Creative Technology Engineer

I turn ideas into working technology.

I'm Emilis Tarvydas, a Creative Technology engineering graduate from the University of Twente. I enjoy working on projects where technology, electronics, programming and physical prototyping come together.

Portrait of Emilis Tarvydas

Technology, creativity and practical problem solving.

As a creative individual with a keen interest in technology, I have always been fascinated by the potential of technology to enhance human experiences and solve real world problems. I am a Creative Technology engineering graduate from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. During my studies I got to work with a broad mix of engineering, design and computer science.

A big part of my degree was developing projects, so I spent a lot of time actually building things, both in teams and individually. These projects ranged from electronics and embedded systems to robotics, sensors, virtual reality, interaction design and physical prototypes.

What I enjoy most is starting with an idea or problem, figuring out how it could work technically and then turning it into something real. I am now looking for opportunities where I can keep doing that and develop further in a professional environment.

01

Interactive Technology

02

Product Development

03

Mechanical Systems & Electronics

04

Prototyping & Engineering

05

Automotive Technology

Projects.

Some of the projects I worked on throughout my Creative Technology degree. They cover different areas, from electronics and physical prototyping to robotics, interactive systems and virtual reality.

01

Real-Time Tangible Eating Feedback

Bachelor's Thesis · Tangible Interaction · Embedded Systems · Prototyping

For my bachelor's thesis, my task was to explore a different way of giving people feedback about how they eat. Instead of using a phone, screen or notification, I designed a physical system that gives feedback about eating speed and meal progression directly during a meal.

The final prototype, which I called the "Bubbling visualisation", uses changes in plate weight to detect when food is picked up. The system then estimates the bite size and creates a corresponding bubble inside a transparent fluid chamber.

I designed and built the complete prototype myself, which included an ESP32 control system, peristaltic pumps, fluid system, electronics, sensors, programming and a large number of custom 3D-printed parts. A major part of the project was also calibration, testing and integrating everything into one working system.

I later evaluated the prototype during real eating sessions with young adults. The results showed that the feedback made many participants more aware of their eating speed, while also showing potential for making people think more about natural fullness during a meal.

02

Mountain Bike Jump Trainer

University Project · Sports Technology · Sensors

For this project, me and my team looked at how technology could help beginner mountain bikers learn how to do jumps with a mountain bike with more confidence.

We developed a system that used several sensors mounted around the bike to collect information during a jump. A small, custom device mounted on the handlebars then gave the rider feedback about their performance.

The project involved a mix of sensor integration, electronics, programming, physical mounting and a lot of practical testing on an actual mountain bike.

03

Interactive Addiction Impact Simulator

University Project · Pneumatics · Physical Computing · Interactive Installation

During one of the last group projects, me and my team created an interactive installation that showed how smoking and alcohol can affect the human body over time. The goal was to translate real world data into a creative visualization.

The installation was designed to look like a medical operating room. Users could choose a substance and change different values such as the amount consumed and the period of time. The body in front of them then reacted to show how different organs could be affected.

The complete setup combined electronics, physical movement, lights, sound, data and a life-size body model made from a mannequin. It was one of the largest team projects I worked on and required the different technical systems to work together as one experience.

My main task in the project was designing and building the pneumatic system which had to inflate realistically looking organs made from latex. I worked on the air lines, tubing, valves and control setup used to simulate breathing in the installation.

Watch project video ↗

04

Smart Window Blinds

University Project · Smart Environments · Sensors

Me and my team developed these smart window blinds during a module focused on smart environments and the theme of light.

The idea was to create a window blind system that could react automatically to the amount of light outside. The blinds could change position through a stepper motor, while an LED strip was used to light up indoors when the room became too dark.

We built the prototype using two Arduino-based systems, light sensors, breadboards, a stepper motor and custom 3D-printed mechanical parts. We also made a simple computer interface to control different modes of the system.

05

Autonomous Two-Wheel Robot

University Project · Robotics · PID Control

In this project, me and my team had to build and program a small autonomous robot that had to run through a special track without being controlled by a person.

The robot used several sensors together and PID control to follow its route, avoid obstacles and complete different tasks. It had to be fully autonomous.

I worked on the mechanical assembly, Arduino programming, various sensors and a lot of trial and error to make the robot navigate consistently. We also developed an interactive obstacle that could interfere with robots from competing teams.

06

VR Football Spatial Awareness Training

University Project · Virtual Reality · Unity · Real Football Team

For this university project, me and my team worked with FC Twente, a big local football club, to create a VR game for training football players' awareness of what is happening around them on the field.

I designed and developed a virtual football stadium in Unity where the player moves through different scenarios. The user has to look around, remember where teammates and opponents are positioned and then decide which player would be the best option for a pass.

The game included multiple scenarios, 360-degree interaction, stadium sound and visual feedback for correct and incorrect decisions. I created the game in Unity where I had to create custom game logic, animations, VR interaction tools and develop custom 3D models in Blender.

07

Electric Windmill Piggy Bank

University Project · Electronics · Arduino · PCB

This was the first project I worked on during my degree. Me and my team were given the task of creating a physical device based on the "sense-process-act" principle.

We decided to build a windmill that also worked as a piggy bank. When someone dropped a coin into the device, a sensor detected it and the windmill blades started turning.

The final prototype used a custom PCB, several Arduino boards and multiple motors. We also added a separate mechanism that allowed the whole windmill to rotate using an external potentiometer to get the saved coins out.

Looking for my next opportunity.

I am currently looking for opportunities where I can work with technology, engineering, product development, interactive systems or technical problem solving.

If you think my background could fit your team or a project you are working on, feel free to contact me through the links below.