Owen May

Problem

Evaluating procedural performance for a clinical-stage implant required a test fixture that could reproduce in-body thermal conditions accurately and repeatably — the existing setup couldn't hold a stable temperature range through a full test cycle.

My Role

Designed and iterated the mechanical components in SolidWorks, producing GD&T drawings and QMS-controlled documentation for vendor fabrication of the enclosure. Developed the temperature-controlled test fixture itself alongside 3D-printed prototypes used for material characterization, running a Design of Experiments to correlate processing parameters with resulting mechanical performance.

Outcome

Delivered a functional, repeatable simulation-use model supporting procedural evaluation and device testing. Presented findings and demonstrated the fixture to more than 50 clinicians, executives, and investors.

Skills Used

Problem

The existing NICU CPAP mask was bulky, unstable, and prone to turbulent flow — reducing respiratory efficiency and causing skin breakdown in premature infants. Poor fit and limited facial access hindered both comfort and clinical usability.

My Role

As Design Lead, I led all CAD modeling and design iterations of the CPAP interface, incorporating clinical feedback and engineering constraints to improve flow dynamics and patient usability.

Outcome

• Reduced turbulent flow by 36.05% (FEA), promoting more consistent pressure delivery
• Over 60% reduction in rotational inertia across all axes
• Passed leakage testing under NICU conditions
• Project extended by the EMPOWER board — funding for validation, manufacturing, sterilization, and patent filing

Skills Used

Problem

A critical implant wire had only one qualified supplier, creating single-source risk for a clinical-stage program. Qualifying an alternate source required proving its material was mechanically equivalent to the existing production baseline.

My Role

Led nitinol wire characterization using bend free recovery testing and radial force testing to validate mechanical performance against production baselines. Characterized the alternate source's dimensional, material, and mechanical properties against the qualified baseline, maintaining full test traceability throughout.

Outcome

Supported a documented equivalence determination for the alternate supplier, reducing single-source risk for the program.

Skills Used

Problem

Designed and built with a three-person team for a self-driven or push-assisted rider, the scooter had to support rider loads while remaining stiff, steerable by hands or feet without added mechanical complexity, compact enough to pass through a standard door, and durable enough to survive repeated testing and demonstration — with no 3D-printed components allowed.

The Process

• Load Case Definition — established a 220 lb design load (155 lb rider × 1.5 factor of safety) across three cases: seated/standing rider weight, combined push force and rider weight on the steering column, and a curb-impact abuse case
• Hand Calculations — used simplified beam theory to estimate bending moments, axial forces, and deflections, sizing members prior to detailed modeling
• FEA Verification — modeled the full assembly in SolidWorks Simulation, applying boundary conditions at wheel contacts and loads at the seat and push bar, identifying the four-way steering joint as the governing stress location
• Fabrication — machined the steering cross joint for free rotation, mounted swivel wheels to reinforced wood blocks, and bonded the frame with PVC solvent cement, working back-to-front to maintain alignment
• Physical Testing — applied known seated and push loads, measuring deflection at each critical joint with a ruler to validate the FEA predictions
• Iteration — diagnosed an unanticipated joint failure at the seating connection (a location the FEA hadn't flagged as critical), traced it to an assumption that didn't hold in the built prototype, and reinforced the joint for reliable operation under both push and pull loading

Skills Used

Problem

Chronic tendinopathy remains difficult to treat due to poor healing and limited regenerative options. PRP is a promising biologic therapy, but clinical outcomes are inconsistent due to variability in preparation and a lack of standardized testing platforms.

My Role

Organized and digitized the human tendon tissue biobank, contributed to the IRB submission and project proposal, and participated in biweekly research meetings. Performed TPC plating, microscopy-based morphology analysis, and data logging to evaluate regenerative effects of PRP formulations. Helped draft and finalize the research abstract.

Outcome

Established a working in vitro platform to evaluate PRP effects on chronic tendon cells under mechanical load. Findings supported an IRB submission and were presented at the 6th Annual Orthopedic Research Symposium. Ongoing work includes extended PRP testing and gene expression analysis.

Skills Used

Problem

Existing site models relied on outdated data, limiting accuracy for resource planning. The client needed a full redesign to maximize profitability while meeting regulatory compliance.

Process

• Survey points & data collection across multiple tracts
• Borings & depth logs to distinguish surface, clay, and bedrock layers
• 3D terrain surface creation from survey and boring data
• Profiles & alignments to evaluate elevation changes and constraints
• Grading & volume calculations for cut-and-fill operations
• Stage-storage & reservoir capacity estimates

Outcome

Discovered over 4 million square yards of additional minable surface beyond initial estimates. All tracts are now scheduled to become long-term water reservoir sites after completion.

Skills Used

Project Overview

Conducted on-site material testing for active construction projects, coordinating with crews to obtain representative samples. Monitored field testing procedures and prepared formal reports to support geotechnical evaluation, quality control, and soil suitability verification.

Regulatory Drawings & Approvals

All construction drawings and CAD plans required formal approval before implementation. Each drawing was properly formatted, revised through multiple redline review cycles, and updated per engineer and client comments to comply with applicable codes and specifications.

The Tests

Porosity, filtrate, viscosity, sand content, unit weight, gradations, and slump — a full geotechnical test suite performed in lab and field conditions.

Skills Used

Problem

Traditional golf gloves offer minimal support for players with hand weakness or impaired grip. Without a secure connection to the club, adaptive athletes struggle to maintain control, resulting in inconsistent shots and increased injury risk.

The Build

Embedded a BOA cable-and-dial closure system (the Li2 and IP1 dials, selected for compact form and reliability) for one-handed operation, plus a custom bag-mounted attachment that lets the dial be tightened using only one hand — similar to buckling a seatbelt.

Market

With over 25 million golfers in the US — many over age 50 — grip strength issues are common. Total manufacturing cost landed between $30–40 per unit, positioning the glove as a scalable, affordable option in the adaptive golf equipment market.

Skills Used