Engineering Portfolio
Mechanical Engineering · Robotics · Hardware
DropSense
Drone Deployed, Self Leveling, Weather Module
6-person senior mechanical engineering capstone addressing the data gap in high resolution weather data for natural disaster analytics. Features self-leveling via IMU and linear actuated legs with Raspberry Pi feedback control. Integrated sensors: anemometer, wind vane, barometer, thermistor, hygrometer, and particulate matter sensor. Data transmission via LoRa Node; Starlink under investigation. Jack led design validation through simulated modeling with geometric and wind inputs.
Microgreen Autonomy
Rooted Robotics Autonomous Microgreen Harvester
Conveyor-fed harvester reducing harvest time from 2 minutes to under 10 seconds per tray. At 500 trays weekly, saves 15+ hours. Prototype ($400) achieved 96% yield versus industry leaders costing $50,000. Jack's prototype evolved into a commercial tabletop product through market validation. Design ownership includes linear actuation mechanism of the saw-blade, staged conveyor belt design, removable acrylic blade guard, and the produce funneling catchment. Employed DFMA principles with extensive SolidWorks sheet metal design and component sourcing (CNC, SLS, FDM).
Valqari Drone Solutions
Valqari Drone Delivery Package Retention
VC-backed company specializing in autonomous mailboxes and landing stations for secure drone delivery. Jack developed a package retention mechanism for Northwestern Medicine blood-transfusion payloads under a two-week deployment deadline. Jack owned project communications with NM executives, establishing payload specifications and engineering the mechanism from concept to product using SolidWorks, FDM, and SLS. Utilized a servo motor driving a crank-slide mechanism for adjustable width in open/closed positions. System retrofits various drone landing gear and package sizes. Pilot contract achieved 100% success rate with live payload, delivering 114 rapid blood transfusions, reducing wait time for cancer patients by 26 minutes and decreasing operational expenses.
Gaming Console
Blackjack House (Dealer) Console/Playboard
Physical dealer console automating blackjack gameplay for up to five players with integrated card tracking and game logic. Arduino Uno microcontroller with custom shield PCB and individual player PCBs designed in Altium. Featured TCA9548A I²C multiplexer managing multiple OLED displays simultaneously, preventing address conflicts. PCBs manufactured in-house via LPKF ProtoMat S63. Console encasing designed on LaserGRBL and laser cut using Fusion M2 40.
Hillgrow Products
Hillgrow Product Suite
Outdoor/environmental products company creating solutions for underutilized spaces like hillsides. Jack served as sole engineer and product developer managing design (SolidWorks), prototyping, validation, cost control, and manufacturer relations. Product design emphasizes modularity and manufacturing efficiency for 100,000s of units in sales. Modular 2D plastic design conformed into 3D structures reduces manufacturing complexity and shipping costs. Jack improved four existing products and developed eight from concept, expanding the product line and revenue.
