Student engineer · Class of 2028
I’m Ruben Thiagarajah. I connect mechanical design, electronics, and software—from final integration on a cryogenic vacuum chamber to a robot demonstrating prompt-based autonomy.
Selected work
My main project is the cryogenic vacuum chamber, followed by Omnirobot and earlier builds and flight experiments.
Ongoing school engineering project · Sophomore–junior years · 2025–Present
A cryogenic vacuum chamber for motor gearbox lubricant testing, now in final integration. I lead motor-power wiring integration and test sensor wiring while helping younger teammates install thermocouples.
Explore the projectFinal integration · Wiring & instrumentationPersonal robotics project · July–October 2026 · Ongoing
From a Wi-Fi-controlled chassis to a prompt-driven robot: custom mechanics, embedded sensing, and three generations of control software, now brought together in OmniController MK3.
Explore the projectFrom remote control to prompt-based autonomyPersonal design and fabrication · 2025
A six-degree-of-freedom arm built through repeated mechanical revisions, electronics experiments, and control development.
Explore the project
6 degrees of freedomOaks Christian · Introduction to Engineering · Freshman year · 2024–2025
A collaboration with Mason Morgan: a larger RC carrier releases my smaller, model-rocket-powered RC plane in flight.
Explore the project
Carrier release · Model rocket propulsionInside the build
Explore the door, wiring, and cooling circuit—and the work I contributed to each.
Original project photo / 01My contribution
I created the CAD for machining the door and also made the clear door. The first blank had air bubbles between two glued layers, creating a potential leak path when feedthrough bolt holes were drilled. A second iteration needed a machining-alignment correction.
I found the appropriate feedthrough connectors and helped install them onto the door, connecting the mechanical interface with the electrical system.
I helped finish wiring and labeling the 64 wires going to two feedthroughs. The photograph documents the wire routing during development.
These photographs show work in progress.
Original project photo / 02My contribution
The measurement-board wiring brings data to the ESP32. This was part of my work connecting the physical motor-test electronics with the controller.
I now lead motor-power wiring integration and test dozens of wires between current sensors outside the chamber and the motors inside. I also test and connect the ESP32 and thermocouple acquisition and SD logging hardware.
I help sophomores with soldering and installing thermocouples as we complete the final integration steps.
These photographs show work in progress.
Original project photo / 03My contribution
I handled the copper liquid-nitrogen tubing from the dewar through the chamber to vent, including connectors that allow sections to be connected and disconnected, with attention to tightening torque.
My plumbing work also included the low-temperature insulation around the tubing. The photograph shows the insulated sections during assembly.
I installed two hand-operated valves to help control nitrogen flow. Both blue valve handles are visible in this original project photograph.
These photographs show work in progress.
From the test bench
Complete recordings from the actual experiments. Watch here, then explore the project stories.
Carrier flight & drop test
Rocket design iteration
VEX IQ dispensing & mixing
My approach
The interesting part is working out why a design behaves differently than I expected.
Understand the task, the available hardware, and the constraints that shape the design.
Move from sketches and CAD to printed parts, circuits, and assembled prototypes.
Find out what the hardware actually does, and isolate the parts that need attention.
Use the result to make the next version more useful, while keeping track of what remains unresolved.
USC Discover Engineering · Summer 2026
From a balsa bridge and logic circuits to robots and rockets, the summer program gave me a chance to lead, build independently, and learn across engineering disciplines.
A little about me
I’m a junior at Oaks Christian School, exploring how mechanisms, electronics, and software fit together. My projects give me a way to develop those skills through real builds and their unexpected problems.
More about my background