Our Work

Our client holds a patent on the portable basketball hoop design. The patent covers the design at a high level, however the client needed support in bringing the patent to a prototype ready design with a full technical data package. In collaboration with the client I was able to create a prototype ready design that encompassed the claims on the patent while adding additional functionality to ensure the design met the criteria. The basketball hoop is mounted on a telescoping pole, as well the basketball backboard and hoop are removable. With this functionality the hoop is able to be completely enclosed in the base enclosure allowing for ease of portability. The client plans to take this design to a venture capital firm to get funding to produce the product at scale. Looking forward to what the future holds on this exciting product!

Our client designs and manufactures 3D body scanners for the health and fitness industry. I was tasked with bringing the next generation of their body scanner to a prototype ready design. The design consisted of a computing system mounted in the base, which interfaced with a body scanning camera towards the top of a extruded pole. The design also included LED lights, a touch screen display, as well as a speaker to play music and give audio feedback to the customer. This was a collaborative effort, meeting weekly to ensure the design was on track to the requirements. Excited for what the future holds for this startup and the next generation of 3D body scanners!

Our client had a vision for a step stool that collapses underneath a cabinet. In collaboration with them we designed a concept that accomplishes there requirements. The user needs to use their feet to open the drawer that the step stool is enclosed in. The press on the drawer and the step stool will automatically open with the assistance of torsion springs. To collapse the step stool when finished with use, the user presses a push button which triggers a servo motor to collapse the step stool via a pulley mechanism. Meeting regularly the client and I were able to come up with a concept that they plan to take to market. Excited for the future of this product!

Our client operates a business where there distribute rock climbing chalk in volume. Before the project kicked off the way they would fill each chalk bag was individually, one at a time. This was very time consuming and inefficient which was costing them sales not being able to deliver the product needed quickly enough. In collaboration with the two co-owners I developed a chalk filling system that went from packaging one chalk bag at a time to over 80 bags at a time. This was developed using low cost, commercially available materials which was a design requirement for them giving they are in a growth mode. This new manufacturing equipment will ultimately result in increased revenues for their organization!

The client we worked with had a concept of a softball fielding system that allows softball and baseball players the ability to get practice repetitions when there are not other players available to practice with them. In softball and baseball, it is important to practice game time situations when the ball has been hit (or fielded) in different ways. Depending on how the player at bat hits the ball, the trajectory as it relates to velocity, yaw and pitch angle, and distance can all vary greatly. There are solutions on the market that accomplish this problem. However, these systems on the market are very expensive, difficult to move around (lacking portability and compactness) and require a power outlet to power the system. The proposed design method being used in this system will allow for a more affordable system, more portability, more compactness, and the ability to be battery operated.

Working with my client I was able to develop a ruggedized computing system used in military applications. For this system, the cooling design was based off a patent where the heat plates interface directly with the CPU's, GPU's, and other hot electronic components. This cut down the thermal resistance as the heat was transferred more efficiently to the heat sinks where the heat was removed via forced convection. This design was qualified to meet harsh thermal and dynamic environments such as vibration and shock input.

Working at Ensign Bickford Aerospace and Defense, we developed an expertise in the design and development of non-energetic release mechanisms. The TiNi Ejector and Pinpuller release mechanisms utilize a shape memory alloy that upon application of current initiates a release of a coupler nut or the retraction of a pin. The TiNi Frangibolt uses a shape memory alloy cylinder that elongates in length to break a bolt. These devices are used in the space and aerospace environments to hold down payloads of various sizes and weights until they are commanded to be released. These devices are designed to meet harsh dynamic and thermal environments both from launch vehicles as well as space environments.