Academic Projects
Boiler Robotics
January 2020 - May 2022
I served as the robotic arm lead for the Boiler Robotics Club from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022. The subteam is focused on the design and production of a robot arm capable of completing various tasks at the annual University Rover Challenge. Being a new team, my team has had the unique opportunity to build our arm from the ground up.
Current Status
The coming Fall 2022 semester the team will start on iterations for the wrist and elbow joint of our arm. After our initial assembly and testing last semester we have identified these subassemblies as ones that need additional attention. I will also be assisting in manufacturing for various other subteams as we work on further improving the rover. This semester will also be largely focused on the electronics and software, as we address interference issues we noticed with encoder wires as well as continue to refine and test the ROS software for controlling the arm.
Personal Contributions
On the logistical side, my contributions have included scheduling meetings and other housekeeping tasks. I was responsible for maintaining our bill of materials as well as ordering and distributing parts. The restrictions from COVID-19 during past semesters also lead to me looking into various ways to ensure my team was fully engaged and contributing. By setting consistent and reasonable goals for each team member and regularly checking in on them, team members were always able to contribute to the design throughout the semester despite being unable to meet in person. Hosting weekly meetings and recording the progress made each week allowed the team to review our progress over the semester and identify areas we could improve as well.
On the technical side, I focused on the design of our gantry lift system for the Z-axis of the arm as well as the software stack needed to control our arm. For the gantry lift, my design focused on using a reliable leadscrew drive that prevented accidental backdriving. The custom carriage and bearing assembly ensured smooth travel as well as protection from outside elements during traversal. For software control, the team decided on using the ROS MoveIt package for control. This software package was well documented and commonly used in many industries. My main focus was adapting our model of the arm to work with the URDF format required by the software, as well as preparing a simulated environment via Gazebo to allow us to test our controls and software in conjunction with the manufacturing of our arm. In addition due to my experience with manufacturing, I worked to waterjet and mill parts towards the end of the semester and prepare for assembly that started in Spring 2021. As of Fall 2022, I have manufactured various components and contributed to the assembly and wiring of the arm.
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PURDUE EPICS MOBI - Robbins
August 2019 - May 2020
Purdue EPICS is a program that partners students with community organizations and clients to tackle local and global issues.
MOBI
The MOBI team focuses on the development of technology to assist in human mobility. Projects of this team have included interactive campus maps for those with disabilities and custom baseballs to allow visually impaired athletes to enjoy baseball as well.
Robbins
The aim of the Robbins project is to build an exam step for use during sonographic leg mapping that reduces strain in the lumbar spine and brachial joint in the sonographers and allows patients to be comfortable for the duration of the procedure. For the duration of the project, the team was partnered with IU Health Arnett's Radiology & Imaging department located in the Greater Lafayette area. The mission of the healthcare system is to improve the health of patients and the community through innovation, and excellence in care, education, research, and service.
Personal Contributions
Working with our project partner, I led my team of four in designing and manufacturing the stand. I used my skills in Solidworks to model our prototype and we manufactured and presented our improved stand in March 2020. Due to a lack of advanced manufacturing capabilities, the design had to be constructed using basic shop tools, while still meeting all requirements for safety and appearances. In addition to the design of the stand, I also implemented the testing procedures for our stand. EPICS also helped strengthen many of my soft skills as I worked to implement client feedback and meet tight deadlines.
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Monta Vista Robotics Team
August 2015 - June 2019
Dedicated to fostering a passion in science and technology within our community, the Monta Vista Robotics Team inspires students and develops interpersonal skills through team-based engineering challenges. Competing in the FIRST Robotics Challenge, MVRT was founded in 1997 and has taken great strides in technology and leadership by encouraging its members to further pursue their imaginations and introducing many students to the exciting and expansive world of engineering and STEM.
President
Elected as President my senior year of high school, I worked to lead the team through the 2019 season. While still involved with some design and manufacturing of the robot, as President my goals shifted to preparing incoming members and ensuring all MVRT members had an exciting and educational experience. Facing a knowledge gap due to a smaller upperclassmen group, I coordinated with the others to create impactful workshops that allowed our incoming freshman and rising sophomores to participate more throughout the season than ever before. The rapid six week build season for this competition gave me my first real experience as a leader. Though I would have preferred a flawless season, looking back I am grateful for the opportunity to lead and have found many of the lessons learned applicable in college and hopefully the years to come as well.
Design
The Monta Vista Robotics Club gave me my first taste of mechanical engineering and I was instantly hooked. Watching my designs and creations come to life has always been extremely satisfying and one of the main reasons I am studying mechanical engineering. Through MVRT I learned to use CAD and CAM software, as well as many different manufacturing techniques. The skills I picked up in high school have allowed me to immediately contribute to many of my college activities.
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