Week 17. Aplications and Implications¶

Applications and Implications (1/2)¶

This week I organized and documented my final project describing the purpose, components used, the function it fulfills, costs, processes carried out and evaluation criteria.

Assignment¶

Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered.

Learning Outcomes¶

Define the scope of a project.
Develop a project plan including a bill of materials (BOM).

Learning Outcomes¶

The BlueConnect Home in a project that allows you to control two lamps and a fan from a cell phone

The BlueConnect Home¶

This project is easy to use and allows the user in the house to control from a cell phone the turning on and off of two lamps in different rooms of a house up to thirty meters via Bluetooth connection.

With a future projection of implementing housing that integrates different technologies to control security systems, energy systems or communications, among others, to provide greater comfort and efficiency.

What will it do?¶

In today’s digital age, home automation has become a necessity to improve comfort, energy efficiency and security. This project proposes the development of an automation system that allows users to control two lamps and a fan in a home using a mobile application. The implementation of this system not only offers comfort, but also contributes to energy savings and efficient resource management. Developing a mobile application allows remote control of the on and off of two lamps and a fan in a home. The system is easy to use, reliable and secure, providing users with the ability to manage their home environment efficiently.

Project Benefits:¶

Convenience and Ease of Use: Allows users to control the lamps and fan without needing to be physically present.

Energy Saving: Users can turn off the lamps and fan when not needed, reducing electricity consumption.

Security: It allows you to simulate the presence in the home by turning the lights on and off, deterring possible intruders.

Flexibility: The ability to program on and off times adds an additional level of customization and convenience.

Who has done what beforehand?¶

Searching for similar projects in the fab academy I found the following: In previous years, several Fab Academy students worked on what inspired my final project.

Año 2020 | Autor Luis | Web site

In this project I expand my knowledge in the use of the app inventor application

Año 2018 | Autor Kerala | Web site

In this project I got more ideas on how to connect a sensor and control it from an application

Año 2017 | Autor WIM LANZ | Web site

Here I got more ideas about the connectivity between the Arduino program and the mobile application

Año 2017 | Autor Mohammad Al-Matori | Web site

Here more information about block logic in app inventor

What will you design?¶

Structure: The structure of a house was designed that would serve to simulate the turning on and off of the lamps and the fan, a design made in 2D.
Fan: Designed in 3D with additive and subtractive processes.
Motor box: Design made in 2d to rotate the fan.
Exterior decorations: 2D design done in a previous task
Electronics: The Fab&Plant PCB for the system to work.
Programming: Programming the XIAO SP32 C3

What materials and components will be used?¶

House prototype, designed in the online software onshape and then laser cut in MDF material
Use as decoration at the entrance of the house prototype material cut in MDF in a previous task where I used parametric measurements.
Use connection cables
Use blue and green LEDs in the prototype of the rooms inside and outside.
Use PLA material for printing the fan that was placed inside the prototype.
Use XIAO ESP32 C3 microcontroller
Use copper-coated bakelite PCB material for the design of the printed circuit and subsequent milling where the components will go
Use a smart phone to install the app that would control the turning on of the lights and the rotation of the fan.
A 3-volt motor to activate or deactivate the fan

Where will they come from?¶

MDF or as its acronym indicates, stands for medium density fibreboard. I had to buy this material in the city of Huancayo, Peru.

PLA filament, polylactic acid, is a thermoplastic made from renewable resources such as corn starch, tapioca roots or sugar cane. I used this material from the digital manufacturing laboratory

Electronic components

3 volt DC motor. I had to buy this electronic component on the market

XIAO ESP32 C3 microcontroller. We had to order this microcontroller to be sent from the United States.

Blue and green smd LED. This electronic component is used in the Digital Manufacturing Laboratory

How much will they cost?¶

What parts and systems will be made?¶

Design and laser cutting of the house prototype
Details of a house at the entrance of the house
Box where the DC motor will be
Design of the PCB board
It will be programmed in Arduino code
Programming of the application in App Inventor

What processes were used?¶

Computer-aided design of prototype parts
Computer-controlled laser cutting
3D printing of the fan
Electronic design of the PCB board
Electronic production in codes for milling
Embedded programming in Arduino and AppInventor
Computer controlled machining
Output devices in the LEDs and fan
Input devices via Bluetooth signal from a cell phone
Programming of interfaces and applications

What questions need to be answered?¶

From what distance can I control the on and off of a lamp and a fan?
Will there be any electronic signal that interferes with the Bluetooth signal?
From which mobile devices can I install the application made in App Inventor?

How will it be evaluated?¶

From what distance is the Bluetooth signal effective for controlling output devices?
How much power does the application open from the cell phone and the microcontroller on with the Bluetooth signal consume?

Project Development (2/2)¶

In this section, I will document my final project, explaining the purpose, functionality, components, cost, processes involved, and evaluation criteria for its functionality.

Assignment¶

Complete your final project tracking your progress

Learning Outcomes¶

Create the project plan
Track the progress of your project
Summarise and communicate the essence of your project development

Have you answered these questions?¶

What tasks have been completed?

I have completed all the necessary tasks to ensure the prototype of my final project works.

What tasks are pending?¶

I need to finish the slide and video for my final presentation, as well as the documentation on my final project page.

What has worked? What hasn’t?¶

The electronic circuit didn’t work for me because of a crossed LED I had to print the fan design three times What worked was the programming in arduino after researching wireless communication protocols The communication code in appinventor also worked.

What questions need to be answered?¶

Does The BlueConnect Home effectively communicate the need well?

How long does it take until The BlueConnect Home is ready to work from connecting power to the microcontroller?

What have you learned?¶

During the completion of my final project I have learned many things, from design, laser cutting, electronics and programming, I am pleased with everything I have learned.

Web Site¶

Summary Web site