Gabriel Ortiz-Sánchez...
A Little About Me.
Hi everybody! My name is Gabriel Ortiz-Sánchez, a fourth year undergraduate student at the University of Puerto Rico (Mayagüez Campus) with a major of Mechanical Engineering. I already completed my first co-op tour at JSC during the Spring, but also am working in my second tour during the Summer 2006. I am a 20 year-old NASA employee - another native from "el Caribe"!
.NASA Experience.
First Co-op Tour (DV2/ Mission Operations Directorate - Spring 2006)
I was in charge of the documentation, Federal and government forms, Concepts of Operations requirements, and budget management. Also I built a robot used for testing the "DV3 Advanced 3D Human Simulation Components with Thermal/Haptic Feedback and Tissue Deformation" Project using engineering principles based on loads, stresses, torques, electronics, efficiency, Bluetooth technology, computer devices, etc. and general research on human anatomy and physiology.
My objective: Build a robotic arm to be used like an a replica of a real one, with the main objective to test the thermal glove and future technology in its hand. Using telepresence like communication method, it needs to be capable of moving from one place to another and to have video hardware to see what it is looking at over the Internet.
This thermal/ haptic feedback project, located within the QUEST Lab (30A /3070), will be used to prototype the ability to remotely transmit hot and cold temperature sensations to a human hand supporting advanced planning, training and operations. An advanced 3D human simulated hand (located outside the confines of the QUEST Lab) will touch an object, register temperature sensations via its thermal device, and then send those sensations over a computer network to the QUEST Lab. Once at the QUEST Lab, these transmitted temperature sensations will be sent to a thermal glove worn by a real human hand enabling the person to feel the same temperature of the remote object.
Finally, the project was done without any problem and completed with all the requirements, receiving a lot of good impressions from the rest of the employees.
Second Co-op Tour (ES2/ Structural Engineering & Dynamics - Summer 2006)
SCOUT Rover Vehicle - In the Structural Engineering Division (SED) I started working four weeks ago with an important analysis task to support the Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) for Mars exploration. Like part of the Co-op program, I'm assigned during the summer 2006 to work with the analysis of the SCOUT project for a period of nine weeks. The SCOUT is a standard size electric vehicle to be used by the astronauts on the surface of Mars, to cover more area during the exploration, and transport some essential equipment for them. It can be used in manual or autonomous mode.
My work assignments & tasks: Learn how to use, or become more proficient in the use of Pro-E CAD Software. Use Pro-E to design parts as required for the SCOUT project. Install parts onto the SCOUT Rover Vehicle.
At this moment, a general and condensed session of PATRAN, NASTRAN, Static, Mechanics of Materials, overview of Pro-E, and an introduction to standard terminology of this environment were added to my schedule as part of the learning experience in the division. After four weeks of intense learning and application, there are some impressive results. For the first time, all the geometry and finite element model of the SCOUT are ready to be tested by applying real loads. During the next weeks, we will be trying to obtain preliminary results of bending, stresses and effects in the frame of the car. By this analysis, we are establishing some points to consider and recommendations, designing the current prototype to be more efficient for its objective, and becoming safer for the crew.
Third Co-op Tour (Robotics Lab?)
Coming Soon. Summer 2007
.Outside the work place
I like to build machines and design new inventions, view technology TV documentaries; navigate the internet, social activities, water sports, and related voluntary work. I am fascinated with 3D modeling using CAD software like Solid Works, Maya, Pro-E and 3D Studio Max. A participant of the Future Scientist and Engineers of America Organization (FSEA). I have built four remote control cars; the last one is nine feet long and professionals expect that it will have the power to reach 350 mph in one quarter mile at 4:35 sec. by using 700 lbs of thrust. It has a home-build turbine that uses standard gasoline like propellant. The Guinness World Records Office in England is interested in it. It has 10 donors; the most important is Santander Bank of PR. I'm in the process of getting a patent on the car. I like to put ambientalist messages in the cars to save the natural life of the planet like recycling. I have built small boats, a hovercraft and an electric generator that produced 36DC volts.
I have had the pleasure to do civil engineering projects like small buildings and bridges of concrete and wood in scale, and small sceneries for theatre presentations with lighting and mechanical special effects. I was a competitor of NASA Sharp program on February 2003 and of the Robotic Mouse Project, small airplane, electric circuit's panel and the best bridge project at the UPRM from the FSEA organization. In October 2004, I participated in a private meeting with the manager of General Motors Racing Team due to my interests and projects. I was interviewed by representatives of Johnson and Goddard Space Centers about my academic and personal experiences.
Contact Info
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail. My personal email address is gabyos01@gmail.com and my work email address is gabriel.ortiz-sanchez-1@nasa.gov
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