Juan C. Beaver

Firmware & Embedded Engineer

Embedded engineer focused on sensing, motion control, and instrumentation. I lead concept-to-validation test setups — fixtures, automation, data — building MCU firmware, DAQ chains, PCB interface boards, and Python automation/GUI tools.

Dallas, TX (469) 878-7612 [email protected] U.S. citizen

#Skills

Programming

C/C++PythonBash/shellMATLAB

Embedded

DriversInterrupts/timersADC/DSPPID controlI2C/SPI/UART

MCUs

ESP32STM32SAMD51RP2040

Test & Debug

OscilloscopesLogic analyzersTest setup designDUT bring-up automationSafety interlocks

Hardware

KiCad PCB designTest interfacesAnalog front-endLi-ion / DC-DC power

ML / AI

PyTorchNumPyPandasscikit-learnCNNsCUDA

Coursework

Digital Design (Verilog)Computer ArchitectureSignals & SystemsEmbedded Systems

Languages

Spanish (Professional)English (Native)

#Experience

Undergraduate Researcher & R&D Engineer

Cleveland, OH · Aug 2022 – Dec 2025
Case Western Reserve University

Tonometry / Poroelasticity Measurement Device

Aug 2024 – Dec 2025
  • Built a proof-of-concept instrument to characterize poroelastic properties of limbs for lymphedema/edema monitoring.
  • Designed a custom LVDT read-out board in KiCad (ADC + microcontroller + analog filtering) achieving sub-micron displacement with < 5 µV RMS noise at 300 Hz sampling.
  • Wrote MCU + Python/GUI software for acquisition, filtering, logging, and closed-loop motion control (E-stop/homing); PID-tuned DC motor control for low-disturbance weight placement.

Morphometric Limb Scanning Device

Dec 2024 – Jun 2025
  • Built a motorized capture rig (ESP32 + stepper driver) with Fusion 360/Onshape mounts, Li-ion DC/DC power, and bench-tested calibration.
  • Implemented a structure-from-motion pipeline to reconstruct 3D arm meshes for at-home volumetric tracking.

3D Printed Fingertip Haptic Device

Aug 2023 – Jan 2024
  • Integrated OpenHaptics and CHAI3D to build a virtual environment with tuned force-feedback control, using serial communication with a microcontroller-based manipulator.

Vision-Based Surgical Force Estimation

Aug 2022 – May 2023
  • Built a CNN-based vision model to detect manipulator–skin contact for minimally invasive telesurgery; co-authored a publication in the Journal of Medical Robotics Research (2024).
  • Curated and optimized a 200,000+ image dataset; built an Amazon Mechanical Turk GUI for ground-truth labeling.

Future Ready Engineer Facilitator

Remote · Jun 2023 – Aug 2023
Raytheon Technologies
  • Collaborated with aspiring engineers and industry professionals to create and maintain a dynamic learning environment, refining program content and driving active participation.

Team Lead

Cleveland, OH · Aug 2022 – Aug 2023
Design For America
  • Led a 5–7 person team delivering accessible play devices for children with cerebral palsy; guided design and fabrication.
  • Built an adaptive RC controller — microcontroller drives OEM board inputs, up to four 3.5 mm switches, USB-powered, 3D-printed enclosure.
  • Worked with United Cerebral Palsy to test with kids; deployed 3 controllers over one semester.

#Projects

Mechanical Toolchanger 3D Printer

Aug 2025 – Dec 2025

Dual-toolhead/toolchanger stack running Klipper on an STM32H723. Custom macros for tool select, safe homing, and BLTouch bed routines; TMC5160 drivers tuned over SPI with log-driven motion diagnostics.

KlipperSTM32TMC5160
View on GitHub ↗

VibeCane

Dec 2024

Haptic navigation cane for visually impaired users. Ultrasonic arrays detect obstacles in a 170° cone and drop-offs below the tip, mapped to haptic motors on the handle and a wearable bracelet.

RP2040UltrasonicsHaptics
View on GitHub ↗

3D Arm Scanning

Dec 2024 – Jun 2025

Motorized photogrammetry rig (ESP32 + steppers) with an SfM pipeline that reconstructs 3D arm meshes from unconventionally captured images for at-home volumetric tracking.

ESP32SfMCAD
View on GitHub ↗

Tonometry Instrument

Aug 2024 – Dec 2025

Poroelasticity measurement device for lymphedema monitoring. Custom KiCad LVDT read-out board with sub-micron resolution and < 5 µV RMS noise; closed-loop motion control with Python GUI.

KiCadLVDTPID
View on GitHub ↗

Assistive RC Cars

Aug 2022 – Aug 2023

Adaptive RC controller for children with cerebral palsy: a microcontroller drives OEM board inputs from up to four 3.5 mm accessibility switches. Three controllers deployed with United Cerebral Palsy.

AccessibilityEmbedded3D printing
View on GitHub ↗

EnderFlex AI

Ongoing

AI-assisted 3D printing project — details coming soon.

ML3D printing
View on GitHub ↗

#Education

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH · Graduated Fall 2025

B.S. in Computer Engineering; Minor in Spanish

Publication

2024

Yang, S., Chua, Z., Golobish, K. R., Beaver, J. C., Le, M. H. H. (2024). Vision-Based Force Estimation for Minimally Invasive Telesurgery Through Contact Detection and Local Stiffness Models. Journal of Medical Robotics Research.