Research & Hardware Hackathon Projects
Exoskeleton Spine Brace
Ongoing
I am currently working with my team at CERLAB on this ongoing spine brace development project. Our goal is to design a multi-functional spine brace with custom lumbar support for our ALS/Parkinson patients in consultation with surgeons and physicians.
Skills practiced: SolidWorks(assembly, exploded view), Prototyping, Milling, Encoders, Rubber Casting, 3D Printing
Mask Customization: A Scanner of 3D Face Contours
Summer 2018 - Fall 2018
The mask customization research project as a whole was to figure out a better solution to customize BiPAP masks for ALS patients so that they can breathe in comfort during sleep. The whole customization process includes face contour scanning, 3D printing interface and silicone molding. My job was to develop a micro-stepping control feature and a driving mechanism to better control the scanner to optimize mesh outputs of face contours.
Skills practiced: Python 2.7 (openCV, pySerial), Arduino, C++, Meshlab, Laser Cutting, Silicone Molding
Anki Cozmo’s Dream Doll House Elevator
Summer 2018
This is a mini elevator which I designed, fabricated and programmed to support a cognitive robotics course. The goal was to build an elevator which can be called by buttons with time delay sensing and carry a Cozmo robot up and downstairs in a 3-stories robot house.
Skills practiced: Rapid Prototyping, SolidWorks (sketching, engineering drawing, assembly), Laser Cutting, Arduino, Bipolar Stepper Motor (micro-step driver), Milling, Soldering, 3D Printing (Ultimaker)
A Doll’s Glove: A Sensor Glove Driven Virtual Puppet
Spring 2018
During the Build 18 hardware hackathon of 2018, our team created a virtual hand puppet so that our users can control a virtual puppet using a flex sensor glove. Multiple flex sensors were applied to detect real-time data and transfer these data into blender to create movements on a virtual skeleton. The project won the Media Magician prize for best documentation and presentation.
A Giant Emoji: A Facial Expression Mimicking Robot
Spring 2019
A Giant Emoji is a build 18 project for fun. It tracks landscape points in facial expressions and mimic those expressions through controls of servos and spring systems. Before everything started our friends were teasing that it would seem as useful as a 5 dollar toy, but the joy and fun it brought during the showcase session was definitely much more than that. I believe user experience affects innovation’s actual value.