Custom hardware design / Biology education
Biology Teaching Hardware
Custom electronics for hands-on biology and introductory programming.
I designed custom hardware for a modular educational device developed alongside a team of biologists. It gives biology students a simple physical system for learning how devices work and writing code that interacts with hardware.
The device uses controls, sensors, and a microcontroller to connect code with observable behavior. Students can explore biological feedback and homeostasis while learning how inputs, processing, and outputs fit together.
We called the project The Feedback Loop. My contribution centered on the custom electronics and hardware integration, developed in collaboration with the biology team.
HARDWARE
A modular physical system
I designed the custom electronics and integrated the sensors, controls, and microcontroller with a team of biologists. This close-up shows the component arrangement and light-ring assembly.
The device gives students something they can inspect, change in code, and observe directly.
Connecting code to an observable response
Read an input
Use a sensor or control to bring a physical change into the program.
Change the rule
Write code that determines how the device responds to that input.
Observe the output
Use the visible response to explore feedback and homeostasis with the biology team.
DEVELOPMENT
Building and testing the electronics
The bench recording shows the assembly and hardware interaction behind the classroom device. My role was to make the electronics support a simple, programmable learning system.
The Feedback Loop was the project name; the aim was hands-on biology and an accessible introduction to working with hardware.