week18. Invention, Intellectual Property, and Income
Assignment
Assignment
- Develop a plan for dissemination of your final project
- Complete your final project, tracking your progress: what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain? what's working? what's not? what questions need to be resolved? what will happen when? what have you learned?
Final Project Dissemination Plan
My final project, "Golgo 13 Machine," is a personal security device that uses a millimeter-wave radar sensor to detect people approaching from behind and alerts the user via vibration and smartphone notifications. The device is uniquely designed in the shape of a traditional Japanese inrō, blending cultural aesthetics with modern technology.
The project will be disseminated and made publicly available through the following methods:
- The project has been published on my individual FabAcademy project page
- Circuit diagrams, design files, and code will be published as open-source on GitHub (in preparation)
- Planned exhibition at local FabLab events (to be held at FabLab Kannai after graduation)
- An introduction video with English subtitles will be uploaded to YouTube (currently being edited)
All design files, source code, and documentation for this project will be released under the
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
license.
This license allows anyone to freely reuse, modify, and distribute the work, provided that derivative works are also shared under the same license.
Future Possibilities and Pathways for Realization
This project has the potential for the following future applications:
- Elderly care: As an alert system for individuals with visual or auditory impairments, especially useful for detecting approaching individuals.
- Wearable devices for disaster evacuation: The sensor's ability to operate in dark or smoky environments could assist in evacuation scenarios.
- Commercial product development with cultural motifs: Leveraging the unique Japanese aesthetic for niche wearable markets.
To turn these possibilities into reality, I plan to:
- Strengthen integration with a smartphone app utilizing BLE notifications
- Propose a crowdfunding campaign focusing on the fusion of Japanese tradition and security technology
Project Progress
Completed Tasks
- Selection and testing of hardware: millimeter-wave radar, XIAO ESP32C3, vibration motor
- Circuit design and breadboard verification
- Enclosure design and component layout using Fusion 360
- Implementation of vibration motor control logic
- Creation of the final project website
Remaining Tasks
- Fabrication and assembly of a custom PCB
- Final implementation of BLE-based smartphone notification
- Fabrication of the final enclosure using 3D printing and CNC milling
- Full integration and testing of hardware and software
- Completion and upload of the presentation slide and one-minute video
Current Issues and Challenges
What’s Working
- Human detection using millimeter-wave radar
- Vibration feedback via motor
- Communication between sensor and microcontroller
What’s Not Working / Problem Areas
- BLE notification to smartphone is currently unstable in some cases
- PCB production delay may affect testing timeline
Technical Challenges to Be Solved
- Managing conflicts with BLE low-power mode
- Verifying smartphone notification compatibility (considering Flutter or Web Bluetooth)
Schedule and Milestones
| Date | Task |
|---|---|
| June 5 | PCB arrival and soldering |
| June 7 | BLE notification testing completed |
| June 8 | Enclosure machining and assembly |
| June 9 | Functional testing and adjustments |
| June 10 | Uploading slide and 1-minute video |
Lessons Learned and Reflections
Throughout this project, I have learned:
- Debugging techniques for hardware-software integration
- The importance of time management and risk mitigation
- How to incorporate not only digital fabrication techniques but also cultural expression into product design
Submission Requirements Checklist
- Created a dissemination plan for the final project
- Outlined future possibilities and described how to make them probabilities
- Draft slide and 1-minute video are being prepared in the correct resolution (1920x1080)
- Plan to embed the slide and video on the project website for public access