For my capstone, I wanted to use the engineering skills I’ve learned over the years to create a product that has an impact on our communities. This came in the form of a drone that assists firefighters in high priority responses, specifically with intel gathering and communication before anyone arrives on site. It was important that I researched every aspect of this project including drone mechanics, drone modification, thermal imaging, and firefighting protocol. I made sure I was talking with experts in different fields such as the manufacturer of the drone I was planning on using, a photographer who flies drones for a living, and a fire marshal. The final product is a dual intel gathering and communication system connected to a drone with a modified thermal camera, giving firefighters the essential information they need before they show up one site. I created a detailed conceptual design for my project with the plan of completing it over the summer.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BlNiBojTmLO0S4YjYemnKusUlW6E43ehC_pIvquhmsY/edit?usp=sharing

For my Capstone, I wanted to teach people about Lab-grown Meat and the advancements they have made in their product. The goal in mind was to teach people as well as get their opinions on it at the same time, to do this I created a website that had information about LGM that I thought to be important. I also created a survey that would help me get an idea of what people already knew about LGM and how they felt about it. When creating the website, I had to be mindful of how I worded things because I wanted to avoid portraying the wrong tone. I wanted to make sure I didn’t sound too opinionated because it might make people close-minded, Afterall my goal wasn’t to persuade them but to inform them. The survey helped me to figure out what things I should leave in and out of the website, and that was important to me because I didn’t want it to be too confusing for anyone reading it. I chose to make my Capstone to be about Lab-grown Meat because it is fascinating to me that technology like that even exists, along with that I think it has a lot of potentials to be something that could help us cut down the demand for livestock.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_eIsXrZVJcx8671a1HYm-9hCLKbVtL1vCXc9km0WRrI/edit?usp=sharing

I wanted to create a capstone that represented my interests, and had a positive impact on the musicians and artists I know. Foundations for Artists was an idea for an event which would showcase poets, musicians and photographers wanting to start their careers, serving as a networking opportunity, and a memorable experience. However, after quarantine occured it became clear that an event was no longer possible. My final product is an explanation of my process, along with some original music I worked on during quarantine.

Link to Music: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10KJVTq44HNOpkWPQzOth2msKh7zHKg3G?usp=sharing

Bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JGKQHFphQXaDErNhXIJa3it5j7Ur5Nb8bhbJceXNCRk/edit?usp=sharing

For my senior capstone, I wanted to do something that I thought could hopefully have a lasting impact on the community at Science Leadership Academy as well as businesses and institutions around the city of Philadelphia. Talking with Mr. Kamal, my capstone advisor and engineering teacher at SLA, I realized that what I wanted to do was be able to educate people on how to better live a more sustainable life. But more importantly, I wanted to see how large businesses and institutions handled everything from electricity to food purchasing and disposal. With the help of The Franklin Institute and more specifically Dr. Rachel Valletta, an environmental scientist at the museum, I was able to come up with an idea to research different sustainability and climate action plans around the city and compile the information into something that can help people understand what is being done and what can be done. After researching about 25 in-depth plans from organizations and institutions that affected the city, I was able to narrow down what worked well in all of these plans and which plans do it best to serve as an example for others. I hope that this project allows for everyone to have a deeper understanding of what is possible so we can all push for a healthier earth.

Here is a link to the website:

https://alaban20.wixsite.com/mysite

Annotated Bibliography:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q5BmHmRafKmzUsln80bRwXlwDvTPLq4oANN8UvRJb_o/edit?usp=sharing

ABSTRACT

The goal of my capstone project was to develop a new way for speech therapists and parents to communicate with their nonverbal children. Originally the final product was planned to be an app using eye gaze technology, but due to COVID-19 making some resources inaccessible, the final product being presented is a video explaining how the app, HeyeLight, would have worked, as well as a donation to Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania in the form of an iPad Pro. While the project goal was only accomplished in theory, I was able to accomplish several personal goals for my project, including learning how to design an app using programming languages HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, as well as how to solve a real-world problem using the engineering design process. I started this project in the fall by researching disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, and asking professionals at the Easterseals of Southeast Pennsylvania what problems they deal with on a day-to-day basis. A common problem for young children with cerebral palsy is communication. Speech therapy, including eye gaze sessions, can help with communication, however many eye gaze apps that are currently on the market rely on clipart or keyboards, an understanding that many young, preschool-aged children do not possess. My solution to this problem is HeyeLight, an app that applies user-uploaded photos as the subject of the eye-gaze session, causing a higher level of understanding in the child using it.