HARDWARE ENGINEER · PRODUCT MANAGEMENT · BUILDER
Hello, I'm
Sida Cheng
ECE @ Carnegie Mellon. I want to build hardware products that create lasting value for users. I'm particularly passionate about consumer electronics (and go to CES as a visitor exhibitor) →
About
Education & Profile
B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering
+ Engineering Design, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Carnegie Mellon University
I just want to build products. Growing up, I watched hundreds of tech reviews and unboxing videos, fascinated by how companies keep innovating features that "wow" me. Whether it's cool hardware gadgets or handy, minimal OSS tools that "just work" (really damn well), I can't help but feel deep appreciation and admiration for the people who built and maintain them. Now, I want to bring my passion and skills to a company that builds such amazing products.
OS Keyboard is my current focus — an ergonomic split keyboard I've shipped to 40+ beta users. I did everything to bring the project from 0 to 1: PCB design & assembly, firmware development, 3D modeling, video editing, reddit posts, and community building. Prior to this project, I also led hardware development of a smart dice tower that won ~$70K investment at XbotPark.
HARDWARE
SOFTWARE
PRODUCT
Projects
A selection of recent projects
An ergonomic keyboard ecosystem with joystick analog inputs for gaming, keystrokes, and mouse control. Full-stack product.
SPARK
Local-AI Writing Companion Peripheral
Plug-and-play keyboard-side AI assistant with a USB-HID MCU, local LLM processor, and PC daemon for typo correction, tone changes, expansion, and autocomplete.
GRO-BOT
Smart Algae Bioreactor
ESP32-controlled desktop photobioreactor with CO2, O2, airflow, temperature, and humidity sensing. Achieved ~18% mean CO2 removal in a 14-day autonomous run.
MyoVerse
Gel-Free Surface EMG Platform
Flexible-PCB electrode hardware for real-time muscle-activation analysis across patches, straps, sleeves, and apparel. Forge to Field finalist at CMU.
XbotPark Smart Dice Tower
D&D Dice Tower with Smart Detection
D&D dice tower with camera-based roll detection, light/sound effects, and wireless mobile app. Won 1st Prize at XbotPark.
Robot Card Dealer
Automatic card-dealing robot designed and built in 7 days at CMU Build18. Arduino-powered stepper motor + LCD Interface + Pseudo-shuffling algorithm.
Experience
How I contribute to the team
Hardware & Product Engineer
Designed PCBs and enclosures for OS Keyboard, flexible-PCB electrode hardware for MyoVerse, and ESP32 sensing/control electronics for GRO-BOT.
Full-Stack Developer
Built web configurator with React + TypeScript + Vite + WebHID API for real-time browser-to-keyboard communication. No driver install needed.
Startup Founder
Founded OS Keyboard, ran customer discovery, filmed marketing content, and competed in venture competitions. McGinnis 2nd Place (Undergraduate), Innov18 Award winner.
Product Storyteller
Turned technical work into user-facing stories through Bilibili videos, launch content, demos, and community feedback loops.
My journey
McGinnis Venture Competition — 2nd Place
Won 2nd Place in the undergraduate track with OS Keyboard. $4K cash + $10K AWS credits.
McGinnis Venture Competition — 2nd Place
Won 2nd Place in the undergraduate track with OS Keyboard. $4K cash + $10K AWS credits.
MyoVerse — Founding Hardware Engineer
Designed flexible-PCB electrode hardware for a gel-free surface EMG platform; helped the venture reach Forge to Field finalist status.
SPARK + GRO-BOT
Built a local-AI writing peripheral and an ESP32-controlled smart algae bioreactor with CO2, O2, airflow, temperature, and humidity sensing.
SPARK + GRO-BOT
Built a local-AI writing peripheral and an ESP32-controlled smart algae bioreactor with CO2, O2, airflow, temperature, and humidity sensing.
Founded OS Keyboard
Founded OS Keyboard at CMU Build18 — won Innov18 Award. Shipped 40+ units to customers worldwide.
Innov18 Award — Build18
Won Innov18 Award at CMU Build18 for OS Keyboard, validating the first public prototype and user story.
Innov18 Award — Build18
Won Innov18 Award at CMU Build18 for OS Keyboard, validating the first public prototype and user story.
Started at Carnegie Mellon
Enrolled in ECE + Engineering Design, Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University.
Mengyou DIY PC — Social Media
Produced weekly Bilibili videos for Mengyou DIY PC shop, growing followers by 28%.
Mengyou DIY PC — Social Media
Produced weekly Bilibili videos for Mengyou DIY PC shop, growing followers by 28%.
Stanley50z Keyboard Studio
Launched keyboard studio at age 16 — managed a 50+ customer group buy and sold 200+ products separately.
Keyboard Community Building
Built early keyboard communities and content channels that later informed OS Keyboard's launch strategy.
Keyboard Community Building
Built early keyboard communities and content channels that later informed OS Keyboard's launch strategy.
Contact
Want to get in touch?
I'm currently looking for internship opportunities in hardware product development, embedded engineering, and consumer electronics — roles where I can contribute to building products that create lasting value for users.
sidac@andrew.cmu.edu