Projects

Wheeled Rescue Robotic Platform:

This project focuses on developing a mobile robotic platform for emergency medical evacuation. Current evacuation methods rely heavily on human rescuers, which can be slow, physically demanding, and potentially dangerous in hazardous environments. While advances have been made in robot autonomy and rescue robot platforms, there remains a gap in human-robot physical interaction for safe evacuation. Our solution combines a mobile base with dual robotic arms designed to safely manipulate and transport individuals during rescue operations. The project integrates aspects of robotics, controls, and mechanical design to create a system capable of supporting human evacuation while ensuring safety throughout the interaction.

Project Overview:

As a member of Triton Robotics from 2020 to 2024, I progressed from a new member to Robot Team Lead and ultimately President of UCSD's largest student robotics organization. Triton Robotics competes annually in RoboMaster University League North America, a global competition that challenges teams to design and build autonomous and manually operated robots for complex arena-based matches. During my tenure, I led the mechanical redesign of our "Hero" class robot, implementing omni-wheels and slip rings to enhance maneuverability. As president, I focused on strengthening our training programs and knowledge transfer systems, successfully expanding our training program to accommodate 40 new members. Despite shipping-related challenges at competition, our team demonstrated resilience by winning multiple 1v1 matches and competing effectively in 3v3 formats. The experience provided hands-on application of mechanical design, electronics, computer vision, and project management skills while fostering a collaborative environment that made robotics more accessible to students of all experience levels.

Project Overview:

The goal of this project was to implement a method of color recognition that, upon recognizing a color, would be able to play that color's associated note from a major scale. By implementing this color recognition with a line-following algorithm, we created a car that could play music based on the colors it saw along a lined track.

Project Overview:

 This project focused on creating a sustainable desk design that maximized structural efficiency while minimizing material usage. Working within strict material constraints of using only chipboard sheets, we developed an innovative interlocking matrix structure that could support substantial loads without adhesives or fasteners. Through iterative FEA analysis and CAD optimization, the final design achieved a performance index of 98.25, supporting 11.79 kg while weighing only 0.12 kg.

Project Overview:

As a part of Global Ties at UC San Diego, I have worked on the Baja Solar project. The goal of Baja Solar is to design a solar-powered water heating system in order to reduce the costs of utilities for an orphanage in Tijuana, MX. We designed and installed the system using a flat plate collector, a water pump, and a control box, and are in the process of implementing and testing. 

Project Overview:

I designed a dual parallelogram four-bar linkage lifting mechanism for the robot’s object intake mechanism. 

To ensure functionality, I performed analysis and calculations to determine the required gear ratio and counterbalance system to ensure a torque capable of lifting more than necessary with a resulting factor of safety of 1.8.

Project Overview:

I designed a customized gravity-powered pendulum clock with an escapement wheel mechanism using Fusion360.

To determine the theoretical period of oscillation, I performed calculations using both rigid-body analysis and point-mass analysis to compare against experimental values and determine sources of error.

Project Overview:

I Served as Principal Investigator in the research and development of a funding proposal for an extraterrestrial subterranean exploration robot utilizing self-folding technology and wall-climbing robotic technology, with a focus on lightweight design and material efficiency. 

Project Overview:

During my time at UC San Diego, I actively participated in STEM outreach initiatives through both Triton Robotics and HKN (the Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society). These efforts focused on introducing robotics and engineering concepts to K-12 students in the San Diego area. Through Triton Robotics, I conducted live demonstrations of competition robots at UCSD events, engaging elementary and middle school students to spark interest in STEM fields. As part of the HKN outreach team, I developed and delivered CAD tutorials using Onshape for students at local high schools including Hoover High School and San Diego High School. These outreach activities aimed to make engineering education more accessible to underprivileged students and inspire the next generation of engineers. While some lessons presented challenges, such as varying levels of student engagement and timing issues, they provided valuable insights into effective STEM education methods and reinforced the importance of adaptable teaching approaches.