UC San Diego Students Fabricate Device to Protect Seniors from a Fall

The AirSave team demonstrated their device during their presentation at the electrical engineering design competition in June

Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and older killing more than 400,000 people each year. “This number is projected to increase due to the shift in the baby-boomer population,” said Jun Lu, a recent electrical engineering graduate of the University of California San Diego (BS ’16). “It is a common occurrence, seniors talk about how falling or the fear of falling affects their lives everyday but there is not a widely accepted solution.”

For Lu, that number became real when his great grandmother died after a fall. Together with electrical engineering graduate students Aida Shahi and Borhan Vasli (who are both specializing in machine learning), and Gabriel Frischer, a third year neuroscience major at UC San Diego, Lu created a device to protect seniors from this kind of accident.

The AirSave team took second place at the UC San Diego Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s design competition in June

The device, called the AirSave impact protection system, took second place at the UC San Diego Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s design competition in June. The competition was part of the university’s Aging and Innovation Initiative and is the result of a collaboration between the Jacobs School of Engineering and the Stein Institute for Research on Aging. The goal for the projects in the competition was to improve quality of life for senior citizens.

Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune

During their research, they found that fatal falls occur mainly due to an impact of the hip, however impacts to the spine, neck and head are also common and can be catastrophic for the seniors. “We wanted to create something all-encompassing,” said Frischer.

The device includes a set of four air bags (one protecting the neck and cranium and three around the waist for hip protection) and a CO2 cartridge from a paintball gun to inflate them just before hitting the ground.

The students are using the resources in the UC San Diego EnVision Arts and Engineering Maker Studio to fabricate prototypes. “We used the 3D printers to fabricate the airbags and the housing for the electrical components, and other tools like the function generators,” said Lu. “It’s a collaborative space, so we were also able to come up with ideas by talking to other students.”

"The AirSave Team was in the Maker Studio nearly every hour that we were open, and it is no surprise that their hard work and dedication earned them top marks in the competition," said Jesse DeWald, the facility’s director. "I think the best part of the AirSave Team using the EnVision Maker Studio, is that they inspired the other students around them to think about these very important problems and to help them realize that they have the tools and abilities to design the solutions to the problems."

“We learned a lot about the process of designing something,” said Frischer. “The biggest lesson was that we needed to design for the people we were making the device for. Initially, we thought we wanted to create a vest, but after talking to seniors, we decided on an exoskeleton.”

AirSave "exoskeleton" design

The change came about after the students spoke with residents at the La Costa Glen retirement community in Carlsbad and similar facilities.

“Everyone has a different style,” said Frischer. “It became clear that the seniors wanted a device they could wear underneath their clothes and still be comfortable. The frame of the exoskeleton is made of impact-absorbing foam, which adds an addition layer of protection on top of the airbags. Our design is unique, light, completely concealable under the wearers clothing and highly protective.”

The AirSave system includes a sensor that collects acceleration and coordination data and determines whether the person is falling, or just bending over to pick something up.

“We’re still working to improve the algorithm,” said Lu. “It’s pretty good though – the only thing it can’t differentiate is the jumping motion.”

When the AirSave team demonstrated their device during their presentation at the electrical engineering design competition in June, Frischer performed an actual tumble while wearing an accelerometer prototype so that the audience could see the rapid acceleration data from the sensor on the screen.

“The next step is to connect the airbag inflation component to the sensing component, which requires a high voltage battery, said Lu, who plans to work on the project full time next year. “The best part is, this is only the beginning.”

You can learn more about the project and how you can get involved here.

Additional Design Competition Results

In first place was the group that developed the MightyCart, a motorized, foldable shopping cart users steer by pressing sensors on the handle, making it easier to handle heavy loads. Ryan Collins, Gannon Gesiriech, Boulos Haddad and Kevin Nematzadeh — known collectively as Fountain of Youth — took home the $4,000 top prize.

The team that took home third place at the Design Competition was Team VITA, which developed pressure-sensitive carpet tiles embedded with LED lights that light a person’s path in the dark and alert others when someone has fallen. The team members were Chao-yu Lee, Wen Li, Pushen Wang and Edward Zhong. 

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A Hackathon for Startups

Do you have an idea for a company? What about an unfinished project? Or perhaps you’re looking to try something completely new. You’re in luck! UC San Diego will host a one of a kind hackathon called STARTUP UCSD specifically for UC San Diego graduate and undergraduate startups May 13-14, 2016 at the RIMAC arena.

“For 24 hours you will be competing for over $15k in prizes, all aimed at getting your products to market,” said Martin Arreola, one of the students behind the event.

The top three teams that emerge from the hackathon will be invited to join the Qualcomm Institute Innovation Space.

The new incubator features a dedicated workspace with meeting rooms, legal advice and technical support, and access to the prototyping lab. In addition the teams will be given $5,000 of in-house credit.

“We’re expecting a lot of apps, some hardware and a few bioengineering products,” said Arreola. “The format will be a work session with mentors from industry that are available to provide advice to the teams. It doesn’t matter what stage the teams are at.”

Check out these frequently asked questions:

Q: Who's this for?
A: A good idea and a great team usually has the support of people from a variety of disciplines. This is why STARTUP UCSD is open to all, no matter if you're an engineer, an MBA student, or a Biology major, a graduate or undergraduate.

Q: What projects are you looking for?
A: Our judges will be scoring projects based on Functionality, Innovation, Design, and the Team’s promise. The top projects will have shown a prototype or idea that’s well thought-out, has a particular market in mind, and is backed by an agile, bright, and passionate group of hackers.

Q: Where and when is this happening?
A: STARTUP UCSD will be held at UC San Diego's largest venue, RIMAC Arena, from May 13-14. Connect with mentors, investors, cofounders, and sponsors, all ready to help you win and get your startup off the ground.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Selina Valladolid

We are continuing with our #ILookLikeAnEngineer campaign with a student who continually fights stereotypes in engineering and is extremely passionate about progressing towards an equal field.

Meet Selina Valladolid, the president of the Society of Women Engineers.

Name: Selina Valladolid

Major: Physics (recently switched out of NanoEngineering)

Estimated graduation date: June 2017

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

My family is from the area. My mom went here, my dad went here. I wanted to go to Boston, but after attending Triton Day, I was like, “I could see myself here.” It hit home with me. It fit, unlike any other campus I had visited.

As for engineering and sciences, I actually took some engineering classes in high school. The engineering teacher taught my biology class, and he was always going on about the engineering projects they were doing. And I thought, “That’s rad.” I took part in the engineering club that year and then took the class. I just kind of stuck with it for all four years after that.

Why did you decide to switch from nanoengineering to physics?
So I realized over the summer that my passion truly lies in space and in the cosmos. I have always loved physics and I came to the conclusion that pursuing my undergraduate degree in physics, and perhaps focusing on engineering in graduate school, would simply be the best option for me.

What are your career goals?

I’m definitely leaning towards research right now. I’m set on going to graduate school, and my ultimate dream is to work for NASA or SpaceX. If there was ever a time I had the opportunity to go to Mars or the moon, I’d probably be down, but that isn’t my ultimate goal. What interests me is the stuff that we’re not going to reach in our lifetime, like the black holes, the supernovas, the star clusters. The really hard, deep outer space.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

I actually have a wall that I put sticky notes on. The first one is probably the most common: “Well-behaved women are never remembered in history.” I always really liked this. We have to step out of the boxes in which we’re often placed.  

What are three things about you that make you an individual?

1. I tend to be very opinionated, especially when it comes to women and any minority underrepresented minority. I am a woman, and I am Hispanic. I have a seven year old sister, and I never want her to think that she can’t do something because she isn’t a male.

2. I see myself as very independent.

3. I love to travel, read, and play sports. My very first trip was in sixth grade to northern Ireland. When I turned fifteen, instead of having a quincenera, I asked my dad to take me on a trip, so I got to go to Paris.

What does this campaign mean to you?

I love it, primarily because I remember how it started. I remember seeing all this backlash against the ad - “Get somebody that looks like an engineer,” comments read. I think the campaign is a great thing, and I hope it will teach people that being an engineer has nothing to do with gender, sexuality, race or anything.

Specifically, the campaign at UC San Diego?

As much as I want as many men to come into my own organization, Society of Women Engineers, and be a part of it, as we are about supporting and encouraging women. I don’t like that men don’t want to join, but I can understand why. I feel like it could be a lot worse here. I’m glad that it could be a lot worse.

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Ryan Collins

Here's the next student in our #ILookLikeAnEngineer campaign. Though this campaign began with a woman facing stereotypes in engineering, we wanted to emphasize that one does not need to be part of (or look the part of) a lesser-represented group in order to have experienced any biases. Furthermore, no requirement of a particular gender or race is necessary to show support for the campaign and to recognize that inequalities do exist within engineering. 

Meet Ryan Collins, a fourth year B.S./M.S. electrical engineering student at the Jacobs School of Engineering. 

Name: Ryan Collins

Major: Electrical Engineering

Estimated graduation date: BS ‘16, MS ‘17

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

I heard it was a great school academically. Besides that, the weather is perfect, there is sort of an underdog spirit that motivates me and the campus is beautiful.

What are your career goals?

I am obsessed with outer space, I would love an engineering career that involved space in some way. I would like to work with robotics as well, so maybe one day I will be helping to put rovers - or even people - on Mars.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

Luck favors the prepared.

What are three things you find unique about you?

I am a huge batman fan, I can rap the entire "The Real Slim Shady" song, and art is one of my hobbies.

What does this campaign mean to you?

In my experience, blatant discrimination towards others is a thing I rarely see, but that doesn’t mean discrimination isn’t happening.

The truth is that discrimination also comes in the form of subconscious bias, also referred to as "Colorblind Racism". That is the idea that between two otherwise equal people, you will give preference to the one whose race you subconsciously prefer or trust. Many people who believe themselves to be completely fair may not realize this, and it is important for them to analyze their behavior from an objective point of view to see if they are inadvertently discriminating.

I can say that there have been times where I noticed that I have been "lucky" when I was chosen for something, or that somebody trusted me more than they should have. I wonder if some of the reason has to do with my race.

You asked to place the frame underneath your face - why?

Since this campaign is to break free from stereotypes, I would put the frame below my face to represent the idea that we can break free from convention- it is to show that we should think outside the box and not just evaluate things at face value. The frame does serve an important point it shows that we are perceived by our physical image, and people DO see us for our race.

However, our character extends beyond our picture, just as our person extends beyond the frame.

Just a thought.

Keep up with us as we continue to feature students and stories! Remember to follow the Jacobs School on social media to stay updated with the hasthag!

#ILookLikeAnEngineer: Delta Caraulia

Familiar with the #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag on Twitter? It started trending back in August 2015 - a San Francisco software engineer inspired a viral online campaign when she faced backlash after appearing in an ad as part of her company's recruiting campaign. Her response was a photo holding a sign with the hashtag #ILookLikeAnEngineer — it inspired female engineers around the world to share their photos/stories on social media using the hashtag.  We think this is great, and wanted to jump onboard.

Meet Delta, a sophomore mechanical engineer at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

Name: Delta Caraulia

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Estimated graduation date: June 2018

Why did you choose engineering at UC San Diego?

I always liked math growing up. Then I thought, what should I do with it? I should do engineering. After I went to COSMOS at UC San Diego, a four-week residential summer program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in a STEM field, I was set on engineering. COSMOS – I was part of Cluster 4, the earthquakes in action cluster. We had to perform a timber retrofit. So when you retrofit something, you make it better. Maybe back then, they did not have enough support. We were accounting for natural disasters.

Also, during my senior year of high school, I took AP Physics and really liked classical mechanics. I noticed myself liking the building more so than the other parts of physics.

Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?

This might be a little embarrassing. In Mean Girls, it’s the part when they’re talking about calculus and Damien is disgusted and asks Cady why. She says, “Because it’s the same in every country.” That was beautiful to me.

What are your career goals?

I honestly don’t know. I’m really trying to figure it out. I really liked 3D printing, which was implemented when I took a pilot course in the Dean’s new Experience Engineering initiative this past spring. I like that 3D printing is cheap, especially for kids. They need an inexpensive way to keep producing as they keep growing.

What are you involved in on campus?

I participated in UC San Diego’s Summer Bridge program in 2014 before school started. Summer Bridge tries to bridge incoming freshmen and help them integrate better into their first year. You take two different classes: Contemporary Issues and Educational Studies. I thought I wouldn’t get into it as much as I did. The Contemporary Issues component was eye-opening for me. I was always very math and science-y, but the program opened my eyes to real world issues.

I prepped to become a tutor, and this quarter I signed up for Global TIES. I like the humanitarian aspect of Global TIES. Growing up, I knew I wanted to do something where I could help people. I tried to do medical stuff, but I learned nope, I can’t touch people, I can’t see blood. That’s exactly what Global TIES is, engineering for humanity. And the leaders of the class are actual professors, so you have their guidance and meet often.

In addition,I’ll be a part of KPCore, which does outreach to my high school.

What are three things you find unique about you?

1. I do like keeping busy. I don’t really have any hobbies, which I guess is why I like extracurricular activities. Also, in terms of last year, I worked a lot. I took on a lot of hours at the library. It’s really nice working there. The people there are really nice and easy to talk to.
2. I worry a lot, but I also know that I can do it…I also complain a lot, but I’ll do it. Haha.
3. I went to Europe last year and I want to go to Spain next year.

What does this campaign mean to you?

This issue does hit hard because I will be an engineer in the field. There's a misconception that women get hired to fill some quota so I don't want anyone to think I had something handed to me. I will earn it based on my merit.

I spoke with the VP of Qualcomm, and he said that he was originally an engineer himself. It was cool that he had both the understanding of his company’s engineering work, in addition to his own administrative work. Maybe in the future, I can hold a position that combines multiple fields.

Stay tuned for more, and don't forget to follow the Jacobs School on social media to keep up with the hashtag!