Mechatronics Student Triathlete Bass Guitarist Fantasy Football Pro
More About Me
My name is Josh Harper, and I am a fourth-year Mechatronics Engineering student at the University of Waterloo.
I recently completed an 8-month internship at Inertia Product Development, where I contributed to the end-to-end
development of diverse products across multiple industries.
I am eager to see where my next opportunity will take me!
I first gained exposure to design and prototyping in my high school technological design course, where I designed parts on CAD software (Inventor, OnShape) and got access to 3D printers. For my final project I modelled a jet engine in OnShape!
The following shows my engineering journey. I have experience working in a wide range of industries from vehicle, to aerospace, to consumer electronics.
Jan 2024 - August 2024
Facilitated the development of medical & assistive products across different phases of the development life-cycle.
May 2023 - August 2023
Conceptual design, prototyping, and test validation engineering of mission-critical Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
Sept 2022 - Dec 2022
Contributed to the development of a hybrid rocket and supported advanced structural manufacturing and test systems.
May 2022 - August 2022
Designed electronics enclosures in SolidWorks for start-ups, focusing on integrating PCBs and optimizing for manufacturability.
Jan 2022 - April 2022
Designed critical OEM sheet metal parts and weldments for heavy machinery while applying DFM/A principles and GD&T.
May 2021 - August 2021
Designed & prototyped projects using rapid prototyping equipment. Optimized manufacturing production efforts with Excel, managing volume & deadlines.
Jan 2023 - Dec 2023
Lead the mechanical development of the Mars Rover, including project planning, mentoring students, and managing active projects.
Responsible for engineering of the rocker-bogie drivetrain, new with carbon fiber tubing
and a redesigned joint stack.
March 2022 - Dec 2022
Designed the rover's sheet metal electrical enclosure.
Designed 4-layer PCB to manage battery cell balancing.
Sept 2020 - April 2025 (expected)
"In the first program of its kind in Canada, you'll develop expertise in mechanical engineering, control engineering, electronics, and computer science, pulling together know-how from these different fields to develop sophisticated machines."
In my spare time I love tinkering on projects - from robots to circuit boards and everything in between! Click on the images below to see a brief summary of the project objective, and click "Details" for a detailed description of the design process!
Designed and CNC-machined a custom family crest shield using Mastercam, leveraging advanced 3D modeling and toolpath generation to achieve intricate detailing and precision craftsmanship.
Engineering a high-performance CO2-pressurized espresso machine, delivering barista-quality espresso with enhanced flavor extraction and customizable, consistent pressure control.
Developing an advanced indoor air quality sensor solution that monitors real-time particulate levels, CO2, and VOCs, providing comprehensive data for healthier living environments.
Redesigned the rover drivetrain joints, optimizing weight reduction and enhancing articulation efficiency through advanced kinematic analysis and material selection for improved maneuverability and mechanical performance.
Engineered a robust rover electronics enclosure with optimized thermal management, EMI shielding, and ingress protection, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environmental conditions while minimizing weight and maintaining structural integrity.
Designed a 4-degree-of-freedom robotic arm with optimized kinematic architecture and precision actuation for automating precise, repetitive tasks.
Developed a semi-autonomous quadcopter utilizing Arduino-based control, BLDC motors, and custom 3D-printed components, with a focus on optimizing flight dynamics and stabilization—despite technical challenges that led to project failure, providing critical insights for future improvements.
Developed an automated COPV winding tension detection system using Arduino, a calibrated load cell, and 3D-printed components, enabling real-time tension monitoring with precise data acquisition and analysis, visualized through Excel for enhanced process control.
Designed a smart water bottle equipped with IoT connectivity using an ESP32 microcontroller, enabling real-time hydration monitoring and data analytics through a dedicated mobile app, all housed in a 3D-printed enclosure.
Designed a 4-layer STM32-based battery management system PCB in Altium for a Mars Rover, featuring cell balancing, dual 7-segment displays for battery monitoring, a low battery buzzer, and integrated temperature sensing.
Redesigned the guard fender for an industrial harvesting head to enhance structural integrity, employing finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate material properties and optimize for stiffness, achieving a 53% reduction in deflection.
Waterloo, ON, Canada
joshuaharp9@gmail.com
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