ECE 110/120 Honors Lab Section : AUTO Blinds opener

Statement of Purpose

Many college students struggle with getting good quality sleep. Often times, students go to bed late and wake up to a noisy alarm. Not only is this method not effective (as people often hit snooze), it does not set a good tone for the morning. One of the best solutions to this problem is to wake up to natural light. Our bodies produce chemicals based on the light around us, and natural light from the morning signals to our body to wake up. As a result, we are going to create a device that can open a student's blinds during a designated time frame so that they can wake up naturally and in a more relaxed, satisfied state. 

Background Research

We looked at research on natural light and how it affects people waking up and we found that natural sunlight makes it easier for people to wake up it is also better for stress levels to wake up with natural light. We thought that it would be a simple way for people to lower their stress levels, get up easier, and thus make their morning better.

Block Diagram / Flow Chart

System Overview

It begins with motor controlled with an Arduino Micro-controlled motor with a light sensor attached to it. When the light sensor reaches the threshold, the Arduino will use a logic gate in its programming to see if it is also the right time of day. If both conditions are met the blinds open will open until the sun sets or a predetermined time.

, Parts

1. breadboard x1
2. sensor module Digital Light Intensity Detection x1
3. Motor for ArduinoArduino x2 (high torque)
4. Arduino Micro Controller x1

Possible Challenges

1. One major (and recent) challenge is COVID-19. Since we have a hardware project, the most effective way for us to work together is to meet in person so that we can easily integrate the different parts together. However, due to covid-related restrictions, there may not be enough open meeting spaces and times to ease the process of working together. Additionally, with the newer, more contagious strains on campus, the possibility of one of our team members getting sick is higher.
   
   
2. One of the important parts of our project is the ability to open the blinds. However, that task is easier said than done. Opening the blinds can take us multiple attempts using our hands (not even a motor), as the string must be pulled at a certain angle to raise the blinds. A motor is much more rigid than human limbs. As a result, we will need to be very particular about the placement of our motor and how it pulls the string. 
   
   
3. Part of our project involves the use of a light sensor to detect sunlight. However, finding the threshold of light can pose a challenge. For example, a window facing east would receive considerably more light than a window facing west. An initial idea might be to set the threshold as the light level the sensor would detect if it were on the west-facing window. However, if this light sensor were to be placed on the east-facing window, this lower threshold could cause the blinds to open earlier than desired, causing a premature awakening for the user. 
   
   
4. Along the lines of determining the light threshold, the problem of weather poses a challenge as well. On a stormy or cloudy day, it is possible that the light sensor never gets triggered due to the lack of sunlight. Group members have proposed the idea of an alarm/timer to set a time limit on how late the blinds must be opened. 

Circuit

The circuit above demonstrates the circuit used to compare voltages outputting the voltage for the ardiono code

References

[1]C. Cross Systems, "How Much do Motorized Blinds Cost?", Somfy -Electric motors, remote controls and automation for rolling shutters, awnings, patio blinds, indoor blinds, shades and curtains., 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.somfysystems.com/en-us/Blog/Post/2018-12-04-how-much-do-motorized-blinds-cost. [Accessed: 17- Feb- 2021]

[2]"Argenox", Argenox, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.argenox.com/library/bluetooth-low-energy/a-guide-to-selecting-a-bluetooth-chipset/. [Accessed: 17- Feb- 2021]

List all references you used in your proposal. This is important, you do not want to be blamed for plagiarism. IEEE citation format is highly recommended. You can use citethisforme.com's IEEE citation generator to painlessly generate your references in this style.