MECE 4611 Robotics Studio | Graduate Teaching Assistant
As a graduate teaching assistant, I helped students registered for the course Robotics Studio MECE 4611, taught by Dr. Hod Lipson in the design and fabrication process of a 4 legged organic looking legged robot. This involves kinematics, industrial design, manufacturing, electronics, and programming of a 12-motor robot similar to ETH ANYmal, to achieve the fastest gait speed possible. The robots use serial bus revolute servomotors with a 240 degree range, a rechargeable battery, and Raspberry Pi controller.
Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer & COO | Inspired Karters Formula Student
In 2010, a passion-driven cadre rose from the sands of Pilani, handicapped by location even before inception, the team paid no heed to the obstacles at hand as they began their journey in the realm of racecar engineering.
Inspired Karters is the Formula Student team of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani campus, currently designing the 5th version of their dream. The team has tasted the roads of Italy, Hungary, Coimbatore and New Delhi in the last 6 years with constant edification in this never-ending journey towards technological brilliance.
The mission of our team is to build an open wheel, open cockpit, formula type racecar, bound by certain rules, studied around the driver and driven by the team’s sheer love for motorsports.
As the COO, I supervised and coordinated the day to day operations of the 50 member strong team divided in the Vehicle Dynamics, Chassis and Aerodynamics, Powertrain and Electronics subsystems to ensure design deadlines are met. I was also responsible for negotiating sponsorship deals worth over 350,000 INR for raising over 30 percent of the team’s budget.
Being the Chief Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, I also led a 10-member team in charge of developing the suspension, braking and wheel assembly for a formula style race car. The team managed to reduce the car’s weight by over 30 kilograms, with a reduction of over 12 kilograms in the wheel assembly, each weighing (upright+wheel hub) only 600 kilograms, as compared to 3.5 kilograms previously.
The team secured it’s best ever finish since inception (13th overall, 8th position in the Technical Design Event and 7th in Business Plan Presentation out of 140 competing teams) at the Formula Bharat event organised at Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore.
Eventually, I conceptualised and established a Formula Electric Vehicle team which is currently working on fabricating the electric version of the formula style car. The team secured the 2nd position in the National Formula EV Design Concept Challenge organised in October 2018.
Student Senator | BITS Pilani
The Senate is the highest university body overlooking all academic, research, discipline and student-related activities, presided by the Vice Chancellor and the Director of each campus of the university.
I was nominated by the Chancellor to represent the academic interests of 4000 students of Pilani Campus in the Senate committee, and worked with the Academic Dean to revise Undergraduate Thesis approval and grading policy across the university.
Jai Agarwal 