Ideas for projects with microcontrollers?

Thread Starter

jean28

Joined Sep 5, 2012
76
Hey there guys. I'm an undergraduate student in computer engineering, and I'm seriously thinking about taking the most difficult course at my college, which involves doing a semester-long project that involves a microcontroller/microprocessor.

There are plenty of ideas that come to mind, but there is one problem: The professor requires us to make a project that fills a need in society. For example, a few semesters ago some students made a project that helped markets work with the taxes they were charging, and another group made a project that helped people with slight dystrophy stand up easier.

I have seen various websites that give decent ideas, but none of those ideas really appeal to me because i'm more inclined to computer projects while most of the projects I see are related to electrical engineering.

Something like say, robots, seems appealing to me.

Could anyone give me any ideas?
 

aws505

Joined Mar 11, 2013
59
When I was an undergraduate, some folks I knew did a project to control a robotic arm and with servo motors controlled by an Arduino (or you could use any other microcontroller). They strapped the whole things to an RC car (that they also rigged up to the microcontroller) and called it a "portable bomb defuser." The idea was that you could send in this rink-a-dink tool to cut wires on a dangerous bomb instead of risking a person. With a camera and a wifi connection, it seemed like a noble idea.
 

Thread Starter

jean28

Joined Sep 5, 2012
76
When I was an undergraduate, some folks I knew did a project to control a robotic arm and with servo motors controlled by an Arduino (or you could use any other microcontroller). They strapped the whole things to an RC car (that they also rigged up to the microcontroller) and called it a "portable bomb defuser." The idea was that you could send in this rink-a-dink tool to cut wires on a dangerous bomb instead of risking a person. With a camera and a wifi connection, it seemed like a noble idea.
Wow, that sounds great! I might start developing mine with this. Any other ideas?
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Watch this site for a while. People are constantly asking for things that the only reasonable answer to is a uC. The difficult part will be waiting for a need that is useful to more than one person.

I remember a recent one. "I don't want to walk to the coffee maker and pour water in it. Please design a circuit to do this for me, at the right time of day, with no intervention from me."
 

aws505

Joined Mar 11, 2013
59
Really, most things that you can do with an Arduino you should be able to do with any microcontroller. I know it's not in the seme vein, but I've recently been toying with creating a Sleek Word Clock. If you are looking for a wealth of ideas, head on over to the Instructables Arduino Section and take a look at some of the stuff they've come up with. Some of it is kitch and useless, other stuff is quite novel.
 
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