Locklin George
My Projects
Each project includes a short description of the challenge I faced, the process involved, and the results of that process. The galleries for each project include captions, so don't be afraid to click on those pictures.
For an easy way to scan through the projects, either scroll or use the linked image gallery on the home page.
Arthroscopic Multi-Stitch Device (Academic)
The state of the art for arthroscopic suturing requires removal of the device from the body to reload either once or twice per stitch. A device that could place multiple stitches would eliminate that time consuming, complicated step.
I worked on a team of 5 to develop a new distal tip mechanism capable of integration with existing device form factors. Our focus was to prove that our mechanism could work at the small scales required for these surgeries (8mm diameter).
A working prototype at 5:1 scale and subsystem tests at 1:1 scale validated the design feasibility and our sponsor is pursuing the project with a patent and development project.
Tools Used:
SolidWorks
MATLAB
ISO Limits & Fits
FDM/SLA Printers
Cyclical Fatigue Testing Suite (professional)
In order to gain FDA approval, flexible electronic components at Micro-Leads Inc. must undergo rigorous fatigue testing on the order of millions of cycles. The first few revisions would likely fail quickly and be prohibitively expensive to have tested at a testing house.
Independently designed and built two high reliability Arduino-based test devices to test sample continuity during repetitive flexion and torsion movements. Simultaneously worked with ADMET Testing Systems to purchase and modify an axial test device that could be used for various functions including cyclical tension testing with continuity checks.
The equipment is still in use today and test data has been integral to the development of these parts.
Tools Used:
SolidWorks
Arduino
ADMET Axial Test Device
Soldering Iron
Hand Tools
Integrated Development Toolchain (Professional)
Existing tools for collecting and analyzing data from a wearable thermal stimulation system required writing custom wrappers on a case-by-case basis for different data sources. Additionally, testing prototype control systems on hardware required retasking the firmware team and waiting several weeks.
I outlined an architecture for integrating our tools and standardizing our interfaces, bringing in stakeholder feedback to ensure each solution was valuable, flexible, and feasible. I worked with the firmware team to spec an API allowing control system designers to build the system in stateflow, then generate C code that could be automatically injected into the firmware build for real world testing.
After building some of the tools myself and delegating others, the toolchain has been in use for two years now, reducing control system test iteration time by 95%. The most common workflows are outlined in the gallery below.
Tools Used:
Labview
MATLAB
Embedded Coder
Bash
C
Van Conversion (Personal)
My partner and I were working remotely and wanted a vehicle for outdoor adventures and material transportation. These factors made a low-cost van conversion (already a fun project idea) compelling enough to undertake.
My partner and I started by defining our requirements and budget before designing the layout and electrical subsystem. Over three months we built out an empty van: insulating, framing, wiring, and closing up the walls. We designed and installed an electrical system capable of storing power from a variety of sources and supplying it efficiently for cooking, lights, charging, and more. We optimized the design of a bed/booth system to transform from a full(ish) bed to a booth capable of comfortably seating four, all while allowing our bikes to be stored underneath.
The result was a converted van that could facilitate easier and longer trips, allowing for remote work along the way. It has been on 3+ cross country road trips during which I attended Northeastern’s remote classes and consulted.
Tools Used:
Onshape
SolidWorks simulation
Hand tools
Wood tools
FDM Printer
Laser Cutter
2016 FIRST Robotics competition robot (club)
Challenge to identify the best strategy to play a game, then develop the best robot to employ that strategy, all within 6 weeks. This year's challenge was to traverse a series of obstacles while picking up and ejecting 6" balls.
As senior project manager, I led the 15 person team through the design and fabrication, then spearheaded on-the-spot repair in the pit between rounds (FRC is a robot-robot contact sport and damage is common).
Won the district event on an alliance with two other teams during the playoffs.
Also won the Excellence in Engineering award by employing replaceable, sacrificial components in risk prone areas (Lexan pieces on the arm extension) to protect more delicate systems.
Tools Used:
Autodesk Inventor
Mill
Hand Tools
Soldering Iron
Corrosive Aging Test Device (Professional)
To verify that implantable components will continue to function over large timescales in a corrosive in vivo environment, aging testing must be conducted. However such a process is generally only accelerated by heating a saline bath and doubling the simulated time for every 10° C over 37° C.
I built a test system following a paper on a novel accelerated aging technique using hydrogen peroxide to simulate reactive oxygen species found in the body. A headless Raspberry Pi took in chronoamperemetric current readings to calculate peroxide concentration and controlled pumps replacing concentrated peroxide into the solution to maintain constant concentration. The Pi also communicated with an OEM temperature control PID and heating mantle to maintain constant temperature.
The system is operable and collecting results, however I finished my co-op before a statistically significant number of long term tests had been completed.
Tools Used:
SolidWorks
Raspberry Pi
Linux
Python
Potentiostat
PID Temperature Controller
Hand Tools
Python Tetris (Personal)
Writing Tetris was a self-imposed challenge to brush up on my Python and practice object-oriented programming. I decided to write a copy of the original version with the same classic rules and colors.
The main consideration was deciding how to format the program's interpretation of the game state, so I created a two-dimensional array to represent the board. It contained values from 0-7 where 0 was a blank cell and the others corresponded to colors. The shapes are also defined as 2-D arrays that are rotated mathematically.
The result was a working copy of Tetris that functions as intended.
Tools Used:
Python
