A robot that follows its owner around, a pet feeder that communicates via the internet, how to hide data in a video clip and a model for cost-effective tidal turbines are just some of the exciting student projects showcased on a new website.

Every year, hundreds of engineering students showcase their final projects to employers and industry experts at an event called a projects open day. For the first time, visitors won’t have to wait until the event to find out about each of the inventive, curious and original projects the students are working on.

The student projects website, which recently went live to the public, shows details of final-year undergraduate student projects in the School of Engineering at the University of Portsmouth.

In previous years, only the project titles have been listed on the University’s website before the event. This year, however, visitors can learn about the background, goals and development of the projects before coming to the open day.

Staff in the School of Engineering at the University developed the site after looking at visitor feedback from previous years that said it was difficult to plan what to see only by the titles of projects, and more information would be useful.

According to Dr Misha Filip, Head of the School of Engineering; “The availability of details prior to the event will cement the visitors’ intent to come and allow them to plan their time more effectively.”

The purpose of the project open day is to build and strengthen links between the school and industry, but also with schools and colleges in the region and the wider public.

Visitors from industry often offer work placements and even jobs to the students involved. The undergraduate projects showcased at the event are produced as part of the students’ final year of study on their course.

The new website will not only benefit the project day visitors, but also the students themselves. After the event, and on completion of their project, students will be able to update their content on the site to reflect the final stages of the work. This will then serve as a permanent record of the full project.

According to Dr Filip: “From the students' point of view, the website can contribute to their employability, both in terms of attracting visitors to their stand and to showcase their work to a worldwide audience.”

This is also the first time the school is presenting the final-year projects for all students on all undergraduate courses in one day, rather than covering each area of engineering and technology on a separate day, as in previous years.

Dr Filip said: “This is helpful to industrial visitors who can see work across different engineering disciplines in one day. There's hardly any employer who exclusively needs just a single technological or engineering ‘trade’.”

The School of Engineering is keen to welcome more visitors from industry to the projects open day on Friday 26 April 2013. Those who are interested in attending the event should email hos.eng@port.ac.uk with 'projects open day 2013' in the subject line.