Wildfire Home Defense System
The Challenge
Over 4 million homes in the US are located in wildfire-urban interface zones, creating critical vulnerability during fire emergencies. Through extensive research into the wildfire mitigation industry, I identified a key gap: existing aerial retardant systems often arrive too late to protect individual properties due to timing and deployment constraints.
Homeowners need real-time, ground-based fire detection and suppression capability to create defensible perimeters around their properties without relying on emergency response timing. The challenge was developing a system that could operate autonomously, detect fires accurately in outdoor environments with multiple heat sources, and respond immediately with effective suppression.
The Solution
I developed an autonomous fire detection and retardant deployment system powered entirely by battery operation, enabling immediate response to fire threats at the property level.
Technical Implementation: Developed advanced fire detection system using Raspberry Pi, pyroelectric sensors, and MLX thermal imaging camera. Created custom algorithm that processes real-time frequency readings, applying Hanning window filtering for noise reduction and data normalization, enabling accurate identification of flame hotspots within the field of view. Implemented validation protocols to eliminate false positives from ambient heat sources.
Automated Response System: Engineered precision blower and pump mechanism that atomizes liquid fire retardant into fine mist, maximizing surface area coverage to neutralize fire sources. The system operates independently on battery power, providing homeowners with critical minutes of protection while emergency services are en route.
Key Innovation: The combination of advanced signal processing and real-time response creates the first ground-based, autonomous wildfire defense system designed specifically for residential properties, filling a critical gap in existing fire protection infrastructure.
Sustainable Electric Motor Design
The Challenge
Electric motors are ubiquitous across residential, automotive, marine, and industrial applications, but they rely heavily on environmentally destructive materials. Traditional motors require rare earth neodymium magnets and copper windings, both of which create significant environmental impact through intensive mining operations and limited global supply chains.
As electrification accelerates across all industries, the demand for these scarce materials is becoming unsustainable. The challenge was developing a motor design that could deliver comparable performance while eliminating dependence on rare earth elements and reducing environmental impact, particularly for smaller battery-powered applications where efficiency is critical.
The Solution
I designed a switched reluctance motor that completely eliminates rare earth magnets and copper windings, replacing them with abundant, environmentally-friendly materials without sacrificing performance.
Innovative Design Approach: Reimagined the traditional switched reluctance motor architecture, which has existed for decades but remained underutilized in small-scale applications. Developed innovative stator topology featuring short flux path isolation for each phase, dramatically improving magnetic efficiency and reducing electromagnetic interference between phases.
Custom Control System: Designed and built custom low-side MOSFET 3-phase driver IC powered by Arduino microcontroller, enabling precise phase timing control and optimized switching sequences for maximum torque output and efficiency.
Sustainable Materials: Replaced neodymium magnets with common steel laminations and rotor components, eliminating rare earth mining dependency. Substituted copper windings with aluminum alternatives, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of motor production while maintaining electrical performance.
Key Innovation: Created a practical pathway for sustainable electrification by proving that high-performance motors can be built entirely from abundant materials. The combination of innovative stator design and custom control electronics demonstrates that environmental sustainability and performance optimization can coexist in modern motor technology.
Miniatures Direct: Data-Driven Consumer Product Success
https://miniaturesdirect.net/
The Challenge
The hobby miniatures market is highly competitive and fragmented, with enthusiasts seeking high-quality, detailed products for dioramas and tabletop gaming. Most manufacturers rely on intuition rather than data to guide product development, leading to mismatched supply and demand.
The challenge was identifying underserved market segments, developing products that truly resonated with customers, and building a profitable direct-to-consumer business in a niche market dominated by established players. Success required understanding both customer preferences and manufacturing constraints while maintaining quality standards that hobby enthusiasts demand.
The Solution
I launched Miniatures Direct, a data-driven consumer product business specializing in scaled models, DIY scenery kits, and accessory items for hobby enthusiasts, generating consistent monthly revenue through strategic market analysis and iterative product development.
Market Research & Customer Insights: Conducted comprehensive market analysis to identify gaps in existing product offerings. Used customer segmentation analysis to understand different buyer personas and their specific needs, from casual hobbyists to serious collectors. Applied A/B testing methodologies to optimize product designs, pricing strategies, and marketing approaches.
Product Development Process: Designed products using CAD software (Alibre Design) and 3D rendering (Twinmotion) to create detailed prototypes before manufacturing. Implemented customer feedback loops to continuously refine designs based on real user experiences. Optimized manufacturing processes to balance quality, cost, and production scalability.
Business Operations: Built end-to-end supply chain from design through customer fulfillment. Developed pricing strategies based on competitive analysis and customer willingness to pay. Created marketing campaigns that converted consistently, reaching monthly revenues ranging from $200-2,000.
Key Innovation: Successfully applied analytics methodologies from the gaming industry to physical product development, proving that data-driven decision making can create profitable niche businesses. Demonstrated that understanding customer behavior through data leads to better products and sustainable business growth.
AC Freeze Detection & Alert System
Challenge: Residential AC units commonly experience coil freeze-over when heat exchange is insufficient, causing refrigerant blockages that reduce cooling effectiveness during peak summer months. Most units lack sensors to detect this critical failure mode.
Solution: Developed intelligent monitoring system using temperature sensors and anemometer with WiFi-enabled Arduino to continuously monitor coil conditions and airflow. Created custom algorithm that accurately determines freeze-over conditions by analyzing both temperature and airflow data. Built Python Flask API hosted on AWS to provide real-time alerts and system integration capabilities, enabling proactive maintenance and preventing costly AC failures.
Key Innovation: Combined multiple sensor inputs with cloud-based analytics to solve a common but previously unaddressed residential HVAC problem, demonstrating ability to identify everyday inefficiencies and create technical solutions.
Grey Water Filtration System
Challenge: Household grey water from sinks and showers represents a significant water waste opportunity, but existing filtration systems are either too expensive or insufficiently effective for real-time residential use.
Solution: Researched and prototyped multi-stage grey water treatment system combining pressure pump, media filtration, activated carbon (coconut/walnut shell), reverse osmosis, and UV sterilization. Focused on feasibility analysis and cost-effectiveness research rather than full functional prototype. Conducted individual component testing to validate filtration effectiveness and determine optimal system configuration for residential applications.