-Watt is听creating a residential energy monitoring system that听reports accurate and actionable data to consumers. Most consumers want to save the environment and really want to save money. Our product allows homeowners to monitor their electricity usage and work to reduce it. The energy monitor is differentiated from other energy monitors, because it shows users electricity usage in dollar amounts, so consumers can easily conceptualize energy use and understand the real monetary benefits of saving energy.
What have you and your capstone design team accomplished that you are proud of?
We have accomplished significant customer development听which allowed us to fine-tune our design to fit what customers want and need. We also developed a design that is manufacturable and passed manufacturing reviews.听We are proud of our team dynamic and overall effectiveness.
Team members from left to right: Jeremy Donhowe, Austin Urban, Clara Wilson, Katlyn Stockslager, Matthew Roberts
What have you learned from this project?
Time management, time management,听time management!听We have responsibilities to multiple parties听including our director, client, faculty advisor听and ourselves. Managing those responsibilities and getting deliverables where they need to be on time is important. The team is learning how to do that effectively.
What are you most excited to share about your project?
We are most excited to share our finished product and see consumer interest.
What advice do you have for future capstone design teams?
Senior Design is an opportunity to show your skills and what you鈥檝e learned in your engineering curriculum, but it is also an opportunity to innovate and have fun. Try to enjoy what you鈥檙e doing and create something amazing!听Also, a good team dynamic isn鈥檛 automatic; it takes work. Having a good team dynamic can make your project ten听times听easier and ten听times听more successful.
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