Aidan Hallberg

Research Assistant, Continuum Robot Project – Toyota Research Institute of North America / University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI • May 2026 – Present

• Developed custom 6-DOF sensing and kinematic reconstruction operating at 115 Hz, with angular estimates within ±1° of visual tracking; patent in process after an invention disclosure submitted by Toyota.
• Designed a custom 38-component multi-board PCB, reducing packaging footprint by 10% while integrating the complete sensing system and improved pneumatic/electrical routing.
• Redesigned embedded C++ closed-loop control for pneumatic actuation, holding commanded angles within ±1° under load for Toyota motion-planning integration.

Undergraduate Researcher, U.S. Air Force-Sponsored Project – Smart Materials & Structures Design Lab – University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI • Dec 2025 – May 2026

• Designed and fabricated a reconfigurable morphing-wing test article with interchangeable ligature layouts and adjustable spring preload; named inventor on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 64/120,904.
• Developed a matrix-based analytical model predicting failure loads and moments for any ligature configuration and spring preload.
• Validated the model across four axial/torsional loading modes, correctly predicting free versus constrained motion and failure thresholds with 12% mean error; demonstrated ligature-driven twist morphing.

Engineering Intern – Tactix Mobility Solutions

Remote • Jun 2025 – Aug 2025

• Built a component traceability database and supplier-linked part callouts for 2025 RAM 3500 steering, suspension, and camera systems, supporting autonomy integration.

Patent in process · Toyota Research Institute of North America

Custom 6-DOF sensing and kinematic reconstruction for continuum robots, operating at 115 Hz with angular estimates within ±1° of visual tracking. Invention disclosure submitted by Toyota; patent process underway.

U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 64/120,904 · Smart Materials & Structures Design Lab – University of Michigan

Named inventor on a U.S. provisional patent covering a reconfigurable morphing-wing architecture with interchangeable ligature layouts and adjustable spring preload, developed under U.S. Air Force-sponsored research.