Vivek Panchal: Researcher in San Francisco

Developed a unique soft underwater jellyfish like robot driven by thermally actuated TCP muscles (Twisted and coiled polymers) that was shown to swim vertically by a displacement of 300 mm in 320 s with potential applications in underwater exploration for commercial and environmental purposes. ? Developed another soft robot that was shown to grasp objects of varying geometries and weights varying from 2.5 g to 35 g against gravity. ? Furthermore, I have carried out detailed FEM simulations to replicate the system behavior driving the above mentioned robots on Ansys Workbench.

Created an Engineering Solution using first principles of engineering to transform several design concepts to a manufacturable product that involved making necessary design changes on Solidworks based on analysis & simulation results, creating manufacturing drawings, selection of the optimum materials and selecting the most suited manufacturing processes(I worked here with metal injection molding and vacuum forming) taking the product from a design concept to market release through the entire product cycle. Furthermore, I had to design jigs & fixtures to optimize assembly procedures. ? Moreover I verified and validated a novel locking mechanism for the product that was then patented.

? I was actively involved in building the design language of the company. ? Designed and Produced two modern, minimalistic and modular lighting solutions right from creating a design concept, making mock-ups, creating engineering designs, prototyping and preparing the product for market release.

? Designed and Manufactured highly functional compact electrical enclosures using Injection Molding. ? Successfully led a multi-disciplinary cross functional team for the Complete Development of automated smart sensing IOT Devices functionally as well as aesthetically from a utility point of view along with testing, deployment and troubleshooting. ? Maintained communications between vendors, manufacturers and the internal team dealing with procurement, quotations, bill of materials etc.. ? Designed dual layer PCBs using Eagle and integrated the PCB's, other electronics components with the electrical enclosures. ? Designed jigs and fixtures for the calibration of different sensors like pressure, flow etc. as well as for the field installation of the smart sensing devices. ? Designed a fully functional system for IOT devices to work on Solar Power to provide a cost effective solution with increased reliability & serviceability.

Air Pac filters and systems (12/2015 - 01/2016) ? As an intern, I was given the opportunity to design the outer body structures of Air Handling Units.

Carried out data analysis based on assessment of data derived from flow, pressure meters etc. which was then used in the maintenance of several critical parameters in oil pipelines to identify possible leakages.

Here as an intern, I studied and observed critical non-destructive tests being carried out and studied different welding procedures being used.