James Lorenz

Developing robotics hardware to enable dextrous, forceful, and contact-rich manipulation for the next generation of humanoids

PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Lab (BMDL) and Manipulation and Machine Intelligence Lab (MMINT Lab)

Served as Graduate Student Instructor for ME350 - Design and Manufacturing II: Principles of machine and mechatronic design and manufacturing. Supported students through office hours, project feedback, grading, and technical instruction in dynamics, modeling, design, testing, and engineering communication. Coordinated with faculty and student teams throughout the mechatronic design process, including design reviews, grading, office hours, and the semester-wide project competition. Supervised student graders and supported 170+ students across multiple project teams across multiple terms.

• Leads the mobility subsystem team to design and manufacture a direct drivetrain, biaseddirectionality suspension system, & custom competition wheels in 2020 URC • Meets high-level requirements and develops low-level requirements within the system to create a desert terrain off-road robotics mobility system • Communicates with vendors and sponsors on business team, acquires funding and hardware to custom-build tech for new solutions such as compliant 3D printed flexible wheels • Merged theoretical motion ratio compliant suspension analysis with empirical stress and abrasion testing to determine loads imposed on 2019 URC rover • Met with system lead in weekly meetings and left to independently design 4-bar linkage suspension system, machine various parts, and assemble mobility for 2019 URC rover

• Conducting research on transient and steady state flow control in deposition modelling of high viscosity two-part silicone liquids for commercial medical and industrial applications • Designed, machined, & assembled dual extrusion 3D printer for experimental plastic/silicone printing of structural components and orthotic inserts, developing abstraction code for generation of G-code with custom high viscosity liquid retraction parameters • Worked with doctors and silicone industry professionals on NSF-funded joint projects with private industries, experimented on porcine cadavers on design of various medical devices

• Assisted in structure of business plan, primary contact for engineering vendors to design endto-end internet service in developing areas • Competed for Hult Prize foundation award and entrepreneurship acceleration program to improve quality of life to five million people by 2023

Created all company policy, plans, and documentation pertaining to worker health and safety and insurance claims. Conducted safety audits to negotiate with partner companies for dual-employment policies, developed company safety policy.

Specialization in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Advanced Manufacturing

Specialization in Mechatronics, Robotics, and Advanced Manufacturing

Recipient of the University of Michigan Presidential Scholarship

Minor in General Philosophy