Project Management

Week 2

Introduction

Chosing my final project

Like many others, I have a wide range of interests. They span from computer games to sustainability, from viking reenactment to any book I can get my hands on. This naturally makes it a bit of a challenge to pick a single final project. In the end, the primary influence on my project was to find something that would challenge me, while still being acheivable. This ruled out the teleporter and the exo-skeleton. =þ

Some of the requirements

Requirements

How to make a good final project

Relevance

The project should be a relevant solution to a perceived need.

Apply new skills

Incorporate integrated circuitry, mold making and other advanced techniques to show a good grasp of the course material.

Recreateable

The project should be useful not only to me, but to anyone who might have the same needs.

Finishing Touches

It should look like a finished product and must be complete. It should be a smooth combination of Function and Form.

My Ideas

Finding Goldilocks in the haystack

Too many ideas

The Smart Coatrack

A coatrack that detects if coats are wet and activates fans to dry them faster. -Unfortunately it has limited reusability as it would need to be custom made for each hallway.

The interactive memo board

A memo board that connects to google calendar. With a touchpad for writing notes. Accepts voice commands and responds. -Too similar to interactive mirrors. More of a Rasberry Pi project than an integrated circuitry project.

Smart Computer Storage Solution

A way to store computers out of sight while providing access to usb hubs and audio/video jacks for peripherals. With automated cooling system and integrated speakers that can be set as output for either computer. -Too simple for a main project.

Wind-powered garden lamp

A garden lamp that charges itself with wind power and only turns on after dark. Seems to fulfill all the requirements above.

Wisp o'the Wind

My five-year-old son is afraid of the dark. We live so far north that for months we only have a few hours of light each day. These factors, coupled with the fact that we live in one of the most windy areas of Iceland lead me to the idea of creating a stand-alone, wind-powered, automated light. I will need to learn everything about the electronics involved, the methods of creating and casting blades, the sensors and basically everything else involved in the creation of this lamp. I am confident that this project is moderately challenging but ultimately achievable.

What's in a name?

The Wisp o'the Wind

A Will o'the Wisp is a small light which according to old folk-lore would lure people into marshy lands or bog. I decided to play on that a bit, and named my project the Wisp o'the Wind, thinking that instead of leading folk astray, it will help them find their way.

I've heard enough Tell me more!

Features

What will it do and why?

Wind powered

I will design and create a wind turbine to gather electricity

Automated

Using light sensors, I will program the lamp to turn itself on after dark.

Battery

It will have an internal battery that is large enough to power the lamp on the rare days with little or no wind.

Possible Extras

An excellent opportunity to gather information such as wind intensity, temperature, humidity and relay such info via bluetooth to a connected app.

What already exists?

What's been done by whom?

Turbine or lamp? ... or both?

SOLVINDEN

IKEA created and carried a wind and solarpowered lamp by the name of SOLVINDEN. Currently the line using the SOLVINDEN brand is only solar powered, and the product is discontinued.

The DIY wind turbine community

Youtube and Instructables.com have a cornucopia of DIY instructions for creating wind turbines, but most are aimed at people who want to go "off the grid". I found one which is a combination of turbine and lamp, but it only used a single LED, and most of it was made out of existing parts, as opposed to an original design.

Noordforce

This German company has created "The First Wind Powered LED Street Lamp" for remote villages. Their lamp is larger, and intended to be purchased by a city, as opposed to by individuals. Their design is closed,not available to the maker community, and appears to be discontinued

Feasibility

Evidence seems to suggest that commercializing this idea is not feasible. I do believe, however, that the Maker community can make good use of a functioning, finished product like this. It has been suggested that the maintainance of lamps with moving parts (the turbine) is more expensive than regular lamps, which might be one of the reason commercial attempts have failed.

Quick 3D mockup of the project

The Mockup so far

Top down

The turbine will rest on ball bearings on the casing that holds the electronics.

The pieces so far

1. Turbine 2.Spool unit 3.Magnet holder/inside of turbine 4.Casing

Interior

The pieces are meant to nestle neatly with one another. The circuitry can be cut on the vinyl cutter and stuck to the curved inside of the casing.

Front view

The pieces slot together, so that the electronics components are finished first, then slotted in.

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Project Schedule Computer-aided design