Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
71 Automatic Light Switch
Andrew Kim
Ruize Sun
Sun Lee
Eric Tang design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
presentation1.pptx
proposal1.pdf
video
#Automatic Light Switch

Team Members:
- Sangsun Lee- Sangsun2
- Andrew Kim- Akim229
- Ruize Sun- Ruize2


# Problem

Many buildings and rooms still use traditional, non-smart light switches, requiring individuals to manually turn lights on and off. Upgrading these switches to smart ones typically involves removing the existing switch and installing a smart light switch in its place. However, for people living in rented rooms or apartments, this option may not be feasible, as they do not own the property and are often restricted from making permanent changes to the electrical fixtures.

This limitation creates a challenge for renters or those in temporary living arrangements who want the convenience and energy-saving benefits of smart lighting systems without violating lease agreements or incurring high installation costs. Moreover, current solutions for retrofitting smart functionality are either limited in functionality, expensive, or complicated to install, making them inaccessible to the average tenant. As a result, there is a growing need for innovative, non-invasive solutions that enable smart functionality without requiring structural modifications to existing light switches or electrical wiring.

# Solution

The solution to this problem is to design a smart switch that can be easily mounted over the existing light switch without requiring any modifications to the electrical wiring or permanent changes to the property. This smart switch would fit seamlessly over the traditional switch, allowing users to control their lights both manually and remotely.

To enhance convenience, we will also develop a companion mobile app that allows users to control the smart switch wirelessly. This solution ensures that renters can enjoy the benefits of smart lighting without violating lease agreements, while also offering an affordable, non-invasive, and user-friendly experience.

# Solution Components

Subsystem- Voice Control:
We will be adding voice recognition modules on the STM32 microcontroller. The two main modules will be MP23ABS1 and STEVAL-MIC008A, which includes microphones and allows DSP solutions to implement voice control. We will also be using X-CUBE-AUDIO-KIT as the software expansion to code the DSP algorithm to recognize specific sounds in order to control the light switch. With the Voice Control, the user can ask the device to turn the light on/off.

Subsystem- Wifi:
We will be adding an ESP32 microcontroller or Inventek ISM43362-M3G-L44. This will act as a WIFI module that will connect the device to wifi, so that with the app, you can control the device from anywhere. Or just buy a wifi-enabled STM32 Board.

Subsystem- App:
Use an emulator to develop and test. We will be coding in Java to develop the app, which will contain a simple on/off switch that connects to the light switch through wifi, which will then send signals through the Wifi subsystem microcontroller.

Subsystem- Power Subsystem:
Use double AA batteries and a battery case.

Subsystem- Mechanical Subsystem:
We will design a box to cover the home switch. Inside the box, we will use Stepper Motor (NEMA 17) and Gear Transmission to control the home switch. The motor can be controlled by the app. We will design a gear and place two rods on the gear to clamp the switch. As the gear rotates up or down, the rods will move up or down, thus driving the switch to move up and down. If the motor does not have enough force to turn the switch, we will try to extend the rod as much as possible and use the principle of leverage to reduce the required torque.

# Criterion For Success

Our Solution can seamlessly turn the light on and off without any delay. Using wifi, can control the box from a far distance. Can control the box’s functionality of turning the light on and off by voice control.
Our idea is different from previous solutions because we are implementing a voice control, Wifi, and an app’s functionality, so that the user can seamlessly turn the light on/off with out any use of body movement, from any distance away, and with just the touch of a button in the app.

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