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Mechnain Labs

@mechnain

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Introducing Mechnain Labs.

The goal is simple: build real things, solve real problems, and document the process along the way.

This is the foundation.

Follow the journey.

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#MechnainLabs #Engineering #Mechatronics #MechanicalEngineering #stem taken in University of Calgary by @mechnain

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5 months ago

by @mechnain

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5 months ago

Mechnain Rover 2.0 | Hand Controlled

Built a hand-controlled wireless rover from a basic 4WD chassis kit and turned it into a working embedded robotics platform.

The base was assembled, the motor leads were soldered, the left and right drive motors were paired, the motor driver was wired, and the rover was powered with a mounted power bank so it could run untethered from a laptop.

The rover ESP32 runs a local WiFi command interface with movement routes for forward, reverse, left, right, and stop. That became the control layer for the hand-control upgrade.

For Rover 2.0, I built a separate gesture controller using a second ESP32 and a GY-521 / MPU6050 IMU. The IMU reads hand tilt over I2C, the controller processes the motion, then sends HTTP commands over WiFi to the rover ESP32. The rover receives the command and drives the motor system through the motor driver.

I also built a 3D printed gauntlet-style controller concept in black PLA on my Bambu A1 mini. The printed setup includes a forearm controller frame, back-of-hand IMU mount, ESP32 support, cable routing path, and electronics mounting layout. The goal was to make the controller feel like an actual wearable interface instead of loose boards and wires.

Tilt forward to move forward. Return flat to stop. Tilt left or right to turn.

System stack:
• 4WD chassis kit
• Soldered DC motor leads
• ESP32 rover controller
• Motor driver for left/right drive
• Mounted power bank
• Second ESP32 gesture controller
• GY-521 / MPU6050 IMU
• I2C sensor communication
• WiFi HTTP command link
• 3D printed wearable controller parts
• Black PLA prototype housing

The full loop works: hand motion, IMU reading, wireless command transmission, embedded motor control, and physical rover movement.

Still a prototype, but no longer just a kit.

Mechnain Labs
Prototype first. Refine after.

#MechnainLabs #Robotics #Mechatronics #ESP32 #GestureControl taken in University of Calgary by @mechnain

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5 months ago

What if engineering started from a system, not a file?

This prototype started as a way to better understand computational engineering at a practical scale.

I’ve been following @leap.71 ‘s work because it shows how engineering logic can be encoded into software systems that generate physical hardware. Their work with #PicoGK and computational geometry pushed me to ask a smaller question:

What would this look like for everyday mechanical and mechatronics design?

So I built a local PicoGK workbench for my PC.

The idea is to move beyond treating every part as a separate static CAD model and instead build reusable generators driven by parameters, dimensions, clearances, and constraints.

Current MVP:

• local app interface
• generator library
• parameter-driven inputs
• CLI runner
• organized output folders
• saved parameters, logs, and results
• real STL output from a test generator

The workflow I’m exploring:

engineering intent → parameters → geometry → fabrication → testing → iteration

A bracket can become a bracket generator.
A wheel can become a wheel generator.
An enclosure can become a packaging system.

Still early, but this helped me understand the real value of computational engineering beyond complex geometry:

repeatability, traceability, faster iteration, and a cleaner path from design intent to physical testing.

Next step: useful generators, physical testing, and AI-assisted workflows.

Building systems that generate parts.

#ComputationalEngineering #PicoGK #GenerativeDesign #Engineering taken in University of Calgary by @mechnain

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5 months ago

Mechnain Rover V1.0 - RC Car

First working prototype of my ESP32-based 4WD mobile robotics platform.

This build started as a basic 4WD chassis kit, but the goal was to turn it into a portable wireless rover with its own onboard control system. I soldered the motor wires, wired the motor driver, connected the ESP32, and built a simple WiFi web app that lets the rover move directly from a phone browser.

Current system:
• ESP32 microcontroller
• 4WD chassis with DC motors
• Motor driver control
• Mounted power bank for portable onboard power
• WiFi web app hosted by the ESP32
• Phone-based forward, reverse, left, right, and stop controls

This version is not meant to look finished. It is meant to prove the core system: power, control, movement, and wireless operation.

The real value of V1.0 is the foundation. Now that the rover can move wirelessly without being tethered to a laptop, the next steps are cleaner wiring, better mounting, improved power distribution, and a stronger mechanical layout.

#MechnainLabs #Mechatronics #Robotics #ESP32 #engineering taken in University of Calgary by @mechnain

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5 months ago

I built a public-data dashboard prototype using publicly available disclosures @suncorenergy as a case study to better understand how operational, financial, safety, sustainability, and project metrics connect in the Canadian energy sector.

The focus was not just making a dashboard look clean. The real goal was learning how to read public company disclosures, separate useful KPIs from noise, and communicate the information in a way that would make sense to someone reviewing company performance at a high level.

For this case study, I looked at public metrics such as oil sands production, gross revenue, net income, safety performance, sustainability-related disclosures, major project milestones, and public data sources.

What I learned from this project:

Public data is useful, but it needs context. A number by itself does not say much unless it is connected to operations, financial performance, or strategic direction.

Dashboard design is not just visuals. It is about deciding what matters, what should be excluded, and how to present information without misleading the reader.

Source discipline matters. I avoided adding unverified values and kept the project limited to information that could be traced back to public disclosures.

This project helped me strengthen my skills in energy-industry research, KPI selection, dashboard structuring, data interpretation and technical communication.

Independent case study project - not affiliated with or endorsed by Suncor Energy. Built using public data and reports.

Explore the dashboard through the link in my bio! taken in Calgary, Alberta by @mechnain

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6 months ago

This was our engineering capstone project: an in-flight self-stabilizing throwable robot rover.

The goal was to design a rover that could be thrown into unsafe or hard-to-reach areas, stabilize itself while airborne, land on its wheels, and continue driving after impact. The project was aimed at search-and-rescue style situations where sending a person in first may not be safe.

Over the year, our team took the design from early concepts to a physical prototype. We worked through the mechanical design, suspension layout, steering system, chassis structure, control logic, electronics, simulations, testing, and technical documentation.

A major part of the project was learning how to connect the theory to the actual hardware. It is one thing to model steering, suspension, and stabilization on paper. It is another thing to build it, wire it, test it, break parts, redesign them, and keep improving the system.

This project helped me develop stronger skills in CAD, kinematic analysis, control systems, embedded electronics, prototyping, technical writing, and engineering decision-making. More importantly, it taught me how much coordination and problem-solving it takes to bring a complex mechanical system together as a team.

Proud of the work we put into this, and grateful for everything I learned along the way.

#MechanicalEngineering #Mechatronics #CapstoneProject #EngineeringDesign #UniversityOfCalgary taken in Calgary, Alberta by @mechnain

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6 months ago