Alex Popov design · robtic systems · programming

3/2 Engineering Physics and Computer Science student at the University of Redlands. My work sits at the intersection of experimental instrumentation, prototyping, system design, and software — CAD, analog signal conditioning, embedded firmware, and validation with bench instruments and field tests.

I’m motivated by R&D-style problems: defining measurable requirements, iterating on hardware and algorithms, and documenting results clearly. I also lead student teams (robotics, SEDS) where the goal is to ship defensible technology on a timeline.

View projects Résumé (PDF) LinkedIn GitHub
Portrait photo of Alex Popov

Research & projects

CAD render of a 3D printed doppler shift measuring device

Instantaneous Velocity Doppler Radar Device

Physics capstone · Instrumentation · Crank-Slider System

A stationary HB100 Microwave Sensor is mounted in front of an aluminum deflector that moves back and forth in a linear motion. The disk incorperates magnets and a stationary hall sensor beaneath it to be able to calculate RPM. As the deflector moves back and forth in front of the HB100 sensor, the emitted microwaves are stretched or compressed. An oscilloscope can display the instantaneous shifts in frequency (and therefore instantantanous velocity can be calculated) at specific crank angles.

  • Mechanism — 3D printed crank–slider (disk + rod) back-and-forth deflector motion
  • Deflector — Aluminum structure that moves back and forth in front of the HB100 sensor
  • RPM Calculation — magnets under disk; Hall + reference Hall for rotation phase
  • Data Collection — oscilloscope on HB100, Hall, and reference Hall; ESP32 RPM calculation

SolidWorks · HB100 · Hall effect · Crank–slider kinematics · Oscilloscope · ESP32

research & paper
Rover build session in a workshop

Multiterrain Aluminum Rover

SEDS Redlands · Systems integration

Structural rover: custom 5052 aluminum frame, jackshafts, drivetrain, and field-range telemetry. Led mechanical design and assembly plus electrical and communications.

  • Frame — 5052 structural aluminum and corner brackets
  • Drivetrain — 24 V motors (~24 N·m/mot) with custom jackshafts
  • Power — distribution, buck converters, motor drivers, and logic rails
  • Comms — telemetry range ~740 m (field tested)

CAD · Machining · Power distribution · Motor control · Telemetry

Mel spectrogram visualization from UrbanSoundAI

UrbanSoundAI (CNN & spectrogram generator)

Machine learning · Audio

Trained a CNN on UrbanSound8K to classify sound sources. Generates spectrograms from audio and runs inference end to end.

  • Data — UrbanSound8K
  • Pipeline — audio → spectrogram → CNN classification
  • Output — predicted class with confidence and spectrogram view

Python · CNN · Audio DSP · Spectrograms

github

Leadership

President, UoR Robotics & Drones

September 2025–Present

Focused on drones, applied CNNs, and student engineering projects. Past work includes FPV drones and AI smart cars with LiDAR and ROS object recognition.

  • Builds — drones, AI smart cars, perception systems
  • Support — funding and mentorship for student projects
  • Execution — roadmaps and steady weekly progress

President, SEDS Redlands

February 2024–Present

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space: rocketry, rover hardware, SpaceVision, and industry networking.

  • Programs — rocketry and rover development
  • Community — conferences and networking events
  • Mission — pathways into the space industry

Skills

Mechanical / CAD

SolidWorks, Onshape, AutoCAD, rotational mechanics, crank mechanisms, simulations, MATLAB.

Electronics

Circuit and PCB design, LTSpice, Altium Designer, bench instruments, soldering.

Software / AI

Python, deep learning (CNNs), DSP.

Leadership

Planning, communication, and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.

About

What I’m into

  • Instrumentation — reliable data from small signals
  • Robotics — mechanics, electronics, and field testing
  • AI — models with clear, quantitative outputs

What I bring

  • Ownership — CAD through firmware and software
  • Debugging — scope, meter, logs, iteration
  • Leadership — direction, unblocking, delivery

Contact