David K
- Research Program Mentor
MS at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Expertise
Software engineering (Embedded, application); Electronics engineering, robotics and control
Bio
I am passionate about real-life applications of engineering research. That place is where software meets hardware. This led me to study robotics and control where I studied safety critical control under uncertainty. After I graduated I worked to build an electric airplane for the company Opener. I then moved to a R&D company which specializes in custom electronic communication applications and research. I love this job because I can work on projects that no one else is working on. I love to surf and spend time outdoors. Additionally, I like biking around town with my wife and cooking food with her.Project ideas
Self-Balancing Robot - Research, Analysis, and Engineering
The Star Wars droid D-0 is interesting because it is self-balancing. Creating a self-balancing robot like D-0 is a very educational project. You'll learn: Physics, linear dynamics and modeling, self-balancing control methods like the P.I.D controllers, embedded software engineering, electronic engineering. This project can be scaled according to your skills, ability, and resources. The final product is a combination of: 1. A report of the design, analysis, and modeling of the robot. 2. A software application to control the robot 3. A software simulation demonstrating virtual control of the robot 4. A hardware prototype platform demonstrating physical control of the robot 5. A physical robot created using motors, embedded processors, and sensors. The more of these tasks are performed, the more advanced the project. The following options are possible: Task 1: A beginner research paper. (No hardware investment) Task 1 - 3: An intermediate research paper and software application (No hardware investment) Task 1 - 4: An intermediate/advanced research paper, a software and hardware application. (Moderate hardware investment) Task 1 - 5: An advanced research paper, a software and hardware application, and final robot. (Moderate hardware investment)