EPICS in IEEE Projects and Their Journey in Costa Rica

Authors: Justin Fernández Badilla and Andrés Jiménez Piedra

In Costa Rica, we’ve witnessed firsthand how engineering and a passion for community service can drive meaningful change. EPICS in IEEE (Engineering Projects in Community Service) is more than just a project grant—it embodies IEEE’s mission of Advancing Technology for Humanity, empowering students to tackle real-world challenges and develop innovative solutions that make a lasting impact on their communities through technology.

Rather than just learning theories, students here are designing and building solutions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives. EPICS in IEEE empowers them to work directly with community partners, ensuring that their projects truly address specific needs and create lasting impact. 

In Costa Rica, we are seeing some truly inspiring projects emerge from their grant programs. Take, for instance, the work students did on developing a customizable prosthetic arm using 3D printing. It’s a powerful example of how engineering can directly improve someone’s quality of life. That particular project has reached its completion.

Currently, there’s another exciting project underway called CoffeeBeanFlow, led by members of the Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter at Tecnológico de Costa Rica. This is the kind of innovative work that really showcases the heart of EPICS here – students identifying a need and applying their skills to create a meaningful solution.

Our Ongoing Project: CoffeeBeanFlow – Costa Rica

With the initiative to contribute to the Costa Rican coffee industry, CoffeeBeanFlow – Costa Rica emerged. While in talks with a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting agricultural development in a rural area called Centro Agrícola Cantonal de Desamparados (CACD), they shared a challenge they are facing, and due to climate change, this challenge is becoming more complex.

CACD explained that the technological development of the Costa Rican coffee industry still relies on traditional and manual processes. This is because the majority of Costa Rican coffee farmers and coffee mills are small-scale, forcing them to prioritize quality over quantity to remain competitive. In these methods, coffee is dried under the sun on raised beds for around 30 days. While this method is more sustainable and fuel-free, it requires the coffee to be manually mixed every 30 minutes to ensure even drying and maintain low humidity levels, which is becoming difficult due to climate change. These traditional processes, therefore, come with high costs, limited traceability, and significant demands on resources such as space, time, labor, and careful parameter control to ensure high-quality coffee production.

Inspired by these challenges and with the collaboration of EPICS in IEEE, we are developing an innovative system called CoffeeBeanFlow. The main objective is to improve the efficiency of coffee bean drying using raised beds by automating the mixing of the coffee during both day and night. This system focuses on sustainability, automation, and traceability, which will result in higher-quality coffee and lower costs, specially designed for Costa Rican specialty coffee producers.

Currently, the project is in its initial phase, with three subteams dedicated to software, mechanical, and electronic design formed to implement and accomplish the project’s specific objectives. Each team is working under the guidance of a professional in their respective area of expertise to ensure the success of the project.

This project was awarded a $7,000 grant from EPICS in IEEE.

Our Completed Project: Customizable 3D-Printed Prosthetic Arm – Costa Rica

This project involves the development of a customizable 3D-printed prosthetic arm. The goal of this initiative was to create an affordable, functional prosthetic solution that could be tailored to the specific needs of individuals requiring upper limb assistance.

This ambitious project brought together a multidisciplinary team of students who gained hands-on experience in diverse areas, including 3D modeling, EMG signal processing, hardware integration, and embedded systems. As they worked through the project, they acquired valuable skills in debugging circuits, utilizing 3D design software, and navigating the complexities of prosthetic development.

The development process was highly iterative, with the team learning to adapt to challenges such as finger rigidity and component fit. Collaborative problem-solving played a crucial role, especially when addressing issues with EMG sensors, proximity sensors, and the integration of audio commands. Knowledge sharing and team discussions were key to overcoming these technical hurdles.

Despite facing significant challenges, such as team turnover, material procurement issues, integration difficulties, and delays in 3D printing, the team demonstrated resilience and a strong learning mindset.

Integrating EMG sensors, audio commands, and motor control posed technical and logistical challenges, and reliance on external 3D printing services led to project delays. Nevertheless, the team’s perseverance resulted in the development of promising prototypes, marking a significant milestone in their journey of innovation and problem-solving.

A $5,144.00 grant from EPICS in IEEE and the Jon C. Taenzer Memorial Fund made this project possible.

Empowering the Future of Engineering for Humanity

The impact of EPICS in IEEE extends far beyond the projects themselves. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their engineering skills to real-world challenges, collaborate with communities, and create solutions that improve lives. Initiatives like the Customizable 3D-Printed Prosthetic Arm and CoffeeBeanFlow are just proof that technology, when driven by purpose, can make a real difference.

We believe in the power of engineering to transform communities, and EPICS in IEEE is a testament to that vision. By supporting this program; whether as a student, mentor, sponsor, or volunteer; you become part of a global effort to advance technology for humanity.

This article was excerpted from a NoticIEEER9 magazine article.