Meeting Astronaut Chris Cassidy
My journey through the Boy Scouts was a series of significant achievements and experiences that shaped who I am today. As a young Cub Scout, I began exploring the world of creativity and engineering with rocket and pinewood derbys. These events were more than competitions; they were my first steps in learning about design, aerodynamics, and the joy of crafting something with my own hands. Designing, building, and racing my miniature cars and rockets was…
Development of an LED Array for Optogenetic Long-Term Stimulation of Neuronal Networks in Vitro During my time as a bachelor student at the Institute for Microsystems Technology (IMTEK), I was part of Professor Dr. Ulrich Egert's research group. Their focus was on activity-dependent network growth in neuronal networks. A macro image of a neuronal network is featured below. I was tasked with the creation of an optogenetic stimulation rig - an array of LEDs which…
A few friends of mine and I had long wanted to visit the Technik Museum in Speyer, mostly to see the soviet space shuttle Buran (below). However, there was plenty else at the museum. I hadn't expected to see an F-15; I don't think I ever realized how big these birds are until I got up close. The scale and complexity of these machines is mind-blowing. The Buran The Buran was a highly capable spaceplane…
This LEGO STAR WARS BD-1 statue has been tricked out and come alive! With various gadgets, I've taught BD-1 to beep and chirp (and, most importantly, turn its lights on) when someone is detected nearby. This is done via a motion sensor attached to BD-1's left foot. Everything is controlled by an Arduino Nano, and its code lets BD-1 know when to beep so it doesn't become an annoyance! This can also be set manually…
