Embedded Systems · Hardware + Software
TRACK
TECH PRO

A standalone Arduino-based data acquisition system built on a breadboard to measure and log brake pad temperatures in real time — and correlate high-temperature braking events with cornering data from an onboard IMU to diagnose driver braking habits.

Type
Embedded Hardware + Firmware
Domain
Automotive / Motorsport
Stack
Arduino Nano · Breadboard · IMU · LCD
Status
Completed
YOU CAN'T
MANAGE WHAT
YOU CAN'T MEASURE

Brake pad temperature is one of the most critical and least monitored parameters in performance driving. Pads operating above their thermal threshold experience rapid degradation, fade, and failure — but most drivers have no real-time visibility into what's happening at the rotor.

TrackTechPro was built to fix that. A custom PCB system with temperature sensors at each corner, a real-time LCD display, and data logging — designed, built, and installed from scratch.

This wasn't a kit. Every hardware decision — PCB layout, sensor selection, power management, display interface — was made and executed independently.

TrackTechPro LCD Display
HOW IT WORKS
🌡️
Sense
Thermocouples at each brake corner measure pad & rotor temp in real time
⚙️
Process
Custom PCB reads sensor signals, conditions data, and runs logic
📺
Display
LCD shows live temperature readings — visible to driver while moving
💾
Log
Session data logged for post-run analysis and thermal model correlation
LCD Display
PCB and Electronics
Vehicle Installation
TECHNICAL BREAKDOWN
🔌
Hardware
  • Arduino Nano — main controller on breadboard
  • Thermocouple sensors at brake corners
  • IMU — accelerometer + gyroscope for cornering data
  • LCD display — real-time temp readout
  • 12V vehicle power input with regulation
  • Custom wiring harness to each corner
💻
Firmware
  • Arduino C/C++ sketch
  • Real-time multi-sensor polling loop
  • Temperature threshold logic and alerts
  • IMU data read and cornering event detection
  • Brake temp + cornering correlation logic
  • LCD display rendering and refresh
🚗
Installation
  • Sensor routing to all four corners
  • Chassis-mounted PCB enclosure
  • Display positioned in driver sightline
  • Fused 12V power tap from vehicle
  • Vibration-isolated mounting
  • Weatherproofed sensor connections
TEMP + CORNERING =
REAL COACHING DATA

Brake temperature alone tells you that something is happening — it doesn't tell you why. Adding an IMU to the system was the design decision that turned a temperature logger into an actual driver coaching tool.

The IMU measures lateral G-force in real time. When high brake temperatures coincide with high lateral G — the car is cornering — that's a trail-braking event. When it happens repeatedly at the same corner, that's a driver habit. A problem the driver may not even know they have.

This is the kind of systems-level thinking I apply to every problem: what data do I actually need to answer the real question, and how do I build the system that captures it?

Correlation Logic
High brake temp + high lateral G at the same timestamp = braking too hard in the corner. The system flags these events and the driver can review them after the session.
What It Tells You
Which corner. How often. How severe. That's actionable coaching data that no off-the-shelf system at this price point provides.
Built on a Breadboard
Arduino Nano as the brain. Thermocouples, IMU, and LCD wired together on a breadboard and packaged for vehicle installation. Simple hardware, real engineering thinking.