Build the demo, not just the slide.
I like projects where the output is visible: a robot moves, a sensor streams, an inference pipeline runs locally, or a prototype proves the product direction.
Building at the edge of robotics + healthcare
Founder-engineer building physical AI systems.
I’m Duc Tran — a Biomedical Engineering student at Waterloo building across embedded robotics, edge AI, computer vision, hardware prototyping, and medical technology. I care about products that move from messy bench prototypes to real systems people can use.
Personal thesis
Healthcare robotics will be built by people who understand both product and hardware.
My long-term direction is robotics, data, and systems-based healthcare first, then gradually moving toward deeper molecular and genetics technology. The near-term work is physical systems: sensors, embedded AI, robotics, and usable demos.
Connect hardware, software, and narrative.
Strong technical work needs clean communication. I focus on both the system architecture and the pitch that helps people quickly understand why it matters.
Embedded systems are the operating layer.
Most real-world AI products fail at power, latency, integration, or reliability. That is why I keep coming back to firmware, edge compute, sensors, and controls.
Company-building work
Founder-engineer work across drones, edge AI, and healthcare systems.
A cleaner founder/CEO vibe should show ownership, product judgment, and a technical roadmap — not only a list of tools.
Embedded robotics and low-power perception for autonomous drones.
Building low-power perception systems for autonomous drones. My work focuses on embedded integration, prototype bring-up, and turning early technical ideas into clear demos.
VisionOnboard perception
EdgeLow-power systems
DemoPrototype bring-up
StoryTechnical communication
Computer vision, edge-AI demos, and bias-aware perception systems.
Built computer-vision demos and dashboard workflows for edge AI systems. Focused on product demos, camera setup, model behavior, and explaining the system clearly to non-technical audiences.
VisionCamera intelligence
EdgeLocal AI demos
DataDashboard workflows
ProductDemo storytelling
Technical builds
Projects that show engineering range.
A tighter set of builds focused on robotics simulation, FPGA/digital systems, and custom embedded electronics.
Final robot/sim image
Gazebo view
Waypoint output
01
HeRO 2.0 Swarm Robots
Multi-robot simulation and waypoint workflow using image processing, robot state topics, and Gazebo-based testing for coordinated robot movement.
ModelSim waveform
Qsys block diagram
SignalTap analyzer
02
FPGA Peripheral Interface Controller
Digital systems project building and validating UART, SPI, and I2C-style interface logic through simulation, testbenches, and hardware-oriented debugging.
Custom embedded electronics
03
FPGA + ESP32 Hybrid Board
Custom embedded board concept connecting FPGA-style digital logic with an ESP32 control layer for hardware experiments, interfaces, and bring-up practice.
Custom embedded electronics
04
STM32F103C8T6 Core Board
Compact STM32 core board designed for embedded firmware practice, MCU bring-up, pinout planning, and reusable robotics/control experiments.
Custom embedded electronics
05
ESP32-WROOM Minimal Board
Minimal ESP32-WROOM board focused on clean power, boot/programming access, compact layout, and fast prototyping for wireless embedded systems.
Custom embedded electronics
06
ATmega32 Development Board
AVR development board for digital I/O, peripheral testing, embedded fundamentals, and repeatable bench validation with a custom PCB workflow.
Many more builds in progress. This page highlights selected final products only.
I have additional electronics, robotics, CAD, firmware, and hardware experiments that can be added
as the portfolio grows.
Execution history
Hands-on execution.
Focused on ownership, prototype work, and engineering execution.
Low-power perception for autonomous drones
- Worked on embedded perception, prototype bring-up, and hardware/software integration.
- Helped turn the technical direction into demos, roadmap, and clear communication.
Edge-AI perception and bias-aware dashboard systems
- Built computer-vision demos and dashboard workflows for edge-AI systems.
- Worked on camera setup, model behavior, and product demo storytelling.
STM32 firmware and embedded robotics
- Developed STM32 firmware in C with FreeRTOS for motor control, sensor polling, and communication.
- Implemented UART/SPI drivers and validated power distribution PCB behavior using lab tools.
PCB design and electronics validation
- Worked on PCB design, circuit validation, and bench testing for electronic modules.
- Used lab tools to debug hardware behavior and support production-oriented validation.
Technical stack
Hardware-aware AI stack.
Organized by area so recruiters can quickly see where I fit.
Embedded & Robotics
C/C++
STM32
FreeRTOS
ESP32
UART / SPI / I2C
ROS 2
Gazebo
Motor Control
AI & Computer Vision
Python
OpenCV
YOLO
MediaPipe
PyTorch
ONNX / TFLite
CUDA
Edge AI
Hardware & Electronics
KiCad
Altium
LTspice
PCB Debugging
Oscilloscope
Logic Analyzer
Power Systems
FPGA & Digital Systems
Verilog
VHDL
DE1-SoC
Quartus
ModelSim
Digital Interfaces
Mechanical & CAD
SolidWorks
Fusion 360
Onshape
Prototyping
Sensor Mounts
Robot Assemblies
Product & Deployment
Azure
Docker
MongoDB
Dashboards
Technical Demos
Pitch Communication
Contact
Building serious hardware needs serious people.
Reach out for embedded robotics, healthcare hardware, edge AI, technical demos, or early-stage product work.