Hello!! I am Prasanna. I am motivated by interesting and complex problems, and am passionate about getting to the root of the problem and designing solutions for the real issue. I believe that a lot of times, people give good solutions to the wrong problems, while the real issue remains hidden under layers of clutter. When we can ask the right questions to uncover the real issue, great solutions follow.
I'm currently attending Illinois Institute of Technology for a Masters in Technological Entrepreneurship. Despite having a background in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, I wanted to switch my career path. I'm currently focused on pursuing opportunities in Product Marketing, Marketing Strategy and Market Research.
I'm an aspiring entrepreneur, and my long term goal is to have my own company.
I keep a updated LinkedIn profile. Feel free to add me as a contact or send me a message with any questions. My resume is also posted on LinkedIn.
My LinkedIn profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/deshpandepras
The goal of this project was first to theroretically design and then build an remote controlled airplane with high maneuverability in the form of roll rate. Historically, model airplanes follow general design guidlines, also referred to as 'Rules of Thumb.' The plane had to meet some functional requirements like weight and maximum length. We chose a parameter that fit within the functional requirements and then used the 'Rules of Thumb' to determine all the other design parameters. Then the design was optimized for our goal of high maneuverability.
Next, we analyzed various airfoils and corresponding wings to deterimine which airfoil would give us the best performance characteristics for our design. We selected an airfoil, and used the performance characteristics and the parameters designed with the Rules of Thumb to calculate the characteristics for the Wing and Plane, the Thrust characteristics, to determine the maximum speed and to do the stability analysis.
Once we had all the parameters for our design, we set about designing the actual plane in CAD softwares. We had to meet weight requirements, which meant we had to make a lightweight but sturdy design. Most of the designed parts were laser cut, then assembled. We decided to go with a mid-wing design rather than a traditional top wing for maneuverability purposes. The mid wing design meant additional challenges while assembly since the wing now had to be manufactured in two parts and then mounted on the fuselage.
Once the plane was assembled, it was wrapped in our team's colors and ready for testing. We ran some ground tests to make sure that the battery, servo's, the aileron and rudder were working as expected. Then we took the airplane to a field, to run test flights and gather test data. The test flights were successful, and the data was analyzed and compared to our initial predictions and calculations
The goal of the project was to conceptually design a blended wing body freighter aircraft.Current industry needs in the fast-growing airfreight sector were identified as an aircraft with a range of 10,000km, a revenue payload of 250,000km, and superior fuel efficiency compared to existing options. This was achieved with a blended-wing body design with fundamentally better weight and drag characteristics compared to traditional discrete fuselage and wing designs. A greater revenue payload compared to the Boeing 747 would also offer additional savings.
Weight estimation was initially made, resulting in a maximum take-off weight of 879,000lbs, of which 299,000lbs was fuel and 329,000 was structural mass. For this calculation a low structural factor of 0.375 was used, based on current research on BWB design. Wing loadings during different flight maneuvers were calculated, ranging from 66lb/ft^2 during landing to 259lb/ft^2 during acceleration, and appeared comparable to current aircraft. Similarly take-off and landing distances were found to be 5900ft for takeoff and 5600ft for landing. This showed considerable flexibility compared to the 747-8F's landing distance of 10,800ft and was credited to the improved aerodynamics of BWBs.
When designing the shape of the freighter, historical trends were unavailable, so research literature was the primary source of information, and resulted in a preliminary design with a planform area of 1,200m^2, a span of about 80m, an aspect ratio of 7-8, and CL,cruise of 0.44. In selecting the airfoils, cargo volume was considered, and relying on literature and stability requirements an S-shaped chambered airfoil (a scaled Liebeck LA2573A) was chosen for the center body and a supercritical airfoil (modified NASA SC(2)-0410) for the wings. 2-D characteristics were evaluated with XFLR5 simulations. Due to the limitations of the software, compressibility and viscous effects could not be modeled. Further simulations considering the performance of the entire 3D body were performed. Flaps and winglets were also incorporated. The final cruise results were Cd=0.029 and Cl=0.44,a maximum Cl=1.92, and an effective AR=7.30.
For the propulsive source, a literature investigation of distributed propulsion was taken, but found to be unsatisfactory compared to a conventional setup with fewer engines. After estimating a required thrust of 300,000lbs, it was decided that four existing Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines will be utilized. Currently in use on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, these engines represent the most efficient technology available nowadays. Composites where used whenever possible, along with titanium and aluminum. The breakdown of Boeing 787 was used as a reference. By weight, 50% are composites (carbon laminate, carbon sandwich, and fiberglass), 20% aluminum alloys, 15% titanium, and 15% steel and other. Furthermore, longitudinal and lateral stability was achieved, with moment coefficients for pitch = -0.456 (< 0), yaw = 0.0046 (> 0), and roll = -0.0046 (< 0). Literature investigation suggested a geometric dihedral angle of 1°-3°. For pitch stability, a negative average wing twist of 5° was found to be acceptable.
To experimentally test aerodynamic properties of the design, a 1:350 scale model was built and tested at Re ~ 45,000 for angles of attack from 0° to 18°. Significantly lower than expected lift and higher than expected drag values, attributed to flaws in the experimental setup rendered the tests unusable for refining the design. Investigations of cargo container’s configurations within the volume of the aircraft found that the usable volume of 55,223ft3 can accommodate 110 LD3 (industry standard) containers with a 20% factor of safety. This exceeded the 71 LD3 containers necessary to reach the maximum payload of 250,000lb. Further investigation would be needed to determine the most optimal configuration in terms of multiple container shapes.
Commercial viability was investigated, with an assumed production of 300 airplanes, leading to a total project’s R&D cost of $13.0 billion in 2013 dollars and a total profit of $8.6 billion. The first 200 units would cost $336 million and the subsequent 100 $271 million. All prices were calculated in 2013 dollars. Finally, the freighter easily outmatched the 747-8F’s (at $356.9 million) and the A380’s (at $403.9 million) unit costs.
The novel BWB design described in the current project met all requirements for a commercial long-range freighter aircraft and offered significant improvement over current freighter aircraft. By taking full advantage of the plane’s superior aerodynamic performance, improved and simplified structure with composite materials, and the latest engines available, a very fuel efficient design was achieved. In addition, its relatively low unit price, large cargo volume, and decreased length would make it very competitive in the current cargo aircrafts market. The design parameters are also very flexible and could be easily customized according to customers’ specific needs.
For this project, we were to build a sled to play in a dodgeball competition in a field with about 1 ft of snow. We were also limited to the materials we could use. We could only use cardboard, foamboard, glue and spraypaint. Some functional requirements were set that the design had to abide by. We wanted our design to be agile and maneuverable since it was a dodgeball competition. We brainstormed many designs, and then settled on a design that was fast, had a short turning radius, and was maneuverable.
We started to test the materials for their strenghts, to determine if our design could hold the required weight and last 10 rounds. We saw that the best way to get a strong carboard structure was through a circular cardboard tube. We got circular cardboard tubes to create a ladder like structure, that would support our sled. We used the foamboard to create the base on top of which the ladder structure would rest. The base was shaped in a way so that it rested flat against the ground but had a arc at the back, so that when picked up at an angle, the weight would be transferred through the circular structure to the ground to compress the snow beneath. We also added a gloss paper to the bottom of the sled, so it would slide more smoothly across the snow.
Our design was successful. On the day of the competition, the field was covered by 1 ft of snow. Many of the other designs used wheels, which got stuck in the snow. Our sled efficiently compressed the snow beneath, to move quickly and efficiently and move through the field with relative ease.
A ping pong ball launcher was to be built out of MDF wood in groups 3 for a design project for MMAE232. The ping pong ball launcher had to launch a water filled ping pong ball a minimum distance of 12m and a distance of 15m for extra credit. The ping pong ball launcher had to include a trigger mechanism that was controlled by a servo. ¼ inch acrylic rod was to be used as the pivot. The MATLAB code necessary to do the distance and force calculations on the five different types of launchers was provided by the instructor.
The MATLAB code provided by the instructor had five types of launchers to choose from.From these five, the trebuchet was chosen as the type of launcher that the team wanted to design. The MATLAB code was run multiple times to determine the dimensions of the trebuchet that would launch the ball for 15m while minimizing the force acting on the pivot and maximizing the launch window.
Autodesk Inventor 2014 was used to CAD the trebuchet design. The laser cutter in the Idea Shop was used to laser cut the parts of the prototype. The prototype was taken into testing. After a couple successful tests the long arm failed due to the excess bending moments acting on the long arm due to the trigger. The long arm was then fabricated from ¼ inch thick MDF instead of 1/8th inch thick MDF. This new long arm was heavier and required more energy to rotate. After a couple of other successful tests, the top part of the counter-weight failed since it was held up only by an acrylic rod. The failed counter-weight generated a need to design a new swing arm that could hold the counter-weight in a type of a bucket. The prototype was then tested again. The adjustable hook was fine-tuned until the ping pong ball launcher could consistently launch the water filled ping pong balls a distance of 15m.
The team had five tries to reach a distance of 12m and a distance of 15m for extra credit. The trebuchet launched the water filled ping pong ball more than 16 m on the first try.
A sustainable chair weighing less than 500g was to be built out of foam core board. The chair had to hold an 80kg weight and meet the functional requirements. Seat height in the range of 480mm-530mm, seat width in the range of 380mm-420mm, seat depth in the range of 380mm-420mm and backrest height in the range of 250mm-450mm were the function requirements for the project. In addition, no glue or fasteners could be used to build the chair. The chair had to be able to be disassembled.
Initially the group members came up with 6 basic designs to lay the foundations for the final design. The 6 design were evaluated using a Pugh Chart decision matrix and the best design was chosen to base further analysis. The final design for the prototype combined features from Design1 and Design 5. The first prototype was built and tested. It weighed at 495g. The prototype was able to hold a 60kg weight without failing. The prototype failed when subjected to a test load of 80kg. The prototype held still for the first 10 seconds but as weight was shifted back, the hind legs of the prototype started to buckle. The first prototype failed due to large stress concentrations that caused the hind legs to buckle. The stress analysis of the Autodesk assembly for the first prototype showed the stress concentrations on the back legs that caused the chair to fail. Another reason the first prototype failed was that there was no connecting rods that could keep the tension in the side supports
There were no major stress concentrations in the modified design and the decision was made to manufacture the second prototype. The second prototype weighed at 477g. An X- Acto knife was used to cut out unwanted material on the seat and backrest to reduce weight. These specific parts were not laser cut again to save foam core board. The second prototype was tested in the same way as the first one, first with a 60kg load and then with an 80kg load. The second prototype did not fail or buckle and was able to withstand the 80kg load while meeting all the functional requirements.
CHANGE is based on the idea that every little bit helps. Spare change, cent by cent, can build up and help transform the lives of many. CHANGE is a mobile app that allows you to register your card and gives you the option to round up your credit or debit card purchases so that your extra cents can find a greater purpose. When added up, spare change can make a huge difference.
I first started working on CHANGE at a hackathon in Chicago, IL. What started as a conversation between a few people, soon turned into a cool project for the purpose of the hackathon. We finished the first iteration of the idea at the Hackathon. It showed promise, so our team decided to pursue it further. Over, the next few weeks we worked on various iterations of business and revenue models, features to include on the mobile app, growth strategies, marketing strategies and technical issues.
Currently, we are ready to launch our landing page to guage user interest and acquisition. We have mock prototypes of the mobile app ready. We are in the process of researching credit card transactions and the technology involved to process them.
The CHANGE landing page can be visited at changebta.github.io
Last fall, I registered for an Urban Solutions Innovation class at the Illinois Insitute of Technology. I chose the 'Waste and Recycling' category of Urban problems to work under. Me and our new team, consisting of a Business major, a Biology major and a Computer Science major were tasked to design a Solution that takes a step in the direction of helping the urban 'Waste and Recycling' problem.
We started the process with secondary research about Waste and Recycling in general. After noticing some trends, we gained one valuable insight. Small businesses were underserved by government trash collection and recycling programs. The first iteration of the solution focused on a normal but cheaper trash collection and recyling system, that can compete with companies like Waste Management. But there was nothing there to distinguish us from the others.
We went back to our secondary research in order to gain more insights. We realized that restaurants in particular had a lot of recyclable trash as well as organic food waste. Our second iteration of the solution explored the principles of closed loop design. Once we had indentified restaurants as our target market, we went out to different restaurants to ask them questions and conduct primary research. We interviewed more than 15 restaurant owners and managers.
Trash to Tomatoes was born out of these interviews. Trash to Tomatoes is a closed loop trash collection system that not only collects the restaurants trash, but uses their organic trash for compost, in turn using the compost to grow organic tomatoes and eventually other vegetables to bring back to the restaurants.
We won the best project from our class. We also pitched our project at the Phoenix Pitch Competition organized by the Booth School of Business and the Chicago Innovation Exchange. We placed 3rd out of the 25 teams that participated. We also got very positive feedback from whoever we talked too. Part of the process was also attending various networking events to make connections in the field and we got a very positive response from everyone. However, one of the challenges based on our cost analysis, was that the capital investment needed to implement this service on the scale needed to make it profitable was too much. Hence, for now, the implementation of the service is on hold.
RECOVER is a project that was born out of Trash to Tomatoes. Once we realized that Trash to Tomatoes would take a huge capital investment, we decided to divert our attention back to research, to find other ways to help the enviornment and start a small business that could be scalable that would eventually allow us to implement projects like Trash to Tomatoes.
It wasn't long until we came across the Keurig cups, also known as the K-cups. Most offices use Keurig machines for coffee and consume a lot of K-cups. All the K-cups end up in land fills since the K-cup as a whole is not recylable. Doing some further research, we found that the plastic used for the Keurig cups is recylable at some facilities, however they are not recyled because the cups can't be thrown into ordinary recycling containers. The recycling centers would not go through the trouble of separating the coffee, the filter and foil from the cups, just to get to the plastic.
That's where our team saw an opportunity. We designed a service that would place buckets right next to the Keurig machines in offices to collect all the used K-cups. We would then take apart the K-cups, separting the coffee and filters from the cup. The plastic would then be taken to a recycling facility that can recycle this type of plastic, while the coffee grounds would be given to urban farms to aid with worm composting. This service would be provided to the offices for free, so we would have a low barrier of entry to office spaces.
If our service is used by a lot of offices, a significant part of revenue could come from sponsorship by companies who care about their sustainibility image. After discussing sponsorship with the marketing team of a software company downtown, they were willing to pay about $50/month per office to have their logo on our buckets. We are also exploring more revenue streams. There is also a chance that Keurig Green Mountain, the company who makes the Keurig machines and cups, sponsor us themselves if we have enough traction.
Currently we have 6 office spaces who have subscribed to us in a period of 2 weeks, and we are looking to expand, to grow our platform and start making revenue through sponsorship.
This project started as a study of Activated Enviornments for an Innovation and New Ventures class at IIT. We conducted a lot of research on Avtivated Enviornments, and how it affected the space. Through research, we came across a valuable insight. That normal grocery store enviornments have remained the same through the years, and we saw an opportunity there.
Next, we conducted research on grocery stores and people's shopping habits. We interviewed indivuduals who go grocery shopping regularly and also went on shop alongs to determine the frustrations people associate with grocery shopping. The one thing we found was that most shoppers bought the same things over and over again. They knew certain recipes to cook, and they always bought the ingridents needed to make these recipes. They were stuck in a food rut where they ate in a same routine for months.
Once we noticed this problem, we went back to the drawing board and brainstormed ways to activate the grocery store enviornment that would solve this problem. Some of our ideas included a suggestion screen on each shopping cart, and recipe and suggestion tablets placed conviniently across a store. After a lot of brainstorming and iteration, we decided that a mobile app that can use a geo-tagging in store system to offer suggestions, promotions and reminders as our solution.
The user would be able to browse recipes and promotions before going to a grocery store and save their favorite ones that they might buy. Once the user is at the store, they could choose to enable the app. The app would recieve information from sensors placed across aisles, so if the user is near the bread aisle and they have bread as one of the ingridients in the recipe, the app will alert them to buy bread. Moreover, as the user passes along the store, the store can use the same sensors to make them aware of any promotions or deals that are being offered on products in that aisle. Once the app has a buying history for the user, it would also be able to make personalized suggestions of products or recipes that the user can buy based on their location in the store.
After the ideation phase where we established what our product would be and discussed the business and revenue models, we started making prototypes of the app. We first made paper prototypes and then used Photoshop and Illustrator to design the app interfaces as a prototype.
Address: 3540 S State St Apt.302, Chicago, IL 60609
Email: pdeshpa5@hawk.iit.edu| Tel: 312-927-4219
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/deshpandepras