Lead nautical design, systems engineering, and military applications architecture for autonomous marine platforms (USVs/UUVs). Operating in tight synergy with our Chief Scientist of Cognitive Systems, we collaborate across the technology stack. Having architected our initial computer vision and machine learning (CV/ML) framework, I actively drive its evolution while focusing my leadership on the ruggedized mechatronic foundation and tactical mission autonomy our cognitive systems require in austere environments.
- Platform Architecture: Direct the end-to-end design and build of our autonomous marine fleets, including the Blacktip biomimetic AUV, Argos expeditionary USV, and OneFish distributed sensing platforms.
- Military Applications & ISR: Lead the development of core autonomous execution, tactical payloads, and persistent distributed sensing capabilities tailored for defense and dual-use operations.
- Full-Stack Integration: Bridge mechanical engineering, custom low-level hardware/firmware, and COTS technology stacks to deliver high-reliability vehicles capable of hosting complex machine learning models.
- Cognitive Systems Evolution: Maintain a hands-on role in the growth of the CV/ML infrastructure I originally built, partnering with the cognitive team to ensure seamless integration between high-level AI and the physical autonomy stack.
- Operational Scaling: Scaled 1:Many fleet control by applying HCI research to minimize operator cognitive load, enabling a 4x increase in assets managed per supervisor during CV/ML-driven navigation.
- Executive Impact: Reduced autonomous platform unit costs by 93% (lowering production to $3.2k–$8k vs. legacy assets) and unlocked $4.8B in addressable markets by engineering virtual mooring architectures for persistent sensor deployment.
Directed multi-disciplinary engineering operations for an autonomous systems startup, overseeing four integrated teams across Mechanical, Electrical, Software, and Fabrication. Owned end-to-end technical roadmaps ranging from initial R&D and specialized sensor integration to industrialized manufacturing and modular payload architecture.
- Secured $35M in Strategic Funding: Orchestrated technical execution for military grants; owned the R&D lifecycle for computer vision-based mission modification, ML-driven GPS-denied navigation, and modular payload architectures.
- Accelerated Engineering Velocity by 56%: Compressed the airframe development lifecycle from 16 to 7 months by re-architecting the product roadmap to parallelize ME/EE/SW work streams and institutionalizing DFM/DFA protocols to reduce late-stage engineering changes.
- Industrialized Manufacturing: Transformed production from manual prototype assembly (2 units/month) to a standardized pipeline capable of delivering hundreds of units annually; eliminated manual bottlenecks through process automation and rigorous quality gates, achieving a 10x increase in operational capacity.
- Regulatory Governance & Risk Mitigation: Spearheaded the technical transition of mechatronic frameworks into NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) and Blue UAS compliance; established cross-functional engineering and security standards required to achieve federal platform certification across DIU Blue UAS and Green UAS clearinghouses.
Directed a hardware-engineering consultancy specializing in high-stakes R&D and rapid NPI. Selected program turnarounds and product launches across 10+ years of client engagements include:
- Unblocked $14.9M Series A Funding: Engaged for a compressed-schedule, critical-path recovery to resolve acoustic noise and vibration failures in flagship HMDs functioning as technical blockers to Series A closure. Led a rapid, three-month ME/SW/HW effort to redesign actuator systems and algorithms, neutralizing the primary barrier to capital acquisition and initial military contracts.
- Technical Crisis Management: Retained as an external expert to investigate systemic subcontractor delivery failures threatening a $150M investment. Uncovered fraud and falsification of BMS architecture readiness reports; directed a 4-month crash response program across cross-functional HW/SW teams to engineer missing mission-critical work products, satisfying technical due diligence while maintaining original shipping targets.
- Disrupted $5B–$7B Insurance Market: Architected a suite of off-grid IoT sensors to mitigate water damage in infrequently visited properties. Field trials projected $80M–$100M in partner savings, securing follow-on expansion to maritime assets, storage facilities, and remote infrastructure.
Directed systems architecture and cross-functional R&D for a first-generation autonomous sensing ecosystem designed for ranchland deployment. Spearheaded development of high-density sensor networks and mechatronic platforms supporting ML-driven precision agriculture and carbon sequestration modeling.
- Secured $12.5M in Seed Funding: Owned the R&D lifecycle for core technology and full-stack systems; led iterative hardware design cycles and field-failure analysis to ensure platform reliability in harsh, remote geographies.
- Engineered Precision Livestock Analytics: Developed instrumented feed stations for autonomous growth tracking and health monitoring, accelerating sickness detection by 3–5 days to mitigate $2B in annual industry losses. Achieved 10–15% sale weight increases—yielding up to $380k in revenue per 1,000 head.
- Unlocked $880M in Carbon Credit Assets: Invented a “livestock-as-a-platform” strategy using multi-sensor smart collars to bypass robotic mobility constraints; opened ~73M acres of previously unobservable land (9% of the US market) for carbon credit securitization.
Provided technical leadership in wearables and IoT during product scoping and definition alongside product planning teams. Spun up targeted rapid prototyping projects to resolve complex UI and design challenges, and served as research liaison bridging corporate R&D with consumer product groups.
Developed hardware incubation prototypes and rapid hardware capabilities for a major stealth initiative that subsequently became Microsoft's HoloLens / Holograms division.
Developed body-worn user interface devices within the Interaction Ecologies Group. Built Bluetooth-enabled rings and glasses for wearable sensing platforms, investigated novel eye-tracking methods for near-eye displays, and prototyped spatialized audio projection.
Co-founded a consumer desktop manufacturing startup developing domestic fabrication tools, including a desktop 3-axis CNC mill and an optical 3D scanner. Led electrical and mechanical engineering from design through functional bring-up.
Member of a concepting team developing technologies intended for production within an 18-month window. Engineered low-power camera focusing actuators, magnetic detent tracking for mouse wheels, and bistable mechanical lockouts.
Investigated mobile human-computer interaction across three primary research thrusts: quantitative modeling of the social consequences (social weight) of technology use; smart clothing architectures directly integrating sensors and buses into business apparel; and deployable ad-hoc interactive surface projection.
Executed embedded systems contracts including legacy system reverse-engineering, maintenance, and building sensor-instrumented juggling props capable of dynamic pattern recognition.
Founding member of the wireless consulting practice. Rapidly engineered functional demonstration prototypes of mobile and wireless applications to support major enterprise contract pursuits.
Corporate officer responsible for initial venture fundraising rounds and operations. Led hardware engineering for the company's core product: an Intel StrongARM single-board computer (SBC) designed as an ultra-compact personal server for wearable computing applications.