Overview
This team project explored the piezoelectric effect as a mechanism for harvesting the mechanical energy lost every time a foot hits a surface. Piezoelectric materials generate an electric charge when mechanically stressed — the goal was to capture that charge from normal foot traffic and store it usefully.
The project was part of an Engineering Design course at LSU and served as an introduction to iterative design, team coordination, and the full product development process from concept to prototype.
What I built
- CAD modeling: Designed key structural components in Autodesk Fusion 360, including the housing that contains the piezoelectric elements under the tread surface and channels the compressive force effectively.
- Functional decomposition: Mapped the system architecture using a hierarchical functional decomposition chart — breaking the doormat into its primary functions (receive force, convert to electrical energy, store/output energy) and sub-functions at each level.
- Prototype assembly: Collaborated with the team to assemble a working prototype and evaluate its energy output under simulated foot-traffic loads.
Outcome
The prototype successfully demonstrated the piezoelectric conversion principle at small scale. The functional decomposition was the most useful deliverable — it clarified the system boundaries, highlighted design constraints, and became the reference document for the team throughout the build.
The project reinforced core engineering design principles: define requirements first, decompose complexity, iterate quickly, and measure against original goals.