Project Auris

Custom Bluetooth Earbud Research Project

• I co-conducted a six-month independent study research project to develop a custom small-scale earbud solution powered by the nRF5340 microcontroller and BLE audio.

• I applied for funding through the Northwestern Academic Year Undergraduate Research Grant program, which also gave me experience writing grant proposals. 

• This project's name comes from the Latin word for ear, Auris.

• Some of my responsibilities included the following:

  • Project Scope Definition: Defined requirements, researched industry and hobbyist standards, and specced components.

  • Electrical Component Integration and Test: Evaluated and selected suitable microcontrollers, ICs, speakers, and batteries for use with a custom, small-scale PCB. Gained independence in hardware testing and validation with ambiguous requirements.

  • Product Design: Designed mechanical housings and stackups to integrate electronic components.

  • Firmware Development: Optimized C++ firmware from the Nordic Semiconductors BLE Audio SDK to use custom, external hardware components. 

Project Documentation

Final Report

Project Proposal