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Cervical Collars

Cervical collars are neck braces used for suspected spinal trauma and for post-surgical stabilization of the spine. Current cervical collars allow too much freedom of movement and have limited options for an individualized fit. I am using granular jamming and 3-D printing to resolve those problems. Granular jamming occurs when granular media, like coffee grounds, are placed under vacuum and become hard and rigid; by contrast, when not under vacuum, the bladder can be molded to the patient’s neck.

October 1, 2021 Read
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Filter Press Troubleshooting

The plates of the filter press were undergoing significant warping resulting in poor filtering, bypass, and leakage. Filter press plates should not need to be regularly replaced, but they were replacing the entire set every 3-5 months for ~$12,000 each time. Shows leaking of the filter press and associated bowing of the plates. Consistency of cake material is also shown. All pictures were taken ~1 week before plate swap. Examining the filter press manual thoroughly, I discovered that toluene, one of the process chemicals, was listed as chemically incompatible with the polypropylene plates.

August 1, 2021 Read
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Designing an Iontophoresis Device

One of the accepted treatments for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) is iontophoresis. Iontophoresis involves running a small current through the hands, feet, or armpits of the patient. Some people set the current whereas others set the voltage for a session. I wanted to see if these control methods were equivalent. Safety concerns around the body and electricity are obviously very important and complicated. RA Fischer, a manufacturer of an FDA approved device, has max settings of 30mA and 58V.

August 1, 2020 Read
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Blender Teardown SolidWorks Drawings

As part of a class project for Sophomore Design, my team did a teardown of a blender. For our report, we created Solidworks models of the most interesting components. Presented here are two of the drawings that I did for the brush assembly of the DC motor of the blender. Spring housing. Spring plate. Brush assembly.

March 1, 2020 Read
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Anasazi Style Rim-blown Flute

Playing a custom composition on an Anasazi Style rim-blown flute while outdoors. My goal with this project was to design, build, and learn to play a rim-blown flute based on the Anasazi flutes found in the American Southwest. The original idea sprung from a chance encounter with whistles made from elderberry wood which led down a rabbit hole into full blown flute making. Finished flute against grass. Four Anasazi Flutes from the Broken Flute Cave.

December 1, 2018 Read