Meet Jacobs’ Spring 2026 Innovation Catalysts

Announcing the Spring 2026 Innovation Catalyst grant recipients!

We are proud to introduce our Spring 2026 Innovation Catalyst grantees! Chosen for their creative intelligence and visionary potential, these students are currently leveraging specialized sponsorship and mentorship from Staff and Design Specialists to bring their projects to life.

The Spring 2026 Cohort features 11 projects and 31 students, with six teams awarded the Ignite grant ($2000) for more advanced projects, and five teams receiving the Spark grant ($500) for early stage project concepts. This semester’s participants include students from undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs.

Throughout this semester, Innovation Catalyst grant recipients have been working hard on their projects with funding from our program and guiding advice from Jacobs Hall Makerspace Design Specialists. Our Innovation Catalyst Program grants each student a Maker Pass to utilize any resources and machines within our Makerspace, including mentorship from our Student Advisory Board, Jacobs Technical Staff, Design Fellows, and other experts.

Winners of the Ignite and Spark Grants will showcase their projects and accomplishments during the Spring Jacobs Design Showcase from Wednesday through Friday on May 6-8.

RSVP Here

Meet the Spring 2026 Catalysts!

 

Ignite Grant

Reflective Resistance: Physicalizing the Environmental Impacts of AI
Nicole Goridkov (PhD Mechanical Engineering, 2026), Allison Yuh (B.S Mechanical Engineering, 2027)

This project investigates how introducing physical friction and counter-functionality into Generative AI interactions can prompt reflection on the environmental costs of AI models. We look to build a variable-force keyboard that increases typing resistance based on token usage, translating abstract computational consumption into a tangible, embodied experience. Through a controlled user study, we aim to measure how this prototype influences user behavior, perceived value, and attitudes toward digital sustainability.

Rocket Drone
Topias Rajamaki (Materials Science and Engineering, 2029), Svanik Garg (Aerospace Engineering, 2028), Paul Liu (Aerospace Engineering, 2028)

This project introduces a hybrid rocket–quadcopter system that merges the speed and ascent capability of a rocket with the precision and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) control of a drone. By transitioning mid-air from a rocket configuration to a quadcopter, the system enables controlled descent, hovering, and vertical landing. This capability benefits humanitarian logistics by enabling precise, reusable operations in remote or underserved environments where fixed-wing UAVs or ground infrastructure are impractical and time-critical delivery of supplies can be life-saving.

ROBLES
Eilyn Garcia (Mechanical Engineering, 2027), Darius Nguepi (Mechanical Engineering, 2026) Robert Gao (Mechanical Engineering And EECS, 2028), Ali Karim (Mechanical Engineering, 2027), Minseo Park (Mechanical Engineering, 2028)

ROBLES is an in-progress, EMG-controlled assistive robotic arm developed by a multidisciplinary UC Berkeley student team to enable intuitive, muscle-based control for users with limited upper-limb mobility. Ignite funding will support fabrication, system integration, and testing using Jacobs Institute makerspace resources, advancing the project toward a functional, low-cost prototype suitable for real-world use.

Agrobot
Joon Choi (Environmental Engineering Science, 2029), Majid Rebouh (Genetics and Plant Biology), Marcus Hallman (Mechanical Engineering, 2029), Michael Camara (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2026), Liam Johnson (Mechanical Engineering, 2027)

Our autonomous spherical robot intends to address the equity gap in the agricultural sector by making accessibility testing easy, cheap, and real-time in order to increase ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance in traditional agricultural spaces that implicitly exclude physically disabled people. The robot could also act as an assistive mobility companion that autonomously accompanies a person with ADA accessibility needs through these environments. By lowering the burden of ADA compliance, we hope all people feel compelled, rather than dicouraged, to visit and participate in these spaces.

Soft-Rigid Hybrid Robotic Hands with Jamming-Based Tunable-Stiffness Joints
Yuna Yoo (Mechanical Engineering PhD, 2028), Ryan Kuo (Material Science and Engineering and EECS, 2026), Ava Grochowski (Mechanical Engineering BS, 2028), Niyah Marie St. Onge (Environmental Engineering Science BS, 2028), Sunga Kim (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science BS, 2028)

This project focuses on developing a hybrid robotic hand that combines soft joints with rigid structures to achieve adjustable stiffness during grasping. By using a simple jamming mechanism at each joint, the fingers can gently adapt to an object and then become stiff to hold it securely. This approach enables reliable manipulation of a wide range of objects, from fragile items to heavy loads.

GlaucoGlasses
Soham Chakraborty (Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.)–Bioengineering & Business, 2029), Neil Goradia (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, 2029)

GlaucoGlasses is the world’s first ultrasound-integrated smart glasses that continuously measure eye pressure in glaucoma patients with 92% accuracy, at 95% lower cost than existing diagnostics. Embedded sensors analyze small corneal responses to acoustic waves and use proprietary ML models to diagnose eye pressure. Real-time data is uploaded to the cloud for remote physician monitoring, and when excessive pressure is detected, patients receive an instant phone alert prompting timely eye-drop treatment, averting vision loss.

 

Spark Grant

YXiZ: NeRF-Assisted and Deep Learning-Driven Spatial Inference for At-Home Scoliosis Detection
Yvette Chen (Computer Science)

YXiZ is an at-home scoliosis screening pipeline that reconstructs upper-body geometry from smartphone videos using NeRF-based computational imaging and deep-learning key-point inference. The system pairs lightweight hardware aids with a user-friendly capture workflow to provide continuous, radiation-free insight into spinal curvature outside clinical settings. By integrating emerging imaging techniques with inclusive, human-centered design, the project expands access to early detection for communities underserved by traditional healthcare infrastructure.

Smart Brace
Angela Qian (Mechanical Engineering, 2029)

This project explores the development of a performance-focused, lightweight smart knee brace that proactively supports knee motion during high-risk sports activities like landing. An alternative to passive compression braces, the brace uses embedded sensing and McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles to guide the knee away from compromised positions before injury occurs.

PiTalk: A Privacy-First, Open-Source Voice Assistant
Bhavya Mamnani (Mechanical Engineering, 2028), Diya Girish Kumar (EECS & Business, 2028), Aparna Bhaskar (EECS, 2028)

PiTalk is a privacy-first, open-source voice assistant that processes user data locally on a Raspberry Pi, eliminating the privacy risks of cloud-based platforms like Alexa. Designed for education and personal use, its modular architecture and dyslexia-friendly interface democratize access to ethical AI. The project combines hardware innovation (custom PCBs, laser-cut enclosures) with scalable software (TensorFlow Lite, ElevenLabs API) to create a transparent alternative for privacy-conscious users.

Exploration Of Low Cost Nanofabrication
Cole Dunn (Engineering Physics, 26)

Developing a low cost nanofabrication system for sub micron positioning and laser lithography. We intend to use this a platform to decrease the barrier of entry to education and experience of micor/nano fab technology.

O-FLOW: Developing The World’s Slowest Wind Tunnel
Jordan Kam (Aerospace Engineering, 2026), Taylor Waddell (Mechanical Engineering PhD, 2026), Noah Nizamin (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2028)

This project is to develop a testbed for creating the worlds slowest wind tunnel. In space, micrometeoroids sometimes hit the International Space Station and oxygen leaks out of the habitat. This wind tunnel would allow us to simulate the leaks from these meteors on Earth, to test new sensing strategies for NASA.