Benjamin C. Williams Engineering Design Portfolio

20 October 2016

The result of this project was a functional prototype of a solar sterilization

system for surgical instruments in off-grid applications. The final prototype

works by reflecting sunlight towards an evacuated tube. This evacuated

tube, similar to a thermos, uses a glass lined vacuum layer to allow heat in

while preventing it from escaping.

An insert slides into the tube so that surgical instruments can be easily placed and removed. One end of the insert

holds a control panel that guides the user through the sterilization process. A microcontroller monitors internal

temperature and sterilization time while displaying relevant data to the user through an LCD. Upon completion of

sterilization, the microcontroller activates a buzzer to inform the user.

Additionally, in the event that access to electricity becomes present, users can plug the insert into an electrical

outlet. This initiates the process of electrical sterilization, heating and sterilizing surgical instruments using

electrical resistance heating instead of solar heat.

Solar-Powered Sterilizer for Surgical Instruments

Trinity College Senior Project (2014-2015)

Q is an autonomous robot that navigates an obstacle course consisting of grass lanes lined with white lines, traffic

barrels, and GPS waypoints. The robot competes annually at the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition in

Rochester, Michigan. The core components are:

• the camera and EVS, used to detect and avoid white lines on the ground

• the compass and GPS, used to locate and navigate to GPS waypoints

• SICK laser range sensor, used to detect physical obstacles

The figure above illustrates a mechanical redesign of Q. The new design features a shortened turning radius and

centralized GPS, making Q more agile and accurate in future competitions.

My primary roles on the Q team were facilitating the mechanical redesign through Solidworks modeling and

improving the navigation algorithms coded in LabVIEW. Additionally, I held the role of Chief Engineer of the Trinity

College Robotics Team during my final year.

“Q” – An Autonomous Ground Vehicle

Trinity College Research Project (2012-2015)

The low cost disposable battery was a project that proposed to create a low

cost and environmentally friendly personal power source for off-grid

communities. The battery would charge cell phones and lights, both of which

are essential to modern life in the developing world. The project was a

collaborative effort between three UC Berkeley MEng students and Lawrence

Berkeley National Lab (LBNL).

Our goal was to develop a battery casing. In other words, we transformed

LBNL’s bench scale technology into a functioning, portable prototype. We

created over 20 distinct prototypes through 3-D printing and rapid iteration.

Visit https://youtu.be/DY3l2PGnzF8 for our project

pitch video, which won the Best Capstone Video Award.

Low Cost Battery for the Developing World UC Berkeley Graduate Capstone Project (2015-2016)