Projects

A selection of engineering projects focused on design, analysis, and prototyping.

Candle Safe

Personal / team project

Designed a candle safety system that detects nearby objects using LiDAR and automatically releases CO₂ via a controlled valve to mitigate fire risk.

Role
Team of 3
Focus
Design, Prototyping, Systems integration
Tools
CAD · Arduino · LiDAR · Prototyping · Systems Design
  • Researched existing patents, CO₂ canisters, and valve mechanisms for design feasibility.
  • Integrated Arduino Uno with LiDAR to detect objects approaching the candle flame.
  • Modeled and assembled components in SolidWorks; built prototype housing from plexiglass.
  • Prototyped a delivery mechanism to release CO₂ from a canister via a controlled valve.

Aluminum Wrench Design

Course project

Designed and manufactured a 1.04 oz aluminum wrench capable of applying 280 in-lb of torque, validated through iterative finite element analysis.

Role
Individual
Focus
Design, Analysis, Manufacturing
Tools
CAD · FEA (ANSYS) · Mechanical Analysis · Manufacturing
  • Defined requirements: target torque (280 in-lb), bolt size (¼"), and weight constraint.
  • Designed wrench geometry and performed FEA in ANSYS to find stress concentrations and validate predictions.
  • Iteratively removed material while maintaining stiffness to meet the 1.04 oz target.
  • Manufactured and validated the final wrench.

ECE 361 "Smart Car" Project

Course project

Built and programmed an autonomous vehicle using an Arduino and LiDAR sensors to navigate and avoid obstacles in real time.

Role
Team
Focus
Controls, Embedded systems, Prototyping
Tools
Arduino · LiDAR · Embedded Systems · Controls · Prototyping
  • Built a small autonomous vehicle with two motors, Arduino Uno, and LiDAR sensors.
  • Programmed the car to navigate freely and avoid obstacles by changing direction on detection.
  • Tested and tuned behavior for reliable obstacle avoidance.

How I Approach Engineering Projects

  1. Define the problem and constraints
  2. Research existing solutions
  3. Design and model in CAD
  4. Prototype, test, and iterate
  5. Evaluate results and refine