Jacob York

Best in interactive signage category at Make MITxHarvard, which set the record for the largest hardware hackathon in the U.S. Our project took 3D builds in Minecraft and slices them into G-code. The G-code can then be uploaded to a 3D-printer and used to recreate that same build using Legos in real life! The design can be any size within 16 x 25 x 15 studs, meaning our project can support up to 6,000 Minecraft blocks/Legos! You check out the project and watch our demo video on the devpost link!

In progress, building an analog synth from a VCO. (voltage controlled oscillator) and CV (control voltage) keyboard from scratch. VCO demo linked on the "View Live Project" button in the top right

For our build, design, compete e-bike team, I designed and fabricated a carbon fiber seat and a nose cone style fairing for drag reduction. We built the seat out of carbon for a lightweight, but also high strength, solution. Using carbon fiber also allowed us to fit to a specific shape with the mold, with any complex machining processes. We also built the molds for both the seat and fairing in house. The seat mold was pretty simple, just sheet metal and wood to save time and money. However, the nose-cone fairing needed to be a 3D-shape, so we couldn't use a simple 2D mold like we could for the seat. We used sectioned foam to cut out cross sections of the final desired shape, using a homemade hot-wire cutter. We decided to use a female mold so that the face resting on the mold would result in a smoother surface finish and thus reduced skin friction. I also performed flexure mechanical tests on samples of a variety of different resin-carbon fiber concentrations and layers, to gather data for our design report.

Worked on a team of undergrad students to design, perform FEA simulations, and fabricate an recumbent e-bike frame. Utilized Solidworks and solidworks simulation for design and simulation. Used bandsaw, angle grinder, manual mill, and MIG welding.

As part of my internship at Wurth Elektronik, I designed and built a test setup to perform temp rise, phase shift, and accuracy tests on a new series of line frequency current sense transformers. Designed a modular PCB setup using KiCad so that precise variable resistances could be used in our test setup in order to test the transformers under varying output resistances. Designed to handle up to 45 amps of input current.

Designed and worked to machine custom friction clamps that we could use to hold our e-bike frame as part of a new mechanical test setup. We plan to use the test setup to perform deformation tests on the frame.

Collagen scaffolds are a method of delivering stem cells into the body for tissue regeneration. When they're used for bone tissue engineering, they're commonly combined with mineral particles for biomimicry of natural bone tissue. However, these particles are commonly lab-synthesized and are often very expensive, like hundreds of dollars for a small bottle. To reduce this cost, I'm currently leading a project to investigate the use of calcite derived from eggshells as a mineralizing particle.

I modeled a Kodak 35 mm film camera as an assignment for an intro to engineering technology class. Got to improve my Solidworks skills for modeling real world objects

Made a system allowing users to text Poke, an AI email assistant from the Interaction company, to trigger watering actions through a motor-controlled pump, and discuss sensor data from I2C humidity, light, and soil moisture sensors, connected to a Raspberry Pi with a breakout board designed using KiCad

An AI-powered desktop app that organizes messy downloads folders using Google’s Gemini API. Users provide sorting preferences, and the app uses natural language understanding and file metadata to categorize files into relevant folders. It also detects duplicates using file hashing. Built with Python, Tkinter (custom GUI with pixel art), and Google Generative AI. Won “Best Use of Gemini API” at MLH AI Hackfest (450+ participants, 70+ projects).

I made a customized music box of a niche song that me and my friend like by 3D printing a new drum that I made using Solidworks and some knowledge of music theory.

Used manual machining techniques, mill, lathe, band-saw, to make a custom meat tenderizer for use in the kitchen

This was one of my first engineering projects I've done. A student at our school was in one of our music classes, which has a unit on the basics of playing the ukulele. However, she only had one fully functional arm. I was in an intro to engineering class and the teacher reached out to me and asked if we could try to build an attachment to help her play the ukulele. The attachment is strummed down when the user taps their foot down, and is pulled up by a spring when the user raises their foot.