CubeSat Flood Detection – Teen Innovation

Summary of the Article:

This article details the work of young engineer,⁣ Merchant, and ⁤her⁤ project to develop a flood detection system for⁣ CubeSats (small satellites). Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

* The Project: Merchant developed a CNN model to detect flooding from space. She’s now working to ⁣transition it from a prototype to a ⁢functional product for deployment on CubeSats.
* Challenges & Solutions:

* Variable Conditions: The initial model struggled with detecting flooding in different environments. She improved it⁣ by training the algorithm to⁢ identify flooding based on pixel colors.
⁢ * Communication: Bluetooth, while functional in testing, is unsuitable for⁢ space communication. She proposed⁤ using SMA antennas and connectors ‍for reliable data⁣ transmission.
* Accenture Internship: Merchant secured an internship with Accenture, mentored by Chris Hudson (global⁢ technical lead in space cybersecurity), to help scale⁤ her project.
* ⁤ MIT Internship: She’s also an intern at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), led by⁣ Daniel Rus, focusing on cognitive cartography and using embedding models to help AI understand relationships between concepts.This internship is conducted ‍remotely from a lab at the University of Central Florida.
* Future Outlook: ⁣ Her payload is scheduled for launch early next year.
* IEEE’s Impact: Merchant emphasizes the importance of IEEE in her growth as a researcher,turning her passion for engineering into a reality.

In essence, the article highlights Merchant’s ‍impressive work, her proactive problem-solving skills, and her dedication to advancing space-based flood detection technology. It also showcases the valuable opportunities she’s⁣ receiving through internships at both Accenture and MIT.