Applications & Implications

Here I am! :) The next weeks will be the hardest ones. Until now, I’ve been developed my final project into my mind, giving a possible final shape and parts to it. It has been really difficult working on it during the weekly assignment, especially if you're a beginner in each FabAcademy's assignment like me. Despite that, even if I couldn’t focus my attention and spend time on the project globally up to now, I'm ready to define it in the best way and I've already started working hard!

What will it do?

My final project is a purpose in order to sensitize people to avoid child's abandon inside cars. For this reason, I thought to correlate two elements:

A child seat cover sewed as a wearable technology

A keychain linked to the car's key (it will work as a reminder)

The elements I am going to develop, will be connected via Bluetooth and their aims are the following ones:

The child seat cover will have a pressure sensor (Velostat), a sewed board connected to it and provided with the bluetooth module. It will works as a master board, so it would send data (pressure sensor = presence/absence) to the keychain's device.

Consequently, the keychain will be the slave board and it will read data ((if) absence of weight --> NO data to read / (if) presence of weight (to be implemented with the following condition --> after the car's closure) it will occur as a reminder: a buzzer and some leds would work as alerts!

Who's done what beforehand?

Considering the fact, it is extremely complicated creating a new project with a brilliant idea, I thought my project would have been innovative in the field of digital fabrication. Unfortunately, the child's abandon inside cars is still a big problem. Few years ago, an Italian couple has developed an idea in order to avoid this kind of events. They connected the child seat with a physical cable linked to the car lighter socket. A different project was based on a graphic interface in the car screen and it requires to set the itinerary path and the estimated time: few minutes before the arrival, the interface reminds you you really near your destination and you have your baby on board. The third project was related to a child safety bracelet that vibrate until the child return in the range. To see the project I've already mentioned, please click the following links: Remmy.it (car baby alert) and Child safety bracelet.

and then, also see my idea on the final project section

What materials and components will be required?

I simply made a list of needed tools and materials:

Fabric pieces

Conductive fabric

Conductive thread

Velostat

PLA filament to print some pieces

Machinable wax

Resin for mould

Bluetooth module (x2)

Basic electronics components

Where will they come from?

All the components were in the FabInventory except some things related to the e-textile world. So, I only bought the velostat and the conductive fabric. (Vendor: Adafruit)

How much will it cost?

Velostat € 3,95

Conductive fabric € 4,95

Conductive thread € 5,37

Bluetooth modules (7,99 x 2) = € 15,98

TOTAL COST € 30,25

What parts and systems will be made?

I will develop the child seat cover, the pressure sensor, the keychain, the final logo.

What processes will be used?

I will use the following processes:

2D design to draw a final logo

3D design to draw the pacifier shape

Electronics production

Electronics design

Embedded programming in order to write bluetooth codes

Input devices

Output device

Networking & Communication

What tasks need to be completed?

I will complete the e-textile part, I will design my PCBs (included programming codes for master and slave). I will try to linked my boards thanks to the bluetooth connection.

What questions need to be answered?

How does the bluetooth communication works?

How can I hide velostat/conductive fabric in the child seat cover?

How can I create a more resistant keychain? Considering the fact it contains electronics component, it is really delicate.

What is the schedule?

25th - 27th May: Sewing the child seat cover, designing the pacifier shape on Fusion360 and drawing a quick logo on InkScape

28th May: Defining schematic project on Eagle and trying to do design the final boards (master and slave)

29th May: Designing and cutting the pressure sensor following the sample of velostat sandwich

30th May: Printing the 3D keychain and the final logo with the vynil cutter machine

31st May - 3rd June: Writing programming codes for master and slave board(s)

4th June: Milling, soldering and programming the PCBs

5th - 8th June: Problem solving

How will it be evaluated?

I will say the project correctly works if:

The sewed fabrics and the pressure sensor will be able to send data properly

The buzzer sound will be strong enough to be taken into consideration

The bluetooth connection works