Christopher Robert Wagner

Education

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences, June 2006
Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Robotics, biomedical engineering emphases

S.M. in Engineering Sciences, June 2003
Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences
GPA: 3.60, control theory and human systems modeling coursework

University of California, Berkeley

B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, June 2000
High Honors
GPA: 3.866, Honors program emphasis in psychology

Experience

Revolute Biomedical, LLC, Concord, NH
Research Scientist and Co-Founder, 2009 to 2010
Authored research grants to NIH for 3D medical image processing techniques for orthopedic applications. Led software development project implementing wear patch analysis for orthopedic implants (in collaboration with the London Implant Retrieval Centre). Developed IntroSPECT SPECT/CT 3D visualization software using open source libraries GDCM and VTK (in collaboration with Dr.med. Michael Hirschmann, Kantonsspital Bruderholz).

The Acrobot Company Ltd., London, UK
Senior Mechatronics Engineer, 2008 to 2009
Led hardware development team for next-generation active constraint robot for orthopedic surgery. Designed specification, developed mechanical designs in Solidworks, designed electronic interfaces (PCB layout in KiCAD), wrote kinematics and calibration software.

Cybernet Systems Corporation, Ann Arbor, MI
Research Engineer, 2007
Authored research grants to DoD, NASA, NIH for robotic, medical, and machine vision applications. Managed engineering team on several Phase I and Phase II projects. Served as Principal Investigator to develop novel vibrotactile display technology for helicopter pilots (Tactile Situational Awareness System).

Intelligent Prosthetic Systems, Ann Arbor, MI
Research Engineer, Fall 2006
Co-authored research grants to NIH, NSF to use accelerometer-based inertial measurement units to track gait outside of a laboratory. Implemented low-cost, wide field-of-view virtual environment system using real-time lens distortion in OpenGL, standard LCD projector and curved screen.

Boston University Intelligent Mechatronics Laboratory, Boston, MA
Research Engineer, Summer 2006
Developed 3D stereo vision system to validate the configuration of a steerable surgical needle. Designed novel machine vision algorithm for automatic segmentation of 3D lines using dynamic contours (snakes).

Harvard University Biorobotics Laboratory, Cambridge, MA
Research Assistant, 2000-2006
Demonstrated benefits of force feedback in surgical robotics by constructing force reflecting telemanipulators, implementing haptic (sense of touch) interfaces, running human factors experiments. Developed force sensing grippers for minimally invasive surgical robots using shape deposition manufacturing (SDM). Developed robust tactile shape display using RC servomotors; supervised undergraduate students in optimal tactile display design research. Implemented haptic interface for atomic force microscope (10 million times force scaling).

Lockheed Martin Corporation, Advanced Software Technologies Lab, Sunnyvale, CA
Intern, Summer 2000
Created an augmented reality software (C++, OpenGL, VRML, ARToolkit) allowing multiple users to simultaneously update a three-dimensional terrain map using wireless PDAs.

UC Berkeley Robotics & Intelligent Machines Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
Research Assistant, 1999-2000
Designed FPGA circuit to simultaneously control 25 pneumatic valves at 300 Hz, implemented pneumatic low-pass filters for use with compliant (silicone rubber based) tactile display.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Berkeley, CA
1998-1999
Intern, Imaging & Distributed Computing Group - Tested efficacy of multicast network communications protocol by implementing distributed control of a microscope over the internet using Java (client-side) and C (server-side).
Student Programming Assistant, Center for X-Ray Optics - Implemented C++ objects, LabView UI that controlled the interface between a VXI crate and motors, stages, and slits to operate the X-Ray Microprobe Beamline at the Advanced Light Source.

Teaching Experience

Harvard University, Computer Science 141 (Digital Logic Design)
Teaching Fellow, Fall 2002
Oversaw two lab sessions, graded problem sets, designed test questions. Earned Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, nominated for the Joseph R. Levenson Memorial Teaching Prize.

University Of California, Berkeley Summer Sessions
Juggling Instructor, Summer 1998
Taught office of 20 to juggle 3 balls for advertising promotion. Designed class, wrote handouts.

Selected Awards and Honors

  • Finalist, Best Paper, Haptics Symposium, 2006
  • Finalist, Best Student Paper, World Haptics Symposium, 2005
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2001-2004
  • Harvard University Certificate Of Distinction in Teaching, 2002
  • George Epstein Scholarship (awarded by the Society of Plastics Engineers), 1999, 2000, 2001
  • University Of California Alumni Emerging Leadership Scholarship, 1999, 2000
  • Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Undergraduate Research Poster Contest Winner, 2000
  • Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Honor Degree Program Member, 1999-2000
  • Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Internship Program, 2000
  • Eta Kappa Nu (national electrical engineering honor society), 1999

Publications