Rachel Brockman | Projects

Coffee Grinder Redesign

AME 503: Advanced Mechanical Design

A semester long project for my advanced mechanical design class that started with customer ethnography, which informed the development of customer needs and functional decomposition. After developing a few design variants, my group then developed a final product. I was responsible for initial customer ethnography, concept generation, and the CAD design of the device.

Hair Dryer DFMA Analysis

AME 546: Design for Manufacturability and Assembly

For my DFMA class, I designed a hair dryer, focusing on design for manufacturability and assembly and performed a DFMA analysis of the design. This was an individual project.

Next Level Grip: Stroke Grip Strength Rehab

BME 405: Senior Projects - Measurement and Instrumentation

A grip strength rehabilitation device for stroke survivors that I designed and prototyped for my senior design project. I was responsible for the CAD design of the device and the manufacturing and assembly of the device.

Braille Buddy: Braille Phonics Toy

AME 504: Mechatronics Systems Design

A mechatronic system to teach Braille phonics to visually impaired children. The device utilizes solenoids to actuate Braille letters and RFID readers and tags for individual letter recognition. I was responsible for the CAD design of the device and the development of software to make the solenoids actuate to create each letter of the Braille alphabet.

Linear Motion Control System

AME 504: Mechatronics Systems Design

A closed loop control system for a lead-screw mechanism to accurately and precisely mover an indicator in 1-inch increments. I utilized Hall-effect sensors and magnets to ensure that the indictator stayed within system boundaries and to establish the system's origin (i.e., the center point of the two Hall sensors). I designed the system in Solidworks, fabricated it, and programmed the system in the Arduino IDE. The system utilized a rotary encoder and motor driver IC to control rotation of a DC motor. This was an individual project.

Keurig Product Dissection

AME 504: Mechatronics Systems Design

A comprehensive dissection of a Keurig K-Elite coffee machine to understand the mechanical, electrical, and software components of the device. I was responsible for researching the fluid path systems of the device.

Coffee Grinder Product Dissections

AME 503: Advanced Mechanical Design

A teardown of a two different coffee grinders for my advanced mechanical design class to inform my coffee grinder redesign. These were individual projects.

Marble Run SolidWorks Design

ITP 308: CAD for Biomechanical Systems

A marble run that I designed as the final project for my SolidWorks class. This was an individual project.

Inspecula Speculum Redesign

MEDesign Medical Device Design Team

A speculum redesign that I worked on as a member of my undergraduate medical device design team. The attached pitch deck was used in the finals of the USC Viterbi MEPC pitch competition. I was responsible for the CAD design of the device and coordinated meetings with physicians and industry professionals to inform the design of the device.

Materna Monitor

AthenaHacks Hackathon 2022

A maternal health monitor that my team designed for USC AthenaHacks Hackathon 2022. We won the hackathon's grand prize for our combined hardware and software design. I was responsible for our website design and the integration of Twilio into our device.

Car Air Vent Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

ITP 308: CAD for Biomechanical Systems

A car air vent hand sanitizer dispenser that I designed as the midterm project for my SolidWorks class. This was an individual project.

Butterfleye Eye Drop Aid

UC Davis Makeathon 2019

My team's design for an eye drop dispensing aid for the 2019 UC Davis Makeathon. We won the "Most Potential" award for our final product design and cost analysis. I was responsible for concept generation and cost analysis for the device.