HANK - Walking Robot Crab

(IN PROGRESS)

Goal: Train a robot crab to walk in Isaac Sim and deploy the policy on the real robot

So Far:

Designed a robot crab in SolidWorks, 3D printed the components, assembled the robot
- Actuators: 12 x MG996R servos (3 per leg for hip yaw, hip pitch ,and knee pitch)
- Hardware: PLA, M3 fasteners
- Includes custom motor backs with stud output to improve joint stability
Next steps: use CAD to create the URDF file, start training a policy

Animatronics

Animatronic Open Sauce Logo Head:

Can use GameSir controller to control the robot's ears, eyes, and spinner
- Ear actuators: 2 x MG996R Servos
- Top Spinner: TT Motor with DC Gearbox with a L298N motor
Hardware: gold, black, and white PLA, standard M3 fasteners
Controlled via Arduino Uno

Animatronic Eyes Design:

MG90s servos to control direct linkages and pulleys attached to kevlar string
Hardware: PLA printed parts, M2 and M3 fasteners,
Controlled via Arduino Uno (servo motion hard coded)

Artistic Side:

I modeled a human index finger out of Monster Clay and created a silicone mold of it to capture texture in the skin and fingernail.

Purdue ME Clock Model

For the past three years, I've wound the restored clock in the Purdue Mechanical Engineering Building. As a retirement gift for the person who taught me to wind it, I designed and printed a model of the clock and machined a nameplate.

Cleveland Clocktower Restoration

The West Side Market is an iconic landmark in Cleveland, OH which has been operating as a public market since 1912. I've been going there since I was a kid, exploring local food and getting to know venders. In 2023, I discovered that the clock in the building's tower was broken and helped to fix it by cleaning and reassembling the clock mechanism. At the same time, a company had been hired to fix the crumbling exterior of the clocktower. I collaborated with them to reinstall the clock mechanism and get the clock running correctly. I filmed drone footage of their work on the tower to showcase the company's efforts. Below, are videos of my individual restoration efforts as well as a promotional video for the building restoration company.

Welded Raider

I worked in school maintenance during my senior year of high school and collected broken equipment and scrap parts. My work consisted of assisting maintenance workers in fixing machinery around the school (repaired AC systems, lights, ventilation, plumbing, locks, heating controllers, and other elements necessary to keep a building functional). At the end of the year, all seniors at my high school were able to choose a project to pursue for 3 weeks. For my Senior Project, I learned MIG and SMAW welding at Lincoln Electric's Automation center and took a class on programming FANUC robots. I created an 150 lb model of the school's mascot (the Shaker Raider named Tuffy) out of the material I had been collecting over the year. It now sits in the school's main office on a custom wooden pedestal.

Roman Chariot

I designed and built a one-person wooden chariot to present to the school's Latin Club in order to increase awareness of the Latin program and express gratitude to its teachers. This project was inspired by the annual chariot races held in class and was gifted to my high school Latin teacher. The chariot itself was fabricated entirely out of wood except for the wagon wheels which were purchased from a local vendor.

VEX Robotics

I competed in VEX Robotics from 7th - 12 grade where I was the mechanical and electrical lead on a two person team.