Engineering
Design Center

49+
Engineering
design courses
1,900
Engineering design
graduates
36+
Engineering
design-focused
student groups
200+
2024 Design
Day projects

Save the Date! Design Day 2025 is on April 29.

Save the Date! Design Day 2025 is on April 29.

ApolloDisc: Disc Golf Adaptive Devices for Disabled Veterans

In collaboration with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization, our team was tasked with developing adaptive sports equipment to increase accessibility for veterans with disabilities. Following user interviews at DAV’s National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic, we identified disc golf as a sport with high potential for inclusive participation. We divided into two sub-teams to address distinct user needs. The motor impairment sub-team focused on players with partial quadriplegia, designing a disc launcher that enables controlled throwing without requiring upper trunk rotation. The visual impairment sub-team developed a wearable armband that uses directional haptic feedback to help players locate the basket and retrieve discs independently. Together, these solutions promote greater independence, inclusion, and enjoyment in adaptive sports.

EmpowHer

EmpowerHer Network is a robust mobile application designed to provide a secure, women‑centric platform for professional networking and personal engagement. It merges career-development tools with customizable visual profiles to foster meaningful connections. Core features include AI‑driven mentor‑mentee matching, comprehensive career progression tracking, and a gamified system of professional challenges that incentivizes skill‑building. Users can create and share posts, participate in industry and interest‑based communities, and communicate via in‑app messaging and live video sessions. The app’s freemium model offers essential networking tools at no cost, with premium access to advanced mentorship and job‑boost features. Built on modern Android components—Firebase for data storage and authentication, TensorFlow for intelligent recommendations, WebRTC for live video interactions, and OAuth‑secured sign‑in—EmpowerHer ensures high performance, scalability, and security. With its minimalist design, intuitive navigation, and focus on inclusivity, EmpowerHer Network empowers women at every career stage to advance professionally and connect authentically and achieve long‑term career success.

Autonomous Rescue Drone

The project develops an autonomous drone utilizing Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors to navigate a complex maze, while a camera is used to locate a hidden target or prize at the very end. This system simulates real-life scenarios encountered during disaster recovery operations, such as searching burning or collapsed buildings for trapped individuals or pets. LIDAR technology provides precise 3D mapping for obstacle detection, while IMU sensors maintain accurate drone stability and orientation. Additionally, limited camera use preserves battery power in the drone, only being used to detect objects and not for navigation purposes. This advanced sensor integration enhances autonomous navigation capabilities, making the drone suitable for efficient, life-saving search and rescue missions in hazardous environments.

SurgiVision: Lightweight AI for Surgical Scene Understanding on Edge Devices

SurgiVision explores the use of lightweight artificial intelligence to interpret surgical scenes in real time. The project aims to develop a system that can identify key elements during minimally invasive procedures—such as surgical tools, actions, and target anatomy—using visual data. Designed with efficiency in mind, this approach is intended for potential deployment on resource-constrained platforms like embedded or edge devices. The project aims to explore how artificial intelligence can support surgical workflows in clinical or educational environments, such as in smart operating rooms, robotic assistance, or surgical training.

Taliyah

Biomedical Engineering

It is wonderful to watch students from different departments work together to support better engineering design opportunities at Hopkins.

To identify what can satisfy students from every engineering perspective has been both challenging and rewarding, as I’ve learned leading the multidisciplinary student advisory board for the Design Center.

Kareem

Computer Engineering

The First Year Seminar Design CornerStone helped me get exposed to a wide range of engineering disciplines and introduced me to all the makerspace and departments opportunities at Hopkins!

I am excited to take advantage of all the resources available to strengthen my engineering skills.

Alexander

Materials Science and Engineering

Being granted the opportunity to lead a design team has offered me the skillset necessary to apply both engineering and leadership skills in a collaborative environment. I look forward to utilizing these experiences in the medical device space!

 
DnATA
Team Members: Julian Chow, Resham Talwar, Varen Talwar Department: Chemical and Biomolecular…
 
Blue Hydrogen from Steelmaking Off-gas: a Techno-economic Feasibility Assessment
Team Members: Aidan Gee, Timothy Kwok, Laurent Ludwig, Raiyan Sakib Department: Chemical…