Devon Merrill
Hi! I'm an Associate Professor of the Computer Technology Department at Allegany College of Maryland. I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of California, San Diego in 2021 where I also completed my MS and BS degrees. While at UC San Diego, I was a member of the Non-Volatile Systems Laboratory (NVSL).
My research interests include embedded system design, computational design, design automation, engineering education, and computer science education. In 2019, I was awarded the Doctoral Achievement in Teaching Award by the Computer Science and Engineering Department, UC San Diego.
Contact: devon at devonmerrill dot com
CV | GitHub | LinkedIn | Google Scholar
Projects
Wearlight is both a wearable video display and wearable pixel art. Wearlight is constructed of several different textile layers and incorporates 96 embedded, fully programmable LEDs to create a dazzling video display. All lights and electronic connections are completely hidden within the vest's lining. A single battery pack is located in an internal pocket and powers the vest for hours of brilliant display. More
Gadgetron Robot Factory
The Gadgetron Robot Factory allows students with no experience to design, build, and program their first custom robot in a few hours. Used in CSE 91/42 at UC San Diego.
The Robot Factory has been used over several years to make over a hundred student robots! We are constantly improving the Robot Factory. The goal for next year is to bring the Robot Factory into the third dimension with automatically generated 3D printed robot shells. PDF
Echidna
Echidna is a mixed-domain computational design system. Custom mechatronic devices offer personalized functionality, but also come with many non-functional requirements that are unfamiliar to those inexperienced with electronics. Echidna is the toolchain that enables inexperienced makers who do not possess a broad set of technical skills to create custom mechatronic devices. PDF | SCF2019
Light Dance is a neuroscience-inspired dress. It features pulsing that moves as you move. Light Dance responds to the wearer’s movements with internal lights that brighten and quicken when she walks and dim when she is still.
The electronics in the garment were designed using UC San Diego Gadgetron software. This garment was shown at the Salk Women and Science Design and Discovery Fashion Showcase. More
Unified Printed Circuit Board Routing Algorithm With Complicated Constraints and Differential Pairs
Ting-Chou Lin, Devon Merrill, Yen-Yi Wu, Chester Holtz, CK Cheng
ASP DAC 2021 | PDF
Appliancizer: Transforming Web Pages into Electronic Gadgets
Jorge Garza, Devon Merrill, and Steven Swanson
UIST 2020 | PDF
Echidna: Mixed-domain Computational Implementation via Decision Trees
Devon Merrill, Jorge Garza, and Steven Swanson
ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication 2019
Amalgam: Hardware Hacking for Web Developers with Style (Sheets)
Jorge Garza, Devon Merrill, and Steven Swanson
International Conference on Web Engineering 2019
Reducing Instructor Workload in an Introductory Robotics Course via Computational Design
Devon Merrill and Steven Swanson
SIGCSE 2019 | PDF
Robots for Novices via Computational Design (presentation and demo)
Devon Merrill, Jorge Garza, and Steven Swanson
ACM International Computing Education Research Conference 2018
Echidna: A Mix-domain Computational Design System (presentation and demo)
Devon Merrill, Jorge Garza, and Steven Swanson
ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication 2018
Textiles and Technology Award (exhibition in print)
Rachel Merrill and Devon Merrill
Surface Design Association 2017 Annual International Exhibition In Print
Technology and Fashion (invited talk)
Devon Merrill, and Rachel Merrill
Left Meets Right: The Arts & Sciences Lecture Series, Mesa College 2019
Teaching
Computer Logic
Allegany College of Maryland, Fall 2021
Computer Science Programming
Allegany College of Maryland, Fall 2021
Computer Literacy
Allegany College of Maryland, Fall 2021
Doctoral Achievement in Teaching Award 2019
Awarded by Computer Science and Engineering Department, UC San Diego
Building and Programming Electronic Devices
UC San Diego, Fall 2019
Introduction to Computer Architecture
UC San Diego, Summer 2019
Project in Computer Architecture
UC San Diego, Summer 2019
Introduction to Computer Architecture - Graduate Teaching Assistant
UC San Diego, Winter 2018
Teaching Assistant Mentor
UC San Diego, Winter 2018, Fall 2018
Building and Programming Electronic Devices - Graduate Teaching Assistant
UC San Diego, Fall 2018, Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Spring 2016, Fall 2015
Fashion Technology - Guest Instructor
Mesa College, San Diego, Fall 2017, Fall 2016
Undergraduate Tutor for Components and Design Techniques for Digital Systems
UC San Diego, Winter 2014, Spring 2013
Research
Medical Biometric Sensing UC San Diego - 2020-present
I designed and built a medical sensing vest that incorporates 48 triple-axis accelerometers. I also designed and programmed the data collection algorithms. This project used my skills in Python and C++ programming; Unix driver development; microcontroller programming; data visualization; software engineering, including version control; electrical engineering; and signal processing.
OpenROAD PCB Project UC San Diego - 2019-2021
I created automated CAD programs for PCB design. I was the lead student on this project. I designed PCB routing algorithms, and I was responsible for community outreach, API design, automated testing and deployment, code reviews, and documentation.
Online Labs for Engineering Education UC San Diego - 2019
I developed a scalable online architecture for administering undergraduate architecture labs. The system involved designing, programming, testing, deploying, and maintaining Docker images which students used to run programming experiments. These images ran both on student machines, for testing, and cloud servers, for data collection. Included were automated testing, monitoring, and data collection. This project involved Python, C++ programming; shell scripting; Linux administration; Docker administration; and web automation.
Gadgetron Project UC San Diego - 2013-2019
I developed algorithms to automate the process of embedded electronics design. I created webapps and CAD tools. I instructed a class using the cloud-deployed, computational design tools. I created extensions to web technologies for programming and designing embedded devices. I completed a full-stack web development and cloud deployment (Google Cloud Suite). I designed algorithms with a focus on artificial intelligence.
Cultural Analytics Lab UC San Diego - 2009
I developed algorithms to analyze and explore comic book images and created data visualization tools.
Awards
2019: Doctoral Achievement in Teaching Award from the Computer Engineering Department, UC San Diego
2017: Textiles and Technology Award, Surface Design Association 2017 Annual International Exhibition In Print
2017: Light Dance Garment, Salk Design and Discovery Fashion Show, La Jolla, CA
First Place – Most Innovative
Second Place – Best Translation of Science
First Place – Most Innovative (online voting)
2017: Wearlight Garment, Second Place, Fashion Technology, Golden Scissors Fashion Show, San Diego, CA
2017: Lightening Garment, Third Place, Fashion Technology, Golden Scissors Fashion Show, San Diego, CA
2016: Starlight Garment, Best in Show for Creativity, Golden Scissors Fashion Show, San Diego, CA
2016: Starlight Garment, First Place, Fashion Technology, Golden Scissors Fashion Show, San Diego, CA