Their story, in their words…
I have created a dual-axis solar powered system that tracks the sun and charges 3 lithium ion batteries. Initially the process seemed easier and straightforward : Just draw an approximate picture and call it a day. However I learned that a good engineering product is the one that was planned carefully and realistically.
After having made the big mistake of trying to use a gigantic 20×20 cm solar panel that weighed 500 grams, I learned a big lesson that there should be guidance or a plan on how to assemble all the parts together correctly without avoiding clashes and unexpected surprises. Unsurprisingly most of the challenges came from dealing with electronics: programming my Arduino board, connecting the right cables into the right pins without burning everything. However, having watched some lessons and read some guides online I managed to learn the logic behind this system.
I believe this project is not perfect but it symbolizes my first step towards becoming an experienced and creative engineer in the future.
This project helped me to implement my A level knowledge of Physics and Mathematics in a very different way which I believe is essential to learning skills of strategic problem-solving and finding a balance between the factors like budget, functionality, aesthetics and reliability.
