11 DIY Electronics Project Ideas for Engineering Students

These electronics projects are ideal for students looking for a way to develop their skills.

If you've checked out the prices of various security systems and other niche electronic devices on online shopping sites such as Amazon, you know they don't come cheap. But did you know that you can create most of these devices with just a handful of tools, electronic circuits, a microcontroller, and basic computer skills?

Here are 11 easy and innovative ideas that are perfect hardware projects for engineering students.

1. Circuit Breaker Using Password

If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to control electrical lines using a password, you'll find this project quite interesting. Using an 8051 microcontroller, you can set up any circuit in a way the on/off button is replaced with a password.

This hack can be a great safety feature if you want to undertake some electrical maintenance on a circuit that powers the entire house. Having a different password for every major circuit can make the project safer.

2. Automatic Solar Tracker

Another hardware project perfect for engineering students is this automatic solar tracker. Solar panels receive maximum exposure to sun rays for a few hours every day. You can build your own trackers that follow the sun's direction from morning to evening to ensure your panel receives maximum radiation all day. This ingenious project uses an Arduino UNO, servo, and a few light-dependent resistors to work.

3. Automatic Room Light Controller

The ability to turn lights on or off without thinking about the actual switch is quite futuristic. Using an 8051-development board, a 5V relay module, and a microcontroller, you can automate your entire home lighting system. The setup is ideal if you'd like to test your creativity with basic electronic devices.

However, it's also a practical solution for people who frequently forget to turn off their lights before sleep, only to be hit with huge electricity bills later. If you're worried about how smart light bulbs can put your home network at risk, this electronic project idea is a good alternative.

4. Wireless Lock System Through OTP

Using the same password for your digital locks isn't the most secure way to keep intruders away since they only need to capture it once. However, OTP systems (one-time passwords) present a smart security solution that discards every password.

You need an Arduino Uno, Bluetooth HC-05, a servo motor, and a Veroboard PCB to create this project. The rest of the components are the typical parts of a circuit that you are familiar with from electronic hacks.

For this electronic project to work reliably from your phone, you'll need to program the microcontroller and create a simple Android application in the online MIT App Inventor. Every time you need to open a secured door, you'll be prompted to enter a password which is sent to your phone instantly.

5. PC-Based Home Automation

If you spend long hours on your PC, you've probably wished you could automate certain chores around the house through simple mouse clicks. With a microcontroller, relay ICs, PCB, and Vision IDE, you can automate most electrical appliances around you.

The system can be tweaked so that you can monitor the status of every connected component on the desktop. The setup will save you lots of time because you can pretty much control the fan, lights, security cameras, and other installations without leaving your desk.

6. RFID-Based Door Access Control

Securing your premises is probably one of your greatest concerns whenever you need to leave the house in the morning, go on errands, or take a holiday. You can use an Arduino microcontroller coupled with an RFID access management system to secure your doors.

One of the coolest aspects of such a protocol is that you can grant or deny access permissions on the go. It's another great electronics project for engineering students because you can find this technology in so many real-life applications. It may even prompt some solutions to the problem of how RFIDs can be hacked.

7. Advanced RFID Door Access Project

One of the most secure access systems that you can install on your doors is RFID since it uses radio frequencies instead of local waves. To set up this project, you need RFID tags, a reader, a transceiver, and some antennas. On completion, the mechanism will let you access your house or room by scanning the RFID credentials for a match.

Unlike a barcode system, you don't need to pull out the card once you get close to the secured door since the RFID works automatically to save you time. If you want to give it a go yourself, you can find the complete RFID project tutorial on YouTube.

8. Solar Mobile Phone Charger

Charging your smartphone is probably one of the most inconvenient but necessary routines in your day. A solar mobile phone charger can change this since it can free you from the hassle of competing with everyone for ports and cables. This project uses a 6V mini solar panel, a step-up circuit, and a typical phone charger.

Once everything is set up, you just need to position the panel so that it is exposed to sun rays. The benefit of having such a tiny system is that you can always carry it around. For example, if a building blocks the sun, you can go around it and continue charging. This is another excellent electronic project for students, especially when charging ports are in high demand at schools and universities.

9. Fingerprint-Based Security System

Keeping tabs on your possessions, be it your home, equipment, or other items, is one of the easiest ways to remain calm regardless of where you are. A fingerprint-based security system hack can be exactly what you need if you don't want to worry too much about the safety of your stuff.

For doors and other important entrances, this project uses an ATmega 32 microcontroller circuit paired with an LCD display, a fingerprint sensor, and a few motors. What's cool about it is that the door will only open if the fingerprint scanned matches any of the stored ones. With multi-user support, you can even add more fingerprints for your loved ones.

10. Robotic Arm

If you've ever thought about creating a robotic arm for use at home or as a test of your creativity, this hack is for you. The project uses an Arduino microcontroller and a few 3D-printed plastic components. You'll also need a custom Android application that will act as the interface with the microcontroller.

On completion, you'll be able to control the axis of the robot arm to reach over various items in your room. The robot arm can be programmed to hand over certain things, such as drinks.

11. Power Generation Through Footstep

You can convert your footsteps into an electric current capable of turning on a lamp or charging a small battery. Using a microcontroller attached to a piezo circuit and a diode, you can step on the setup repeatedly to create power.

This hack can be combined with a home treadmill so that you can monitor the intensity of your workout by the glowing diode.

Make Use of Old Hardware

If you have the necessary components and tools, you can complete almost all these electronics projects in less than 24 hours. Luckily, you can find the resources for cheap on eBay, so it won't be difficult to try out these innovative ideas for projects in electronics.

Remember, every hack you work on improves your critical thinking, programming, and hands-on skills, so these are the perfect hardware projects for engineering students.