USC Viterbi Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)

Faculty: Quan Nguyen

Project Description: Design and Control of a Highly Dynamic Wheel-legged Robot. A video of the current result can be seen at: https://youtu.be/9vkS0IoGp0s

Related Background: Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Prerequisites: Background in Design, Control, Robotics

https://sites.usc.edu/quann/

Faculty: David Barnhart

Project Description: LEAPFROG is a standalone lunar lander prototype vehicle that uses an RC turbine engine and paintball tanks to fly repeatedly to test in simulated lunar landing conditions.

Related Background: EE, MechE, CS, AE

Prerequisites: Some hands on EE experience, GNC knowledge

leapfrog.isi.edu

Faculty: David Barnhart

Project Description: CLING-ERS is a genderless docking system that has gotten approval to be tested onboard the ISS in the summer of 2022.

Related Background: EE, ME, AE, CS

Prerequisites: Some hands on EE experience, RTOS programming (C or Python)

https://www.isi.edu/centers/serc/rendezvous_and_proximity_operations_rpo_research

Faculty: David Barnhart

Project Description: STARFISH is a unique robotic system meant to operate in space and uses a completely soft flexible material and distributed processing to operate very similar to a biological starfish does.

Related Background: EE, CS, AE with Controls background

Prerequisites: Some hands on EE experience, RTOS programming (C or Python), 3D printing experience

https://www.isi.edu/centers/serc/rendezvous_and_proximity_operations_rpo_research

Faculty: Heather Culbertson

Project Description: This project focuses on the design, building, and control of haptic devices for virtual reality. Current VR systems lack any touch feedback, providing only visual and auditory information to the user. However, touch is a critical component for our interactions with the physical world and with other people. This research will investigate how we use our sense of touch to communicate with the physical world and use this knowledge to design haptic devices and rendering systems that allow users to interact with and communicate through the virtual world. To accomplish this, the project will integrate electronics, mechanical design, programming, and human perception to build and program a device to display artificial touch sensations to a user with the goal of creating a natural and realistic interaction.

Related Background: Background in computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related majors. Experience with circuits and mechanical design a plus, but not required.

Prerequisites: Programming experience (C++ preferred)

https://sites.usc.edu/culbertson/