AMES AERONAUTICS ACADEMY
During the summer following my third year of undergrad, I was selected to participate in the NASA Ames Aeronautics Academy, a ten-week intensive summer research program designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in aerospace engineering and space sciences to participate in NASA research and design projects individually and as a cohort. During my time there, I contributed to the design of an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) mobile application and conceptualized a VTOL aerial mass transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the only Industrial and Systems Engineering student in the cohort, I had the unique opportunity to work on initiatives within the Human Systems Integration Division, working directly on interface design for pilots. Aside from research tasks and projects, we toured companies and research institutes in the Bay Area including, but not limited to Tesla Inc., JPL, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The entire summer was an immensely pivotal experience; setting me on path to pursue a career in design and research on the bleeding edge of emerging technologies and human experiences.
Role
Research Associate (2013)
Competitive review & strategy
Traffic simulation (Simio Simulation)
3D modeling (Google SketchUp)
3D animation (Google SketchUp)
UI visual design (PPT)
Group Research & Design Project | RAPTOR
Investigation of Rotorcraft Applications for Bay-Area Public Transportation.
Our cohort investigated the feasibility of incorporating an aerial mass transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area using a fleet of quadcopters to supplement current commuter services, including the BART and Caltrain transit systems. The purpose for this research was to determine whether the inclusion of a complementary aerial mass transit network might add greater capacity, range and operational efficiency to the existing public transportation system in the San Francisco Bay Area that is nearing full capacity. The project consisted of both an experimental and theoretical study. As leader of the theoretical aspect of the project, I oversaw an investigation of regulations and logistics related to unmanned aerial vehicles in the national, and Bay Area airspace. I developed simulations of the theoretical aerial network in Simio, an object-based simulator program, to determine the capabilities and mission profiles of the quadcopters. I designed the air network between all proposed stations. I also took a stab at designing the quadcopter interior vehicle architecture, passenger seats, and vertiport concepts and provided nomenclature for passenger logistics - my very first time 3D modeling. If you want to learn more, view the video below.
Individual Research & Design Project | TAIGA
UI Design for the Traffic and Atmospheric Information for General Aviation System.
I designed an electronic flight bag (EFB) user interface for the Traffic and Atmospheric Information for General Aviation (TAIGA) system to improve the situation awareness and enhance the mental model of pilots flying in Alaska airspace. Prior to designing initial concepts of the user interface, I reviewed current uses of EFBs, investigated initial requirements and goals for the application, and assessed use cases, needs, and expectations of users for each previously proposed flight scenario. I designed medium-high wireframes and interfaces in Microsoft PowerPoint; utilizing stencil packs and icon sets. The interface comprised of five modes, or screens, and a series of buttons and functions for each. Lastly, I provided mode/button nomenclature and descriptions, drafted a technical paper, and presented research. My designs have undergone critique and are continuing to be programmed into a complete application at the NASA Ames Research Center.