SHAKER TABLE PROJECT
The Process
For my cornerstone of engineering class my team and I were tasked with building a museum exhibit for the Boston Museum of Science that taught children about sustainability. My team chose to build an exhibit demonstrating the sustainable design of buildings to mitigate damage due to earthquakes.
Image Above - Assembling 3D Printed Drive Wheel
I was responsible for prototyping and designing the shaker table. Starting with a functional cardboard prototype I applied my knowledge from building 3D printers to design a gantry on bearing blocks attached to linear rails.
Image Above - Wiring and Mounting Limit Switches to Block Board
The exhibit consisted of 8 blocks, each with different earthquake mitigation devices. Users would pick 3 blocks and stack them on top of the shaker table, the blocks magnetically attached to each other. The shaker table would begin moving till the building fell over which was recorded by an ultrasonic sensor. Based on how long the building survived and how expensive the block chosen, a sustainability score was produced.
Image Above - Exhibit at Museum of Science
Clarkson University Honors Research
Prosthetic Thumb Function
Prosthetic Thumb Function
Prosthetic Thumb Function
In the summer before my senior year of high school I participated in a 5 week research program at Clarkson University as part of the Honors Program. The project I was assigned to was designing a 3D printed prosthetic thumb for a pediatric amputee. The thumb had to be completely 3D printed and non electronic so it could be inexpensively sized as the child grew.
Ratchet Design
Prosthetic Thumb Function
Prosthetic Thumb Function
I was responsible for designing the ratcheting 3D printed thumb joint that allowed the thumb to be posed in a variety of angles. Previous designs were CNC machined from steel making them heavy and expensive. I invented a ratchet that was completely 3D printed utilizing gear teeth on the outside and 3 internal pawls on the inside.
Ratchet Prototype
Prosthetic Thumb Function
Ratchet Prototype
Early prototypes utilized compliant pawls however these did not last long. I choose to use small springs to tension the pawls. The interior pawls were also printed out of PLA plastic and then annealed to increase their strength.
EDC TRAY - Iterative Prototyping
EDC Tray CAD Design
For my Iterative Product Prototyping class I was tasked with building a sustainable packaging that had a second use after the item was unpackaged. I designed a watch box that once opened folded out into a tray to organize your pocket items at the end of the day.
EDC Tray Prototype
The box was constructed out of laser cut wood with a layer of EVA foam in the middle. The foam not only acted as cushioning for your items, but also as the hinge mechanism for the box.