16. Applications & Implications

What does it do?
Who’s done what beforehand?
What did you design?
What materials and components were used?
Where did they come from?
How much did they cost?
What parts and systems were made?
What processes were used?
What questions were answered?
What worked? What didn’t?
How was it evaluated?
What are the implications?

What will it do?

My lunar lamp is an ambient lamp that syncs with the moon phases. It also synced via android app with the menstrual period, leading for it to change colours.

What will I design?

My lunar lamp is a very minimal lamp. I will make my best to design a :

  • PCB board that fits within the shape of my lamp.
  • The body of the lamp itself.
  • the lighting pattern of the lamp.

What material and components will be used?

  • PCB board:
  • ESP8266 - ESP12
  • Voltage Regular with 2 1uF capacitors to power the ESP8266 at 3.3 V
  • Slide Switch to program the ESP12.
  • A reset switch connected to the REST switch.
  • an FTDI connector
  • a power input for 5V and GND
  • a motion sensor
  • a Neopixel strip with a 1000uF capacitor connected to the 5V.

My lamp will be powered with a USB adapter a micro-USB plug.

  • Body of the lamp:

Still pending.

Where will they come from?

All material will come from the lab except for the motion sensor, as the ones we have are too big in size; as well as the USB electric adapter.

The motion sensor PIR: between 1 and 2 euros per unit. The USB charger plug: betwen 3 and 11 euros, depending on quality. Thermoplastic: 10 euros the bag.

What parts and systems will be made?

I will be: - coding the communication between the app & the esp8266 - designing the app in MIT app inventor - connecting the moon phases to the actual time of the day. - coding both input and output.

I will be: - designing the PCB board in a way that fits the ring lamp - designing the ring lamp in a way that diffuses the neopixels.

What processes will be used?

  • PCB milling
  • probably milling (or 3D printing)
  • molding & casting in case i decide to mold my thermoplastic into 3D diffusers.
  • 2D design in order to embellish the MIT app.

Which questions need to be answered?

My biggest question to be answered at the moment is which material use and technique to use to create the ring.

Also, how do we connect

Time Management

I am using this living document on Trello to organise my time.