Former NAIT student makes history as first one-person team to win ASET Capstone Project of the Year Award
07, Nov, 2024
EDMONTON, Nov. 7, 2024 – Former NAIT instrumentation engineering technology student Adrianne Andal is the first one-person team to win the ASET Capstone Project of the Year Award, which is presented annually by the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET).
Andal, a former international student from the Philippines, received the award for inventing a tool that simplifies and expedites the calibration of fixed gas detectors.
A fixed gas detector is a sensor dedicated to the measurement of gas concentrations in the air. It performs a critical safety role by monitoring for hazardous gases. Current practice for calibrating fixed gas detectors involves adjusting the sensors to ensure that they are accurately detecting the presence and concentration of gases in the air. This is typically done by exposing the gas detector to known concentrations of gases and comparing the readings it provides to the known values.
The tool Andal developed controls the flow of calibration gases with the use of electronic components and a smartphone app. A key benefit of this is the reduction of risks for the technicians who conduct calibration of gas detectors. Because the tool speeds up the process, technicians will have less potential exposure to work hazards, such as extreme temperatures and toxic and combustible gases.
Andal says he came up with the idea for the project while working in the field as a student co-op service technician. Having electronics as a hobby and an interest in learning to code, he was able to turn that idea into an actual working prototype.
“When I was on a co-op job that required us to install and calibrate around 40 gas detectors and I was calibrating my seventh gas detector of the day, I thought to myself that there should be a better way of doing this,” said Andal. “That’s when all the gears started turning in my head and the idea emerged for my Capstone Project.”
“ASET extends sincere congratulations to former NAIT student Adrianne Andal for winning the 2024 ASET Capstone Project of the Year Award,” said ASET CEO Barry Cavanaugh. “This is the first time in the history of the award that a one-person team has achieved this and it’s exceptional given the level of excellence we consistently see in all the finalist projects.”
Three other former teams from Alberta polytechnics were recognized provincially as finalists for the award due to their outstanding innovation:
SAIT Horizontal Well Vs. Horizontal Well Re-entry Comparison
The former team of Yuvrajsinh Vansadia and Manuel Sumaria sought to compare two drilling approaches: a horizontal well and a re-entry horizontal well from a suspended vertical well. They evaluated the drilling and completion operations, costs, and timelines to determine which method yielded higher profitability.
NAIT DynaMight
Former teammates Aliza Moriah Molines and Jose Rogelio Morales created DynaMight, a diagnostic glove that has the potential to enable necessary earlier detection and assessment of some neuromuscular disorders in patients, such as diabetic neuropathy and Guillain-Barré syndrome. An EMG diagnostic and therapeutic device that fits onto the patient’s hand/forearm, DynaMight can measure muscular strength, flexibility and dexterity.
SAIT Graphene Reinforcement for Sustainable Sidewalks
Former team members Derrick Leung, Tony Ly, Pinyo Sirisettanan, and Chi Kin Wong set out to find a way to prevent sidewalks from cracking in four-season cities like Calgary. They identified a possible solution for this problem by adding graphene - a material extracted from graphite and composed of pure carbon - to conventional concrete mixes for sidewalks and pathways.
About ASET
ASET is the professional self-regulatory organization for engineering technologists and technicians in Alberta. ASET currently represents over 17,000 members, including full-time technology students, recent graduates and fully certified members in 21 disciplines and more than 120 occupations across a multitude of industries.
Media Contact:
Michele Penz, Calico Communications for ASET
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