Kalina Mladenova Portfolio
I am a senior at Yale University double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Visual Art.
I love understanding how things work and finding ways to improve existing devices and create new ones. I want to innovate and create things that are beautiful and can help our everyday lives.
Outside of design and engineering, I illustrate for different Yale publications, write articles, and am the president of the Bulgarian Society.
My favourite animal is the hippo.
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01 Обред [Obred]
Materials: mild steel, sheep fur, wool
Dimentions: 46 x 49 x 80 cm
Date: 2024
Обред is a chair and a costume showing the Bulgarian tradition of kukeri. It is an experiment that challenges the usual use of an everday object.
Read more2024
New Haven, CT
02 Ivàn
Materials: Wood, acrylic
Dimentions: 22”x22”x6”
Date: 2023
Ivàn is a modern measurement of time. It refelcts the movement of the sun throught the day and the phases of the moon.
Read more2023
New Haven, CT
03 The Modern Interaction of Colors
This is a light-color study that explores the interaction of light and color and how it can be used to change an environment. My research and experimentation will be used towards creating a piece for the 2024 Milano Furniture Fair.
Read moreSummer 2023
Paris, France
04 Customisable Hip Spacer
This product was developed for Zimmer Biomet. It addressed the need of a quick and easy way to make a cement hip spacer in the operating room that is made to the patient’s exact anatomy. A paper on the topic was submitted for review and a patent was filed.
Read more2023
New Haven, CT
05 Measuring Ejection Force
This device was developed for Daye after multiple complains from clients who had difficulties ejecting the tampon from the applicator. It measures the force required to eject a tampon from its applicator. The results of this study were used in Daye’s official documentation.
Read moreSummer 2022Sofia, Bulgaria
London, UK
06 The Balance Board
The Balance Board is a medical device developed to help patients reestablish their sense of balance after a cardiac surgery. This device was developed for use at the Yale New Haven Hospital. It underwent patient trial.
Read more2020-2021
New Haven, CT
07 Hover
Hover is a contactless microscope that was designed in response to the changing environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The product was developed for children’s discovery rooms in the Smithsonian Museum in DC.
Read more
Summer 2021
New Haven, CT