Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
14 Household Smart Scheduler
Amanda Schmitt
Maddy Sullivan
Shailee Patel
Tianda Huang design_document2.pdf
proposal1.pdf
# Household Departure Board

Team Members:
- Amanda Schmitt (amanda51)
- Maddy Sullivan (maddys2)
- Shailee Patel (shailee2)

# Problem

People often know when an event starts but still leave late because they do not keep track of when they actually need to leave. They may also forget important items, such as their keys, when rushing out of the house.

Phone calendars can provide reminders, but they do not provide a shared physical display for a household or interact with the items people need before leaving.

Our goal is to build a wall-mounted departure board that shows each household member's next event, how long they have before they should leave, and whether their keys are still on the hook.

# Solution

The Household Departure Board will contain a physical section for each household member.

Each person's section will display:

- Name
- Next event
- Time until they should leave
- Key status

The system will retrieve each user's next calendar event and calculate a departure time using a preset travel time and time buffer.

For example:

**Departure Time = Event Time - Preset Travel Time - Time Buffer**

As the departure time approaches, LEDs will change color and an audible alert will notify the user when it is time to leave.

Each person will also have a key hook containing a sensor. The board will detect whether their keys are still hanging on the hook. If departure time is approaching and the keys have not been removed, the board will display a warning.

A microcontroller and custom PCB will control the displays, key sensors, LEDs, buzzer, and calendar communication.

# Solution Components

## Central Control Subsystem

A Wi-Fi-capable microcontroller will control the board.

It will:

- Retrieve each user's next calendar event
- Calculate departure countdowns
- Read the key-hook sensors
- Update the displays
- Control LEDs and audible alerts

A custom PCB will contain the microcontroller, power circuitry, sensor connections, display connections, and output-driver circuitry.

Components will include:

- Wi-Fi-capable microcontroller
- Voltage regulation and power circuitry
- Sensor and display connections
- LED and buzzer driver circuitry
- Supporting resistors and capacitors

## User Display and Alert Subsystem

Each household member will have a dedicated section of the board displaying:

- User name
- Next event
- Departure countdown
- Key status

Each section will also contain a status light.

For example:

- Green: plenty of time remaining
- Yellow: departure time approaching
- Red: time to leave

A buzzer will provide an additional alert when the user reaches their departure time.

Components will include:

- Small digital displays
- Status LEDs
- Piezo buzzer
- Supporting driver circuitry

## Key Hook Sensing Subsystem

Each user will have a designated key hook containing a mechanical sensor.

When keys are placed on the hook, their weight will activate the sensor. When the keys are removed, the sensor will change state.

The microcontroller will use this signal to determine whether the user's keys are still present.

If departure time is approaching while the keys remain on the hook, the board will display a warning. Removing the keys will automatically clear the warning.

Components will include:

- Key hooks
- Mechanical switches or pressure sensors
- Basic input filtering circuitry

## Scheduling Subsystem

The system will retrieve the next upcoming event from each user's digital calendar.

Each user will have a preset travel time and additional departure buffer.

The system will calculate:

**Departure Time = Event Time - Preset Travel Time - Time Buffer**

The countdown will automatically update until the user needs to leave.

This subsystem will intentionally avoid more complicated route, weather, and transit calculations to keep the project focused on the physical scheduling board.

# Criterion For Success

1. The board must support at least three household members.

2. Each user's section must display their next event, departure countdown, and key status.

3. The system must successfully retrieve upcoming events from a digital calendar.

4. The system must correctly calculate departure times using a preset travel time and time buffer.

5. Departure countdowns must update automatically.

6. Each key hook must correctly detect whether keys are present in at least 90% of controlled tests.

7. Removing or replacing the keys must automatically update the corresponding user's key status.

8. If departure time is approaching while the user's keys remain on the hook, the board must provide a visible warning.

9. The LEDs must indicate normal, leave-soon, and leave-now conditions.

10. The system must generate an audible alert when a user's departure time is reached.

11. The completed prototype must successfully demonstrate:
- Three independent users
- Calendar synchronization
- Automatic departure countdowns
- Key presence detection
- Key reminders
- Visual departure alerts
- Audible departure alerts

GYMplement

Srinija Kakumanu, Justin Naal, Danny Rymut

Featured Project

**Problem:** When working out at home, without a trainer, it’s hard to maintain good form. Working out without good form over time can lead to injury and strain.

**Solution:** A mat to use during at-home workouts that will give feedback on your form while you're performing a variety of bodyweight exercises (multiple pushup variations, squats, lunges,) by analyzing pressure distributions and placement.

**Solution Components:**

**Subsystem 1: Mat**

- This will be built using Velostat.

- The mat will receive pressure inputs from the user.

- Velostat is able to measure pressure because it is a piezoresistive material and the more it is compressed the lower the resistance becomes. By tracking pressure distribution it will be able to analyze certain aspects of the form and provide feedback.

- Additionally, it can assist in tracking reps for certain exercises.

- The mat would also use an ultrasonic range sensor. This would be used to track reps for exercises, such as pushups and squats, where the pressure placement on the mat may not change making it difficult for the pressure sensors to track.

- The mat will not be big enough to put both feet and hands on it. Instead when you are doing pushups you would just be putting your hands on it

**Subsystem 2: Power**

- Use a portable battery back to power the mat and data transmitter subsystems.

**Subsystem 3: Data transmitter**

- Information collected from the pressure sensors in the mat will be sent to the mobile app via Bluetooth. The data will be sent to the user’s phone so that we can help the user see if the exercise is being performed safely and correctly.

**Subsystem 4: Mobile App**

- When the user first gets the mat they will be asked to perform all the supported exercises and put it their height and weight in order to calibrate the mat.

- This is where the user would build their circuit of exercises and see feedback on their performance.

- How pressure will indicate good/bad form: in the case of squats, there would be two nonzero pressure readings and if the readings are not identical then we know the user is putting too much weight on one side. This indicates bad form. We will use similar comparisons for other moves

- The most important functions of this subsystem are to store the calibration data, give the user the ability to look at their performances, build out exercise circuits and set/get reminders to work out

**Criterion for Success**

- User Interface is clear and easy to use.

- Be able to accurately and consistently track the repetitions of each exercise.

- Sensors provide data that is detailed/accurate enough to create beneficial feedback for the user

**Challenges**

- Designing a circuit using velostat will be challenging because there are limited resources available that provide instruction on how to use it.

- We must also design a custom PCB that is able to store the sensor readings and transmit the data to the phone.