Jake Garrison
I'm Jake.
I studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington as an undergraduate and specialized in machine learning, computer vision, and signal processing for graduate school. I was born and raised in Spokane, WA and am now living in Seattle. In my free time, I build various open source projects from software to embedded devices to analog music gear. I've worked in labs, studios, garages, startups and coorperations in the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area.
Projects
Artificial Intelligence (AI/ML)
MuJoCo Puppeteer Physics Sim (2026)
Health Sound Event Detector (2025)
ESP32 Tiny LLM (2024)
HeAR: Health Acoustic Representations (2024)
Microcontroller Tutorial (2024)
jazzfuzz music(2023)
FRILL: On-Device Audio Representations (2020)
Evolution Simulator (2019)
FreshAir Spiro Mobile App (2019)
Neural Network Image Styling (2018)
Urban Parking App (2016)
Haiku Deck Zuru (2016)
Wikipedia Summarizer (2016)
Driver Awareness System (2015)
phone.ai (2014)
puppy.ai (2014)
Automation
Market Pipeline (2026)
Plex Sync (2024)
Seattle Housing Scraper (2023)
Ableton Live XML Project Parser (2022)
last.fm Sync (2022)
YouTube Music Sync (2020)
Reddit Music Sub Scraper (2019)
brew-sensors (2019)
Craigslist Bot (2017)
Crypto Trader Bot (2017)
Altcoin Statistic Scraper (2017)
Pokemon Go Bot (2016)
Image Scraper (2016)
rtunes.xyz (2016)
Web Music Scraper (2015)
Reverse Image Search (2015)
Image Processing
terminal camera (2015)
Gaze Tracking (2015)
Cartoon Filter GUI (2015)
Matlab Image Processing Tools (2015)
Audio Processing
Vocal Chord Synthesis (2025)
synth (2023)
Raspberry Pi Synthesizer (2019)
Ultrasound Motion Detector (2018)
Realtime Pitch Shifter (2016)
tuner.c (2015)
APC40 Controller Mods (2015)
Audio Separate (2014)
RC Car Composer (2014)
Supercollider Compositions (2013)
Homemade Analog Audio (2013)
Verellen Amplifiers (2013)
Arduino Synthesizer (2013)
Fabrication
Deep Learning, Gaming and Crypto Mining Rig (2017)
3D Printer (2016)
3D Printed Gameboy Color Shell (2013)
Terrarium (2018)
Automotive
Battery Pack Design and Implementation (2016)
Autonomous Vehicle Simulator (2016)
Tesla Model X Falcon Doors (2015)
Lane Tracking (2015)
EcoCAR 3 (2015)
Dashcam Vehicle Distance (2014)
Tesla Model S Duel Motor (2014)
EcoCAR 2 (2013)
Electric Car Conversion (2010)
Homemade 500 Amp DC Motor Controller (2010)
Fermentation
Ginger Beer (2021)
Home Brewing (2018)
School
High School
I designed and built my own electric vehicle by converting a seized Volkswagen GTI to run fully off of batteries. It still drives. I also designed and built custom analog/digital audio hardware.
Undergraduate Degree
I continued working with electric cars as one of the leads for the UW EcoCar team. This led to an internship at Tesla where production firmware code for the Model S Insane Mode and Model X Falcon Wing doors and Autopilot. Following this, I focused on autonomous driving and in-vehicle display research via EcoCAR. During this time I continued to build audio hardware and software. I briefly worked at Verellen Amplifiers, researched various sound synthesis techniques, and also built rtunes, a cross-platform music discovery app based on crowdsourced data from Reddit and AI. I also began contributing to hardware and software related to cryptocurrency mining and 3D printing. During this time I recieved a minor in digital art and mathematics and a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Graduate Degree
I was a researcher at the UbiComp lab. Specifically, I worked on health screening/sensing mobile applications based on audio, video and other sensor input. My thesis was on the topic of smartphone sound based spirometry powered by AI. I explored several other AI, machine learning powered solutions as part of Dedsimple, a company I co-founded. Additionally, I also helped develop Zuru, an AI design assistant service offered by Haiku Deck. During this time I recieved a masters degree in Electical and Computer Engineering.
Publications
Papers
An AI System to Help Scientists Write Expert-Level Empirical Software (09/2025)
SensorLM: Learning the Language of Wearable Sensors (06/2025)
Scaling Wearable Foundation Models (10/2024)
The Anatomy of a Personal Health Agent (08/2025)
LSM-2: Learning from Incomplete Wearable Sensor Data (06/2025)
Assessment of Asthma Severity Using Remote Sensors: A Pilot Study (03/2025)
Towards Accurate Differential Diagnosis with Large Language Models (01/2025)
HeAR: Health Acoustic Representations (03/2024)
What Are the Odds? Language Models Are Capable of Probabilistic Reasoning (06/2024)
Optimizing Audio Augmentations for Contrastive Learning of Health-Related Acoustic Signals (09/2023)
Morbidity and Mortality from COVID-19 Postvaccination Breakthrough Infections (07/2022)
LuckyChirp: Respiration Sensing Using Cascaded Sonar (05/2022)
Whosecough: In-the-Wild Cougher Verification Using Multitask Learning (11/2020)
FRILL: A Non-Semantic Speech Embedding for Mobile Devices (08/2020)
SpiroSound AI Master's Thesis (05/2018)
SpiroConfidence: Validity of Smartphone Spirometry (05/2018)
Carpacio: Distinguishing Driver and Passenger Touches (10/2017)
Wireless Routing in Hostile Environments (12/2014)
Patents
*Note: 6 additional pending utility applications (filed 2023–2025) are currently non-public.*
Method for detecting and classifying coughs or other non-semantic sounds (01/2024)
Contactless cough detection and attribution (04/2023)
Contactless sleep detection and disturbance attribution (02/2022)
Blogs
Blog posts for projects I worked on.
Fitbit Air (2026)
Empirical Research Assistance (ERA) (04/2026)
LLM Tree Search (09/2025)
Insulin resistance prediction from wearables (08/2025)
SensorLM: Wearable sensors language (07/2025)
LSM-2: Learning incomplete sensor data (07/2025)
Google Health Coach (2025)
HeAR: Acoustic disease detection (08/2023)
HeAR: Hugging Face (08/2023)
Scaling Wearable Foundation Models (11/2024)
Google AI is helping you sleep better (03/2023)
Pixel: Cough and Snore Sound Detection (2022)
Nest Hub: Sleep, Respiration, Cough Sensing (2021)
FRILL: On-device speech TF Lite (2021)
Academic Writeups
Urban Parking AI (2016)
FPGA Pitch Shifter (2015)
Cartoon Image Filter (2015)
Driver Assist Writeup (2015)
Academic Posters
Carpacio Driver Identification (2017)
Spiro Sound (2018)
3D Printing AI Monitor (2015)
Phone AI (2016)
Urban Parking (2014)
Driver Assist Consumer Appeal (2016)
Presentations
Embedded AI/ML Lectures
Consumer Product Engineering Lecture (2020)
Understanding the World Through Data Lecture (2020)
FreshAir Spiro Mobile App Presentation (2019)
Spiro AI (2018)
Pitch Shift on DSP (2015)
Electric Chevy Camaro Electrical Presentation (2015)
Electric Chevy Malibu Electrical Presentation (2014)
Resume
Education
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University of Washington
2011-2018B.S. and M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
I enrolled in UW as an undergraduate and dabbled in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, digital art (DXArts), Design, Music, Computer Science and settled with Electrical Engineering (ECE). I focused on signal processing due to its wide realm of mediums (sound, image, video, data). During my masters, I did research in applied AI working on mobile health, computer vision, sound, natural language, automotive in the UbiComp lab.
Work Experience
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Google Health Research
2017-PresentWebsite My Research Profile My Patents
Combining artificial intelligence with consumer hardware to create technology that improves health outcomes
- Commercialized and expanded UbiComp lab research such as BiliCam, SpiroSmart and CoughSense
- Developed audio cough sensing AI which shipped on Pixel Phones and Nest Hub
- Developed radar and sonar based respiration sensing algorithms which shipped on Pixel Phones and Nest Hub
- Developed remote care COVID-19 diagnostic and data science tools during the pandemic
- Trained large audio and sensor foundation models specialized in health signals
- Experimenting with LLMs for use in consumer health
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University of Washington Guest Lectures
2023-PresentEmbedded AI/ML Slides (2025) Embedded Platforms Slides (2024) Microcontrollers Slides (2024)
Invited guest lecturer for the Embedded Systems Capstone course (CSE/EE 475). Lectures cover on-device artificial intelligence, machine learning, product and hardware engineering, and microcontrollers.
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Aigen
2020-2023Early collaborator with founders pre-funding, currently an advsor helping with AI training, computer vision, reinforcement learning and on-device sensing and processing.
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Senosis
2017Worked as a software developer on commercializing mobile health research, aquired by Alphabet (Google). Involved on device machine learning for image, audio, and other mobile modalities
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UbiComp Lab
2016-2018The ubiquitous computing (UbiComp) research lab, led by Prof. Shwetak Patel, focuses on many areas of ubiquitous computing including novel user interface technology, energy sensing, low-power sensing, health sensing, and activity recognition by applying expertise in sensing, signal processing, embedded systems, circuits, and human-computer interaction. Close collaborations with Microsoft Research, Oculus Research, Intel, Google, and many other companies.
- Using signal processing and machine learning to measure lung health and screen for obstructive lung disease on a mobile phone
- Designing a mechanical pulmonary system
- Researching methods to measure blood pressure via mobile phone camera
- Collect data from patients and students
- Mentor undergrad students
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Puppy.ai
2015-2018An iOS dog breed detection app assisted by on-device deep learning powered by Tensorflow. puppy.ai is available in the app store. Worked on a small, effective international team of three.
- Trained Tensorflow model and built mobile engine
- Designed and prototyped iOS app and web app (App Store link)
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rtunes.xyz
2016-2019Currently Offline
Created open source music player that generates hundreds of playlists and stations based on crowed sourced data from Reddit. Select playlists that answer questions such as "What's your favorite song in a language you don't speak", or get a live feed of music as people around the world post it.
- Open source and used by thousands of people
- Built web and mobile apps with React.js
- Distributed desktop app powered by Electron
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Haiku Deck
Summer 2016A presentation iOS and Web app Seattle startup used by millions. It features Zuru, an AI platform for presentation automation. I contributed to research and development for the Zuru service and its assistant features that generate presentations from external content such as wikipedia or outlines.
- Worked on the presentation assistant, Zuru
- Web development mostly with React and Node
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Driver Awareness System
2015-2016Founded and lead a student team designing a full-fledged driver awareness system to monitor a driver's attention using metrics such as distraction, sleep, phone usage and happiness. Metrics are based on realtime analysis of the drivers face and can be visualized on our UI. This concept won Innovative Use of Data (GE) and Best Travel Hack (Concur) at its original unveiling at DubHacks, then 3rd place Consumer Appeal at the national EcoCAR event. Entered in Amazon Catalyst for funding.
- Microsoft Kinect embedded vision hardware
- Vision detection algorithms (C/C++, OpenCV, Matlab)
- Frontend data visualization (D3 and Javascript)
- Backend data filtering and processing (Python, ZMQ)
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Urban Parking
2016City of Seattle Parking App project sponsored by the Seattle Department of Transportation to forecast available parking and route drivers to open spots. Forecasting is based on 45 million historical transactions. Future collaboration with the Google Sidewalks Project. Submitted to UW CoMotion for further funding.
- Custom machine learning algorithm
- Web frontend, service and Android app development
- Several Presentations and project pitches to investors and educators
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Tesla Integration Team
Summer 2015Systems Integration intern on a small multidisciplinary team focused solely on the development of the Model X falcon doors and sensing
- Wrote production sensor firmware code
- Contributed to Model X: controls, firmware, sensing, design, validation and testing
- Created custom data collection and visualization tools
- Built custom DC motor dynamometer (for falcon doors) and shared the design with SpaceX engineers
- Presented and submitted reports to engineering VPs including Elon
- Set up and documented Phase Space 3d motion modeling system
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Advanced Driver Assist Lead
2015-2016Lead the autopilot research team for EcoCAR 3 which aims to design and integrate advanced autopilot features on a 2016 Camaro. Our system is capable of realtime object detection including sign, lane, vehicle and pedestrian detection. Received Second Place for Driver Assist technology (tie)
- Project Management and leadership
- Developed realtime vision applications based on the YOLO convolutional neural network framework and deployed on the NVIDIA Jetson TX1 Embedded Systems Module
- Embedded Freescale S32V hardware for CAN signal and vision processing
- Employed sensors such as stereo video, ultrasonic, gps and radar
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Bankroll Bitcoin Miner
Summer 2014One of three working on consumer bitcoin startup project. Contributed to PCB, firmware development, schematic and plastic enclosure. Worked with custom BitFury ASIC mining chip
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Tesla Power Electronics
Summer 2014Power Electronics intern focused on the high voltage electric system for the Model S P85D Insane mode
- Injection molded, 3d printed and machined part design and tooling
- Testing and validation on existing parts (temperature and current cycling)
- R+D for future technology (specifically high voltage fuses, contactors and charging plugs)
- Creating and implementing professional CAD, drawings, schematics, and PCB designs
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Electrical Lead
2013-2015Involved in the competition for all three years and became electrical lead . We were awarded first place electrical team for multiple years.
- Lithium ion battery pack design
- Leadership and project management
- High voltage training, fusing, simulation, harnesses
- Modeled high and low voltage systems in Simulink, Matlab and NX CAD
- Created and implemented professional schematics and wire harnesses
- Collaboration with multidisciplinary students, faculty and industry
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Focused Ion Beam
2013-2014Research Assistant for Professor Bruce Darling, UW Electrical Engineering.
- Simulated circuit boards in Multisim and Labview
- Designed PCBs with Ultiboard
- Worked with one of the few remaining FIB machines
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Verellen Amplifiers
Summer 2013Worked as an apprentice in a Fremont, Seattle startup that builds custom boutique tube amplifiers and analog distortion pedals.
- Board populating and soldering
- Amplifier schematic design
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Custom Music Equipment
2011-2014Designed, built and sold guitar pedals and analog audio FX for local bands and friends
- Learned analog electronics fundamentals
- Became familiar with PCB design, entrepreneurship and part sourcing
- Lots of troubleshooting and breadboard work
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Electric Car Conversion
2010-2012I designed, funded and converted a gas powered Volkswagen GTI to fully electric while in highschool. Awarded Washington Society of Engineering scholarship upon completion
- Designed and hand built the high voltage motor controller
- Sourced all of the new components , sold the old
- Operated with a small, personal budget, funded by my bakery job
- Built custom metal components and wiring harnesses
Skills
Programming & Frameworks
- JAX, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Python, C/C++, Embedded C, MATLAB, SuperCollider, JavaScript, SQL
- Signal, vision, sound, language and medical data processing
- Machine learning, large language models (LLMs), foundation models
- Data science, portfolio pipeline engineering, web scraper engines
- Modeling, MuJoCo physics simulations, and HIL loop controls
- Embedded systems firmware development, RTOS
Engineering
- Neural network architectures (Transformers, CNNs, Speech Embeddings)
- Analog and digital circuit design (PCBs, tube amplifiers)
- Acoustic engineering & biosignal sensing (sleep/respiration sonar)
- Vehicle controls (powertrain control, hybrid-electric systems, CAN bus)
- Autonomous systems (lane detection, self-driving simulators)
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing, rapid hardware prototyping)
Interests
- Sound design, music synthesis, SuperCollider composition, and music production
- Digital art, minor in Digital (DX) Arts
- Embedded AI instruction, teaching, academic guest lecturing
- Skiing, biking, hiking
- Home brewing, fermentation chemistry
- Number theory, cryptography
- Physiology, respiratory sensing science
Keywords
JAX, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Foundation Models, Large Language Models, LLMs, Wearable Sensors, Health Acoustics, Digital Signal Processing, DSP, Audio Embeddings, Audio Representations, Sleep Sensing, Respiration Sensing, Mobile Health, Contactless Sensing, Computer Vision, OpenCV, Analog Electronics, Tube Amplifiers, PCB Design, Firmware Development, Autonomous Driving, Hybrid Electric Vehicles, TORCS Simulator, SuperCollider, Ableton Live parser, vocal synthesis, speech synthesis, pitch detector, instrument tuner, audio separate, cocktail party separation, MuJoCo, reinforcement learning, physics simulation, ESP32 LLM, micro LLM, tokenizer, pre-training, large wearable models, biomarkers, Power electronics, high voltage systems, CAN bus, battery pack design, microcontrollers, FPGA, digital circuits, Plex API, Last.fm scrobble sync, Reddit scraper, housing list scraper, portfolio pipeline
Awards
- Amazon Catalyst runner-up (2016)
- Best Travel Hack (2015)
- Most Innovative Use of Data (2015)
- 2nd Place Driver Assist Technology (2015)
- 2nd Place EcoCar Team Overall (2013)
- 1st Place Electrical Presentation (2012-14)
- WA Society of Engineers Scholarship Recipient (2010)
Education
- Masters Electrical and Computer Engineering (2018)
- B.S. Electrical Engineering (2016)
- Minor Applied Math (2015)
- Minor Digital (DX) Arts (2014)
- Mechanical Engineering
- Acoustic Engineering
- Computer Science