I design and build automation systems end-to-end — from PCB schematics and ESP32 firmware to industrial controls and computer vision. Currently building production automation at Algae Barn, with prior robotics work at Emerson and CU Boulder.
I work at the intersection of mechanical engineering and embedded systems — the place where ideas turn into hardware that runs in real factories, real labs, and real fields. My MSc at CU Boulder focused on robotics and control, and since graduating I've been building production automation systems at Algae Barn in Colorado.
What pulls me in is the gap between "this could work" and "this is working in production right now." I've designed PCBs, written ESP32 firmware, programmed robot arms with Universal Robot, built ROS2 platforms with SLAM, and trained neural networks for depth estimation. The breadth is intentional — most interesting automation problems live in the seams between disciplines.
I'm VP of the IEEE Denver Section and founder of Akash Technologies — a personal R&D venture exploring affordable IoT for agriculture and industry.
At a glance2026
LocationDenver, CO
Current roleAutomation Engineer Algae Barn
MScCU Boulder '25
Domains4 specializations
IEEE roleVP, Denver Section
Side ventureAkash Technologies
02Experience
Where I've been building.
June 2025 — Present
Colorado · Full-time
Automation Engineer
Algae Barn
Designed and built an automated phytoplankton filling machine: dual ESP32 controllers (Kincony KC868-A16 & DevKit V1), FD-XA1 flow meters, XKC-Y26-V level sensors, Covna pneumatic actuators, and N4D8B08 Modbus RTU I/O — all running custom ESPHome firmware.
Engineered a multi-ESP32 water management system for algae cultivation — transfer-pump scheduling, Keyence FD-XS20 flow metering, float-sensor debounce logic, and TP-Link Kasa/Sonoff integration via Home Assistant.
Built an automated labeling system that eliminated manual bottle labeling entirely; results published in Sakshi Education. Debugged 24V power supplies, OP71A04 level-shifters, and 41F-1Z-C4 relay wiring for full NPN sensor compatibility.
Fall 2024 — May 2025
CU Boulder · Research + Teaching
Research Assistant + Teaching Assistant
PraiseLAB & MCEN 3047, University of Colorado Boulder
Customized Speedybee F705 Mini flight controller firmware for GPS-denied indoor drone navigation using optical flow sensors and TF Mini LiDAR sensor fusion; engineered a sub-75g platform with MAVLink trajectory control.
TA for MCEN 3047 (Data Analysis & Computational Methods): developed lab manuals, mentored students in sensor integration, experimental setup, and data analysis.
May — Aug 2024
Boulder, CO · Internship
Robotics Intern
Emerson
Developed an automated visual inspection system (Universal Robot arm + AI-enabled Cognex camera) using RRT path planning and supervised defect classification — delivered a 30% efficiency gain and 95% defect-detection accuracy.
Established Ethernet communication between robot and PC via I/O expansion module for seamless real-time data transfer and system control.
03Selected Projects
Things I've designed, built, and shipped.
A selection of work across industrial automation, robotics, computer vision, and personal R&D. For full case studies with photos and metrics, see the portfolio PDF.
ROBOTICS · INTERNSHIPEmerson
Automated Visual Inspection
UR arm + Cognex AI camera for braze-paste inspection
Replaced manual inspection with a Universal Robot arm + AI camera system. Programmed RRT path planning for collision-free movement and implemented supervised learning for defect classification.
30%Efficiency Gain
95%Defect Accuracy
Universal RobotCognex AIRRTEthernet I/O
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATIONAlgae Barn
Phytoplankton Filling Machine
Full-stack production automation with dual ESP32s
4-head pneumatic fill system with precision solenoid valves, ESP32 controllers running custom ESPHome firmware, flow meters and level sensors for closed-loop control, and Modbus RTU I/O integration.
Designed and built the full robot platform — chassis, wiring, Mecanum wheels. Implemented ROS2 Humble + SLAM pipeline with LiDAR/IMU fusion. Optimized pose estimation and loop closure for drift-free navigation. Added AI-based facial and speech recognition.
ROS2SLAMLiDARRaspberry Pi 4Teensyduino
PERSONAL R&DAkash Technologies
HelioNode v0002
Solar-powered IoT node — custom PCB design
ESP32-S3-based agricultural IoT node with solar charging, custom KiCad PCB design, and MQTT → InfluxDB → Grafana telemetry pipeline. Diagnosed and resolved AMS1117 voltage headroom flaw in rev 0002; redesigning rev 0003 with Schottky diode optimization.
ESP32-S3KiCadMQTTInfluxDBGrafana
RESEARCH · DRONEPraiseLAB
Indoor Navigation Drone
Sub-75g platform for GPS-denied environments
Custom firmware for Speedybee F705 Mini flight controller. Fused optical flow sensors with TF Mini LiDAR for precise indoor localization. MAVLink protocol for real-time trajectory commands. Achieved stable hover in GPS-denied environments.
Speedybee F705MAVLinkOptical FlowLiDAR
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATIONAlgae Barn
Sticker Labeling System
End-to-end automation eliminating manual labeling
Designed and integrated automated labeling system for production bottles. System tracks TOTAL, GOOD, and BAD label counts in real time. Cost-benefit study published in Sakshi Education.
Researched wedge-shaped cooling channels for turbine blade efficiency. Designed teardrop pin fins in CATIA V5; thermal analysis with Ansys FEA. 3D-printed and validated in a controlled wind tunnel using thermocouple data.
7.8%Thermal Efficiency Gain
20.8%Lower Heat Transfer
CATIA V5Ansys FEAWind Tunnel3D Printing
COMPUTER VISIONCU Boulder
Seamless Image Stitching
End-to-end panorama pipeline
Feature detection → keypoint matching → homography (RANSAC) → warp & blend. Handles wide-angle, indoor, and aerial scenes with minimal artifacts. Validated across CU Boulder campus, indoor rooms, and aerial views.
Organizing technical workshops, industry events, and networking for engineering professionals across the Denver metro area.
Entrepreneurship
Founder, Akash Technologies
Independent R&D venture building HelioNode (solar-powered agricultural IoT) and FactorySense (predictive maintenance for industrial SMEs). Custom hardware, custom firmware, full-stack telemetry.
Publication
Automated Labeling System — Cost-Benefit Study
Published in Sakshi Education (2024), documenting the design and economic impact of the automated bottle labeling system at Algae Barn.
Publication · In Submission
HelioNode — IEEE GHTC 2026 Submission
Research paper on solar-powered agricultural IoT sensor design, currently under review for IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference 2026.
Recognition
Most Versatile Outgoing Student
Awarded at graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India (B.Tech 2023).
Let's build something.
If you're working on something interesting in automation, robotics, embedded systems, or computer vision — or you just want to talk hardware — get in touch. I always reply.
