Medtronic

Title: R&D Hardware Intern

Group: Surgical Robotics Operating Unit

Dates: June-August 2026

Skills: Creo, rapid prototyping, computer-aided design, presenting, teamwork, collaboration, cross-functional communication

I interned at the Medtronic Boston office after my freshman year at Tufts designing and prototyping components for Hugo. Hugo is a modular robotic-assisted surgery system designed to expand the scope of minimally invasive procedures, increase efficiency, and improve patient outcomes.

Some project details have been excluded from this page because of Intellectual Property Protections.

Hugo Fulcrum Button

My first project was creating a button prototype for a user-study tp determine a good spot and shape for Hugo's Remote Center of Motion (RCM) button. It had two buttons on each side under a 3D-printed cap, and I designed a simple circuit that required at least one button on each side must be pressed for the robot arm to move.

Button design iteration track. I ended up 3D printing it 11 times!

Button attached to the Hugo z-slide for testing

Hugo Z-Slide Test Fixture

My second project was to design and build a test fixture for the Hugo z-slide that would hold it at a range of fixed angles: 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees.

It allows for gravity compensation testing for the robotic arm.

In addition, I took on a stretch task for this project because I finished my CAD assembly and build early. I researched and ordered the IMU and connected it up with an Arduino.

IMU soldered to a protoboard and connected to the Arduino

Fully assembled z-slide test rig with mounted electronics

Z-slide holder fixed at 30 degrees with a pin

Monitor Arm Research

Slide from the design review I held that shows the commerical arm options and how they align with our requirements

My biggest project this summer was conducting market research and interviewing stakeholders about weaknesses with the Hugo Tower's monitor and monitor arm. I was tasked with re-deriving our subsystem requirements and finding a monitor arm that meets them.

I found several that could work, and set up calls with the suppliers to discuss their design solutions in greater detail.

Finally, I worked with industrial design engineers to model and prototype handles for the monitor so that OR staff would be able to move it around easily.

Free demo arm Ergotron sent me!

The Hugo systems Tower

Hugo Z-Slide Cover

Another large project I worked on was creating a waterproof and cleanable cover for Hugo's z-slide.

I designed two versions of this cover in Creo and tested four configurations of possible seals that would allow the C-shaped carriage I created to slide back and forth without letting fluids inside.

Version 1's CAD file

Version 1 with seals, carriage, and IDU assembled onto it in Creo

Version 2 added this hole pattern to mount to a robotic arm

Version 2 with the z-slide inside of it

WISE Intern Program Highlights

The WISE internship program is meant to give young women in their early careers an opportunity to do real work in industry and gain professional skills. There were 10 WISE interns in the boston office with me and we all became great friends over to course of our internship; I hope to stay in touch with them.

I learned so much during my time at Medtronic and I am excited to take this knowledge back to my college education and future career opportunities.

My cohort during a field trip to the North Haven, CT Medtronic office

Us outside a clean room on a manufacturing floor (North Haven)

Medtronic's Project 6 initiative took us to the Greater Boston Food bank to volunteer, packaging meals for families!

Me organizing some grocery bags at the food bank with my friends

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