Maui College Students Host 3rd Innovation Day Conference

Students present their work at last year’s 2013 Innovation Day Series. File photo courtesy UHMC.

By Wendy Osher

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College hosts an Innovation Day to showcase baccalaureate student projects in science and engineering this week.

This is the 3rd time the Innovation Day Conference is being organized at the campus.

The series of events includes project demonstrations, workshops, and lectures from industry professionals.

The Innovation Day also includes demonstrations of student work in electronics, optics, communication, space studies, agriculture and aquaponics, renewable energy, robotics, astronomy and related fields, according to a university press release announcement.

Students present their work at last year’s 2013 Innovation Day Series. File photo courtesy UHMC.

The event is open to the public and runs from Thursday, May 1, to Saturday, May 3, at the Kaʻaʻike building on campus.

Student projects being presented include: a microprocessor-based paper piano by Jon Brito, that “leverages the laws of physics in the name of music and fun” ; and a demonstration on the similarities between hydroponics and aquaponics by Paul Castillo in an attempt to demonstrate how it can benefit sustainable lifestyles.

One project highlighted by university officials is a “Hackerspace Earthship,” or HAESH for short.

The project is described as, “a closed-loop ecological system that will fully-sustain human life for remote locations, in the extreme case the surface of Mars. The prototype will utilize a control system comprised of sensors and micro-controllers to regulate the close-loop environment for successful sustenance of life within it.”

Other demonstration highlights include: a water and moisture sensor that uses arduino microprocessors; generating energy using Piezo-Electric devices on streets and highways; and a home grown kalo project using solar panels.

University officials say it’s an “opportunity for the community and technology professionals to learn more about the latest innovations, and for engineering and science students to showcase their hard work, some with projects that took over a year to complete.”

Students present their work at last year’s 2013 Innovation Day Series. File photo courtesy UHMC.

The schedule selected events for Spring Innovation Day 2014 is provided below. For a complete list the event website.

Thursday, May 1, 2014:

• Jerry Isdale, Maui Makers, 3 – 4 p.m.
• Dr. Jeffery Yepez, Airforce Research Laboratories, 4 – 5 p.m.

Friday, May 2, 2014:

• Steve Rymsha, Maui Electric Corporation, 1 – 2 p.m.
• Joe Bardwell, Connect 802 Corporation, 3 – 4 p.m.
• Sharon Mielbrecht, Pacific Defense Corporation, 4 – 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 3, 2014:

• Workshop on programming the Arduino Microprocessor, 10:30 – 11 a.m.