Week 15

Applications and Implications

What will it do?

For my final project I wanted to infuse a little “character” into inanimate objects, so I decided to make a sneezing tissue box. My aim is to detect a sneeze (or loud noise) and make the tissue box move as it were sneezing itself.

Who's done what beforehand?

  • Lolzzz IDEO 2015
    When this alarm clock goes off it rocks back and forth and giggles like a person. You can make it laugh even louder by tickling its belly button.
  • Blendie Kelly Dobson 2003-2004
    This blender’s speed changes according to the noise a person makes. It blends slowly to a person’s low growl and increases speed as the growl goes high.
  • Nervous Toaster Harvey & John 2012
    This toaster “trembles and shakes as he becomes more and more anxious at the thought of… popping toast!”

The system

In this system I use a condenser microphone to detect sound and servo motors to make the tissue box move. I will use I2C communication between the microcontroller boards with Attiny 44s. The mic board is the master and the servo motor board is the slave.

List of Required Supplies

Supply Retailer Cost
PCB (FR-1) x 1
Attiny45 x 2 Digi-Key $2.84
20MHz Crystal x 2 Digi-Key $1.26
Condensor Microphone x 1 秋月 ¥100
Op-amp x 1 秋月 ¥150
Led x 2 Digi-Key $0.80
1uf Capacitors x 4 Digi-Key $0.96
10uf Capacitors x 2 Digi-Key $0.32
0 ohm Resistors x 3 Digi-Key $0.30
1k ohm Resistor x 2 Digi-Key $0.20
10k ohm Resistors x 9 Digi-Key $0.90
6 Pin SMD Type Male Header x 4 Digi-Key $4.16
Servo motors x 2 秋月 ¥800
White acrylic board x 1 (300x900mm, 3mm thick) Tokyu Hands ¥2,846
Shielded cable x 1 (1m long, about 2.5mm in diameter) オヤイデ電気 ¥173

Schedule

  • 5/31 Making the board for the microphone
    Design the board with Eagle. Mill the board with the Modela. Solder components
  • 6/2 Making the board for the servo motors
    Design the board with Eagle. Mill the board with the Modela. Solder components
  • 6/5 Programming the boards
  • 6/6 Prototyping the tissue box case
    Design the shape using Inkscape. Make a prototype with cardboard using the laser cutter and attach servos to check its movement.
  • 6/7 Making the microphone case
    Design the data using Fusion 360. Printing the data with the 3D printer.
  • 6/9 Making the tissue box case
    Purchasing the material. Design the box using Inkscape. Make a prototype with thin linden board using the laser cutter (to check the measurements). Cut acrylic board and assemble pieces
  • 6/10 Debugging