Engineering, Math and Technology
Aurora: file and schedule sharing app
Emily Stachowicz
Amanda Hoeksema
Magdalena Sarna
Moraine Valley Community College
Abstract: A central challenge presented to students is maintaining balance with their schedules and keeping equilibrium between their classwork and social lives. This project intends to streamline students' social lives by providing a shared, private space for a group to post their class and work schedules. An app or website of such design can reduce conflict in planning within a group by having their available and unavailable dates shown with easy access.
Clearer Mirror and Safer Driving
William Karopulos
Oscar Zarco-Delgado
Matthew Cryan
Matthew Straczek
Moraine Valley Community College
Abstract: Adverse winter conditions can make driving difficult, especially when ice and snow block the view in your side mirrors. Heated side mirrors are a feature in many luxury vehicles, but have not been mainstreamed to all vehicles, leaving many drivers without this feature. The scope of this project aims to design and implement a heated side mirror that can be easily be retrofitted to any car. Making this product more widely available will help keep drivers safe in non-optimal driving conditions.
Comparing Learning Styles of Science and Non-Science Majors
Mariam Itani
Julia Jimenez
Moraine Valley Community College
Abstract: While studying with peers in our science major and non-major classes, we observed that students learn the same concepts differently. This made us question: 'Do students who are science majors have different learning styles than students who are non-science majors?' Students may have visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing learning styles. Our hypothesis is that students majoring in science are likely to be visual learners compared to non-science majors because they are more often given diagrams, pictures, or tables to study. To test our hypothesis, we will distribute surveys to students, including a learning style assessment, collect and analyze data.
Consumer Environmental Tool
Diego Chavez
Muhana Ragbie
Moraine Valley Community College
Abstract: Cars release CO2, which is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Driving more light-footedly could decrease greenhouse gas emissions by allowing drivers to get better mileage. The aim of this project is to allow consumers to do that, and to be more conscious of their driving habits, as well as their greenhouse gas emissions by using a monitor that displays the vitals of their vehicle. The operation of this device will be as simple as plugging it in to a OBDII port and watching the display. This device will allow consumers to potentially cut down on their carbon footprint.
Keeping the Cold Out: Building a More Economical Heat Tent
Christina Faulkner
Tyler Gee
Alex Johnston
Corwin Beck
Christiana Guthrie
Waubonsee Community College
Abstract: Many regions around our world experience freezing temperatures that, when access to the necessary resources is restricted, can be and has proven to be detrimental to human health. In order to limit such detriments, especially amongst those who donate have the financial means or were not prepared to handle cold temperatures, testing on various, economical materials will and has been completed in order to find a solution and lessen the impact of cold on the body. A tent-like structure composed of the best-suited, most-economically sound material could be a solution to being better prepared for cold temperatures.
Prosthetic Hand
Jaunzel Mullins
College of Lake County
Abstract: Prosthetics are getting too expensive for the majority of its customer base to access. Thus to construct an efficient 3D prosthetic hand with a total value that does not exceed 150 dollars was the objective. Notable variables at play when constructing the prosthetic hand is range of motion and grip strength. The Average grip strength being comparable to that of a human male, at 120 N. Range of motion of the hand being controlled by Dental elastic bands varying between radii of 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch, increasing band diameter to decrease motion resistance and increase maximum grip strength.
Unconventional Monetary Policy and Its Effect on Inflation, Unemployment, and Asset Prices
Jay Bushnell
Moraine Valley Community College
Abstract: In consideration of ongoing economic instability, inflation remains below its 2% target, a weak labor market prevails, and asset prices abide in what seems to be an unsustainable speculative bubble. Through a regression analysis, we examine the relationship between the dependent variables of inflation, civilian unemployment, and asset prices as a function of quantitative easing. We expect to see positive linear associations between quantitative easing and the dependent variables of inflation and asset prices, and a negative linear association between quantitative easing and civilian unemployment.
Unusual Applications of Newton’s Method: Harmonic Series Divergence Proof
Jennifer Sirkin
Waubonsee Community College
Abstract: Newton’s method is used to approximate the roots of a function; however, it has its limitations. One limitation is the possibility of achieving false solutions that are not necessarily close to a root even though they are arbitrarily close to each other. With this limitation in mind, we applied Newton’s method to a certain pathological function in order to prove the harmonic series diverges. While other articles describe pathological functions that exhibit false convergence, we introduce our novel proof of the divergence of the harmonic series. We will also explore other properties of our function in its application to Newton’s method.
