16. Applications and implications¶
What will it do?¶
- It is a configurable device that shows that shows only the notifications that are important to you.
- The device is connected to your smartphone using bluetooth.
- The notifications will be tracked and sent to the device using an app.
- Different “Notification flows” could be configured using the app. For example: If the smartphone receives a notification from
WhatsAppand the notification contains the keywordLunch time, the value30will be sent to the device. - The device will have a “mechanical display” which consists in a hand and a dial with some labels on it (similar to a clock). When a value is received (“30”, for example), the hand will move to the configured angle, pointing to a label. This way the user will be notified of this event.
Who’s done what beforehand?¶
As I explained in the first week, my first inspiration was the weasley clock. In 2020, Xinhui Hu’s final project was a Modern Weasley clock:
I’ve found some other projects that tried to replicate this magical device:
- The Stata Clock: Find Loved Ones At-A-Glance
- Weasley Whereabouts Clock: An IoT Family Location Tracker
In my case, I decided to track and display notifications instead of tracking people’s location. I haven’t found projects related yet.
What will you design?¶
I will design the device’s internal (electronic) and external (case) structure and also I will create an app for configuring Notification Flows.
In fact, I already started developing the app using react-native. I’ll open source the code when it is ready. Here are some screenshots:
What materials and components will be required?¶
I haven’t finished the 3D and electronic designs yet, so it is difficult to estimate the materials and components that will be required. But as a starting point, I think I’ll probably need a general purpose board. Abdón Rotela’s board is a good candidate, so here’s an estimate of the required components for that board that I’ve extracted from his site:
Fabduino Board
| Component | SMD Code | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| ATmega328p | ATmega328p | 1 |
| Crystal 20MHz | 20000M | 1 |
| 499Ω resistor | 4990 | 2 |
| 10Ω resistor | 10R0 | 2 |
| 0Ω resistor | 0R00 | 1 |
| Voltage Regulator 1A/5V | ZLDO1117 | 1 |
| red LED | NONE | 1 |
| green LED | NONE | 1 |
| .22uF capacitor | NONE | 2 |
| 10uF capacitor | NONE | 2 |
| 0.1uF capacitor | NONE | 2 |
| 1uF capacitor | NONE | 1 |
| Button | NONE | 1 |
| Connector Jack 3.8mm | NONE | 1 |
| 100nF capacitor | NONE | 1 |
| 2x3 pin header male | NONE | 1 |
| 1x6 pin header male | NONE | 4 |
| 1x4 pin header male | NONE | 1 |
| copper board | NONE | 1 |
Additionally, I’ll use a bluetooth module. I bought a HC-06 bluetooth board from a local store.
Since I don’t have a 3D design for the device’s case yet I can’t estimate the cost of it.
Where will they come from?¶
They come from the lab inventory mostly. The Bluetooth HC-06 module is the only component that I had to buy in a local store so far.
What parts and systems will be made? / What processes will be used?¶
- Circuit Board:
- Electronic design
- PCB machining
- Soldering
- Testing
- Programming
-
App:
- Programming
- Testing
-
Device case:
- CAD design
- Laser Cutting
- Assembly
- Testing
What questions need to be answered?¶
- What will be the Final appearance of the device? (I need to finish a 3D design)
- I want to emit a sound when the device receives a notification. I think buzzers could be used here but I prefer something like a real bell sound. Can I install a real bell inside the device?
- Additional buttons/controls on the device to reset the states or manually move the hand.
How will it be evaluated?¶
- The app starts successfully.
- The user can configure flows using the app.
- The app successfully connects to the device .
- The device executes the configured flows.