This repository houses the Arduino program designed to collect and store data for our NASA Tech Rise Surface Catheter experiment.
NASA Tech Rise was a student challenge ranging from 6th-12th grade where participating teams could submit an experiment proposal to be carried out in space on a Blue Origin Rocket or Weather Ballon.
Our team submitted a proposal for a Surface Catheter that could aid in zero gravity surgery. Unlike in Earth's gravity, during surgery in space, blood would begin to pool and float around outside of the incision site. Not only could floating blood pose problems for a surgeon operating on a patient if their view of the incision site is obstructed by blood. But the surgeon may also risk contamination of their environment if blood is allowed to free float around the cabin. To combat this, we proposed a vacuum-like device that could suck up floating blood during surgery. This idea was concieved by Ryan Teachman while working with MUSC researcher Dr. Donna Roberts.
Starting the project we had a very tight time constraint of four months before the experiment had to be shipped to NASA. To meet this time constraint we utilized the Engineering Design Process, Constant Testing, and Rapid Prototyping. We also broke up our group into sub-teams, each focused on a different portion of the experiment. Ryan Teachman led the physical product design, funds management, and commincation with NASA; while Alex Korte led the software and electrical teams. Both project leaders worked on systems management. Each sub-team was given certain constraints so that the integration of parts during the final assembly would be seamless. This destructured aspect allowed each team to efficiently design, develop, and test their parts without being bottlenecked by other teams' progress on their designs.
Above is a rendering of the final experiment payload that will be launched on the Blue Origin rocket in early 2023!
Above are some photos of the custom circuit board designed by Alex Korte to control the experiment and collect data during the mission.
Above is a rendering of the Expulsion System that simulates realistic bloodloss in space. The system uses magnets to put constant pressure on a fluid released during the experiment through an electrically triggered solenoid valve.
https://festorage.blob.core.windows.net/nasatechrise/files/nasatechrise-intropdf-6699bc05.pdf
Clemson 2026 Alex Korte is currently a student at Clemson University studying Computer Science. While attending Wando High, he led the school's coding team and ran XC and Track. Although joining the team as a regular member, Alex's knowledge of programming and circuitry quickly put him in the spot light. Soon becoming a Team Lead, Alex was in charge of producing all the code behind the project as well fabricating and implementing a printed circuit with a microcontroller. Alex has undertaken other software ventures in his free time, including AI projects such as a Wordscapes Bot and a computer vision based GeoGuesser AI. He is involed with cutting edge Physics Based Computer Vision research at Clemson and is currently interested in rockets, business, and AI.
Duke 2026 Ryan Teachman is currently a student at Duke university studying Electrical and Computer Engineering as well as Computer Science. While attending Wando High, he participated in NASA's NASA WEAR design competition (2019-2020) and ran XC and Track. Through his collaboration with Dr. Donna Roberts, Ryan found the TechRise competition and assembled a team through his high school. Working as a Team Lead and Lead Designer, Ryan was in charge of Product Management. He managed funds, led communication with NASA scientists, and was responsible for most of the systems design and part modeling. He is currently interested in robotic, business, and entrepreneurship.