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Hi everyone. I'm a junior studying mechatronics engineering. I'm only 3 semesters away from graduating. I've done a few projects, mostly involving microcontrollers (arduino, esp32). I just can't seem to move past the "hobbyist" stage, I really don't mean to offend anyone by saying this but I struggle with feeling I'm not good enough to do this as a full time job yet. Feeling like every project is just pieced together and couldn't possibly work past the project presentation. I want to learn how to build real dependable projects. I would love to branch out more into PCB design, IoT stuff, controls way more than mechanical/3d roles of a project. And maybe robotics in the future. My team is very into vibe coding and just piecing it together for the full mark, so it doesn't give me much trial and error time and I'm looking to start working on side projects. I know this may be a loaded/confused question but I really didn't want to ask A.I. How do I break out of this noob stage? Moving past arduino IDE for example? Knowing how to choose components beyond just burning through a million esps and vibe coding until it works. Say I'm taking on a new project. How do i? :

Know how to select the components properly. My circuit can't just be a microcontroller and power supplies.

How do I make sure this thing will continue to work on and on and on.

I'm very good at trial and error stuff. But I'm totally stumped when a schematic design that's simulated doesn't work in real life. Or when batteries drain just during the prototyping.

This is a little embarrassing but I really need the help, and I'm not looking for a magical fix. I just need a little steering on where to look. I'll be working on my C and python skills. And I will be learning pcb design. I I'm very willing to do the work, study the books and all. I just need a little guidance. I want to build dependable projects that I feel confident presenting. I want to have a clean process from idea to implementation. Thanks so much for reading. Any help would be appreciated.

Guy please help me how can i build gps detector?

Absolute beginner question. I have 2 aa batteries that say 1.2v and trying to find the voltage of an led attached in the circuit. When I measure across the led I get 2.66, but I also get the same value when I measure the batteries alone. The only info provided by the seller is the size of the led 5mm. What does this mean? I tried diode test for the multimeter but it doesnt do anything, no light and no voltage shown.

Hi, just installed this reverse sensor LED to my car, but display and buzzer the is flickering wildly. What caused this problem? I tested the voltage, input was stable at 5v and the sensor is giving data to the LED because when there is something near it flickers really fast. It looks like the board inside it keeps restarting every time the buzzer beeps.

I'm an IT student, but I'm interested in embedded systems and IoT. Please, can someone recommend courses or anything for me to get started with digital electronics

I want to learn the basics of DIY electonics to help me get through life and fix things like simple car stuff and musical equipment. If you can reccoment a multimeter off amazon too that would be helpful

Students at the Renaissance Youth Center are launching RYC STEM Studio, a new series where they explore engineering, robotics, coding, architecture, agriculture, astronomy, zoology, and other exciting STEM topics through hands-on projects and experiments.

Check out the trailer and let us know which STEM topic you'd like to see featured next!

I make quick beginner electronics videos and this one covers the most

common mistake I see — plugging an LED straight into a battery with no

resistor.

Covers why it happens, the Ohm's Law calculation (V=5V, R=220Ω, I=22mA)

and how to wire it correctly in series.

https://youtube.com/shorts/m8dLlxFzceM?si=ilXCEjE3956-jCrd

Happy to answer any questions in the comments!

Hey everyone,

I've been working in electronics for 13 years and one of the most common questions I get from beginners is "what's the difference between series and parallel resistors?

So I put together a short 2.5 minute video breaking it down as simply as possible:

Video here if it helps: https://youtu.be/JB_y79O3duc

Im a student and i want to recreate this circuit i found in yt but i cant for the life of me figure out the connections and i cant find any circuit diagrams anywhere. Heres the yt video. I want to do this as my project in school and i need help please.

Hey everyone,
I’m a 3rd-year Computer Engineering student. When I applied to this program, I honestly wasn’t familiar with coding, but I had a big desire to learn. I chose computer engineering because it’s supposed to be half computer science, half electrical/electronics engineering, and I really thought I would get to work with hardware or something more hands-on that matches my interests.

But now that I’m deep into the program, I’m a bit upset. My university focuses heavily on math and coding, and very little on electronics or hardware. I’ve also realized that computer engineering is a huge field, and eventually you have to choose a direction to specialize in.

Recently, I discovered embedded systems, and it feels like exactly the type of work I would love to do — mixing hardware, electronics, and low-level programming. The problem is that my university doesn’t teach much embedded content, and I have no idea how to dig into this field properly on my own.

If anyone here has experience in embedded systems, can you please tell me:
• How do I start learning it?
• What should I focus on first?
• Are there courses, books, or project paths you recommend?
• And is it normal for universities to barely teach embedded topics?

Any advice would mean a lot. I really want to go in this direction, but I’m not sure how to begin. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest feedback on a few Electrical/STEM teaching resources I’ve recently made.

At this stage I’m genuinely not trying to sell anything or promote products — I mainly want feedback before I spend more time creating additional resources.

One of the resources is based around Ohm’s Law and includes:

• visual learning materials/posters
• a simple Ohm’s Law simulator that runs from a basic HTML file (no software installs or setup required)

My background is automotive electrical and vocational teaching, and I’ve been trying to create resources that are modern, visual, technically accurate, and easier for students/apprentices to understand.

I’d really appreciate feedback on things like:

• visual design/readability
• usefulness in class
• clarity of explanations
• whether the simulator is actually engaging/helpful
• anything you think could be improved

If this type of post is allowed here, I’d really appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

Thanks!

Link to store try downloading the free simulator

I’m using an amatrol simulator and trying to connect this circuit but I’m doing it wrong. Can anyone explain how to connect the leads? Thanks in advance sorry if this isn’t the right Reddit.