Grace Copplestone

About

I am an engineer from Bristol, UK. I've had opportunities to travel and work around the world including Hong Kong, Liberia, the USA and now the Netherlands.

I completed a Bachelors and Masters degree in Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Cambridge, UK where I researched sustainable supply networks. I have experience as a product manager at Hanson Robotics in Hong Kong, research scientist at the NASA Ames Research Center in California, USA and hands-on rapid prototyping and software engineer at the Center of Bits and Atoms at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. My work at MIT is documented here, my thesis work is documented here. I moved to the Netherlands in 2018 where I've spent 2 years at PHYSEE Technologies in Delft. I am currently working at Roetz Bikes as technical project manager of a new, circular e-bike. Ik spreek ook Nederlands.

I have enjoyed using a range of fabrication techniques including CNC milling, water jet cutting, laser cutting and 3D printing. I have combined this with developing software skills using Python, Javascript, Matlab, C++, HTML, CSS for a range of projects including feedback control, optimisation and web design.

This website is to keep track of things I've been making along the way.

Software projects

Web design

I learned the basics at Code First:Girls, since then I've built websites using HTML, CSS, Javascript, Ruby on Rails and Sinatra with version control through Github and Gitlab.

Pendulum balancing

I used feedback control to balance an inverted pendulum and applied Nelder Mead to search for more effective gains for the feedback system. Project used Javascript canvas and Smoothie charts for visualisation and Python for the search.

Airship optimization

Coauthored a paper with NASA colleague on multi-objective constrained optimization for lighter-than-air vehicle structures. Project used Python and SciPy.

Fabrication and control of gymnastics robot

The MIT Bio-Inspired Robotics class is led by Sangbae Kim. In this class I worked in a team build and control a robot to perform a forward flip.

Hardware projects

Origami lamp

I used a Zund to score and cut the waterbomb crease pattern into translucent Mylar sheet. After folding this form I used it as a mold within which to cast the base of the lamp.

Robotic assembly of structures

At NASA Ames Research Center I worked in a team to automate the assembly of digital materials using two 6-DOF robot arms and a 3-axis gantry. Coauthored the paper linked.

Standing desk

I recycled the box that a new machine had been delivered in by designing and milling a press fit standing desk.

Bikes

I've been learning how to build and maintain bikes and accessories. I made bags for a mountain biking touring trip and overhauled a 3 speed Phillips bicycle.

Feeds and Speeds calculator

As part of my work in the Fablab network I developed a Feed and Speeds calculator to make it easier for beginner Fablab users to determine settings for CNC milling.

Textiles

I've worked on variety of textiles based projects, most recently I experimented with screen printing on messenger bags and sewed myself a sequin jacket. Also worked on low cost composites for Fablabs.

How to Make (almost) Anything

This was the first class I took at MIT and is run by my advisor Neil Gershenfeld. It's an amazing class, you learn A LOT and I got to TA for the class in my second year.

Greetings cards

I've always got a lot of joy out of making cards for people. In 2019 and 2020 I've gotten back into it, launching 2 new lines of Copplestone Cards ©.