Riley Ellis Email & Phone Number

United States

Chicago, Il, Us

I support the development of an autonomous catamaran sailboat and am currently designing a remote control station, utilizing my skills in electrical and mechanical system design, systems integration, and rapid prototyping. My responsibilities include designing and wiring power and communication systems (Wi-Fi, LTE, telemetry) and creating CAD models to optimize system layouts. I also develop wiring and block diagrams and ensure seamless integration of onboard electronics. Additionally, I contribute to facility improvements and perform hands-on prototyping and testing to support the sailboat's autonomous capabilities.

I am developing the remote control and autonomy system for a 3D-printed power boat designed by the University of Maine. My work focuses on control system design, wiring diagrams, and component selection. I specialize in integrating ArduPilot for semi-autonomous operation, installing and configuring a Pixhawk flight controller to interface with the boat's throttle and steering systems. My responsibilities include configuring a Roboteq motor controller and developing its PID controller for low-level motor steering control. Additionally, I test and integrate the flight controller with a ground control station running Mission Planner and perform testing with a radio transmitter. Later, I will assist with integrating the electronics and autonomy system onto the boat and support in-water testing.

Lemont, Il, Us

As a Technical Research Aide at Argonne I supported the development of Lidar Augmented Traffic Control project to reduce energy consumption while operating electric vehicles. I utilized Markov Chain Theory and optimization techniques to build a data driven model relating vehicle dynamics to energy consumption. I also assisted with hardware-in-the-loop vehicle testing and data collection.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

I was a controls engineering student researcher in the Connected Autonomous Vehicles sub-team of Illinois Institute of Technology's EcoCAR EV Challenge Team. I utilized my knowledge of classical and modern control theory to develop and Adaptive Cruise Control System using MATLAB and Simulink. Additionally, I designed and simulated road networks for the testing of autonomous vehicle behavior.

As a Robotics Engineering Intern I assisted in the advancement of an unmanned catamaran data collection system, performing field testing and troubleshooting hardware and software issues. Upon joining the company, I quickly assumed responsibility over systems testing and development and supported the design of the control architecture. As an essential team member, I facilitated the communication of complex ideas between the head robotics engineer and head software engineer and remained productive and effective with a demanding workload. Additionally, I was responsible for integrating robotics with single board computers, microcontroller units, flight controllers and various other electronics.

Richland, Wa, Us

During this project, I investigated advanced control methods of an Automated Surface Vehicle ASV) from which a Remote Operated Vehicle (Submarine) would launch off to collect water quality measurements around hydropower facilities. I designed and implemented a Python script that interacts with the open-source firmware known as ArduPilot, specifically ArduRover for water surface vehicles. During the design process, the Graphical User Interface known as Mission Planner was used to observe the behavior of ASV in a simulated environment. The Python script runs on a Raspberry Pi 3 companion computer that interacts with the Pixhawk Cube autopilot.

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Chicago, Illinois, Us

As a Stem Facilitator, I provided STEM education for youth underrepresented in the sciences. The courses I taught are Ten80 Racing Challenge and Explore Engineering: Rockets. In both courses, I taught students fundamental engineering concepts with an application in robotics and rocketry. I now serve as a substitute instructor as well as a mentor.

- Deputy Project Manager for interdisciplinary virtual team tasked with designing a Mars lander and rover with mass, volume, and budget constraints- Created Preliminary Design Review document which includes the design process, evolution, and constraints- Constructed Gantt Chart to coordinate task distribution, task durations, and task deadlines- Designed validation and verification testing plans for the Mars payload

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Us

- Assisted in daily operations of the store- Greeted, interacted with, and thanked customers on a regular basis- Maintained housekeeping standards of area, including ongoing recovery- Performed cashier duties

Master Of Science - Ms, Autonomous Systems And Robotics

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Mechanical Engineering

High School Diploma