Here are some various projects I've made these past few years—some for fun, and some for research competition awards!

Fun fact: I've built 13 prosthetic arms since 2017!

$40 Robotic Prosthetic Arm, 2018

MIT THINK Grand Prize Winner

As part of MIT THINK 2018, Luke Torre and I received $1,000 in funding and mentorship to develop a low-cost transradial prosthesis equipped with 5-finger, 5-grip robotic control. To achieve a total materials cost of under $40, I invented "binary force myography," a muscular control method involving limit switches strapped to the user's residual forearm. Through the spring semester of 2018, we prototyped, iterated, and presented our research to the THINK team at the end of the semester to win the Grand Prize out of the 7 selected finalists that year.
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Read our technical paper:
Development of a Low-Cost Transradial Prosthesis Using Binary Force Myography (PDF)
​More information about THINK:
​think.mit.edu

Crafting the Curve, 2020

Free Face Shields for Healthcare Workers

In March 2020, I designed 3D-printed face shields, optimized for cost in a time of limited resources, and fundraised over $5,000 with over 20 volunteers with the goal of distributing 2,000 shields.

Check out more here!

$20 Ischemia Detector, 2020

Regeneron Science Talent Search

Ischemia, or reduced blood flow, causes life-threatening emergencies like stroke, and requires 45 minute CT scans to diagnose. This device uses the principles of light and statistics to detect ischemia in under two minutes—and it costs less than $20 to build.

Read the research paper (submission to Regeneron STS):
Low-Cost Noninvasive Real-Time Ischemia Detection Using Spectroscopy and Statistical Inference (PDF)
​More information about Regeneron STS:
​www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/

Transdermal Dextrose Patches, 2019

SacSTEMFair 3rd Place (Chemistry)
​California State Science Fair

As a potential low-cost alternative to IV lines for emergency nutrition, I developed proof-of-concept transdermal dextrose patches and tested their efficacy in vitro using a homemade disk-under-paddle apparatus. These patches could be implemented in hospitals, in malnourished countries, in treatment of hypoglycemics and diabetics, or even in the military.

Read the CA State Science Fair summary:​
Development and in Vitro Evaluation of Dextrose Transdermal Patches as a Low-Cost Alternative to Intravenous Delivery (PDF)

Eye Tracking Glasses for ALS Patients, 2017

Broadcom MASTERS Top 300
​SacSTEMFair 1st Place (Engineering)
California State Science Fair

I improved the cost-efficiency of the EyeWriter, an open-source project to create eye-tracking glasses for ALS and Locked-in Syndrome patients, by designing a 3D-printable version of the traditionally aluminum-built device.

Read the CA State Science Fair summary:
Using 3D-Printing Technology to Improve the Cost-Efficiency of the EyeWriter (PDF)  

Cup Stacking Prosthetic Arm, 2019

MESA Preliminaries 1st Place
MESA Regionals 3rd Place

With partner Luke Torre, I designed an easy-to-use bite-controlled robotic prosthetic arm for use in a cup-stacking competition. When I bite on the button (using disposable bags for sanitary purposes), the motors spin, and the fingers linearly close, allowing for precision in dexterity to stack those most amount of cups possible in one minute.

Read the lab journal:
Prosthetic Arm (9/10) Lab Journal (PDF)

$80 Arduino Prosthetic Arm, 2016 & 2017

MESA Preliminaries 2nd Place ('16)
MESA Regionals 3rd Place ('16)
MESA Preliminaries 2nd Place ('17)
MESA Regionals 1st Place ('17)
MESA State Finals 3rd Place ('17) 

In 2016, Nathan Smith and I joined MESA and competed to build our first low-cost prosthetic arm using Arduino. We built two prototypes to pick up a variety of objects and throw bean bags, wrote technical papers and presented our research with an academic poster. We advanced as far as the regional competition level.
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The next year, Luke Torre and Hayden Glasgow joined our team, and we built two more prototypes, this time with faster controls and stronger grip, along with improved technical papers and poster presentations, to secure a 3rd place podium finish at the MESA state finals.

Read the technical paper:
MESA Prosthetic Arm Challenge 2.1 (PDF)

Speech-Transcribing Smart Glasses for the Deaf, 2018

SacSTEMFair (Computer Science & Technology)

Inspired by an MIT Media Lab project, I 3D printed a low-cost smart-glass attachment with an onboard microphone and Raspberry Pi to transcribe speech into text in real time, projected from an OLED display onto transparent acrylic for the deaf and hard-of-hearing to read.

Video Games & Education, 2019

STEManities Semifinalist

For STEManities, a research paper writing competition focused on the intersection of STEM and the humanities, I wrote a paper on the science behind video game design and technology, and how they can be applied to society, politics, and education through gamification and artificial intelligence.

Read the paper:
The Science of Video Games and Implications for Society (PDF)

Artificial Intelligence & Education, 2018

MIT INSPIRE

For MIT INSPIRE, a research paper writing competition, under the category "Anthropology," I wrote a paper on the development of artificial intelligence and its implications for fundamental improvements necessary in the current U.S. education system.

Read the paper:
​Artificial Intelligence and Necessary Fundamental Changes in U.S. Education (PDF)