Mechanical Engineering

Soft actuators for kinesthetic interactions in virtual reality Traditional game controllers rely on vibrotactile feedback as the only haptic sensation transmitted to the user. With the advent of consumer virtual reality platforms, users now have the ability to more deeply immerse themselves into videogames with visuals that match every head movement. The ability [...]

Organic Robotics Laboratory The Organic Robotics Laboratory led by Dr. Shepherd at Cornell University is an interdisciplinary team of mechanical engineers, materials scientists, and chemists. We are creating new breed of soft robots that mimic the capabilities of living organisms. By using soft materials such as elastomers and hydrogels we can create new modes of human/machine interaction . We are [...]

Overview Stereolithography is a 3D printing process that uses high intensity light to selectively cure a liquid precursor into a solid polymer. Historically, stereolithography has used a moving laser beam to cure a single spot (or voxel) of material at a time. Digital Mask Projection Stereolithography (DMP-SL) replaces the laser with a conventional digital [...]

Holocene Clean Energy is renewable energy company based out of Raleigh, NC. Holocene Clean Energy provides expertise in construction, finance and technology to meet the needs of commercial clients around the United States. Holocene Technologies designs and fabricates custom, commercial grade solar thermal systems. The flagship product of the company is the Fluid Handling System (FHS), and integrated [...]

As a student at North Carolina State University, I performed research in Dr. Seelecke's Adaptive Structures Lab. During this time, my focus was working with Dielectric Electro-Active Polymers (DEAPs). DEAPs are thin, stretchable capacitors that can be used as either actuators or sensors. By applying a high electric field, the shape and stiffness of the [...]

During my senior year at North Carolina State University, I designed and built a CNC router. I performed this work for undergraduate research credit and the project was funded using a Park Enrichment Grant. The machine is designed to cut light materials such as wood and plastic, with a 2' by 4' work area. Fabricated using a plywood structure and off-the-shelf [...]

During the summer of 2010, I performed research at the University of Hawaii and Manoa through the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Under the leadership of Dr. H. Ronald Riggs, I worked with other students to model the accumulated velocity of shipping containers in tsunami conditions using ANSYS Fluent. A tsunami bore can achieve on-shore [...]

This project was completed during a two-semester sequence within the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program at North Carolina State University. During these courses, an interdisciplinary team is tasked with identifying and solving a real-world problem. The first semester is used largely for ideation and market analysis. During the final semester each team builds [...]

During the summer of 2009, I performed research at Southern Methodist University through the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Working in Dr. Radovan Kovacevic's Research Center for Advanced Manufacturing, I helped develop components for an electron beam welding/plasma window system. Electron beam welding uses a stream of high velocity electrons to fuse two pieces of [...]