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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

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

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)

Coding skills

Python, C, Linux, Java, Flutter

Languages I know

Dutch: Fluent

Credentials

Work experience

NASA JPL (2014 - 2018)
Software Engineering Intern (Summer)
NASA Ames (2019 - 2019)
Research Internship in Formal Requirements Engineering
Opener Aerospace (2021 - 2022)
Software and Flight Test Engineer
Dirac Solutions (2022 - Current)
Software and Embedded Systems Engineer

Education

University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
BS Bachelor of Science (2018)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
MS Master of Science (2020)
Electrical and Computer Engineering

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