WORK EXPERIENCE
STRYKER MAKO
Staff Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Concept Development – May 2023 to Present
Senior Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Concept Development – February 2020 to May 2023
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Initiates and drives new research projects and directions to bring creative robotic solutions to the surgical market
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Works closely with a small, dynamic Concept Development Team to brainstorm solutions, generate concepts, design, prototype, and evaluate new surgical robotic systems, end-effectors, mechatronic instruments, and tracking methods
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Designs complex mechatronic concepts in Solidworks, creates engineering drawings, sources electronic components, builds functional prototypes and tests against requirements to assess technological feasibility
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Supports strategic long term product roadmap by developing futuristic and forward-thinking concepts of platform technologies and instrumentation, bringing them from an idea to Product Development team transfer
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Leads mechatronic design and prototyping efforts to de-risk new concepts and technologies
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Creates rapid prototypes utilizing 3D printing, modification of off-the-shelf components, and other creative methods
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Continuously explores new actuator technologies to enable design of future intelligent surgical robotic systems
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Presents concepts to stakeholders, communicates project goals and visions with the aid of slides and rendered images, gathers feedback from surgeons, and maintains broad ownership and responsibility for the project
Senior Mechanical Engineer, Hardware Design – January 2018 to February 2020
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Designs and develops instrumentation for robotic assisted surgery for multiple applications in SolidWorks, working with Design Leads, Program Managers, and cross-departmental teammates to coordinate features and workflow
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Leads development of new hardware solutions for optical bone tracking and registration, and plans and performs accuracy tests using MatLab scripts to analyze recorded data from the tracking camera
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Builds and evaluates prototypes for novel devices to determine direction of development, providing complex drawings and models to machine shop and prototype suppliers
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Represents hardware team in Cadaver Labs and Dry Labs, supporting evaluations with prototypes, quick fixes, and filling other necessary duties such as scrub tech and data collection to ensure success of lab
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Ideates new solutions to design challenges in order to improve and innovate the robotic surgical experience
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Developed a novel device for powered discectomy procedures with Innovation Day team, winning 3rd place
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Advised Summer Intern, planned projects, taught, and gave guidance as the Intern Advisor (June-August 2019)
SKELETAL DYNAMICS
Biomedical Engineer – June 2016 to January 2018
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Designed, modeled and prototyped orthopedic implants
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Participated in cadaver labs to test products and optimize design parameters
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Lead various research projects including studies in surface modification of implants, stress testing of products, measuring of anatomical structures, and using SEM to analyze wear on surgical cutting tools
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Developed a realistic hand model for training surgeons in carpal tunnel procedures
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Collaborated with teammates and surgeons to discover optimal solutions
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
March 2014 - May 2015
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, NEUROPROSTHETICS RESEARCH GROUP
Designed, built, and tested implantable nanowire electrodes for recording neurological signals
Developed test protocols for rat experiments to record neurological signals during reaching and grasping task
Programmed a rat training platform to display success and failure feedback and dispense rewards upon correct completion of a task
Modified electrical hardware for data extraction
Filtered neurological signal data to remove noise
​Presented results and poster at the Research Creativity and Innovation Forum, winning first place in engineering
January 2016Â - August 2016
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, DIABETES RESEARCH GROUP
Optimized parameters for large-scale pancreatic islet cell encapsulation device for use in future human trials
Performed MTT Assays on murine cell models to create baseline data to be used in future experiments
Performed encapsulation trials, purified samples through gradient analysis, and analyzed results in ImageJ