Add README with circuit diagrams, PCB renders, and project overview

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+<div align="center">
+
+# 🌿 Battery-Powered ESP32 Air Quality Monitor
+### *with Soft Power Latch, Boost Converter & 16-bit ADC*
+
+![Platform](https://img.shields.io/badge/Platform-ESP32-blue?style=for-the-badge&logo=espressif&logoColor=white)
+![EDA](https://img.shields.io/badge/Designed%20in-eSim%20%2F%20KiCad-orange?style=for-the-badge)
+![Power](https://img.shields.io/badge/Power-Battery%20Operated-brightgreen?style=for-the-badge)
+![Status](https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Simulation%20Validated-success?style=for-the-badge)
+![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-lightgrey?style=for-the-badge)
+
+**A compact, low-power IoT air quality node — power-latched, boost-regulated, and ADC-accurate.**
+
+</div>
+
+---
+
+## ✨ Overview
+
+This project implements a **battery-powered air quality monitoring system** built around the **ESP32**, engineered for long-duration, low-standby-power IoT deployment. A **soft power latch** lets a single push of a button wake the whole board, while the **ESP32 firmware decides when to shut everything back down** — driving standby current to near zero between readings.
+
+> 🔋 Designed for real-world battery life. Simulated and validated end-to-end in **eSim**, as part of the **FOSSEE Research Migration Project**, IIT Bombay.
+
+---
+
+## 🧩 Key Building Blocks
+
+| 🔧 Component | 🎯 Role |
+|---|---|
+| ⚡ **IRLML6401 + MMBT3904 Soft Power Latch** | Push-button power-on, firmware-controlled power-off — kills standby drain |
+| 🔺 **MCP16251 Boost Converter** | Steps up battery voltage to a clean, regulated supply rail |
+| 🧠 **ESP32 Dev Board** | Main controller — manages latch hold, sensing, and I²C comms |
+| 📈 **ADS1115 16-bit ADC** | High-resolution analog-to-digital conversion over I²C |
+| 🔌 **JST Connector** | Plug-and-play interface for an external air-quality sensor |
+| 🧱 Passives (R, C, L, D) | Support the boost converter & latch stages |
+
+---
+
+## 🖼️ Gallery
+
+<div align="center">
+
+### 🧊 3D PCB Preview
+<img src="images/pcb_3d_view.png" width="480" alt="3D PCB render of the ESP32 air quality board"/>
+
+<br/><br/>
+
+### 🧠 Schematic Design
+<img src="images/schematic.png" width="820" alt="Full circuit schematic"/>
+
+<br/><br/>
+
+### 🎨 PCB Layout — Front Copper
+<img src="images/pcb_layout_front.png" width="480" alt="PCB routing - front layer"/>
+
+### 🌐 PCB Layout — Back Copper
+<img src="images/pcb_layout_back.png" width="480" alt="PCB routing - back layer"/>
+
+</div>
+
+---
+
+## ⚙️ How It Works
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart LR
+    A["🔘 Push Button"] --> B["🔒 Soft Power Latch\n(IRLML6401 + MMBT3904)"]
+    B --> C["🔺 MCP16251\nBoost Converter"]
+    C --> D["🧠 ESP32"]
+    D -->|"I²C"| E["📈 ADS1115 ADC"]
+    E -->|"Analog In"| F["🌫️ Air Quality Sensor\n(via JST)"]
+    D -->|"GPIO Latch Hold"| B
+```
+
+1. **Power On** → Button press pulls the MOSFET gate low, connecting the battery to the boost converter.
+2. **Latch Hold** → ESP32 immediately asserts a GPIO to keep power on, independent of the button.
+3. **Regulate** → MCP16251 boosts the battery voltage to a stable rail for ESP32 & peripherals.
+4. **Sense** → ADS1115 digitizes the analog sensor signal and streams data over I²C.
+5. **Power Off** → ESP32 releases the latch signal on shutdown, cutting battery current to near-zero.
+
+---
+
+## 📁 Repository Contents
+
+```
+📦 esp32-air-quality-monitor
+ ┣ 📂 images/                 → PCB renders, layout & schematic screenshots
+ ┣ 📂 esim/                   → eSim schematic & simulation project files
+ ┣ 📂 kicad/                  → KiCad schematic + PCB layout files
+ ┣ 📄 README.md                → You are here 👋
+ ┗ 📄 Synopsis.docx / .pdf     → FOSSEE Research Migration Project synopsis
+```
+
+---
+
+## 📊 Expected Simulation Results
+
+| Condition | Expected Output |
+|---|---|
+| Battery = **3.7 V** | Regulated Boost Output ≈ **5.0 V** |
+| Sensor Input = **1.65 V** | ADS1115 Output ≈ **Mid-scale digital code** |
+| Latch Released | Battery draw → **≈ 0 mA** (standby) |
+
+---
+
+## 📚 Reference
+
+> **AQuality32: A low-cost, open-source air quality monitoring device leveraging the ESP32 and google platform**
+> Daniel M. Pineda-Tobón, Albeiro Espinosa-Bedoya, Jhon W. Branch-Bedoya — *HardwareX*, Vol. 21, Article e00607 (2024)
+> 🔗 [ScienceDirect / HardwareX](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00607)
+
+---
+
+## 🙌 Credits
+
+<div align="center">
+
+Built by **Haridharan D**
+Department of Electronics Engineering (VLSI Design & Technology)
+Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
+
+🔬 Part of the **FOSSEE Research Migration Project**, IIT Bombay
+🌐 [esim.fossee.in/research-migration-project](https://esim.fossee.in/research-migration-project)
+
+![Made with eSim](https://img.shields.io/badge/Made%20with-eSim-orange?style=flat-square)
+![FOSSEE](https://img.shields.io/badge/FOSSEE-IIT%20Bombay-red?style=flat-square)
+
+</div>