The DIGI-LEVEL
This project was a collaborative effort to develop a compact, battery-powered leveling device for outdoor use, designed to help campers accurately level sleeping surfaces in uneven terrain, where discomfort and poor rest are common.
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During our research, we found that uneven surfaces can significantly impact sleep quality, with studies showing a 45% increase in back pain after just one night on a surface tilted more than 7 degrees. Our goal was to create a tool that could give quick, clear leveling feedback—specifically for car campers like ourselves—while also being adaptable to other use cases like leveling tables or work surfaces in outdoor and mobile environments.
Description of Design Solution
Our final prototype was a portable, ergonomically designed box that provided accurate tilt readings and corner adjustment guidance for rectangular surfaces. Housed in a durable, weather-resistant acrylic and nylon case, the device featured an ELEGOO touchscreen, powered by a lithium-ion battery capable of over 8 hours of continuous use.
Users simply placed the device on a surface, input the surface’s length and width using flush mounted buttons, and pressed a “Measure” button to begin. The built-in MPU6050 accelerometer collected tilt data in real time, which was processed by an Arduino Mega R3 to calculate vertical offset values for each corner. These adjustments were then displayed on-screen with intuitive visual feedback.
For field usability, the design emphasized simplicity, accuracy, and ruggedness. The interface was easy to understand, even in harsh outdoor conditions, and the button-based input system helped seal the internal components against dust and moisture. Testing confirmed consistent accuracy within ±1.5° on inclined surfaces up to 45°, meeting our design goals and user needs.
Role & Team Collaboration
Throughout the development of our leveling device, I worked closely with my teammates to bring our idea from concept to a fully functional prototype. My primary contributions focused on the mathematical modeling, embedded systems programming, circuit integration, and the design of the user interface. I’m especially proud of how our group collaborated, sharing feedback, solving problems together, and keeping momentum through technical roadblocks.
Mathematical Modeling & Firmware Development
One of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the project was developing the mathematical model that powered our device. I was responsible for writing the Arduino code that processed real-time data from the accelerometer to calculate pitch and roll. From these values, I implemented the trigonometric logic needed to determine the exact vertical offsets at each corner of a user-defined rectangular surface. This part of the project required me to synthesize material from technical documentation, derive a reliable geometric solution, and continuously test and refine it in code. After more than thirty code revisions, we achieved a model that could deliver consistent results with an accuracy of ±1.5 degrees on surfaces tilted up to 45°. I also used AI-assisted methods to streamline the codebase, ensuring it fit within the limited memory constraints of our microcontroller.
Electrical Integration & System Debugging
Alongside the software, I worked on the electrical system that tied the device together. Our original prototype experienced major communication issues between the screen and the sensor, which I helped debug. I proposed moving to the Arduino Mega R3, a board with expanded I/O and dual I²C capability, which resolved the pin conflicts and allowed the display and accelerometer to function simultaneously. I wired and configured the MPU6050, the touchscreen, and the power system, a lithium-ion battery capable of delivering over 8 hours of continuous runtime.
User Interface & Field Usability
On the user interface side, I collaborated on designing a clean, intuitive experience for the end user. I programmed the screen to allow users to enter surface dimensions using pull-up buttons, chosen specifically to maintain water and dust resistance for outdoor use. The interface guided users through setup and displayed the final corner adjustments clearly, making leveling intuitive and efficient.
Reflection & Team Impact
I’m especially proud of the way our team came together through each phase of the process. Whether we were troubleshooting hardware issues late at night or refining our presentation for the final showcase, everyone brought energy and dedication to the table. I helped drive our progress forward by staying organized, asking the right technical questions, and ensuring we met our deadlines. In the end, our team was recognized at the expo as the “Most Cohesive Team,” and that, to me, was just as meaningful as building a functional product. This project was not just about the technology, it was about working together to build something we were all proud to stand behind.
EXPO POSTER
