Weekly Assignments Final Project About me Project development

Project development

APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

GLOWSENSE

Initial Idea

For my final project, I proposed an ultrasonic distance sensor lamp. The idea was to incorporate proximity sensing, not just to enhance the aesthetic appeal, but also to promote energy efficiency. I started with an initial sketch where the lamp’s shape was a dodecahedron, with snowflake patterns cut out on its faces to create interesting light patterns. The ultrasonic sensor would detect nearby objects, causing the lamp to glow when something is within a preset range and gradually increase to full brightness as the object gets closer.


Features

Why a lamp ?

I came up with the idea for this mood lamp because I’ve always wanted one—not just for how it looks, but because I used to be afraid of the dark. Instead of a regular lamp that just turns on or off, I wanted something more interactive and comforting. By adding a distance sensor, the lamp responds to people nearby. It can light up when someone approaches or dim when no one is around. That simple reaction makes it feel more alive and personal. It’s meant to be soothing, especially for people like me who feel uneasy in the dark, but it could also appeal to anyone who enjoys cozy, ambient lighting.

Final Idea

As the classes progressed, I kept thinking of new features to add to my lamp. During a peer review, I got suggestions from Akash and Namita about incorporating kinematics, which got me thinking about making the lamp’s movements more dynamic. Our instructor, Saheen, also pointed out the possibilities of adding wireless communication. Taking all of this into account, I came up with an updated version of my lamp that includes these ideas and makes it more interactive and responsive.

The final project consists of two blooming flower lamps that interact wirelessly. Each lamp features NeoPixels, allowing users to select custom colors through the GLOWSENSE app for a personalized lighting experience. Servo motors create a blooming effect, adding a lifelike, dynamic element to the design. A time-of-flight (ToF) sensor detects the distance of nearby objects, controlling the light intensity—glowing softly when the object is farther away and brightening as it gets closer. When someone approaches one lamp, the other responds wirelessly by blooming and glowing in sync. This interaction builds a sense of connection between the lamps, making them feel alive and emotionally engaging, even when placed apart.

Why a flower ?

I decided to shape my project based on the Sundrop Flower from Tangled. In the story, the flower releases its healing magic through music, which I found deeply enchanting. I wanted to capture that same sense of wonder in my own way, so I designed my flower to bloom when someone comes near, as if it senses and responds to their presence.

image

TESTING

After input week, I planned to add a display to show time to my final project. In output week I tried working with display and 12 V led strip which varies intensity with the input from distance sensor.


I also noted the variation in power supply current with respect to proximity

I wanted to test servo to learn how it works. I refered Noel Saji's Output devices week. Then I understood that my current mechanism will not support the up and down motion for blooming of the lamp. So I needed to redesign the mechanism.

I tested the Kodular app in interface and application programming week.

SCHEDULE

TASKS ESTIMATED DATE
BOM and schedule April 26
3D model and render April 31
mechanism design may 6
electronics design may 8
PCB making may 10
3D printing, wood cutting may 15
Assembling the parts may 20
Programming and testing may 25
Videos, photos and poster may 30
Final updations and completion of documentation june 2

BOM

Material Quantity Unit cost ($) Total cost($) Provider
Stepper motor 2
Xiao esp 32 C6 2
Neopixel strip 2
VL53L0X sensor 1
Capacitor 0
Resistor 0
Voltage regulator 2
Screw terminal 2
Mosfet 2