As a researcher in the MIT Sea Grant, I am currently working in a four-person team to develop the first ever handheld underwater high-speed camera capable of 1000 FPS at 4K resolution. At our current state, the insulated system must be tethered to a laptop, so I am leading the development of an embedded control system while aiding in the mechanical design and fabrication of parts needed to support this change.
Developing control functions within Python and C to adapt modules from the camera SDK to integrate with Raspberry Pi and custom physical controller in an isolated underwater environment. This process involves iterative testing and frequent communication with the camera company to tackle software and hardware bugs.
Working with the physical assembly, I iteratively design and enhance various electromechanical assemblies. Most commonly, my tasks involve disassembling the enclosed camera to solder new connections and pot electronics with silicone for waterproofing. I also designed and built a support rig with aluminum extrusions to hold the assembly underwater during testing.
After each change made to the software controls or physical assembly, we capture test shots to verify enhancements. During testing, I am responsible for setting up and controlling the software. This includes tasks such as setting parameters for acquisitions, triggering captures, managing downloads into an external hard drive, and documenting the process and results.Â