Innovative Mini Projects For Engineers and Students

Electronics projects are always in high demand. Students work on various mini-project ideas and topics to improve their skills, whereas hobbyists like the fun of meddling with technology. Mini projects form a middle ground for all segments of electronics engineers looking to build.

We have compiled a list of innovative and practical mini-project ideas for you to work on. There are a couple of mini-projects for engineering students for their Final Year Project.

1. Dual-Voltage Rechargeable Torch Light

The purpose of this circuit is to create a new topology with a good power factor maintained at AC voltage input, to provide good efficiency output to the battery, and to increase its life.

Dual-Voltage Rechargeable Torch Light Circuit
Circuit Diagram for Dual-Voltage Rechargeable Torch Light

This mini project is available at Dual-Voltage Rechargeable Torch Light

2. GPS on ATmega

This electronics mini-project idea might be something to get your hands on. Based on ATmega 16A, this uses a GPS receiver.

GPS Interfacing with ATmega Circuit Diagram
Circuit diagram for GPS On ATmega

This mini project is available at ATmega16A based GPS Receiver

3. PC-Based GPS

If working with ATmega gets too much for you, we have an alternative as well. This project designs a system that connects a GPS module to a PC com port, which enables you to use the navigation on a PC.

PC-Based GPS Receiver Circuit
Circuit of PC-based GPS receiver

This mini project is available at PC-Based GPS Receiver

4. Low Power Inverter

Here is a simple low-power inverter that converts 12V DC into 230-250V AC. It can be used to power light loads like window chargers and night lamps, or simply give a shock to keep intruders away.

Low Power Inverter Circuit
Simple low-power inverter circuit

This project is available at Low power inverter

5. LPG Leakage Detector

This mini project is for a low-cost circuit for an LPG detector that you can build easily. The next time there is a leakage, you can easily be on top of things.

LPG Leakage Detector Circuit
LPG Leakage Detector Circuit

This mini project is available at Low-Cost LPG Leakage Detector

6. Geyser Timer Circuit

This geyser timer circuit sounds an alarm after the set timing of 22 minutes when the water is heated up. The circuit comprises a timer IC 555 wired as an astable multivibrator with an adjustable time period of 15 seconds.

Geyser Timer Circuit
Geyser Timer Circuit

This project is available at Geyser timer

7. Automatic Off Timer For CD Players

This automatic off-timer starts functioning when you switch off your bedroom light and turn your CD player ‘off’ after a predetermined time. In the presence of ambient light, or when you switch on the light of the room in the morning, the CD player will restart playing.

Unlike the usual timers, you don’t have to set this timer before sleeping.

Automatic Off Timer For CD Players
Automatic Off Timer For CD Players Circuit

This project is available at Automatic off-timer for CD players

8. Doorbell Cum Visitor Indicator

This doorbell cum visitor indicator circuit can give identification of the visitor to your home in your absence.

Doorbell Cum Visitor Indicator Circuit
Doorbell cum visitor indicator circuit

The project is available at Doorbell cum visitor counter

9. Electronic Fuse

An absolute necessity of every electronics lab is a workbench power supply. The power supply should be regulated and protected against short circuits.

Most power-supply protection circuits use a low-value, high-wattage resistor connected in series with the load for current sensing.

The voltage drop across the sensor resistor is weighed to activate the protection circuit. The given electronic fuse circuit is based on a poly-fuse application, which is a re-settable fuse by itself.

Electronic Fuse Circuit
Electronic Fuse Circuit

This project is available at Electronic Fuse

10. Sonar Water Level Meter

This project helps you in designing a water level meter to check up on the amount of water in the tank. Earlier systems used metal which got rusted over time.

Whereas this next system is contactless resulting in no such problems.

This mini project is available at Sonar Water-Level Meter

11. Fire Sensor Circuit

This mini project is an ultra-sensitive fire sensor that activates an alarm when it detects fire. Thermistor-based fire alarms work well when the thermistor is in close vicinity.

In this circuit, a sensitive PIN diode is used as a fire sensor for longer-range fire detection.

Fire Sensor Circuit
PIN Diode-Based Fire Sensor Circuit

This mini project is available at PIN Diode Based Fire Sensor

12. Thermostat for Fridge

A thermostat is standard equipment for sensing the temperature of a system and maintaining it at a pre-defined point. It is a regular feature in air-conditioners, room heaters, and refrigerators.

Although some refrigerators have inbuilt thermostats, the system automatically turns on or off the appliance at pre-set temperatures.

Circuit Diagram of Thermostat for Fridge
Thermostat For Fridge circuit

This mini project is available at Electronic Thermostat for Fridge

13. LED-Based Emergency Light

White LEDs are replacing conventional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs due to their high power efficiency and low operating voltage.

These can be utilized optimally for emergency lamps and vehicle turning indications. Here are white LED-based emergency lamps & turning indicator circuits for the purpose.

The project is available at LED-based emergency lamp

14. This Stereo Amplifier Is Simple To Make

Here is a simple stereo amplifier you can make with a CD6283 audio amplifier and a few passive components. It provides an output of 4.6 watts per channel with a 12V power supply.

Simple Stereo Amplifier Circuit
Simple Stereo Amplifier Circuit

This project is available at: This Stereo Amplifier Is Simple To Make

15. Light-Activated Switch

Here is a simple circuit of a light-activated switch using a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) that automatically turns on the light/lamp at night and switches it off during the day.

Light-activated Switch Circuit
Light-activated Switch Circuit

This mini project is available at Light-Activated Switch

16. Arduino-based Fancy Lighting

How about in your next one, you handle the lighting system and show off some of those electronics skills? With this next project, you can nicely put some of those skills to use and be a core electronics engineer.

All you need is an Arduino and a few external components.

This mini project is available at Fancy Lights Controller

17. Miniature Strobe Light

This battery-operated portable miniature strobe light circuit can be constructed using readily available inexpensive components. An ordinary neon lamp is used here in place of the conventional Xenon tube.

Miniature Strobe Light Circuit
Miniature Strobe Light Circuit

This project is available at Miniature Strobe light

18. Dynamic Display Using LED Strip

This project designs a dynamic display that seems like an interesting perspective project. It describes a microcontroller-based dynamic display system using LED strips.

This mini project is available at Dynamic Display Using LED Strip

19. Shooting Game

This shooting game circuit is straightforward, inexpensive, and easy to construct. The game offers hours of fun and excitement.

Just trigger an infrared electronic gun and there goes one invisible bullet hitting the bull’s eye if timed properly.

This project is available at the Shooting game

20. Digital Dice

Presented here is a numeric display digital dice circuit diagram. Timer IC 555 wired as an astable multivibrator produces pulses at about a 48 kHz rate.

These pulses are fed to pin 14 of the decade counter IC 7490. The oscillator is activated by the depression of switch S1.

Digital Dice Circuit
Digital Dice Circuit

This project is available at Digital Dice

21. RF-controlled Robot

In this innovative mini project, we have an Arduino-board-based robot that can be driven remotely using an RF remote control.

This mini project is available at RF Controlled Robot

22. Water Pump Controller

A water pump controller senses the level of water in a tank and drives the water pump. The circuit described here is built around timer IC1 (555). When the water level of the tank goes below the low level marked by ‘L’ the voltage at pin 2 of IC1 becomes low.

Water Pump Controller Circuit
Water Pump Controller Circuit

This mini project is available at Water Pump Controller

23. Sixth Sense Media Player

This project explains how to control the media player using a hand glove. It requires Windows Media Player, LabVIEW, Arduino, and an accelerometer.

This mini project is available at Sixth-Sense Media Player

24. Line Follower

This robot follows a color with the help of sensors. It is a simple project, which can be taken up as a classroom assignment. It lays the foundation for building your own behavior-based (simulated) robot.

This mini project is available at Simple Line-Following Robot

25. DIY Hand Video Game

This next project is a throwback to the time when we enjoyed it. Let’s get to designing the once-popular game using electronics.

This mini project is available at Hand Video Game

26. DIY Fastest Finger First

This one would be the one for students to design and implement in college competitions. Built around a PIC microcontroller, this is something we would all love in competitions as well.

DIY Fastest Finger First Circuit
Fastest finger first Circuit

This mini project is available at Fastest Finger first

27. Automatic Switch-off Battery Charger

Presented here is an automatic switch-off battery charger based on a 555-timer IC. This smart charger automatically switches off when your rechargeable batteries reach full charge.

Switch-off Battery Charger Circuit
Automatic switch-off battery charger circuit

This project is available at Automatic switch-off battery charger

28. Anti-Theft Alarm Circuit

You can use this anti-theft alarm circuit to thwart burglary. It sounds like an alarm when someone tries to intrude into your home or office by hitting, pushing, or knocking on the door.

Anti-Theft Alarm Circuit
Anti-Theft Alarm Circuit

This mini project is available at Anti-Theft Alarm Circuit

29. 12V Battery Absorb and Float Charger

This mini-project guides on a charger that charges the battery at the absorption voltage. The charger changes the output voltage to float voltage to achieve maximum charging voltage.

12V Battery Absorb and Float Charger Circuit
12V Battery absorb and float charger Circuit

This mini project is available at 12V Battery Absorb and Float Charger

30. Pulse Generator Circuit

This pulse generator circuit is very useful while checking/operating counters, stepping relays, etc. It avoids the procedure of setting a switch for the required number of pulses.

By pressing appropriate switches S1 to S9, one can get 1 to 9 negative going clock pulses, respectively.

Pulse Generator Circuit
Pulse Generator Circuit

This project is available at Pulse generator

31. Solid-state Relay Circuit

Here we describe a DC-operated solid-state relay that uses readily available components. It operates off a 3V DC battery or TTL-compatible PWM input.

Solid-state Relay Circuit
Solid-state Relay Circuit

This project is available at the Solid-state relay

32. DIY Food Ordering System

How about creating an electronic food ordering menu for your hotel or restaurant customers?

This mini project is available at Restaurant Menu Ordering System

33. Sequential Timer for DC Motor Control

Most industrial processes require rotation of the motors in forward and reverse directions for desired periods. One good example is the automated bottle-filling plant.

The stop time of the motor is calibrated based on the time required to fill the bottle and before the arrival of the next bottle.

Sequential Timer Circuit
Circuit of sequential timer for DC motor control circuit

This mini project is available at Sequential Timer for DC Motor Control

34. Anti Carjacking System

Carjacking can be prevented using the anti-carjack system described here. The circuit automatically senses carjacking and stops the vehicle.

Anti Carjacking System
Anti-Carjack System Circuit

This mini project is available at Anti-Carjack System

35. RF-based Multiple Device Control

This next project describes how to control electrical and electronic gadgets from a remote location using radio frequency (RF) transmission.

This mini project is available at RF-Based Multiple Device Control

36. Smart Battery Protector Circuit

This simple battery protector uses a shunt regulator IC TL431 for its simplicity and marvelous functioning. The operating point can be set with a regulated supply

Smart Battery Protector Circuit
Battery protector using shunt regulator

This project is available at Smart Battery protector

37. DIY Business Card Flashlight

Here we make a business card useful and unique by turning it into a business card flashlight. The essence of this project is that anyone can make it at home without any soldering or PCB.

This project is available at How To Make A Business Card Flashlight

38. Multimeter Test Leads from Scratch

Build your own multimeter test leads from material available in the market. These homemade test leads are low-cost and easy to use.

This project is available at Multimeter Test Leads from Scratch

39. USB MP3 Player

In this article, you will find instructions to assemble a USB MP3 module and make a USB MP3 player. The module comes with a remote for your convenience…

This project is available at USB MP3 Player

40. Street Light Controller

Two of the problems commonly associated with street lights are false triggering due to slight variations in the intensity of ambient light and no control over switching action.

Here is a simple street light controller with a switching circuit that overcomes these problems.

This project is available at Street Light Controller

41. Alcohol Level Tester Circuit

Here is a simple street light controller with a switching circuit that overcomes the problems of false triggering and no switching capability. Check it out

Alcohol Level Tester Circuit
Alcohol level tester’s circuit diagram

This project is available at Alcohol Level Tester

42. Battery-Discharge Measurement Circuit

Presented here is a circuit in which you can measure the battery life very easily. Here, an analog clock tracks the discharge time of the battery used in battery-powered portable devices.

Battery-Discharge Measurement Circuit
Battery-Discharge Measurement Circuit

This project is available at Battery-Discharge Measurement Circuit

43. Mini Rechargeable Power Supply

Presented here is a robust, compact, and hand-held mini rechargeable power supply that delivers 9.2V and 5V up to 1A (approx.) and 3.3V up to 500mA.

Mini Rechargeable Power Supply Circuit
Mini Rechargeable Power Supply Circuit

This project is available at Mini Rechargeable Power Supply

44. Four Frequencies Generator

This Four Frequencies Generator circuit produces fixed frequencies of 4MHz, 6MHz, and 10MHz and adjustable square waves with variable frequencies.

Four Frequencies Generator Circuit
Four Frequencies Generator circuit

This project is available at Four Frequencies Generator

45. DIY Nifty Night Lamp

This circuit can be used to light a small area at night. It is useful as a nifty night lamp for the bedroom, but it can also be used for other applications.

This project is available at: Make Your Own Nifty Night Lamp


This Electronics For You Mini Projects list is compiled for you. We always welcome new and interesting professional or simple electronics projects that students love to share with us. You can email us your project ideas to [email protected]