https://youtu.be/QPJpMdQR0MU
VANDERBILT COMPUTER ENGINEERING MAJOR MATTHEW RICHARDSON LOVES ROBOTICS.
“I kind of view this as my own robot in a way.”
THIS UNDERGRAD IS COMBINING COMPUTER ENGINEERING ON A 3-D PRINTER WITH THE COMPLEX BIO-ENGINEERING OF THE BODY.
TODAY HE’S BUILDING A VERSION OF ARTIFICIAL BLOOD VESSELS.
“The 3D printed structures will primarily be used for artery-type structures.”
RICHARDSON AND HIS LAB PARTNER QUINN MONK RECREAT MOUSE ARTERIES .
THE GOAL? TO HOPEFULLY BECOME A FIRST OPTION FOR RESEARCH– BEFORE USING MICE.
“It’s their project and I’ve been really impressed with them”
THEY’RE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR LEON BELLAN.
“it’s been absolutely fantastic. I mean the undergrads have been great.”
BELLAN HAD UNDERGRADS BUILD AND ADAPT THE 3-D PRINTER.
“Because they built it from scratch they know all the ins and outs of the printer and they know how to modify it.”
“We do a lot of the research ourselves, we guide the project, but he’s always there as a mentor.”
RICHARDSON STARTED IN BELLAN’S LAB AS A FRESHMAN—
“They recruited me with the 3D printer and I saw that and said I definitely want to work on those. the biology side with the cells, I’m learning about that.”
ULTIMATELY HIS HEART IS IN ROBOTICS.
“I think a lot of the things I’ve learned here will transfer over.”
NEXT STEPS?
“Probably something with autonomous vehicles.”
“There are things like autonomous tanks, I’m actually looking for an internship like that.”
A DREAM FOR THIS VANDERBILT STUDENT THAT NO DOUBT WILL BECOME REALITY.
FOR VUCAST, I’M AMY WOLF.