Thane Hunt

Thane Hunt

Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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About

I am a lifelong inventor of medical devices, robots, and 3D printers. I’ve done my share…

Activity

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Experience

  • Stealth Startup Graphic

    Stealth Startup

    Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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    Burlington, Massachusetts, United States

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    Somerville, MA

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    Holliston, MA

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    Worcester, MA

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    Worcester, MA

Education

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute Graphic

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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    Activities and Societies: Built physical prototypes of experimental robotic actuation systems in collaboration with several robotics engineering faculty members. Took many courses in science, mathematics, computer, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Participated in and later conducted my own research into novel robotic mechanisms. Participated in the Founding and later served as the Secretary for the CollabLab, a student-run lab dedicated to independent student inventions and engineering projects.

Publications

  • Hydro Muscle -a novel soft fluidic actuator

    2016 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)

    Abstract:
    Hydro Muscles are linear actuators resembling ordinary biological muscles in terms of active dynamic output, passive material properties and appearance. The passive and dynamic characteristics of the latex based Hydro Muscle are addressed. The control tests of modular muscles are presented together with a muscle model relating sensed quantities with net force. Hydro Muscles are discussed in the context of conventional actuators. The hypothesis that Hydro Muscles have greater…

    Abstract:
    Hydro Muscles are linear actuators resembling ordinary biological muscles in terms of active dynamic output, passive material properties and appearance. The passive and dynamic characteristics of the latex based Hydro Muscle are addressed. The control tests of modular muscles are presented together with a muscle model relating sensed quantities with net force. Hydro Muscles are discussed in the context of conventional actuators. The hypothesis that Hydro Muscles have greater efficiency than McKibben Muscles is experimentally verified. Hydro Muscle peak efficiency with (without) back flow consideration was 88% (27%). Possible uses of Hydro Muscles are illustrated by relevant robotics projects at WPI. It is proposed that Hydro Muscles can also be an excellent educational tool for moderate-budget robotics classrooms and labs; the muscles are inexpensive (in the order of standard latex tubes of comparable size), made of off-the-shelf elements in less than 10 minutes, easily customizable, lightweight, biologically inspired, efficient, compliant soft linear actuators that are adept for power-augmentation. Moreover, a single source can actuate many muscles by utilizing control of flow and/or pressure. Still further, these muscles can utilize ordinary tap water and successfully operate within a safe range of pressures not overly exceeding standard water household pressure of about 0.59 MPa (85 psi).

    Other authors
    See publication

  • A Pilot Study Assessing Ipsilateral vs. Contralateral Feedback in EMG-Force Models of the Wrist for Upper-Limb Prosthesis Control

    2015 IEEE Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology Symposium (SPMB), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

    Abstract:
    Many advanced EMG-based upper-limb prosthesis control methods require model training in which subjects produce supervised forces/movements. Since unilateral limb-absent subjects cannot produce forces/movements on their affected side, one technique (mirrored bi-lateral training) relates forces/motions produced on the sound side to EMG on the affected side. However, the efforts made by the phantom limb may not fully reflect those of the sound limb. To understand this issue, three…

    Abstract:
    Many advanced EMG-based upper-limb prosthesis control methods require model training in which subjects produce supervised forces/movements. Since unilateral limb-absent subjects cannot produce forces/movements on their affected side, one technique (mirrored bi-lateral training) relates forces/motions produced on the sound side to EMG on the affected side. However, the efforts made by the phantom limb may not fully reflect those of the sound limb. To understand this issue, three able-bodied subjects produced mirrored bi-lateral forces during constant-posture contraction at the wrist. EMG-force models were formed for 1- and 2-degree of freedom tasks and results compared to previous trials in which ipsilateral training had been conducted. We found that contralateral training generally, but not always, produced errors (in percent maximum voluntary contraction) that were 6-56% larger than those found from ipsilateral training. Our results suggest that a substantial portion-but not all-of the errors found in mirrored tasks may be due to contralateral tracking errors. Further study with a larger population is indicated.

    See publication

  • Linear One-to-Many (OTM) system: Many degrees of freedom independently actuated by one electric motor

    5th Annual IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Practical Robot Applications

    The One-To-Many (OTM) system is a novel concept for actuation and mechanical energy storage. The “One-To-Many” (OTM) concept allows a single electric motor to store energy in the form of elastic potential energy to drive multiple (e.g. hundred) motor units or independently controlled mechanical degrees of freedom. We utilize linear springs as elastic mediums for energy storage and bi-stable solenoid based clutches that require minimal energy to transition between states.

    See publication

Patents

  • Cooling System and Method For A Prosthetic Socket

    Issued US20220273488A1

    A prosthetic socket cooling system and method includes a thermally conductive heat spreader including a curved shaped portion configured to maximize contact with a residual limb of a user. A heat extraction subsystem is coupled through a wall of the prosthetic socket and to the thermally conductive heat spreader and is configured to maintain a desired temperature inside the prosthetic socket.

  • Prosthetic fingertips end effectors

    Issued EP3694448B1

    The present invention as defined in the claims provides a prosthetic finger having a fingertip terminal device to enable fine-motor grasping skills. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the prosthetic finger includes a main body and a terminal gripper at the distal end of the main body. The terminal gripper may have two or more jaws or tongs which can open and close relative to one another thereby accomplishing the gripping and releasing motion.

  • Biologically-inspired joints and systems and methods of use thereof

    Issued WO2017214259A1

    The present disclosure provides a biologically-inspired robotic device comprising: a first member; a second member pivotably connected to the first member; one or more actuators; and a coupler/decoupler mechanism (CDC) selectively coupling or decoupling of the one or more actuators to the second member, such that, when the one or more actuators are coupled to the second member, the one or more actuators act to pivot the second member relative to the first member.

  • Actuation systems and methods

    Filed US WO 2015006612 A1

    Actuation systems and methods are disclosed. Such systems may comprise a motor having a drive shaft, one or more modules coupled to the drive shaft, each module comprising one or more energy storage elements and one or more actuating members connecting the one or more energy storage elements to one or more degrees of freedom, which are configured to actuate in response to a discharge of energy from the one or more energy storage element, and a plurality of clutches associated with each module…

    Actuation systems and methods are disclosed. Such systems may comprise a motor having a drive shaft, one or more modules coupled to the drive shaft, each module comprising one or more energy storage elements and one or more actuating members connecting the one or more energy storage elements to one or more degrees of freedom, which are configured to actuate in response to a discharge of energy from the one or more energy storage element, and a plurality of clutches associated with each module to couple the energy storage element of the module to the drive shaft of the motor and to control an energy state of the energy storage element independent of energy storage elements of other modules.

Courses

  • 20th Century Physics

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  • Biomechanics and Robotics

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  • Differential Equations

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  • Economics

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  • Embedded Systems

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  • Independent Study Project - Robotics

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  • Intermediate Physics Mechanics I & II

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  • Introduction to Digital Circuit Design

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  • Kinematics

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  • Linear Algebra

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  • MIDI Control

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  • MIT OCW - Analysis and Design of Digital Control Systems

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  • MIT OCW - Design and Fabrication of Microelectromechanical Devices

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  • MIT OCW - Design of Electromechanical Robotic Systems

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  • MIT OCW - Design of Medical Devices and Implants

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  • MIT OCW - Engineering Risk-Benefit Analysis

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  • MIT OCW - Inventions and Patents

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  • MIT OCW - Machine Vision

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  • MIT OCW - Mechanics & Materials I

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  • MIT OCW - Mechanics & Materials II

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  • MIT OCW - Mechatronics

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  • MIT OCW - Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Biomechanics

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  • MIT OCW - Network and Computer Security

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  • MIT OCW - System Safety

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  • Object Oriented Programming

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  • Planning and Launching New Ventures - Economics

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  • Probability and Statistics

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  • Robotic Actuation

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  • Robotic Controls

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  • Robotic Path-Planning

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  • Robotic Sensing

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  • Software Engineering

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Projects

  • Development of a Bounding-Gait Quadruped Robot Utilizing Soft Artificial Muscles

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    Developed a new method for robotic quadruped locomotion using novel actuators to achieve a
    quasi-dynamic gait. Was responsible for mechanical design, testing, and project management. Demonstrated the robot's operation at the Vecna Sponsored robot race 2015 in Cambridge as well as the Cambridge Science Festival. Featured in Boston Globe and Reuters.

    See project

  • Development of a Mechanical Multiplexer (One-To-Many) for Robotic Applications

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    Popovic Labs, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
    Collaborated with three other students in a Physics and Robotics Laboratory on a novel robotic
    actuation system. Primary contributions were mechanical conceptualization and practical design,
    as well as the manufacturing and testing of the control system. I was the first author on the resulting IEEE Publication, "Linear One-to-Many (OTM) system".

    See project

  • Biomedical Neural Interface System Development

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    We aim to identify a robust physical and computational configurations for the electrical interface between living dissociated neuronal tissue and computer systems through the use of cortical neuronal tissue grown on a multi-electrode array.

    Other creators

Honors & Awards

  • Presented at AOPA World Congress

    AOPA World Congress 2017

    Presented at the "Prosthetic Management of the Lower Limb Amputee" paper session at the American Orthotic Prosthetic Association (AOPA) meeting in Las Vegas on the preliminary clinical results of the residual limb cooling device developed at LTI.

  • Featured in Boston Globe and New York Times

    WPI

    The robotic quadruped designed as my senior qualifying project gained attention from local and larger news outlets after its entry into the Vecna Robot Race in Cambridge, MA. We were featured in the WPI paper, Boston Globe, Reuters, New York Times, and several other news outlets.

  • Student Worker of the Year Award

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    I was nominated by my supervisor at the WPI IT Services department as student employee of the year. I accepted the award alongside several other nominees.

  • Student Worker of the Year Award

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    I was nominated by my supervisor at the WPI IT Services department as student employee of the year. I accepted the award alongside several other nominees.

  • TePRA 2013 (IEEE Conference)

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    I gave a talk at the IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Practical Robot Applications (TePRA) in Woburn, MA. I updated the academic research community on our progress with our new robotic actuation system.

  • ICRA 2012 (IEEE Conference) Workshop on Variable Stiffness Actuation

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    I traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to deliver a talk at ICRA 2012, the world's number one robotics conference. I presented our research into a novel actuation system.

  • Innovative Sensor Design

    Trinity College

    Innovative Sensor Design - At Trinity College Firefighting Robot Contest, April 2008

Languages

  • English

    Native or bilingual proficiency

Organizations

  • IEEE

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    - Present

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