I assist with research in Professor Iwasaki's Cybernetic Control Laboratory at UCLA. Most of my work has to do with tensegrity robots which we plan to use to mimic the swimming motion of a leech. I use MATLAB to simulate different robot configurations by implementing equations found in literature and previous lab research. I also used MATLAB to implement numeric optimal control methods, which allowed us to optimize new controllers to the unique challenge of tensegrity robots.

After handing off the software lead role, I took on a more experimental role that focuses on new methods for modeling and controlling the car. A large part of this effort has been talking with professors to try and figure out how an accurate model of the complex and nonlinear car transmission can be created.

I help to program and maintain the code that runs the electronic transmission for the car. Our program has to run the main control function in addition to logging data from all of our sensors as well as preventing the car from damaging itself in a failure state. We also maintain a set of Jupyter Notebooks and Python scripts in order to easily plot and analyze the data inbetween runs. As the club is mainly mechanical engineering students, I teach critical tools such as Github, PlatformIO, and VSCode that are necessary for our project but not taught in the mechanical engineering coursework.

At Second Order Effects I was able to learn about testing procedures, including creating in-depth functional test plans and creating robust test racks. I also had the opportunity to write software, starting at a high-level Python script for rapid R&D prototyping before migrating to a low-level C++ implementation for a higher volume of prototype units.

As a project manager for a learning lab in Teach LA, I help to organize and schedule the design and development of a new project from start to finish.

I help develop learning labs and other software tools to help educate children in underserved communities about computer science

My role involved contacting potential speakers and inviting them to give presentations on their experience in the themed entertainment industry.