Maia Hirsch
Engineering | Fashion | Robotics
I am an undergraduate Mechanical Engineering senior at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology and an exchange student at Cornell University, where I conduct research at the Human Augmentation Physical Perceptual Interactions (HAPPI) Lab. I am interested in exploring how emerging technologies and engineering design can push the boundaries of fashion and self-expression, transforming garments into functional, interactive art.
Photo by Margaret Valera
Short Bio:
I am a Venezuelan robotics engineer and wearable technology designer, completing my senior year at Cornell University as an exchange student from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. I interned at Cornell’s HAPPI Lab and Cornell Tech, contributing to haptic wearables and interactive technology. Previously, I won the Technion Biomedical Engineering Hackathon and was a BizTEC finalist. My work has been showcased at Panama Fashion Week, and I was invited by the First Lady of Panama to promote STEM for young women.
Research Interests:
I am interested in designing wearable technologies that merge robotics, haptics, and interactive design to create garments that connect people, respond to their environment, and assist in daily tasks. My work addresses challenges in creating lightweight, modular systems that balance aesthetic appeal and functional utility, with applications in assistive technology, interactive art, and space exploration.
Key challenges include optimizing the integration of sensors and actuators, ensuring adaptability to diverse users, and developing scalable, responsive designs that maintain artistic elegance. To this end, I explore programmable materials, soft robotics, and human-centered design to redefine clothing as a medium for connection and innovation. As part of this effort, I have worked on haptic vests for social interaction, robotic dresses for expressive movement, and designs that adapt to environmental and emotional inputs.
Ultimately, my goal is to pioneer a future where wearable technology enhances both functionality and the human experience, inspiring innovation across disciplines.
Outreach:
I am passionate about inspiring women to pursue careers in STEM. I was featured in an interview with Panama’s First Lady during the World Robotics Olympics 2023 as part of a national campaign to empower young women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through sharing my journey and experiences, I strive to highlight the potential of STEM to transform lives and encourage the next generation of innovators.
Research
Publication Venue: ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction
Advisors: Angelique Taylor, Cornell Tech, Cornell University
While teleoperated robots have been successfully used in high-stakes domains such as firefighting and space exploration, autonomous robots that aid highstakes teamwork remain underexplored. To address this gap, we conducted a rapid prototyping process to develop a series of seemingly autonomous robot designed to assist clinical teams in the Emergency Room. We transformed a standard crash cart—which stores medical equipment and emergency supplies into a medical robotic crash cart (MCCR). The MCCR was evaluated through field deployments to assess its impact on team workload and usability, identified taxonomies of failure, and refined the MCCR in collaboration with healthcare professionals. Our work advances the understanding of robot design for high-stakes, time-sensitive settings, providing insights into useful MCCR capabilities and considerations for effective human-robot collaboration. By publicly disseminating our MCCR tutorial, we hope to encourage HRI researchers to explore the design of robots for high-stakes teamwork.
Advisors: Yair Herbst and Alon Wolf, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
This project focused on developing a wearable haptic vest that simulates a virtual hug using soft inflatable pouches. I worked on improving the vest’s adaptability by designing a high-torque motor mechanism to adjust for various body sizes, optimizing sensor placement to ensure reliable feedback, and creating a new pouch geometry to prevent deformation. This work combined mechanical design, soft robotics, and user-centered innovation, showcasing the potential for functional and aesthetically refined wearable technology.
Advisors: Cara Nunez, Cornell University
Advisors: Thijs Roumen, Cornell Tech, Cornell University
This project focused on developing invisible fiducial markers to facilitate remote hardware debugging, conducted in the Matter of Tech Lab at Cornell Tech under the guidance of Prof. Thijs Roumen. The goal was to create markers that are invisible to the human eye but detectable by computer vision systems, enabling precise tracking and visualization of hardware components during remote debugging sessions. I worked on optimizing the markers' design for various materials and lighting conditions to ensure reliable detection without compromising the hardware's appearance. This project bridged computer vision, AR, and hardware design, enhancing the efficiency of remote debugging workflows.
The Hugo project focused on developing a haptic feedback device, with my role centered on creating a protocol to measure the device's resolution. This involved designing precise testing methods to evaluate the system’s sensitivity and accuracy in delivering tactile feedback. By analyzing the device's performance under various conditions, I contributed to refining its functionality and ensuring its capability to deliver nuanced haptic cues. This project combined haptics, engineering design, and experimental validation, advancing the understanding and performance of tactile feedback technology.
Personal Projects
An interactive wearable that brings art and technology together. Designed with organza petals and motors, the dress blooms when someone grabs the wearer’s hand. This project combines mechanical engineering, wearable technology, and aesthetic design to create a captivating and dynamic piece of fashion innovation.
The Flower Awakens / 2024
Designed with servos and computer vision, the dress reacts to hand gestures as the flowers follow the hands rotation. This project is at the intersection of fashion and engineering, using technology to bring garments to life and create a statement piece for a milestone celebration.
This project addresses the challenge of creating intricate, three-dimensional dress designs without relying on traditional metal support structures. By leveraging additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, support structures were directly integrated into fabric, eliminating the need for rigid and uncomfortable metal components.
The Chrysalis dress integrates silicone-based soft robotics to create a dynamic, adaptive garment. Using lightweight, flexible structures, the dress incorporates soft robotic components that expand and contract, showcasing the potential of responsive fashion to combine comfort, functionality, and cutting-edge technology.
Recognition
Awards
Engineering Learning Initiative Award, Cornell University / 2024
For contributions to advancing undergraduate research in haptics and robotics.
For pursuing projects that are nonlinear, unconventional, unexpected, adventurous, intense, surprising, questionable, and primed for engagement with new technologies.
Backslash Award, Cornell Tech / 2024
For pursuing projects that are nonlinear, unconventional, unexpected, adventurous, intense, surprising, questionable, and primed for engagement with new technologies.
Backslash Award, Cornell Tech / 2023
1st place BME-Hack, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology / 2023
For proposing an innovative and human-centered concept for an inhaler.
Press
Interview with Panama’s First Lady (World Robotics Olympics) / 2023
National campaign to inspire young women to pursue careers in STEM.
STEM Socialite Interview / 2024
STEM Socialite elevates and celebrates brilliance in STEM while embracing fashion and inclusivity