Six students from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University pose behind an interactive smart manufacturing demonstration featuring a robotic arm, industrial control systems and a monitor displaying the automated workcell.

Spring 2026 Innovation Showcase

Congratulations to the People’s Choice Award winning team.

Thank you for joining us at the Spring 2026 Innovation Showcase

This event took place on Friday, May 1, 2026, in the
Sun Devil Fitness Complex, on the Polytechnic campus at ASU.

Morning session: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Afternoon session: 3–5 p.m.

Students Eli Greetis, Harrison LaBell, Arick Nitzsche, Zack Okun, Dominick Trusko and Kirk Volin earned both the Innovation Showcase People’s Choice Award and Technical Excellence Award for their project, “Investigating IIoT Components to Enable Smart Manufacturing.”

The interdisciplinary team from the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks and The Polytechnic School developed a smart manufacturing workcell featuring industrial robotics, programmable logic controllers and a candy-dispensing demonstration designed to make advanced manufacturing concepts more interactive and accessible. Sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Manufacturing Education Alliance, the project demonstrated the potential of Industrial Internet of Things technologies in modern manufacturing environments.

Selected by visiting high school students and industry professionals from across the Valley, the awards recognized the project’s creativity, technical excellence and engaging hands-on approach to smart manufacturing.

The “Investigating IIoT Components to Enable Smart Manufacturing” project.

Our spotlighted teams

Innovation Showcase team spotlight representing The Polytechnic School

Team Solar

Representing The Polytechnic School, the Solar Panel Installation Robot project addresses that challenge by working with Array Technologies to design a scaled prototype of a robotic system that assists with panel placement. The system includes a robotic arm for handling panels and a control system designed for scalability. The goal is to reduce physical strain on workers and improve efficiency during solar panel installation while supporting future system development. Learn more at Innovation Showcase!

The Pacman Bot project represents the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks.

Team Pacman Bot

Representing the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, the Pacman Bot project features an autonomous TurtleBot4 robot that plays a real-world version of Pac-Man using SLAM-generated mapping and Nav2 navigation. The robot demonstrates risk-aware, safety-conscious decision-making with applications in autonomous vehicles, inspection and search operations. Learn more at Innovation Showcase!

School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence Innovation Showcase team spotlight.

Team Virtual Reality Psyche

Representing the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, the Psyche VR Museum Experience showcases student artwork in an immersive virtual environment built with Unity. Visitors explore a procedurally generated space that changes with each visit. The project highlights innovation, accessibility and engagement, connecting NASA’s Psyche mission to the public through creative, interactive storytelling. Learn more at Innovation Showcase!

Discover how project teams are bridging education and industry through innovative approaches.

Aviation

The aviation program offers a degree that combines academic study with professional flight and aviation training, using simulation facilities to provide realistic learning experiences that prepare students for aviation careers.

Student engineer Cecilia LaPlace writing code on her laptop for her FURI project

Software Engineering

The software engineering program combines engineering, computing, project leadership and software construction. Students develop software solutions for global challenges through projects sponsored by industry partners that provide real world experience.

A student in the Cooke Lab interacting with a user interface and multiple screens at a terminal.

Human Systems Engineering

The human systems engineering program combines engineering and psychology to design systems aligned with human capabilities and limitations, preparing students to improve usability, safety and performance across technology, work and environments.

eProjects

Professional Design Project II includes students from the engineering program with concentrations in automotive, electrical, mechanical and robotics systems and the manufacturing engineering program, working together on applied design projects.

Two students wearing safety glasses look into a piece of lab equipment with red lighting in a laboratory setting.

Manufacturing

Modern manufacturing systems require innovative design and implementation of technologies that integrate multiple engineering disciplines, including robotics, artificial intelligence, data science and electrical engineering, with human machine teams working together effectively.

A student and faculty mentor hammering together a project

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)

The Engineering Projects in Community Service program, or EPICS, is a national social entrepreneurship program where teams design, build and deploy systems to solve engineering problems for community organizations and nonprofits.

A student stands in a robotics lab using a handheld device while facing a humanoid robot with a glowing blue display.

Robotics and autonomous systems

To meet high tech demands, advanced factories use robotic platforms and autonomous systems that perform complex tasks at high speeds in dangerous environments, improving efficiency, safety and consistency in manufacturing operations.

Two students lean over a laptop with an ASU sticker while working with small robotic arms and electronic components on a lab table.

Interdisciplinary projects

Students preparing for engineering careers develop a strong foundation in their specialties and complementary areas including systems thinking, sustainability, data science, business and human centered design, enabling adaptability, collaboration and leadership.