Educational PoV Platform
Embedded and realtime understanding for all
After experimenting with and applying my knowledge in CAD and 3D printing, I had the opportunity to assist an embedded systems professor as part of a pilot project funded through an NSF CAREER award to develop a Persistence of Vision educational platform. This innovative platform was designed to make real-time programming concepts and systems accessible across all educational levels, presenting complex timing-critical operations in an intuitive, visual format that students could easily understand and engage with. The platform's versatility extends to higher education applications, providing students and researchers with an accessible testing environment for real-time techniques and applications, enhanced by the integration of an AMD Kria KV260 system-on-module. This powerful hardware combines ARM application cores (APU) and real-time processing units (RPU) alongside FPGA technology, creating a comprehensive platform for exploring the hardware-software co-design methodologies that I have helped pioneer during my work at the Boston University Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory.
Automotive Application
Applying 3D printing beyond the trinkets
Once I mastered the fundamental skills of 3D modeling, scanning, and printing, I naturally progressed to more ambitious projects that demanded greater durability and safety considerations. My 1980s Volvo 240 became the primary focus of these efforts, driven by the increasing scarcity of replacement parts and the original designers' limited foresight regarding modularity and long-term maintenance needs. The three models displayed here represent just a fraction of the custom components I've designed and manufactured to extend the functionality and lifespan of my beloved vehicle. Each part has been engineered to withstand the harsh automotive environment while addressing specific limitations or failures in the original design, allowing me to continue enjoying and maintaining this classic car well beyond its intended service life.
Scanning and Meshing
Importing reality to virtual environments
After mastering the fundamentals of 3D modeling and printing, I became interested in learning how to anchor my designs to pre-existing physical structures—a challenge that required accurate dimensional data from real-world objects. Working within budget constraints, I researched cost-effective scanning solutions and discovered that the Xbox Kinect offered an exceptional combination of RGB and infrared depth sensing capabilities at an affordable price point. I acquired the necessary software stack to harness the Kinect's dual-camera system and embarked on my first scanning project by capturing components from my Volvo 240. This initial endeavor involved replicating what was, at the time, a geometrically complex part, marking my entry into reverse engineering and the integration of physical scanning with digital design workflows.
Starting Out
My first 3D print emerged from a physics electronics lab project where I designed an analog circuit system to control water levels between two containers. The printed component served as the mechanical interface that coupled with a Schmitt trigger circuit, which in turn drove an H-bridge for DC motor control based on water level input signals. This initial design represented my first venture into integrating custom fabricated parts with electronic systems, bridging the gap between digital design and real-world functionality. As I refined the system through subsequent iterations, I incorporated additional components including a 555 timer circuit and a manual button interface, allowing for fine-tuned water transfer between containers while respecting the threshold parameters of the trigger circuit. This project marked the beginning of my exploration into electromechanical systems design, where 3D printing became an essential tool for creating custom housings and mechanical interfaces that traditional manufacturing methods couldn't easily provide.