I first heard about the biotech company Alexapath via it's partnered institution, the NYU Tandon Future Labs. Alexapath specializes in remotely controlled microscopes, coupled with AI to automatically detect diseases/parasites. I joined as a mechanical engineer with the goal of helping design part of the slide actuator mechanisms as well as the electrical housing, fitted around a Raspberry Pi.
This constituted my first internship, and with the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, most of it was conducted online, limiting the original goal of having me manufacture the required pieces. I therefore began a more design intensive role, focusing on further prototype stages.
Pivoting roles and the remote workplace was a challenge, but ultimately provided me opportunities to learn about rapid prototyping, and let me conduct more design intensive tasks.
