Electronics, Firmware, and Mechanical Development of Wireless Wearable Sensor Platform for At-home Monitoring
Sandya Subramanian, Professor
Computational Precision Health
Closed. This professor is continuing with Spring 2026 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Fall 2026.
Our lab develops novel clinical-grade wearable sensors for at-home monitoring of chronic disease. These sensors capture multiple physiological signals from the surface of the skin, which would open the door to at-home personalized medicine for many diseases, including long COVID, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, stroke recovery, and multiple sclerosis. The lab is actively collaborating with physician-researchers at UCSF to deploy these sensors in ongoing and upcoming clinical studies.
This URAP project focuses on the end-to-end development of wearable sensing systems, spanning mechanical design, electronics, and embedded firmware. The apprentice may specialize in one domain or work at the intersection of multiple areas (e.g., firmware–electronics co-design). Example starter tasks are listed below; future work will evolve based on project needs, user feedback, and student interests.
The position can involve a high degree of independence, and there will be opportunities to submit to larger conferences and present at internal and external venues. Success is defined broadly and includes system validation and work-in-progress milestones.
Role: Task:
(1) Troubleshooting current PCB Prototypes,
(2) Assist in developing future iterations of current PCB sensor,
(3) Design PCB to measure electrodermal activity,
(4) Experiment with PCB layout and form factor to accommodate evolving mechanical designs,
(5) Brainstorm and design wearable form factors to maximize usability, comfort, and skin adhesion,
(6) Design firmware and/or electronics to implement Real Time Clock onto sensor PCB,
(7) Develop firmware for next generation sensor,
Learning outcomes:
(1) Gain experience designing, implementing, and trouble shooting system-wide firmware for a real-world application,
(2) Gain experience in wearable sensor firmware, i.e.: SD-card logging, programming MCUs, implementing sensor peripherals, and BLE,
(3) Experience with cross-team and interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve target sensor functionality,
(4) Individual ownership of specific subpart of project with opportunities to submit to conference and present (depending on results),
(5) Learn and practice fabrication techniques, such as 3D printing with different materials and silicone molding,
(6) Engage with patients and physicians to iteratively improve sensor system
Qualifications: Required (At least one of the following):
(1) Strong interest in wearable sensor development in the firmware, electrical, or mechanical domain,
(2) Experience programming microcontrollers (MCUs) with sensor peripherals, or demonstrated readiness to work beyond Arduino IDE–level development,
(3) Experience working with development boards,
(4) Experience with 3D modeling and 3D printing,
(5) Strong collaborative work ethic and experience working in multidisciplinary teams to fulfill design requirements,
(6) PCB design and troubleshooting experience
Desirable but not essential:
(1) Experience working with wearables,
(2) Experience with low power, wireless, and/or sensor PCB design,
(3) Experience with the Nordic nRF MCU series,
(4) Experience with additional fabrication methods beyond 3D printing,
(5) Background knowledge on electrophysiology
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Mathematical and Physical Sciences Engineering, Design & Technologies Biological & Health Sciences