About Me
Biography
I'm Aiden Erard, a first-year Computer Engineering student at Georgia Tech. I chose Computer Engineering because I didn't want to choose between hardware and software. I wanted to understand both.
Most of my time outside class goes into personal projects. I've built SOAR, an autonomous drone concept focused on public safety; GridGuard, a power monitoring system; and Tempr, an AI-powered music app that uses Gemini AI and the Spotify API to generate playlists from your mood, photos, or calendar. The project I've invested the most in is FluxSpace, an AI-powered data analysis platform for subsurface infrastructure inspection. The core idea is using technologies like GPR, ultrasound, and thermal imaging to collect data from structures like bridges, then running that data through AI and ML models to surface insights that would otherwise require a lot of manual interpretation. The goal is to make inspections faster, more accurate, and less dependent on human guesswork. It's a project I hope to continue long into the future and eventually start a company with.
On the academic side, I took CS 1301 last semester and I'm currently in CS 1331, building up my foundation in OOP through Java. The robotics labs in 1301 were extremely helpful in learning how to use Python in robotics settings. I programmed iRobot Create 3 robots to solve mazes and play pong.
I'm still figuring out where I want to focus, whether that's robotics, embedded systems, autonomous vehicles, or something I haven't gotten to yet. I want to keep building things that are useful and keep pushing myself technically.
Outside of that, I follow developments in AI and robotics and pick up new tools when something looks interesting. Traveling is something I genuinely love, whether it's somewhere new or somewhere I've been before. I'm planning to study abroad in Europe this summer and it's one of those things I know I will always do.
Resume
My resume covers my technical skills, coursework, project experience, and work history so far. Updated regularly as I add new projects and experience.
Career Goals
I'm early enough that my goals are still taking shape, but after thinking about what excites me most, here's where I think I'm headed.
Long-Term Vision
Long term, I want to work on autonomous systems, whether that's in robotics, aerospace, or vehicles, and build a company of my own. FluxSpace is already moving in that direction, and the goal is to keep developing it alongside my technical education until it's ready to be something real. I'm drawn to the idea of finding a hard technical problem and building a company around solving it rather than waiting for the right moment after graduation.
Timeline
Now through Spring 2026
Finish core CS coursework, keep building personal projects, and start getting comfortable with the ECE curriculum ahead. Strengthen fundamentals in C++ and Python and put together a strong portfolio before recruiting season starts.
Fall 2026
First technical internship at a company working on autonomous systems or hardware-software integration. The goal is real engineering experience and industry exposure that feeds directly back into what I'm building.
Summer 2027
Second internship with more responsibility, ideally in a domain close to FluxSpace, to build relevant relationships and pressure test my understanding of the space.
2026 through 2028
Go deeper in controls, machine learning, and embedded systems. Continue developing FluxSpace in parallel. By graduation in 2028, the goal is to have the technical depth and industry experience that makes going all in on the company the obvious next step.