Project Details

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TailGaiter

Company: TailGater

Major(s):
Primary: IE
Secondary: ME
Optional: MATSE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

Do you have a vehicle with a backup camera? How often do you find yourself giving it a swipe with your hand, or just wishing you had when you shift into reverse to park? A novel proof-of-concept has been developed that uses a passive, mechanical design and the natural movement of the vehicle to clean backup cameras while avoiding obstruction. In this capstone project, your goal will be to refine this existing concept and bring the product to market. Design updates are needed to improve cleaning performance, vehicle compatibility, appearance, marketability, and manufacturability. At the end of the project, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of PSU resources much as the Happy Valley LaunchBox to patent the idea and create a start-up company to commercialize the design. This project will be a collaboration with the Smeal College of Business, and engineering students with a strong entrepreneurial mindset are encouraged to apply. All intellectual property developed throughout the project will be owned by the student team. A portion of potential royalties will be used to benefit future PSU students, with the rest split among the student inventors. With a student designed and developed solution, coupled with built in consumers at campus activities, you could provide a Penn State proud solution and launch your own business!