Jenna Jae Eun Lee

Featured project | Spring 2024

Computer science sophomore Jenna Jae Eun Lee knew ASU and the Fulton Schools were the right place for her to follow her dreams after seeing the opportunities her oldest brother had while earning his engineering degree. In the FURI program, Lee is working on a passion project with David Claveau, an associate teaching professor whose focus is computer systems engineering, to design SwerveStopper, a motion-detection camera that can detect and capture images of swerving vehicles to help prevent injuries and deaths caused by impaired drivers.

What made you want to get involved in FURI?

I wanted to get involved with FURI because I personally had a lot of innovative ideas that I wanted to bring to life and FURI supplied me with the means to do so. FURI has allowed to me work hands-on with hardware and software that I have never worked with before. I feel like I am learning so much beyond the classroom setting as a result of the FURI program.

Why did you choose the project you’re working on?

I chose the SwerveStopper camera because it was an idea that I came up with after noticing that drunk driving is still as prominent as ever, and there needs to be more steps taken to stop this issue that takes thousands of lives each year.

How will your engineering research project impact the world?

My project will impact the world by serving as a preventive measure for any individuals who plan to get behind the wheel inebriated. In the same way a red-light or speeding camera prevents people from running red lights and speeding because they don’t want to get captured by the camera and face the consequences, my hope for the SwerveStopper camera is that its existence would stop people from drunk driving in the first place. Even if individuals still choose to go out and drive inebriated, the SwerveStopper camera would capture their vehicle information and hold them accountable.

Have there been any surprises in your research?

In my research, I have been surprised by how versatile the Python programming language is. Python is a language I haven’t worked with yet in any of my courses but now I understand all the hype. Getting to master Python in this hands-on setting when I have mainly been working with C++, C and Java has definitely been humbling, but I am pleasantly surprised that my previous programming knowledge does transfer over to some extent as I play around with Python scripts.

What is the best advice you’ve gotten from your faculty mentor?

The best advice I have received from my faculty mentor, David Claveau, is that with all new technology there is a learning curve. Professor Claveau encouraged me to give myself grace and time when I am trying to learn the new programming languages, operating systems and hardware that this project requires of me. He understands how passionate I am to just make this project a reality, but, at the same time, he encourages me by letting me know that I cannot and should not rush the learning process if I want to make this project great.

Why should other students get involved in FURI?

I think other students should definitely get involved with FURI because it has given me exposure to technologies and hardware that I likely would not have been taught in a classroom setting. Knowing that I have to fiddle around with a Raspberry Pi and different operating systems in order to accomplish my goal of making this outlandish idea I had a reality has been motivating. I genuinely don’t know if without this FURI project I would’ve ever pushed myself to learn Python or MotioneyeOS this early in my career and I know for a fact that I would’ve never thought to work with a Raspberry Pi.

Knowing that I’m working to create something great thanks to the FURI program has forced me to expand my knowledge base and get creative!