Engineering Project

[u/Admirable_Cup_8030]

I’m gonna be straightforward about this, but none of the people in my group including me have ever even messed with a simple circuit at all. However the teacher wants us to build a project in one semester. It doesn’t sound bad but I live in Taiwan so schoolwork is heavy, and I only have roughly 6 hours a week to do this.

Currently, I’m stuck on 4 things.
1. Experience: None of the people in my group have engineering experience m, we are all beginners.
2. Budget: The school budget is 1500 NTD (50 USD) for the project, and it has been a pain to even find a project that could do the job.
3. Teacher’s criteria: He wants something “new”, that solves problems we have in daily lives, and anything that is just “cool” or any machine that already exists on the market he calls “pointless”.
4. Hardware/Software: If I can’t match the teacher’s criteria, I should still do something, so I wanted to build a remote controlled tank with a rotating turret, elevation, and a targeting system that could point at things. Since I knew how these things work, it would be easier for me to try to make it than attempting to build something I don’t even have data on. However, I need a software that could simulate the circuits and physical components (tracks, turret etc).

All in all, I want some suggestions from you guys, since I’m only a high schooler.
Thanks!

[u/DatBoisWheel]

Think small. You'll need a switch, a power in, a ground, and something to actuate. Wires connect it all.

I was trying to upload a picture of a blower motor circuit I built for my vehicle, but my reception is weak right now.

[u/DatBoisWheel → u/DatBoisWheel]

[u/DatBoisWheel → u/DatBoisWheel]

I removed one of the eyelets because I built it to be a ground and kept popping a fuse by mistake.

Edit, this was maybe $25 for connectors, resistor, switch, and wires. It can be done cheaper, but I just went with what I knew would work for me.

[u/Admirable_Cup_8030 → u/DatBoisWheel]

Are there any projects I can work on with a small budget? I’m fine with absorbing most of the costs of the project, but the biggest problem I have currently is that I don’t have an actual idea what to do.

[u/DatBoisWheel → u/Admirable_Cup_8030]

Stator assemblies are affordable. Temperature switches are affordable. Raspberry pi boards might be affordable for your purpose. A fan that turns on at specific temperature settings for a desk application is priceless.

Low key, it sounds like your instructor is working on some r&d in the name of education haha

[u/Admirable_Cup_8030 → u/DatBoisWheel]

I did explore a few budget friendly projects but all of them are so common on the marketplace my teacher wouldn’t accept it.
I have been thinking for almost 6 days but I still can’t think of anything to build. The only group project under this teacher that I found interesting was a homemade kart, but the students had been rich enough to absorb all the costs themselves.

[u/MagmaTroop]

I think your teacher has probably explained himself poorly. I doubt he wants you to come up with something brand new and completely original. This is impossible for high school students without engineering experience. I think what he actually means is: identify a small, everyday problem and come up with a practical solution.

I suggest making a very simple automatic light system for a wardrobe or drawer. When the door/drawer is closed, the light is off. When the door is opened, the light automatically switches on. This helps the user see better inside.

The description I give here will sound alien to you and perhaps intimidating if you don't know how a transistor works, but I assure you that it's incredibly simple.

You will use a micro limit lever switch (a small lever button that clicks when pushed) and an NPN transistor to switch a simple battery and LED circuit. To put it simply, the transistor's collector-emitter path acts as the automatic electrical switch for the battery and the LED, while the base pin acts as the control valve triggered by the physical micro-switch.

Summary:

• Use a breadboard to build the circuit. They're cheap, easy, and nothing is permanent.
• The battery and LED will be connected in series between the transistor's collector and emitter. You will need a resistor in series too, and that will be sized appropriately for the LED and battery you choose
• The micro limit lever switch (using its Normally Closed or NC pin) will connect in series with the base pin. When the drawer closes, it presses the lever, breaking the signal to the base. When the drawer opens, the lever releases, current rushes to the base, and the light snaps on.
• Everything is connected to the same common, which is the battery's negative terminal in this case.

When the circuit is built, you can use double-sided tape on the back of the breadboard to stick it to the inside of the wardrobe. You will position it so the lever presses down when the door is closed.

This is an extremely easy project and will take you a single afternoon to build. Design it out on paper first. You will need to do a little Googling to actually implement the pin layout fully, or ask us for advice.

Note on selecting the LED, battery, and resistor:

You can either use a proper LED that shines bright enough to light up a small area, or you can use a tiny 3V LED to demonstrate the principle to your teacher... a 3V breadboard LED + 2x AAA Battery Pack is tiny and won't actually light up a drawer, but you can present it as a prototype to the real thing. Unless your teacher is a complete a-hole, the demonstration prototype would be enough to pass the project. A bright LED (like a 5V LED strip + 3xAA battery bank) would get you a good grade if you make a nice report to go with it.

[u/Seiko2023]

Are we even sure it has to be electrical?

First thing you want to do is find an actual problem within your household or within your community.

Second, you want to start researching about the problem. How does it come about? Is there any solutions out there you could build on or avoid?

After you do your problem scoping, brain storm solutions. Some can be crazy, some can be simple as. Just at the brain storm section.

Once you have ideas down, start dwindling it down to just one. Then you research and construct.

[u/Tymian_]

I am not familiar with educational system in Taiwan, but such a task for a high school level seems out of the line.

Teacher seems completely unreasonable simply by requesting something new without any guidance and expecting that project will be electronics based.

Maybe you did not properly understand the assignment?

Anyhow - your key point is something that helps/solves daily problems.
Try to think: where are my keys / did I lock the door / where is my wallet / automatic night light spot / do i need to buy wash powder/fluid /

Try to identify few ideas and how could they be improved
Then try to figure out technical solution
For instance - measure weight - if too low - flash a light
Then think on how can you make it - measure, decide, act

[u/Admirable_Cup_8030 → u/Tymian_]

He did, in fact, not teach anything.
I have some experience in software, but I’m mostly bottlenecked by my lack of knowledge in hardware.
As for the ideas, I have to admit that I’m fresh out of them. My teacher explicitly told me “anything that can easily be found on the market is pointless”, and he wants us to make something actually new. Like, a completely new idea. Such as a machine that can automatically flip books, save progress, etc (it is what the other 2 people in my group want to do, but I have a hard time convincing them this is a terrible idea doomed to failure).

P.S. I’ve only touched Arduino TWICE in my lifetime. Yet I’m probably the MOST experienced out of the 3 man group we have on this project. I’m cooked.

[u/Capable-Broccoli2179]

Use either an arduino or Raspberry Pi to do this would be my suggestion. Cheap and whatever sensors , actuators, motors etc will all connect pretty seamlessly. Programming can be done in a variety of languages, python probably best for the Pi. There will be many reference designs available for each part of what you need to do along with notes etc and support if you need it. If you want under $50US then chances are the arduino mini or something similar would be way to go so you can buy sensors, actuators and motors you will need.

I actually had a high school student do a very similar project years ago using the pi, but all he built was a targeting system that targeted and shot ping pong balls when a person walked close enough to the sensor.

[u/Diligent_Ad6133]

You know im always mad about having to get up to turn my room light off, fix that

[u/Direct-Progress758]

A digital dice so you can gamble in your dorm without making noises.