Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Design, build, test, and fly engineering experiments to the Edge of Space and beyond! Most of our flights are on latex weather balloons which can go up to an altitude of 100,000 ft or above, but we may also fly on high-altitude long-duration NASA balloons and sounding rockets. A common theme in all this research is designing light weight and low-cost experiments that can produce meaningful data and results in flight. We also like to share our enthusiasm for space engineering with kids, so we have a number of ongoing outreach activities that we encourage all participants to get involved in.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Having a hands-on lab component to fluid dynamics courses has always been an important part of the pedagogy. Traditional instruction has required expensive room-sized equipment that is used by relatively large groups, limiting the time for exploration and real understanding of the important principles. This project is developing a series of instructional kits that can be purchased by individual students and used at home, permitting a more creative and individualized exploration of the material, and a greater sense of ownership and depth of understanding. If you have an interest in thinking about a new way of learning, and/or interest in remote-controlled vehicles and model construction/design, this project may be a good fit for you!

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Explore wind energy and its benefits! The VIP will apply as a team and prepare a proposal for the Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition. The VIP will look at both the design of a small offshore floating wind turbine and the siting of an offshore wind farm off the coast of Oregon. UMD students in this VIP will make connections with K-12 students by building educational awareness of wind energy and implementing outreach programs. The group will also interact with members of industry and government research.

Click here for more course information.

By permission only; students must apply through the VIP@Maryland applica tion process in order to join a VIP team.

Soft robots have emerged as powerful alternatives for applications that would be difficult or impossible to realize using traditional, rigid robots. Despite a number of inherent benefits for soft robots, particularly in terms of safety for human-robot interactions, challenges associated with controlling the underlying fluidics of such systems represent key barriers to utility. Dr. Sochol's laboratory introduced a strategy for 3D printing soft robots comprising fully integrated fluidic circuitry ina single print run and demonstrated a soft robotic "hand" beating the first level of Super Mario Bros. This approach relied on an expensive (>$100,000) 3D printer. The goal of this project is to extend this strategy to inexpensive (e.g., <$500) 3D printers to support accessibility and demonstrate efficacy by engineering soft robots capable of playing video games.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

The goal of this project is to create a location-based tool for students, faculty, staff and visitors to inform them of general information and events happening around them in real time. For example, a prospective student visiting campus can take an App guided tour based upon the major(s) they are interested in, visiting the facilities and learning about all the major has to offer. Based upon App-collected data, including where they visited and how long they spent at each location, a follow-up email can introduce them to staff that can answer questions. Another example would be letting a student passing a building know that there is currently free pizza at an event inside. Current project goals include developing the prototype app, exploring the potential of sensor technologies, designing data collection processes, developing additional use cases, and setting up and conducting field tests.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Study arthropods through 3D printing! Arthropods, including spiders, crabs, insects, and isopods, are a phylum of invertebrates with bodies built of hardened segments connected by membranous joints. These hard-soft compliant structures, which can be driven by internal hydraulic systems,are a fantastic model for bio-inspiration of soft robots and lightweight actuators.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Design, build, test, and fly engineering experiments to the Edge of Space and beyond! Most of our flights are on latex weather balloons which can go up to an altitude of 100,000 ft or above, but we may also fly on high-altitude long-duration NASA balloons and sounding rockets. A common theme in all this research is designing light weight and low-cost experiments that can produce meaningful data and results in flight. We also like to share our enthusiasm for space engineering with kids, so we have a number of ongoing outreach activities that we encourage all participants to get involved in.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Having a hands-on lab component to fluid dynamics courses has always been an important part of the pedagogy. Traditional instruction has required expensive room-sized equipment that is used by relatively large groups, limiting the time for exploration and real understanding of the important principles. This project is developing a series of instructional kits that can be purchased by individual students and used at home, permitting a more creative and individualized exploration of the material, and a greater sense of ownership and depth of understanding. If you have an interest in thinking about a new way of learning, and/or interest in remote-controlled vehicles and model construction/design, this project may be a good fit for you!

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Explore wind energy and its benefits! The VIP will apply as a team and prepare a proposal for the Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition. The VIP will look at both the design of a small offshore floating wind turbine and the siting of an offshore wind farm off the coast of Oregon. UMD students in this VIP will make connections with K-12 students by building educational awareness of wind energy and implementing outreach programs. The group will also interact with members of industry and government research.

Click here for more course information.

By permission only; students must apply through the VIP@Maryland applica tion process in order to join a VIP team.

Soft robots have emerged as powerful alternatives for applications that would be difficult or impossible to realize using traditional, rigid robots. Despite a number of inherent benefits for soft robots, particularly in terms of safety for human-robot interactions, challenges associated with controlling the underlying fluidics of such systems represent key barriers to utility. Dr. Sochol's laboratory introduced a strategy for 3D printing soft robots comprising fully integrated fluidic circuitry ina single print run and demonstrated a soft robotic "hand" beating the first level of Super Mario Bros. This approach relied on an expensive (>$100,000) 3D printer. The goal of this project is to extend this strategy to inexpensive (e.g., <$500) 3D printers to support accessibility and demonstrate efficacy by engineering soft robots capable of playing video games.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

The goal of this project is to create a location-based tool for students, faculty, staff and visitors to inform them of general information and events happening around them in real time. For example, a prospective student visiting campus can take an App guided tour based upon the major(s) they are interested in, visiting the facilities and learning about all the major has to offer. Based upon App-collected data, including where they visited and how long they spent at each location, a follow-up email can introduce them to staff that can answer questions. Another example would be letting a student passing a building know that there is currently free pizza at an event inside. Current project goals include developing the prototype app, exploring the potential of sensor technologies, designing data collection processes, developing additional use cases, and setting up and conducting field tests.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Study arthropods through 3D printing! Arthropods, including spiders, crabs, insects, and isopods, are a phylum of invertebrates with bodies built of hardened segments connected by membranous joints. These hard-soft compliant structures, which can be driven by internal hydraulic systems,are a fantastic model for bio-inspiration of soft robots and lightweight actuators.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Design, build, test, and fly engineering experiments to the Edge of Space and beyond! Most of our flights are on latex weather balloons which can go up to an altitude of 100,000 ft or above, but we may also fly on high-altitude long-duration NASA balloons and sounding rockets. A common theme in all this research is designing light weight and low-cost experiments that can produce meaningful data and results in flight. We also like to share our enthusiasm for space engineering with kids, so we have a number of ongoing outreach activities that we encourage all participants to get involved in.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Having a hands-on lab component to fluid dynamics courses has always been an important part of the pedagogy. Traditional instruction has required expensive room-sized equipment that is used by relatively large groups, limiting the time for exploration and real understanding of the important principles. This project is developing a series of instructional kits that can be purchased by individual students and used at home, permitting a more creative and individualized exploration of the material, and a greater sense of ownership and depth of understanding. If you have an interest in thinking about a new way of learning, and/or interest in remote-controlled vehicles and model construction/design, this project may be a good fit for you!

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Explore wind energy and its benefits! The VIP will apply as a team and prepare a proposal for the Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition. The VIP will look at both the design of a small offshore floating wind turbine and the siting of an offshore wind farm off the coast of Oregon. UMD students in this VIP will make connections with K-12 students by building educational awareness of wind energy and implementing outreach programs. The group will also interact with members of industry and government research.

Click here for more course information.

By permission only; students must apply through the VIP@Maryland applica tion process in order to join a VIP team.

Soft robots have emerged as powerful alternatives for applications that would be difficult or impossible to realize using traditional, rigid robots. Despite a number of inherent benefits for soft robots, particularly in terms of safety for human-robot interactions, challenges associated with controlling the underlying fluidics of such systems represent key barriers to utility. Dr. Sochol's laboratory introduced a strategy for 3D printing soft robots comprising fully integrated fluidic circuitry ina single print run and demonstrated a soft robotic "hand" beating the first level of Super Mario Bros. This approach relied on an expensive (>$100,000) 3D printer. The goal of this project is to extend this strategy to inexpensive (e.g., <$500) 3D printers to support accessibility and demonstrate efficacy by engineering soft robots capable of playing video games.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

The goal of this project is to create a location-based tool for students, faculty, staff and visitors to inform them of general information and events happening around them in real time. For example, a prospective student visiting campus can take an App guided tour based upon the major(s) they are interested in, visiting the facilities and learning about all the major has to offer. Based upon App-collected data, including where they visited and how long they spent at each location, a follow-up email can introduce them to staff that can answer questions. Another example would be letting a student passing a building know that there is currently free pizza at an event inside. Current project goals include developing the prototype app, exploring the potential of sensor technologies, designing data collection processes, developing additional use cases, and setting up and conducting field tests.

Restriction: Permission of department. Students must apply through the VIP@Maryland application process in order to join a VIP team.

Study arthropods through 3D printing! Arthropods, including spiders, crabs, insects, and isopods, are a phylum of invertebrates with bodies built of hardened segments connected by membranous joints. These hard-soft compliant structures, which can be driven by internal hydraulic systems,are a fantastic model for bio-inspiration of soft robots and lightweight actuators.