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Generative engineering · Case study

AI-Assisted PCB Design

A public engineering prototype that transforms natural-language ESP32 sensor-board requirements into a structured handoff with component choices, pin maps, netlists, power budgets, and validation evidence.

Context
Public engineering prototype
Role
System designer and developer
Input
Natural-language ESP32 requirements
Output
Validated engineering handoff
Status
Live public prototype

The problem

Useful hardware guidance must be complete, consistent, and reviewable

Language models can produce plausible hardware recommendations while omitting constraints or introducing inconsistencies across components, pins, power, and connectivity. Engineers need structured artifacts and explicit checks, not an untraceable block of generated advice.

The system

Generation followed by deterministic engineering checks

The workflow separates interpretation, structured generation, validation, and presentation so that every handoff can be reviewed before it is used.

01Capture requirementsBoard, sensors, interfaces, and constraints
02Generate structureComponents, pins, nets, and power plan
03ValidateRules, compatibility checks, and fallbacks
04Review handoffReadable artifacts for engineering review

What I built

A safer path from prompt to engineering artifact

01

Designed a guided requirements workflow for supported ESP32 boards, sensors, interfaces, and operating constraints.

02

Produced structured component selections, bill-of-material details, pin assignments, netlists, and power-budget information.

03

Added deterministic validation and fallback behavior so the workflow does not depend on a model response alone.

04

Included unsupported-request handling and review cues that make scope and uncertainty visible to the user.

05

Built a Streamlit interface that keeps inputs, validation status, and generated engineering artifacts easy to inspect.

06

Maintained a public repository and live prototype so the implementation can be reviewed directly.

Quality and evaluation

Validation is part of the product, not a final decoration

Checks cover structured output, supported hardware scope, pin and component consistency, and deterministic fallback paths.

The site presents this as a prototype for engineering review. It does not claim that generated artifacts replace professional electrical validation or fabrication checks.

Technology

PythonStreamlitGemini APILocal LLMsStructured validationGraphvizpytestESP32

Evidence

Explore the working system

Live systemAI-Assisted PCB Design prototypeSourceImplementation, documentation, and tests on GitHub