Summary

This week was all about iteration, integration, and real-world checks as both our camera inspection system and smart egg prototype took important steps forward. We refined designs, tackled hardware and software challenges, and made sure what we’re building truly fits the needs of the people and environments it’s meant for

Hey there, and welcome back to my blog! If you’re new here or need a quick refresher, you can catch up on my earlier updates. This summer, I’m diving into two really exciting projects: one’s a smart egg prototype supporting conservation efforts for the Attwater Prairie Chicken, and the other a vertical inspection camera system to monitor microgreens in an indoor hydroponic farm. Both projects are fast-paced and hands-on, full of creative problem-solving and constant learning.

Last week (Week 4) was all about iteration and small breakthroughs: we finally milled our first custom PCB on the Carvera machine, redesigned the traces to avoid short circuits, and polished new 3D-printed egg shells to better house the electronics. For the camera system, we added preset camera movements, swapped from the Pi 4B to a lighter Pi Zero, and switched from Arduino to an ESP32 for better integration, all while testing Bluetooth data flow to Firebase and planning ahead for scaling up.

This week was all about iteration, integration, and real-world checks as both our camera inspection system and smart egg prototype took important steps forward. We refined designs, tackled hardware and software challenges, and made sure what we’re building truly fits the needs of the people and environments it’s meant for

Whether you’re here for the engineering details, design hurdles, or the occasional behind-the-scenes moments, I’m excited to share what came next. So, let’s jump right in!

Egg Progress

On Monday, we got a response email from Ric (our client) confirming his visit to the Design Kitchen. We showed him our recent progress, and he raised an important question about how we plan to power the substation: he suggested either a battery or solar power, definitely no cables running across the field. He also preferred the egg to be polished to level 3, so it better mimics the real Attwater Prairie Chicken egg. We told him we’d get back to confirm when we’d be available to present, ideally before the final project showcase. With the progress we had made so far, we proposed doing a field test on Wednesday, which motivated the whole team to move faster on individual tasks. Beyond just Firebase data streaming, we also improved the website’s UI so it now shows the most recent state of each egg and displays more detailed graphs when clicked.

Ahead of the field test, we debugged issues with the boards, and managed to get one fully finished, with two more in progress. We faced some blockers, like one Nicla sensor behaving as if it were two separate eggs when sending data to Firebase. We also planned website upgrades: integrating the user manual directly into the site, adding a feature to show the egg’s recent movement as well as its latest state, and making the data table downloadable as a CSV. Plus, we worked on making the site less laggy when viewing a larger range of data. By Tuesday, we only had three out of the six eggs fully ready, so we quickly made more level 3 gloss eggs to bring for testing.

Dr. Holmes also suggested I research battery options for the Raspberry Pi substation. I calculated its power consumption and drafted a document estimating the battery capacity we’d need to keep it running over the full 28 days of egg monitoring. After the Wednesday field test, using normal chickens who sat on the eggs, we collected data we could review later, and we also measured the Bluetooth range to understand how close the egg and substation need to be for reliable data transfer.

Ric also mentioned he would like us to prepare a formal presentation for his team soon, so we’re coordinating to schedule that before the final project showcase.

 

 

Inspection Camera Prototype

For a quick reminder, our camera system combines custom hardware and modern web tech to deliver a remote-controlled live streaming experience. The mechanical setup centers on an aluminum extrusion rail that guides vertical movement via a stepper motor and belt, while a panning servo motor and lazy susan base deliver smooth 360-degree horizontal rotation. The camera mount carries a Raspberry Pi and camera module, moving precisely with limit switches and a belt tensioner ensuring reliable operation.

On the software side, the Raspberry Pi streams video in real time using WebRTC, establishing low-latency peer-to-peer connections through a Cloudflare Worker signaling server. Firebase and Fire store secure authentication and data management, while TURN/STUN servers keep connections strong through network obstacles. This architecture lets our clients watch the live stream and control the camera’s position seamlessly via a web interface.

This week, we made solid progress integrating these parts. We ordered new belts, servo motors, mounting brackets, and a camera with an IR filter toggle. We improved the streaming software by building a Python web server to start and stop the stream on demand, saving power and bandwidth. We refined camera presets for automatic movement between plant trays, swapped the bulky Raspberry Pi 4B for a lighter Pi Zero, and started testing wireless charging options for the camera.

Midweek, we visited Navid’s EARTI office to check if our build aligns with the real-world setup. Seeing the space firsthand was invaluable, and Navid’s feedback helped us confirm we’re on track. Plus, Navid treated us to lunch at Pavon Restaurant, where I enjoyed Nutella toast and a banana cream latte, a delicious break amid the hard work.

2nd Medium-Fidelity Prototype of Earti’s Inspection Camera

 

Beyond the OEDK Life, Food, and Culture

Of course, it wasn’t all work this week. We took a break for some essential shopping at Target and spent a fascinating afternoon at the Contemporary Art Museum, exploring exhibitions that reflected on consumer culture and showcased creative works by teenagers. We also visited the Houston museum of natural science briefly. I also got to unwind outdoors at Houston’s Hippie Hill, soaking in the vibe and recharging a bit.

On the home front, back at martel, I channeled some energy into cooking, experimenting with flavors and dishes from back home. I whipped up a spicy ramen with sardine sauce for a twist, and made Moi Moi with custard, a traditional Nigerian dish often enjoyed on Saturday mornings. To round out the week, I cooked yam and beans porridge, a comforting classic that really hits the spot.

These moments of pause and creativity helped balance the intense project work and reminded me why having a well-rounded week is just as important as hitting technical milestones.

Sumptuous meals i made over the weekend

Pictures from the contemporary art and hippie’s hilltop

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 5 blended technical refinements with client collaboration and real-world grounding. Between software tweaks, mechanical adjustments, and field testing, our projects moved closer to fulfilling their promise, all while reminding us to balance focus with small moments of joy. Grateful, as always, for my amazing teammates whose creativity and persistence make all these challenges exciting to tackle!

Thanks for reading, see you next week!

Eniola 🙂