2019 was quite a busy year for me. I haven’t been updating my blog much due to a lack of time and energy, but I’ve done a lot of personal projects that I’m really proud of and I think pictures and short captions do these projects enough justice. So here it is, my 2019 whirlwind year in review.

I competed in Battlebots as the captain of Team Uppercut, where my team finished in the top 16 after losing to the eventual champion, Bite Force.

Made a set of 3DOF bilaterally teleoperated robot forearms for my senior thesis

Awkward video of my roommate and I testing them at 1am the day I finished them

Built a benchtop lathe with a 10000 rpm hub motor spindle made of a car air conditioner IPM motor

I built a 3lb fully functioning version of Uppercut, dubbed Baby Uppercut

I finished my undergraduate degree, complete with functioning Battlebot spinner on my cap

Won my 7th consecutive national yo-yo title, with the yo-yo I designed, the Boost

Made some square yo-yos, and then more, and then more

Made an aluminum box for a yo-yo, complete with an integrated billet hinge and magnets for closing

Figured out how to laser engrave yo-yos

Made a 3DOF throwing arm to throw balls really fast, or play beer pong, complete with optimized throwing trajectories using Casadi and IPOPT

Machined a brass and stainless keychain for fun

Made a stand for the Apple watch and charger out of brass, stainless, and abs

Revived my 12lb lifter Battlebot, Mama Bear, with a new brushless lifter

Made my best round yo-yo yet with an expanding ID arbor

Machined some funky candle molds for a present

Made a titanium ringed bimetal yo-yo for making pretty sparks

Set up my lab’s Haas super mini mill and made a silly part inspired by Titans of CNC

Got my square yo-yos produced in China, but they’re actually squircle yo-yos now

And ended the year by making a final Christmas tree ornament