STUDENT · BUILDER · ASPIRING AEROSPACE ENGINEER

My Journey

What I am building now, what shaped it, and what I learned along the way.

The projects on this page look very different, but they all started the same way: I found something I did not understand and wanted to figure it out. Whether it was making an LED blink, building a robotic arm, or researching how astronauts could manage CO₂ on the Moon, each challenge pulled me toward the next one.
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Tilak Patel
  1. 2021–2023 4th–5th Grade

    Gears Before Code

    I spent a lot of time building LEGO and other mechanical sets with motors, gears, and moving parts. I liked following the instructions at first, but I liked taking things apart and changing them even more.

    By the end of 5th grade, I wanted to do more than connect gears and motors. I wanted to control what I built with code.

  2. 2023–2024 6th Grade TURNING POINT

    The Spark

    My dad gave me an Arduino Starter Kit for my birthday. I started with a blinking LED, then buttons, sensors, and projects I found online. Most of them did not work the first time, but I loved seeing a few lines of code make something happen in the real world.

  3. 2024–2025 7th Grade

    Trying More on My Own

    I started building projects that combined code, sensors, and movement. An Arduino car taught me how to work with motors and sensors, and later I discovered the ESP32 and built a simple web page that let me control servos from my phone.

    This was also when I started moving away from copying tutorials and trying more ideas of my own. By the end of 7th grade, I signed up for PLTW Introduction to Engineering because I wanted to learn more before taking on bigger projects.

  4. 2025–2026 8th Grade TURNING POINT

    Building With Purpose

    In 8th grade, I started thinking differently about my projects. Instead of only asking, "Can I build this?" I started asking, "What problem could this solve?"

    Fall 2025: Ashtavakra Begins

    The idea came from a LEGO grabber I had built years earlier. I started Ashtavakra as my own robotic-arm project and built an early version to see if I could get the mechanics, electronics, and code working together.

    Explore the Ashtavakra case study →

    Spring 2026: AERO-LITE

    I entered Space Center Houston's Carbon Capture Challenge and built AERO-LITE, a project focused on removing CO₂ from the air in a future lunar habitat. I had to learn about chemistry, sensors, electronics, programming, and a lot of things I had never worked with before.

    Explore the AERO-LITE case study →

    May 2026: Top Individual Award

    AERO-LITE received the Top Individual Award in the Middle School division. I was excited about winning, but what mattered even more was realizing that I could start with something I barely understood, keep learning, and turn the idea into a working project.

    AERO-LITE Phase 1 prototype — three mason jars with zeolite beads, silica gel, and CO₂ sensors on a desk
    Phase 1 prototype: three mason jars, a live ESP32-S3, and a dashboard updating every second.
  5. 2026-2027 Freshman Year

    From Control to Vision

    I started high school with a challenging course load that matches where I want to go: PLTW Principles of Engineering Honors, Algebra 2 Honors, Biology Honors, English Honors, and AP World History. I wanted freshman year to push me both technically and academically while I continued building projects outside the classroom.

    Summer 2026: A Working Ashtavakra

    I turned Ashtavakra from an early test into a working 3D-printed robotic arm that I can control over Wi-Fi. It can move the way I tell it to, but it still depends on me for almost every decision.

    Fall 2026: Giving It Vision

    I am now working on the Vision AI part of Ashtavakra. My goal is for the arm to recognize objects and eventually use what it sees to help decide how to move. It is still a work in progress, and I am learning a lot while trying to make the different parts work together.

    Ashtavakra robotic arm schematic
    How control reaches the arm: browser → Wi-Fi → Arduino UNO R4 WiFi → motor driver → servos. Vision is the next link in that chain.
  6. 2027+ Looking Ahead NEXT

    Looking Ahead

    Ashtavakra: After finishing the Vision AI work, I want to keep exploring how the arm can do simple tasks with less help from me.

    AERO-LITE: I want to continue testing the project and collect better data to understand how well the CO₂ capture idea actually works.

    Aerospace: I want to take on bigger aerospace and rocketry projects that push me to learn more physics, engineering, teamwork, and testing.

    Keep Building: As I learn more math, science, programming, and engineering, I want my projects to grow with me. I hope I keep choosing things that are just a little beyond what I already know how to do.

How I Approach Projects

Start Small

Big projects feel less overwhelming when I start with one simple goal. Make one motor move. Read one sensor. Get one part working. Then build from there.

Test, Don't Guess

When something does not work, I try to change one thing at a time and see what actually happens. I have learned that guessing usually creates more problems.

Learn From What Breaks

I have burned boards, wired things incorrectly, and spent hours chasing the wrong problem. Those mistakes are frustrating, but they are also the parts I usually remember and learn from the most.

Keep It Simple

I used to think adding more parts and features made a project better. Now I try to find the simplest solution that does the job well before making it more complicated.

Build Safely

Working with batteries, motors, heat, and moving parts has taught me to think about what could go wrong before I turn something on. A working project is not worth much if it is not safe.

Share What I Learn

I document my projects because I know how helpful it is to find someone else's explanation when I am stuck. If my notes help another student get past a problem, they are worth writing.

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