Illustrative EP3 Summer Pod Models

AI-Enabled Product and Data Systems

Goal: Explore how artificial intelligence could improve a company product, engineering process, customer experience, or internal operation.

Pod composition: Five mixed BS/MS students in AI, software engineering, computer engineering, data analytics, and human factors.

Project structure: One integrated project with three parallel workstreams:

  • Data preparation, model selection, and AI development
  • Software architecture, integration, and interface development
  • Model evaluation, usability, responsible-AI considerations, and performance testing

Possible objectives:

  • Identify and evaluate high-value AI use cases.
  • Develop and compare alternative models or technical approaches.
  • Build a proof-of-concept application.
  • Evaluate accuracy, reliability, usability, and limitations.
  • Recommend potential next steps for company development.

Possible results: Prototype software, comparative model results, an application demonstration, evaluation findings, and a development roadmap.

Secure Networking and Edge Systems

Goal: Design and evaluate a secure, reliable networking solution for a connected product, distributed system, or company operating environment.

Pod composition: Six primarily BS students in computer engineering, networking, cybersecurity, software engineering, and electrical engineering.

Project structure: Two related projects with three parallel teams:

  • Network architecture, configuration, and performance
  • Edge-device or embedded-system integration
  • Cybersecurity, threat analysis, and resilience testing

Possible objectives:

  • Design a network or edge-computing architecture for a defined use case.
  • Develop a prototype or test environment.
  • Evaluate latency, throughput, scalability, and reliability.
  • Identify vulnerabilities and test potential security controls.
  • Compare alternative technologies or configurations.

Possible results: Network architecture, a working testbed, prototype components, performance measurements, a security assessment, and recommendations for further development.

This could also be configured as a largely single-discipline Computer Engineering pod with students representing different technical specialties.

Advanced Electrical Systems and Product Validation

Goal: Investigate and evaluate an advanced electrical or electronic system related to a company product or technology.

Pod composition: Five primarily MS students in electrical engineering, with possible participation from computer or mechanical engineering where appropriate.

Project structure: One technically advanced project with four concurrent areas of responsibility:

  • System architecture and electrical design
  • Embedded control, sensing, or communications
  • Modeling, simulation, and performance analysis
  • Experimental testing, reliability, and validation

Possible project topics:

  • Embedded sensing and monitoring
  • Wireless or high-speed communications
  • Power electronics and energy management
  • Control systems and signal processing
  • Automated electronic testing
  • Reliability, fault detection, or product characterization

Possible objectives:

  • Develop and compare alternative technical approaches.
  • Model expected system behavior.
  • Create prototype circuitry, firmware, or a test environment.
  • Evaluate performance under representative operating conditions.
  • Identify design limitations and opportunities for improvement.

Possible results: Design concepts, simulations, prototype components, test procedures, experimental findings, and recommendations for continued development.

Smart Manufacturing and Operations Improvement

Goal: Help a company improve the capacity, flow, quality, sustainability, or efficiency of a manufacturing or operational system.

Pod composition: Six primarily BS students from industrial and systems engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering, and AI or data analytics.

Project structure: Two or three parallel projects addressing separate or related company topics, such as:

  • Production flow, capacity, scheduling, and shared-resource utilization
  • Quality improvement, statistical analysis, DOE, and process control
  • Waste reduction, automation opportunities, energy use, or supply-chain performance

Possible objectives:

  • Map and analyze existing processes.
  • Develop capacity, simulation, or scheduling models.
  • Analyze production and quality data.
  • Identify bottlenecks, sources of variation, and improvement opportunities.
  • Evaluate alternative operating policies or technology investments.

Possible results: Process models, simulations, analytical tools, dashboards, pilot analyses, and prioritized improvement opportunities.

This is a good example of one pod addressing several company interests without requiring every project to be technically dependent on the others.

Robotics and Intelligent Automation

Goal: Develop and evaluate an intelligent automation approach for a defined inspection, material-handling, assembly, testing, or service task.

Pod composition: Five mixed BS/MS students from robotics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, AI, and human factors.

Project structure: One integrated project with parallel technical workstreams:

  • Mechanical system, mechanism, or end-effector design
  • Sensors, controls, embedded systems, and machine perception
  • Workflow integration, safety, human interaction, and system evaluation

Possible objectives:

  • Define operating requirements and performance measures.
  • Develop and compare alternative automation concepts.
  • Design mechanical, electrical, and software components.
  • Integrate sensing, control, and intelligent decision-making.
  • Test performance, safety, reliability, and usability.

Possible results: System concepts, CAD models, control or perception software, simulation findings, a prototype or test platform, and results from initial evaluation.

Company Technology Immersion and Applications

Goal: Introduce students to a company’s products, platforms, tools, or engineering technologies and apply that knowledge to meaningful technical projects.

Pod composition: Five to eight undergraduate and/or master’s students selected according to the company’s technology and proposed applications.

Project structure: All students begin with a common company-led technical orientation. They then work concurrently on two or three application projects, customer use cases, or performance questions. Each team has a complete project assignment and does not need to wait for another team to finish.

Possible projects:

  • Apply the technology to different industries or operating environments.
  • Develop reference applications or technical demonstrations.
  • Compare product configurations or competing approaches.
  • Evaluate performance, reliability, usability, or integration.
  • Investigate potential product extensions or new customer applications.

Possible objectives:

  • Build genuine proficiency with the company’s technology.
  • Demonstrate its use in selected engineering applications.
  • Identify integration issues, limitations, and potential improvements.
  • Produce technical examples that communicate product capabilities.
  • Give company professionals sustained opportunities to mentor and evaluate prospective recruits.

Possible results: Reference applications, technical demonstrations, benchmark results, application concepts, integration findings, and recommendations for future investigation.

This final model has an especially strong workforce-development dimension: the company receives useful technical exploration while four to six students complete the summer with substantial experience using its technology.