Autonomous Driving Robot

A professor approached me with an urgent challenge—he needed a polished prototype for an autonomous robot, and he needed it fast. With only four weeks, my task was to transform a rough, student-built model into something that could be showcased at conventions and industry events. This meant more than just making it functional; it had to look and feel like a real product.

I designed the entire robot body in SolidWorks, ensuring that every component was precisely modeled and optimized for both functionality and manufacturability. The design had to integrate key components—including a facial recognition camera, rotating LiDAR sensor, and charging ports—while maintaining a clean and accessible layout. Using SolidWorks allowed me to rapidly iterate on the design, ensuring proper fitment and alignment while keeping the structure easy to assemble and modify

With only about a week to manufacture the entire body, I had to choose fabrication methods that balanced speed, precision, and durability. I 3D printed the outer walls to achieve greater detail while using laser-cut 3/8-inch black acrylic for the larger structural pieces—such as the top and bottom—to provide rigidity and a solid foundation for mounting all internal components. 

Since this was still an early-stage prototype, I designed the enclosure to be fully modular and easy to take apart. Important internal controls were strategically placed for accessibility, either through the back panel or designated access points in the bottom. This ensured that modifications and testing could be performed quickly without disassembling the entire structure. 

By the end of the four-week sprint, I had transformed the robot into a fully enclosed, professional-looking prototype. The final design not only met the functional requirements but also ensured the system could be manufactured efficiently, maintained easily, and presented confidently at industry events. This project reinforced my ability to deliver high-quality, functional designs under tight deadlines while balancing aesthetics, manufacturability, and usability.