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Purdue Capstone Team Builds Virtually Controlled Pneumatic Excavating Arm

By Jeff Clancy

The Team’s Objective

At Proportion-Air, we’re proud to support students pushing the limits of electro-pneumatic control. This year, a Purdue University capstone team developed a virtually controlled pneumatic excavator, allowing an operator to control digging movements through a VR headset.

By combining virtual reality with pneumatic actuation, the team created an intuitive human-machine interface where real-time motion is driven by precise pressure control—opening doors for safer and more efficient remote operation in industrial environments.

 

Meet the Team

 

Nathaniel Grimm – serves as the Electrical Design Lead, where he is responsible for all electrical systems development. A senior in Computer Engineering Technology, Nathaniel brings strong knowledge of embedded systems, circuit design, and hardware/software integration.

 

Vishali Kumaran – Budget Manager and FMEA Lead, managed costs and system reliability while contributing to software functionality. Her robotics internship experience and campus leadership helped strengthen both technical and team performance.

 

Destinee Simon – Assistant Project Manager and Mechanical Design Lead, handled CAD and designed custom sensor mounts. Her passion for design extends beyond the classroom through her work in Purdue’s Theme Park Engineering club.

 

 

Angel Torres – Project Manager, guided the team and focused on control system development. As a Mechanical Engineering Technology student, he contributed both technical expertise and creative problem-solving.

 

Justin Vasquez – Schedule and Testing Manager, oversaw timelines and system validation while helping develop communication between the operator and robot. A Robotics Engineering Technology senior, he played a key role in software integration.

 

Bret Weesner – Prototype Development and Manufacturing Process Manager, led prototype assembly and manufacturing strategy. A Mechanical Engineering Technology senior, he brought strong hands-on experience in mechanical design and pneumatics.

 

Looking Ahead

 

This incredible project highlights how Proportion-Air technology can integrate with emerging tools like VR to create innovative solutions. We’re excited to see where these talented engineers go next—and how they’ll continue shaping the future of automation.