I Should Have Loved Electrical Engineering
9 days ago
- #Computer Science
- #Human-Computer Interaction
- #Engineering Education
- The author initially believed hardware innovation was key to the next global transformation, focusing on improving human-computer interaction.
- Inspired by a TED talk on SixthSense technology, the author experimented with creating a gesture-based interface using a projector, webcam, and colored paper.
- Despite initial excitement, technical limitations and lack of programming knowledge led to underwhelming results, motivating the author to pursue Computer Science and Engineering (CSE).
- The author found engineering coursework tedious and memorization-heavy, leading to struggles and failures in some classes.
- Outside the classroom, hands-on projects and software development, particularly web applications, were more engaging and impactful.
- The author contributed to research projects, including hydrology software and particle physics, gaining experience with Docker and neural networks.
- A growing preference for software over hardware emerged due to its immediacy, scalability, and real-world impact, leading to a switch to a CS + Physics major.
- A senior-year applied physics lab project involving sensors and Arduino reignited some interest in hardware tinkering.
- The author concludes that while computer interaction methods need improvement, they are content with their path in software and physics.