19. Project development

  • This week I worked on keep track of my project development and to answer the following questions:
    • what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?
    • what has worked? what hasn't?
    • what questions need to be resolved?
    • what will happen when?
    • what have you learned?

what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?

  • Currently, I have completed the PCB design, Embedded programming, 3D print of case, and also the assembly and testing for the project. Therefore, regarding the project, no task is remaining.

what has worked? what hasn’t?

  • The final product works as expected by displaying temperature and humidity values and also sending the values to a smartphone via Bluetooth. However, during the LCD programming, I was using the LiquidCrystal Library which requires that Rs and Enable pins to be connected to the pins corresponding to MISO and MOSI of the ATmega(which are SPI protocol pins) and the library is programmed for these pins. Surprisingly, I overlooked this fact and interfaced with different pins which made the LCD malfunction. Then, after several hours of troubleshooting, I found out what the problem was, and since the hardware was already designed I had to think of a way to access the SPI pins. Luckily, I had these pins free when I was designing the Bootloader upload pins.

  • Initially I wanted to include C02 level and brightness sensors to my project however due to time practicalities and availability of sensors I had to exclude them from the final implementation.

what questions need to be resolved?

  • Since I didn’t use C02 and Brightness sensors, questions can be raised like how better the verasatility of the product would have improved, as well as the design challenges that would have been added, because having many sensors requires fast processing to make sure values are up to date.

Original Final project Sketch

what will happen when?

  • Since I have already done everything I will answer this question by saying what happened and when:
    • It started on ** 04.02.2020 ** with the original Idea done [here](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/assignments/week01/)
    • Then on ** 07.06.2020 ** I designed the [smartphone app](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/assignments/week13/#output) and used the DHT11 and Arduino to replicate my intended output.
    • On ** 08.06.2020 ** to ** 11.06.2020 ** I designed the [PCB Board](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/projects/final-project/#board-design-and-manufacturing) in Eagle and Obtained the G code for the milling machine.
    • On the same day ** 11.06.2020 ** I manufactured my first board and soldered all components. However, I realized that the USB head wasn't milled properly.
    • On ** 12.06.2020 ** I milled another [board](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/projects/final-project/#board-design-and-manufacturing) and finished the design of my project [case](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/projects/final-project/#3d-design).
    • On ** 13.06.2020 ** I [soldered components](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/projects/final-project/#board-design-and-manufacturing) on my new board and also started the 3D printing of my case which took (48 hours, including immersion in the solution).
    • On ** 14.06.2020 ** I started the Bootloader upload, I/O interface, and Testing which lasted till ** 16.06.2020 **.
    • Finally, on ** 16.06.2020 ** I assembled the whole [system](http://fabacademy.org/2020/labs/oulu/students/achille-gakwaya/projects/final-project/#assembly-and-results) and was ready to do the presentation.

what have you learned?

  • Throughout the development of my final project, I learned a lot of things like using 2D and 3D software to design a logo or 3D print a case, I learned the design of simple Smartphone app using MIT app inventor and most importantly PCB design and manufacturing which is the most time-consuming process in Fablab. Additionally, I also gained team work skills by working with group mates and using Git to combine our work.