Engineering students will demonstrate inventions and show how technologies work -- such as the sensor that activates a car's air-bag system -- during the University of Colorado at Boulder's ITL Fall Design Expo on Dec. 3.
The event, which is free and open to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., will be at the Integrated Teaching and Learning (ITL) Laboratory, located on Regent Drive one block south of Colorado Avenue.
Nearly 40 first-year student projects will be exhibited, including demonstrations of micro- and nanoscale technologies, historic devices and mechanisms from the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, sustainable technologies for use in developing countries and assistive technology for children with disabilities.
Several advanced student teams will demonstrate new consumer products, such as a skateboard brake, home biodiesel system and a batteryless tent-lighting system that is powered by a hiker's footsteps.
In all, the end-of-semester expo will showcase the work of about 260 engineering students, providing a fun and interactive educational opportunity for K-12 students and their parents.
Volunteers from industry, government and the community will serve as judges, rating each project on its originality, craftsmanship, understanding of engineering principles, effectiveness and poster presentation.
An awards ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. and prizes will be given to the best project in each category. Members of the community can vote for their favorite project to win the "People's Choice" award. For more information call (303) 492-7222.