Taylor Waddell

At Drover Labs, we are making robots to inspect the darkest, dirtiest and most hazardous industrial environments on earth.

Pathways Engineering Student Trainee in Mechanisms Design, Cape Canaveral FL Designed testing apparatus to reduce contamination of a scientific instrument during TVAC testing of VIPER Rover. Drafted over 30+ drawings to NASA and ASME standards, including fabrication, assembly and installation drawings Designed ground support hardware to ASME and NASA standards for NASA’s SLS rocket, set to be implemented in ML 1 and ML 2. Pathways Engineering Student Trainee in SwampWorks, Cape Canaveral FL Designed in CREO and programmed in Python an experimental New Shepard Payload. Payload passed design reviews, began early testing and is set to raise TRL of technology. Assisted with development and fabrication of a simulated Human Landing System (HLS) crew hatch. Hatch has specialized seals with circuitry on them to repel lunar regolith. Hardware was successfully demonstrated to multiple interested end users. Pathways Engineering Student Trainee in XR Organization, Cape Canaveral FL Co-Led development in a production level environment in Python for automatically processing 3D models per user specification. Software successfully published the internal NASA software catalog and is currently used by various clients. Developed VR model review tool in C# that had networking capabilities. Software was published to the internal NASA catalog and is further being developed. Engineering Research Associate in the NASA Leadership Academy, Huntsville AL Developed a VR application to review ECLSS hardware in C#. Software allowed for cheaper and faster human factors testing. Fabricated multiple parts via rapid prototyping for flight hardware simulation for over 50 different groups. Selected for the prestigious NASA Academy program, collaborated with well known field experts from the space industry. Worked 70+ hours a week to ensure the success of projects and met with various NASA leaders from around the country.

SpaceCAL Suborbital Project Lead Awarded over 1 million USD in grant funds through NASA Tech Flights award number 80NSSC21K0350. Researching within Hayden Taylor’s Lab for space based applications of CAL printing. CAL printing is a volumetric printing process in which a part is solidified gradually at once without any printed layers. End goal is to advance technology from TRL4 to TRL 7, in hopes that it will be adopted for both commercial and exploration purposes. Project Manager and lead researcher of a group of 10+, working to advance In-Space Manufacturing technologies, successfully completing 2 parabolic flight campaigns. Designed the mechatronics system and electronics subsystem for experiment which successfully worked and raised TRL to 6. Programmed flight hardware in ROS, Python, C and C++ for controlling a 3D printer in a parabolic flight. Simulated in solidworks FEA and fabricated payload to withstand flight providers safety standards, up to 9gs in all directions. Leading collaboration with LLNL, UW-Madison, CNRC and UCF for testing of exotic materials in microgravity. Multiple experiments have been conducted and collaborators were able to successfully publish results. Developing a fully automated printing and post processing system for a Virgin Galactic suborbital flight in Q2 2024, completed Systems Readiness Review. Metal Additive Manufacturing Researching and developing new polymer formulations for unique metal printing technologies. Synthesizing unique hydrogels in a wet chemistry environment for metal part fabrication. Analyzing metal printed samples via NMR and SEM to understand grain formation boundaries and material quality. LLNL ISS Payload Project Advising and engineering a CAL printer for ISS that will focus on bioprinting of cartilage organ samples. Defining systems requirements using lessons learned from suborbital flights and future suborbital flights.

Completed Berkeley Skydeck Pad-13, Gener8tor Gbeta, and MadWorks, accelerators that were core to developing both the company and personal entrepreneurial skills. Won UW-Madison's largest student business competition, helping us to advance the company, and drive innovation. Designed, and developed multiple VR lab simulations in C# for clients and educational institutions, have made company revenue positive.

2Twenty5 Solutions is centered at applying advanced engineering and prototyping concepts where companies cannot, in order to improve effiency, quality, and overall functionality. Utilizing such means as generative design, topology optimization and additive manufacturing we help to bring your ideas to advanced technologies. Experimental concepts are nothing new to us, we are experts in applying concepts such as AR/VR to everyday engineering, from UW-Madison to NASA. From FEA analysis to 3D scanning we make sure that our products and services are always meeting the highest standards.

Created programs and classes to utilize the space including a high level additive manufacturing class, a VR programming class and a campus wide Makeathon. Co-Founded original infrastructure and workspace, the space is now used by over 1000 students each semester. Created an advanced monitoring system for inventory and heavy backend management for the space in PHP and HTML. Designed and developed 3D printer control software in PHP, HTML and Python. Software enabled managers to remotely monitor and control 3D printers. Throughout my time at the space I have assisted on projects such as scanning a human brain for deformities, embedding electronics into 3D printing, and a VR stethoscope for surgery. I have also helped create two classes that utilize the space, the first was a virtual reality class and the second was an advanced additive manufacturing class.

Analyzed major subsections of the International Space Station such as GN&C and Robotics for 3D printing capability, creating a large catalog of parts to additive manufacture and compare against. Led NASA Apollo 50th outreach project. Designed and executed a Mars Virtual Reality experience with a team of experienced developers and architects. The Project was shown to more than 1000 people at the NASA 50th anniversary event in Washington DC.

Created design review program of NASA Lynx telescope in VR using Unity, C# and networking software.

Developing bridge program between UW-Madison College of Engineering and Guatemala. Led a new sustainable stove project, with help from MIT and Inactus.

Developed a VR application to review ECLSS hardware in C#. Software allowed for cheaper and faster human factors testing. Fabricated multiple parts via rapid prototyping for flight hardware simulation for over 50 different groups. Selected for the prestigious NASA Academy program, collaborated with well known field experts from the space industry. Worked 70+ hours a week to ensure the success of projects and met with various NASA leaders from around the country.

Developed IOT infrastructure for industrial applications, via hardware, backend and frontend development. Hardware development involved creating a microcontroller sensor package that could be installed easily. Backend software involved PHP, Linux and Bash. Frontend was CSS and HTML. In the end a successful package was tested that monitored large scale CNC machine autonomously.