Research

Johns Hopkins University

Role: Undergraduate Research Assistant

Skills: Multidisciplinary Research, Interdisciplinary

Tools: Research and Design skills, 3D Printing, LabView

JHU Computer Eng. Lab — Electrostatic Energy Harvest

My second research project was assisting Dr. James West (famous for his work in Bell Labs) and his research team develop an electret-based low-frequency vibration energy harvester. The device's goal is to generate electricity from low-frequency vibrations similar to those produced by respiratory chest movements and walking patterns. The design uses thin and highly charged sheets that are stacked to create an electromagnetic field that changes as a function of the distance of an opposing electrode. I assisted the team in measuring the proposed design and creating an energy storage circuit. I find the project to be a very interesting application of electromagnetic physics and a unique solution to the complex issue of climate change.

HEMI — Ballistic Simulation

The Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute (HEMI) specializes in the research of materials under extreme conditions. I assisted the research team with using laser-driven micro-flyers to study the failure of protection materials under high rate loading. The measurement and testing systems were very precise and we needed a method to reduce random errors in alignment when manually resetting the testing environment. I developed LabVIEW code to maneuver two motors on an X-Y grid precisely and accurately with a visual GUI that allows full control. I presented this work at a high-school research symposium.