Ankur Raghavan | Robotics Engineer

Hi, I'm Ankur Raghavan.

Hardworking, Approachable, Passionate Robotics Engineer with a love for learning and solving problems

About

I am a Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Student at Purdue University. I enjoy finding solutions to problems and designing original parts. I have worked on projects in a variety of different languages and softwares including

CAD Software OnShape, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Inventor, SolidEdge
Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C, C++, HTML/CSS, Swift
Libraries: NumPy, Pandas, OpenCV, ROS
Frameworks: Keras, TensorFlow

Looking for an opportunity to work in a challenging yet interesting position that can combine my experience in Software Engineering and Mechanical Engineering to solve problems in automation.

Experience

Regal Eagles

Vice President of Engineering and Programming

Designed a robot that can play a invented sport within 6 weeks.
Prototyped and Tested various approaches to determine the best solution. Created web scrapers to quickly notify purchasing department when needed materials are restocked. Researched industry approaches to similar problems to quickly determine viability of designs.
Built and Programmed the robot to function in both autonomous and tele operated functions.
Competed at 18 local, regional, and world championships. Designed strategy to include the strengths of each team on our alliance.
Developed processes for incentivizing attendance at meetings and volunteer events. Increased volunteering hours by 500% to 1000 cumulative hours per year. Created a NFC-based attendance tracker to accurately track hours that are worked. Shared my passion for STEM through outreach programs for elementary and middle schoolers to gain experience with robots and programming. Events included demonstrations at STEM Nights, Maker Faires, and Lab Tours, along with STEM lessons at elementary schools and abroad in countries like Sri Lanka, India, and Brazil.
Designed training courses for design, software, and CAD/CAM subteams. Trained over 40 new members per year. Documented progress and problems faced while building and designing the robot to ensure that future years have a way to easily find solutions to these problems.
Led the logistics of hosting a practice event for teams to test out their robots on a full competition style field. Advertised the event and ensured that as many teams as possible were able to attend the event.
Won 9 awards throughout the 4 years on the team, including 6 qualifing awards for world championships.
Tools: OnShape, Fusion, Carbide Motion, Java, Python, WordPress

Sept 2020 - June 2024 | Bethpage, NY, USA

BestEx Research

Software Intern

Developed a full stack webapp to display results of selected stock market algorithms
Met with the clients throughout the process to determine the most convient layouts.
Improved the time to create weekly reports by 90% by automating the collection of data for each algorithm.
Centralized activities of 10+ trading servers for easier monitoring.
Tools: Python, Flask, HTML

June 2022 - Aug 2022 | Stamford, CT, USA

KidOYO

Programming Mentor

Designed and hosted 8 events teaching 900+ students JavaScript and Python.
Events included learning how to make popular games such as Breakout, Flappy Bird, and Tic Tac Toe along with developing skills for creating your own GUI's and intro to taking user input.
Created challenges for hackathon-style events.
Provided feedback on challenges to students in K-12. Assisted them to learn and gain skills without providing the answers directly.
Tools: Python, JavaScript, HTML, Java, Firebase

June 2021 - Sept 2023 | New York, USA

Bethpage School District

IT Student Helper

Supported the IT Department in preparation for the upcoming school year.
Ensured every classroom has the correct technology to facilitate learning while keeping a clean appearance
Maintained stock of commonly broken chromebook parts through the salvage and recycling of discontinued models.
Reported progress weekly to supervisors and coordinated projects around the needs of summer programs.
Completed other various tasks as needed, eg. auditorium lighting upgrade, wiring new server cabinets
Tools: Microsoft Teams, Windows Imaging Tool

June 2021 - August 2024 | Bethpage, NY, USA

Projects

                
Arpeggio
                  A semi-autonomous robot that competed in the 2024 FIRST Robotics Competition
                
AccomplishmentsTools: Java, WPILib, Path Planner
Organization: FIRST Robotics Competition Team 2869
Designed, Prototyped, Built, and Programmed this robot within 6 weeks
Can pickup foam rings and shoot or place them into a goal.
Programmed an autonomous mode to quickly shoot 4 rings
Developed semi-autonomous functions to support tele-operation
Finalist at NYC Regional, Competed at World Championships

Wireless Sensor to Reduce Water Consumption
                  A sensor to help regulate sprinklers in agriculture, reducing the billions of dollars lost in
                  overwatering
                
AccomplishmentsTools: Arduino, LoRa, Fusion 360, FDM Printing
Measure soil moisture levels through an integrated sensor.
Transmit sensor data over custom transciever code over 915MHz LoRa Band.
Automatically detect changes in sensor data and control relay board.

Chariots of Fate
                  An original card-based game by Games For Seva.
                
AccomplishmentsOrganization: Games For Seva
Refined rules through playtesting.
Eliminated unnecessary components to reduce cost.
Created rapid game rules for use at game fairs.
Published the game and developed supporting mini-games for the publishing event.

Breast Tumor Classification
                  An ML iOS app that determines if breast tumors are cancerous.
                
AccomplishmentsOrganization: Hofstra University: Ultrasonic Research Lab
Designed a model to classify Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Fibroadenoma tumors with a 96%
                    accuracy.
Created an iOS app that implements this model to allow for quick and efficient access for health
                    care professionals.
Sent app to partner hospitals to begin clinical trials.

Pulsar
                  A semi-autonomous robot that competed in the 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition
                
AccomplishmentsTools: Java, WPILib, Path Planner
Designed, Prototyped, Built, and Programmed this robot within 6 weeks
Picks up traffic cones and inflatable cubes to place them into a goal.
Programmed multiple iterations of swerve drivetrain code including inverse kinematics
Utilized machine vision to autonomously travel toward game pieces
Competed at World Championships
Redesgined the robot to reduce height and increase mobility

UAV Farming Resources
                  A custom drone that autonomously dispenses pesticides and a novel auto-charging base station
                
AccomplishmentsTools: OnShape, Arduino, Flight Controllers
Designed a custom drone with a large tank for automatic pesticide dispensal.
Researched electronic components and motors necessary for the weight capacity.
Developed a novel base station that automatically charges the drone with mechanical localization
                    to ensure good contact.