Thesis Title: Enabling Ultrasound Image Guidance in Transoral Robotic SurgeryTransoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive surgical technique performed using the da Vinci surgical robot and is used to remove head and neck cancers, particularly in the mouth and throat. TORS is a challenging procedure due to the small space it occurs in and the complex anatomy in the head and neck. Ultrasound (US) image guidance has the potential to improve surgical outcomes, but an… Show more Thesis Title: Enabling Ultrasound Image Guidance in Transoral Robotic SurgeryTransoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive surgical technique performed using the da Vinci surgical robot and is used to remove head and neck cancers, particularly in the mouth and throat. TORS is a challenging procedure due to the small space it occurs in and the complex anatomy in the head and neck. Ultrasound (US) image guidance has the potential to improve surgical outcomes, but an appropriate method for US probe manipulation has not been defined. This thesis identifies, builds, and evaluates two approaches for US probe manipulation in the operating room: robotic ultrasound using the da Vinci and human teleoperation where another person wears a mixed reality headset and follows virtual guides to place the probe. Both systems are integrated with the da Vinci surgical robot and augmented with haptic feedback. Show less

• Developed formal design and test recommendations for designing novel robotic medical hardware to regulatory standards • Critically reviewed embedded hardware and software used in novel surgical tools for safety and reliability

Led an avionics sub-team to develop a complete avionics system for a high-powered rocket that successfully competed in the 2022 Spaceport America Cup located in New Mexico, USA. The design included a custom flight computer, power management system, engine management system, and telemetry system.• Mixed Analog-Digital PCB Design • Safety-Critical Wire Harness• Electromagnetic Compatibility • Sensor Fusion• Reliability testing and system test design

Designed, developed and integrated a power management solution for a high-powered hybrid rocket. Facilitated testing of rocket avionics.

Conceptualized and developed a remote ultrasound software suite, which included the interface of an electromagnetic tracker, ultrasound imaging, neural network-based skeletal tracking, and stereo-depth and LiDAR cameras. The software was built as a multi-threaded Python program that interfaced with the MATLAB engine.