Research
Below includes research I have conducted over the last few years.
Caltech Space Challenge 2015: Environmental Control and Life Support Systems Engineering
Developed requirements for a crewed mission to an asteroid in distant lunar retrograde orbit.
Researched and designed air revitalization, water recovery, fire suppression and thermal systems for mission’s science module. Contributed via design integration with EVA and established mass/power budgets.
Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Reinforced Multifunctional Structural Capacitor
For my senior year thesis project, I worked with my project partner to determine whether CNTs can be used to hold charge in a composite structure. We developed this structural capacitor with aligned CNT reinforced alumina fiber and an electrolyte infused polymer matrix. Through the year we developed samples using hand layup and a vacuum assisted resin transfer process. We tested our samples for structural integrity using three-pt bend and electrical properties using cyclic voltammetry tests. Tests revealed that CNTs did not improve energy storage over the baseline. Our analysis led to suggestions for future design iterations of the project.
NASA Ames Research Center Aeromechanics: Rotorcraft Clean Energy Sources Analysis
At NASA, I worked on writing software to carry out analyses of rotorcraft performance with respect to different clean energy sources.
Analysis included applying mass and power research of hydrogen fuel cells, flywheels, solar cells, generators
and batteries to the software tools I developed. My project partner and I specifically looked at performance of an Aerocopter AK1-3 with respect to different energy sources. The AK1-3 was chosen based on its publicly available data.
MIT Man Vehicle Lab: Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit
At MIT, I worked with three other students to conduct an analysis of a person's physiological performance while wearing the Gravity Loading Countermeasure Skinsuit (GLCS). Due to skeletal unloading in microgravity, astronauts experience physiological deconditioning in space. The GLCS provides loads to the wearer via bands along the suit that gradually increase loading from the torso to the feet. Our study investigated the physiological response to wearing the GLCS during exercise on a cyclometer in the supine position. Data collection and analysis allowed us to make suggestions for future countermeasure protocol during spaceflight.
NASA/Caltech Jet Propulsion Lab: Robotics Controls for BioSleeve
The BioSleeve is a wearable sleeve of EMG electrodes. My contribution to the project involved using machine-learning algorithms (support vector machines) to decode gestures carried out while wearing the sleeve to commands on a robot. The purpose of this project was to create a hands-free robotics control paradigm and apply the work to prosthetic hands. The work done over the summer led to a publication in IEEE for Robotics and Automation