Oregon 2025

PROJECT TITLE
MAPO^TM tofucool: A Solar-Powered Water Temperature Regulation System Designed to Offset Thermal Pollution and Water Scarcity

PROJECT GOAL: Thermal pollution caused by AI and data center cooling systems. These systems rely heavily on water-cooling systems, raising water temperatures. AI has expanded rapidly – Google’s data center in The Dalles uses 29% of the city’s water (Science Direct). Under-resourced communities are increasingly impacted by water scarcity as tech-driven industries grow without adequate oversight. This expands climate and health disparities. We chose this inequity due to our client’s close work with AI technologies and its effects globally.

Our solution is ‘tofucool’ – a water temperature regulation system that relies on a pump-radiator loop.

Key features:

• Water pumps: Circulates water from the water source into the radiator and back out.
• Radiator: Lowers the water temperature.
• Waterproof temperature sensor: Detects if water temperature exceeds our programmed limit.
• Arduino Microcontroller: This is used to automate the system using an initial setup as well as a loop code that checks for water temperature every second.
• Rechargeable battery: The battery will be hooked up to a solar controller and panel, providing environmentally sustainable power.
• Sleek and compact design: Easily modulable alongside water sources.

These features address Sonya’s needs. Tofucool offsets the thermal pollution caused by AI usage while simultaneously preserving the ecosystem, drinking water health, and sustainability standards. It can also be implemented at local and state parks, reservations, and irrigation systems. It offers a solution that’s scalable for Oregon communities and beyond.

PROJECT TITLE
Affordable, Reliable, and Sustainable Hydroelectric Water Wheel for Low-Income Households

PROJECT GOAL: In 2021, the United Nations reported that 675-700 million people worldwide lived below the poverty line and lacked access to electricity. One of their SDGs (Goal #7) and a goal we seek to address with this project is the need for access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. Low-income households struggle to cook, clean, and receive proper heating and cooling without electricity and tend to rely on fossil fuels to get by.

Our team constructed a 3D water wheel that rotates as it moves water via paddles. This wheel was created using Fusion260 and is connected to a DC motor. This motor is then connected to a rechargeable battery. The battery is then attached to a breadboard of resistors. To measure the amount of voltage or energy made by the wheel, a Micro-bit was used as it has LED lights that can light up and indicate the amount clearly to a user. The water wheel generates hydroelectricity, which is a useful renewable energy source to have, especially in cities like Portland, where there are frequent high levels of precipitation throughout the year. It is low-cost and durable, meaning our users can afford this device and can easily install it without much instruction. With this device, they will be able to power their household without worrying about the consequences of no electricity.