ParkSense

Inspiration

Parking in a tight garage is something almost everyone struggles with. It’s easy to either stop too early and waste space or go too far and risk hitting something. We wanted to build a simple, affordable system that gives real-time feedback and removes the guesswork. Instead of expensive built-in car sensors, we aimed to create a DIY smart parking assistant that anyone could use.

What it does

ParkSense is a smart parking assistant that helps drivers stop at the perfect distance every time. It uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure how far the car is from an obstacle and provides instant feedback using LEDs.

The system also includes an auto-set feature, allowing users to press a button to save their ideal parking distance. Once set:

🟢 Green = perfect position 🟡 Yellow = too far 🔴 Red = too close

Users can hold the button to reset and set a new target distance at any time.

How we built it

We built ParkSense using:

An Arduino microcontroller Ultrasonic distance sensor LEDs (red, yellow, green) Push button for input LCD display for real-time distance feedback

The ultrasonic sensor calculates distance using sound waves:

distance= 2 duration×0.034

We then convert this into inches and display it on the LCD. The button input is used to store a “target distance,” and the system continuously compares the current distance to that saved value to guide the user.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was handling the button input correctly. We had to differentiate between a short press (to set the distance) and a long press (to reset it), which required careful timing logic using millis().

We also struggled with:

Noisy or inconsistent sensor readings Delays causing the LCD to update slowly Designing clean logic for switching between modes

Tuning the system to feel responsive and accurate took a lot of trial and error.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that we turned a simple distance sensor into a customizable smart system. The auto-set feature makes the project feel much more like a real product instead of just a basic demo.

We also successfully:

Integrated multiple components (sensor, LCD, LEDs, button) Built a user-friendly interface Created a system that adapts to different users and garages

What we learned

Through this project, we learned:

How to work with real-time sensor data How to design state-based logic using booleans The importance of user interaction in hardware projects How small features (like auto-set) can significantly improve usability

We also gained experience debugging both hardware and software issues together.

What's next for ParkSense

In the future, we want to make ParkSense even more advanced by adding:

🔊 A buzzer with variable speed (closer = faster beeps) 💾 EEPROM storage to save the target distance after power off 📱 A mobile app or Bluetooth connectivity 🚗 A more compact and polished enclosure

Our goal is to turn ParkSense into a fully polished, consumer-ready smart parking solution.