College has given me the opportunity to design and build some pretty cool projects. Hands on experience is the best way to learn, and these projects taught me everything from 3D printing to circuit design. Apart from engineering I learned valuable skills in leadership, teamwork, problem solving, public speaking, and product acquisition. I now have a feel for what it’s like to pick up skills and knowledge “on the job”, a skill I expect to use frequently.
Musical Mat
This was made as an assistive sensory tool, designed for a person to lay upon so they can feel the vibrations of the music through motors embedded in the mat.
Towel Folding Board
This is a piece of assistive technology that provides the opportunity for students with various disabilities to participate in the culinary class at their high school. At the touch of a button, this machine folds a towel in half three times, leaving it ready to put away. I was the project manager and did the physical calculations to choose motors, designed the electrical circuit, the folding protocol, and wrote the code. I was also in charge of materials procurement.
Tulip Tent
This was a product created as a prototype for a theoretical startup. There are two iterations here, each with their own promising directions. Along with building the tent, we had to create a business around it, showing that people would want this, how much we could sell it for, what our expenses are, and so on. I was primarily involved with the design and construction of the tent, sewed all the panels, chose the fabric, and worked on an inflatable prototype that did not end up as the final design.
Low Earth Orbit Novel Integrated Deorbit System
The Low Earth Orbit Novel Integrated Deorbit System (LEONIDS) is a 10 cm by 10 cm attachment for a Cubesat that deploys into a 2 m by 2 m drag sail when the mission is complete to aid in the deorbit process. I was a mechanical engineer on this team and primarily worked on the booms and sail, including designing and building the booms and developing a folding protocol for the sail.
Victoria Madden 