Introduction

Week 01 — Principles and Practices, Presentations, Introductions, and Project Management marks the beginning of the Fab Academy learning journey. This assignment introduces the fundamental principles of digital fabrication, the structure of the program, the importance of documentation, and the project management workflow that will be used throughout the course.

During this week, I began organizing my Fab Academy website, exploring possible final project ideas, documenting my thought process, and setting up the digital tools required for version control and publication. This first stage is essential because it creates the foundation for future weekly assignments and establishes a clear method for recording progress, decisions, experiments, and results.

The assignment also includes presentations and introductions, which help connect students, instructors, and laboratories as part of a global learning network. Through this process, Fab Academy emphasizes collaboration, open documentation, iterative design, and the responsible use of digital fabrication technologies.

Assignment Index

1. Thought Process
2. Project Ideas Exploration
3. Defining My Project
4. Experimentation Plan
5. Conclusion
6. References
7. Documentation & Web Setup
8. Website Development and Documentation
9. Planning the Website Structure
10. Folder Organization
11. Building the Base Template
12. Website Design Considerations
13. Responsiveness and Testing
14. Image Management
15. Continuous Documentation Strategy
16. About Me Section
17. Git Repository Setup and Version Control
18. Local Repository Initialization
19. Connecting to Class GitLab
20. Weekly Workflow
21. Student Agreement
22. Website Creation
23. Git Repository Setup
24. Student Checklist
25. Reflection

1. Thought Process

Overview and Motivation

Orchids have specific cultural needs: airy substrates such as bark and sphagnum, high sensitivity to overwatering (which increases root rot risk), and a strong dependence on stable humidity and temperature cycles for healthy growth and flowering.

The central challenge is to provide water in a way that keeps both the substrate and the plant healthy while minimizing water waste and human intervention.

The proposed solution combines multiple data sources — substrate moisture, ambient humidity, temperature, and camera-based visual monitoring — with an AI decision engine that adapts watering volume and timing.

Evidence basis: Research in precision irrigation and IoT shows that sensor-driven systems using machine learning improve water efficiency and plant outcomes. Orchid horticultural guidelines provide target humidity ranges and substrate recommendations.

3. Defining My Project

Chosen Option: Sensor Fusion + Edge AI

The goal is to build an autonomous orchid pot that automates watering decisions using fused sensor inputs and visual monitoring.

• Sensors: Capacitive moisture, temperature & humidity, water level, camera
• Actuators: Peristaltic pump, LEDs or buzzer
• Compute: ESP32 + Raspberry Pi or Jetson Nano
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi (MQTT), local storage
• Safety: Low-water lock, emergency stop, watchdog timer

Success criteria: Healthy orchids over a 6-week trial, at least 25% water savings, and system uptime above 95%.

5. Conclusion

Sensor fusion combined with edge AI enables a robust autonomous orchid pot that optimizes water usage, reduces root rot risk, and adapts to environmental variation. Digital fabrication ensures reproducibility and educational impact.

References

• Abioye et al. (2022). Precision irrigation management using machine learning.
• Aydın et al. (2021). AI and IoT for precision irrigation.
• American Orchid Society. Humidity and watering guidelines.
• Penn State Extension (2023). Orchids as houseplants.

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Documentation & Web Setup

2. Website Development and Documentation (Main Focus)

One of the most critical requirements of Fab Academy is maintaining a personal documentation website. The website is not only a portfolio but also an engineering logbook that records weekly development in a structured and transparent manner.

During this week, significant effort was dedicated to building a solid digital foundation that can support the entire course documentation.

2.1 Planning the Website Structure

Before writing code, the structure of the site was carefully planned to ensure scalability throughout all weeks of the program.

• Homepage (general introduction)
• About Me section
• Weekly assignments section
• Final project section
• Navigation menu
• Footer with return links

The structure was designed to allow the addition of new weekly pages without modifying the overall layout. This prevents structural inconsistencies and maintains clarity as content increases.

2.2 Folder Organization

A clean and logical directory system was created to maintain order:

• Root project folder
• Separate folder for weekly assignments
• Dedicated images folder
• CSS file for styling
• Optional folder for additional resources

Consistent file naming conventions were applied to avoid broken links and confusion. Organizing content properly from the beginning ensures long-term maintainability and easier debugging.

2.3 Building the Base Template

To maintain visual and structural consistency across weeks, a base layout template was created. This template includes:

• Header section
• Title formatting system
• Content container
• Structured heading hierarchy
• Image formatting rules
• Navigation links

Using a base template avoids redesigning each page individually and ensures professional uniformity across the entire website.

2.4 Website Design Considerations

While developing the website, emphasis was placed on:

• Clear typography hierarchy.
• Logical content flow.
• Proper paragraph spacing.
• Section separation.
• Clean visual structure.
• Consistent formatting across pages.

The focus was clarity rather than decorative complexity. Fab Academy documentation prioritizes transparency, readability, and structured technical explanation.

2.5 Responsiveness and Testing

The website was tested across different screen sizes to ensure:

• Proper text scaling.
• Correct image alignment.
• Functional navigation.
• No structural layout issues.

Testing guarantees accessibility from laptops, tablets, and mobile devices, ensuring evaluators can review content without usability problems.

2.6 Image Management

Images are essential for demonstrating fabrication processes and results. Therefore:

• A dedicated image folder was created.
• Images were resized before uploading.
• File names were standardized.
• Relative paths were verified.
• Loading performance was tested.

Efficient image management improves loading speed and enhances professional presentation.

2.7 Continuous Documentation Strategy

Each weekly assignment will follow a structured format:

• Objective
• Tools used
• Step-by-step process
• Problems encountered
• Solutions implemented
• Final results
• Reflections

This standardized structure ensures clarity for evaluation and strengthens technical communication.

3. About Me Section

A dedicated “About Me” section was created to provide context about my academic and professional background.

• Educational profile.
• Professional interests.
• Motivation for joining Fab Academy.
• Technical interests in digital fabrication and electronics.
• Personal goals for the course.

Website successfully published on FabCloud GitLab

Providing this context allows evaluators to understand the learning trajectory, motivations, and intended professional growth throughout the program.

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4. Git Repository Setup and Version Control

Version control ensures structured development, traceability, and security of documentation.

4.1 Local Repository Initialization

1. Installed Git.
2. Configured user credentials.
3. Initialized a local repository inside the project folder.
4. Added project files to staging.
5. Created the initial commit.
6. Verified repository status and tracked files.

Website successfully published on FabCloud GitLab

This created a version-controlled history of the website from its initial state.

4.2 Connecting to Class GitLab

1. A repository was created on the class GitLab server.
2. The local repository was linked to the remote repository.
3. The initial version of the website was pushed.
4. Subsequent updates were synchronized after modifications.

This ensures cloud backup and transparent documentation history.

4.3 Weekly Workflow

• Editing content.
• Reviewing changes.
• Staging files.
• Writing descriptive commit messages.
• Pushing updates to the remote repository.

This process guarantees secure cloud backup, transparent development record, organized progress tracking, and the ability to revert errors if needed.

Using Git transforms documentation into a controlled engineering process rather than informal file editing.

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5. Student Agreement

The Fab Academy Student Agreement was reviewed, signed, and uploaded to the repository as required.

• Understanding of course expectations.
• Commitment to academic integrity.
• Compliance with Fab Academy policies.
• Agreement with documentation and evaluation standards.

This section documents the creation of my Fab Academy website and the setup of the Git-based workflow required for publishing and version control.

Website Creation

I created a static documentation website using HTML and CSS. The structure follows Fab Academy recommendations, with a main index page and subpages for weekly assignments. All files were edited locally using Visual Studio Code.

• Created index.html as the main landing page
• Created an about.html page for personal information
• Organized weekly documentation inside the assignments/ folder
• Applied a consistent visual identity across all pages

Website directory and file structure

Local preview of the website in the browser

Git Repository Setup

Version control was managed using Git and FabCloud GitLab. The repository allows tracking changes, documenting progress, and publishing updates to the Fab Academy platform.

• Configured Git and SSH keys
• Cloned the Fab Academy GitLab repository
• Committed changes with descriptive messages
• Pushed updates to the remote repository

Cloning the Fab Academy repository

Commit history showing documented progress

Website successfully published on FabCloud GitLab

Student Checklist — Fab Academy

The following checklist summarizes the required tasks evaluated during this week.

• ✔ Sketched my final project ideas
• ✔ Described what the project does and who will use it
• ✔ Created a personal Fab Academy website
• ✔ Documented the website creation process
• ✔ Set up and documented a Git repository
• ✔ Pushed content to my FabCloud GitLab repository
• ✔ Signed and uploaded the Fab Academy student agreement

Reflection

This first assignment was important because it established the foundation for my entire Fab Academy documentation process. Through Week 01, I understood that digital fabrication is not only about making physical objects, but also about planning, documenting, testing, reflecting, and improving each step of the process.

Creating the website helped me organize my ideas in a clearer way and understand the importance of communicating technical work properly. The website will become a continuous record of my learning process, including successes, mistakes, design decisions, and future improvements. This makes documentation an essential part of the fabrication workflow.

Working with Git and FabCloud GitLab also helped me understand the value of version control. By using commits and pushing changes to a remote repository, I can keep track of the evolution of my work and maintain a more organized development process. This is especially useful in Fab Academy because each week builds on previous assignments.

The process of exploring final project ideas allowed me to connect personal interests with technical possibilities. Defining the autonomous orchid pot as an initial project direction helped me identify possible components, fabrication methods, sensors, actuators, and future challenges that will be developed during the course.

Overall, Week 01 helped me understand that project management, documentation, and organization are essential skills for successful digital fabrication. This assignment gave me a clear starting point and a structured workflow that will guide the development of my future Fab Academy work.