Projects Dashboard
I am constantly trying to learn more engineering techniques and methods, such as coding and wiring up dev boards, linking up technology for data collection, and much more. Here is a list of some of the projects featured on this page.
Data Sensing Smart Shoes
IREC Rocket Systems
Jet Engine Component Analysis
Bluetooth Coffee Maker App Coming Soon
Top projects I am currently working on
As a junior undergraduate engineering student, I am constantly working on projects, whether that is for a class or just an idea I have for a product, or an invention I want to make. Check out some of the things I’ve been working on recently!
1. IREC Rocket for SDSU Rocket Team
I am on the Propulsion sub team for our IREC rocket club, we will be aiming to compete in the competition next year. For this project we are currently collaborating as a group to plan and design our rocket. The next steps in the process are to choose a motor for our rocket to best fit our target of 10,000 ft. Once we have the motor selected we will be able to perform some calculations for thrust and drag to start to define and refine other components in the rocket such as the structural components.
2. Pressure Sensing Smart Shoes
Currently prototyping an idea for pressure sensing smart shoes that could be used by athletes or doctors to get real time data from the users shoes such as force generated from steps and jumps, accelerometer data to measure step angle and pitch, and other sensors and features will be added to improve durability and usability. I am using MATLAB to interface with the arduino to provide a real time heat map of pressure produced.
Obviously, this original prototype is very rudimentary, so for my next steps in the project, I will be adding more sensors and making a wiring diagram for a perf board. I am also going to move the wiring over to a Raspberry Pi zero to be able to fit in a shoe for future testing. I will also be refining the MATLAB code to make the plot output more intuitive where it will be the shape of the outline of a shoe and eventually integrate both feet into one realtime digital readout with stored values.
Using another pressure sensor I wrote a Matlab script to output a heat-map graph where the more force applied to the sensor, it will turn red and the dot will get larger. I set it to read a front and back sensor.
The next step in this project is to wire more pressure sensors, one for each pressure area in the foot, onto a perf board to make it smaller and more streamlined. Keep working on the graph to make it the shape of a shoe and make it more intuitive by adding zones. I will also switch to an ESP32 so that it can fit inside a shoe and will have wifi capability. I am also going to make an app to show real-time sensor data and store values.
I am using SolidWorks simulations to test components of a Jet engine, specifically a turbine blade and a combustion can.
As part of my engineering studies, I conducted a vibration analysis on a jet engine turbine blade to determine its natural harmonic frequencies. Using Solidworks simulations, I performed a modal analysis to identify the fundamental and higher-order mode shapes, with results showing the first natural frequency at 545.08 Hz and the fifth at 3,736.6 Hz. Understanding these frequencies is critical in preventing resonance, which can lead to structural failure in high-stress aerospace environments. This project reinforced my skills in FEA (Finite Element Analysis), vibration analysis, and aerospace component optimization, furthering my expertise in propulsion system reliability and performance.
Another aspect of jet engine component analysis I have been working on is for the combustion can materials.
I conducted a thermal analysis of a jet engine combustion can using SOLIDWORKS Simulation. The study aimed to evaluate temperature distribution across the components under operational conditions to assess material performance and structural integrity. By simulating different material properties, I analyzed heat resistance and thermal gradients to determine the most suitable materials for high-temperature environments. This analysis is critical in optimizing jet engine efficiency and durability, ensuring components can withstand extreme combustion temperatures while maintaining performance.
4. Smart Water Bottle
I am making a prototype for a smart water bottle that senses the water level and then gives the user a digital readout of the value. It will also be able to track the ounces drank throughout the day and keep track according to the user’s determined water consumption goal. I made it so there is a small screen to display the data, and in the future, I will add buttons to be able to change the screen to different pages that will show other information. for the prototype, I have the water level sensor and OLED screen wired together onto an Arduino Mega, but I am going to wire it into an ESP32 so that I will be able to make an app and have wifi data transfer.
The next steps will be to switch the wiring over to a protoboard and an ESP32. Then, I will mount the sensor to the water bottle and calibrate the sensor to read an accurate water level through coding. I will then make a mount for the electronics to be mounted on the side of the water bottle and have the wiring on the sensor waterproofed with an environmental splice. I am going to cut grooves in the threads for the wires to pass through. Eventually, I want to be able to put this into a large water bottle like a Yeti or hydro flask where you are not able to see the water level, and this idea would be a bit more useful.
I wired the components onto an ESP32 so I could have Bluetooth and wifi capability from the sensor. I also wired everything together onto a perf board to make a little control module that would be mounted on the side of the water bottle. the sensor leads are waterproofed with environmental splices and heat shrink. I also added a tilt switch on the side of the ESP32 so that I could write code to have it only detect and change the water level data when the bottle is upright so it would not continuously add erroneous data when the user takes a drink or if the bottle tipped on its side. The tilt switch will enable it to keep an accurate count of the amount drank throughout the day and help with errors due to the level changing from movement. The next steps in the process are to calibrate the water sensor to the size of the water bottle to get accurate data, and 3D print a case for the hardware. I also need to mount a battery onto the back to supply power to the unit, and I want to be able to use the USBC port on the ESP to charge the battery which will take some integration.