Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | Focus Dial: A Tactile Hardware Interface for Distraction-Free Focus |
Ahan Goel Amogh Mehta Benjamin Loo |
video video |
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| **Team Members:** - Amogh Mehta (amoghm3) - Ahan Goel (ahang5) - Benjamin Loo (bloo2) --- # Problem Staying focused is increasingly difficult in an environment saturated with digital distractions. While most modern operating systems provide tools such as Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb, these solutions are embedded within smartphones or computers themselves. Activating or managing them often requires unlocking a phone, navigating menus, or interacting with the very device that causes distraction. This creates friction and makes it easy for users to abandon focus unintentionally. Additionally, many existing productivity tools rely heavily on cloud services or voice assistants, raising concerns around privacy, reliability, and latency. There is a need for a more intentional, low-friction, and privacy-conscious way to manage focus that does not require constant screen interaction. --- # Solution We propose the **Focus Dial**, a standalone hardware controller that allows users to enter, manage, and visualize focus states through a simple physical interaction. By turning a rotary dial, users can activate focus modes, set timers, and receive feedback without opening a phone or navigating software menus. The Focus Dial solves the problem by shifting distraction management from a screen-based interaction to a tactile, human-centered interface. The device communicates wirelessly with user devices (phones, tablets, and computers) to control Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb settings. In addition, the Focus Dial is designed to integrate with IoT devices on the local network, enabling environmental cues—such as smart lights, displays, or other connected devices—to reflect or respond to the user’s focus state. At a high level, the system consists of: - A physical user interface for intentional user input and feedback - An embedded processing and communication subsystem - Wireless integration with user devices and local IoT systems --- # Solution Components ## Subsystem 1: Physical User Interface and Feedback **Purpose:** Functions as the primary **physical user interface**, allowing users to intentionally control focus modes and timers without interacting with screen-based devices. **Function:** This subsystem combines tactile input and multimodal feedback mechanisms to provide intuitive control and clear system state indication. It is composed of the following hardware elements: - **Rotary Position Encoding:** A rotary encoder detects rotational direction and position, enabling users to select focus modes, adjust durations, and confirm actions through deliberate physical motion. - **Haptic Feedback:** A vibration motor provides tactile confirmation for actions such as mode changes, timer start/stop events, and alerts, reinforcing interaction without requiring visual attention. - **OLED/LCD Display:** A circular OLED or LCD display presents contextual information such as the active focus mode, remaining time, or system status. - **Lighting (LED Ring):** An addressable LED ring provides glanceable visual feedback by indicating focus state, progress, or alerts through color and animation. The lighting can also mirror or augment connected IoT lighting systems. **Components:** - Rotary encoder with push-button (e.g., Bourns PEC11 series) - Circular OLED or LCD display (e.g., 1.28\" round TFT display) - Addressable LED ring (e.g., WS2812B / NeoPixel ring) - Coin vibration motor --- ## Subsystem 2: Embedded Processing and Wireless Communication **Purpose:** Acts as the **central control unit**, coordinating input processing, system state management, and communication between subsystems and external devices. **Function:** Processes rotary encoder input, drives output peripherals (display, LEDs, haptics), and manages wireless communication protocols. **Components:** - Microcontroller with integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (e.g., ESP32) - Power management circuitry - On-board memory for firmware and configuration storage --- ## Subsystem 3: Device and IoT Integration **Purpose:** Enables the Focus Dial to operate as a **local control hub**, synchronizing focus states across personal devices and connected IoT systems. **Function:** Transmits focus state changes to paired devices and triggers context-aware environmental responses. **Components / Interfaces:** - Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for communicating with a companion app or OS-level shortcuts - Wi-Fi for local network communication - Integration with IoT devices (e.g., smart lights, displays, or other networked devices) using local protocols such as MQTT or HTTP This subsystem allows the Focus Dial to trigger actions such as dimming lights, changing light color, or notifying other devices when a focus session starts or ends. --- # Criterion for Success The project will be considered successful if it meets the following measurable criteria: 1. The rotary encoder reliably detects user input with greater than 95% accuracy. 2. The device activates or deactivates Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb on a paired device via Bluetooth within 1 second of user input. 3. The display, LED lighting, and haptic feedback consistently reflect the correct focus state. 4. The Focus Dial successfully communicates focus state changes to at least one IoT device on the local network. 5. Core functionality operates without requiring an active internet connection. --- **Project Classification:** Innovation (human-centered hardware interface integrating embedded systems, wireless communication, and IoT interaction) |
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