People & Office Hours

Office Hours Schedule

Office hours are held weekly in the senior design lab. This sheet will be updated if any schedule changes. Make sure to double check the sheet before assuming there will be a TA present when you go!

Summer 2026 Instructors

Name Area
Prof. Mark Butala (Instructor)

butala@illinois.edu
Prof. Arne Fliflet (Instructor)
3056
afliflet@illinois.edu
microwave generation and applications
Prof. Aaron Geiger (Instructor)

ageiger2@illinois.edu
Prof. Zhefeng Guo (Instructor)

zhefengg@illinois.edu
Prof. Huan Hu (Instructor)

huanhu2@illinois.edu
Prof. Timothy Lee (Instructor)

lee527@illinois.edu
Prof. Yu Lin (Instructor)

yl88@illinois.edu
Prof. Craig Shultz (Instructor)
CSL 220
shultz88@illinois.edu
Haptics, Human Computer Interaction, Signals, Audio, HCI, Actuators, Wearables, Interaction
Fatemeh Cheraghi Pouria (TA)

fatemeh5@illinois.edu
Amritesh Dasari (TA)

mdasari2@illinois.edu
Lukas Dumasius (TA)

lukasd2@illinois.edu
Alma Furayi (TA)

afurayi@illinois.edu
Caitlin Jones (TA)

caitlinj@illinois.edu
Xiaoyue Li (TA)

xiaoyuel@illinois.edu
Image Processing, Deep Learning
Chunzeng Luo (TA)

cluo@illinois.edu
Muhammad Malik (TA)

mmalik@illinois.edu
Ian Meliala (TA)

imeliala@illinois.edu
Yiqun Niu (TA)

yiqunn2@illinois.edu
Qi Wang (TA)
ZJUI C318
qiw7@illinois.edu
Xinyi Xu (TA)

xinyixu@illinois.edu
Ronghui Zheng (TA)

ronghuiz@illinois.edu
Yuchuan Zhu (TA)

yuchuan5@illinois.edu
Yutao Zhuang (TA)

yutaoz@illinois.edu

Other Important People

Name Office Phone Email Area
Dean Biskup UIUC ECE Building   dbiskup2@illinois.edu UIUC TA

Robotic T-Shirt Launcher Mark II

Hao Ding, Moyang Guo, Yixiang Guo, Ziyu Xiao

Featured Project

ROBOTIC T-SHIRT LAUNCHER MARK II

TEAM MEMBERS

Guo yixiang (yg16),

Guo moyang (moyangg2),

Xiao ziyu (ziyux2),

Ding hao (haod3)

PROBLEM

Our team has identified a problem with the launcher project that was completed last year. In particular, the previous design only included a single-shot launcher that required manual reloading and could only adjust the angle and direction automatically.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

To address this issue, our team has proposed an improved design that will improve upon the limitations of the previous model. The Robotic T-shirt Launcher Mark II will be a fully automated system capable of launching multiple T-shirts by itself, without manual reloading. Our proposed design will also include more advanced features, such as the ability to adjust the trajectory of the launch. In addition, we will build it into a wearable device that could be carried on our shoulders.

SOLUTION COMPONENTS

The automatic launcher is comprised of several components that work together to provide a powerful and reliable weapon system. These components include:

Power Components: The power components of the system consist of an air pump, an air cylinder, a quick exhaust valve, and connecting elements. These components are responsible for providing the necessary power and pressure to the system to shoot out the bullet.

Function Components: The functional components of the system include the barrel, the two-axis gimbal (which is wearable), and the automatic loading system. The barrel provides the means for firing projectiles, while the gimbal allows for precise targeting and tracking of moving targets.

Control System: The control system is responsible for managing the various components of the system, including the electromagnetic valves that control the airflow, the actuator controllers for the loading mechanism, and the gimbal controller for targeting.

Human-Machine Interface (Advanced Requirement): For advanced users, the system could include a human-machine interface with features such as automatic firing, angle adjustment, and target recognition lock-on, allowing the user to engage targets effectively.

CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS:

Functionality: The launcher should be able to launch T-shirts accurately and consistently at a controlled angle and velocity. The system should be able to handle multiple T-shirts without the need for manual reloading, and the entire launch process and angle control should be initiated and controlled by a single button.

Airtight and Adequate Air Pressure: The launcher's air channel should have high airtightness and be able to generate sufficient air pressure to launch T-shirts effectively. The air pressure should be able to be adjusted and controlled to suit different launch scenarios.

Automation: The loading system should be fully automated, with T-shirts being automatically loaded into the air chamber without the need for manual intervention. The loading mechanism should be designed to be reliable and efficient, and the electrical control system should be able to manage the entire process automatically.

Safety and Cost-effectiveness: The launcher should be designed with safety in mind. Safety mechanisms, such as emergency stop buttons, should be included to prevent accidents or injuries. The design and construction of the launcher should be cost-effective, and any additional features should be carefully considered. Also, it is necessary to implement additional components to measure some critical values such as gas tightness in order to prevent gas leaks.