Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
1 Smart Sprinkler Robot System
Area Award: Conservation
 Denis Kurtovic
Jose Orozco
Kevin Johnson
 appendix0.pdf
design_document0.pdf
final_paper0.pdf
presentation0.presentation
proposal0.pdf

Our project goal was to make a robotic sprinkler system that can detect soil moisture content and check online weather forecasts to determine whether the ground needs to be watered. After completing our product, we were able to meet all of our requirements.



The two main parts of this design are the sprinkler robot and the base station. The base station checks the weather forecast to determine if the chance of precipitation is low enough to warrant watering for the day. If the chance of rain is high enough, then the robot will not be deployed; otherwise, it will send the robot out to measure the soil moisture at specific points on the lawn. The sprinkler robot measures the soil moisture by deploying a two-point-probe into the ground to measure resistance. This data is then sent wirelessly to the base station where it determines whether or not to water that area. If it is determined the area needs watering, then the robot will turn on its sprinkler system and water the area until the base station tells it to stop. After that, the robot moves on to the next area that the base station tells it to go to. When the robot is finished, it returns to the base station.



This product is commercially viable because it is a smart watering system that does not require the installation of multiple expensive pipes and probes. It both reduces the water waste of a traditional sprinkler system while still allowing for it to be transported to a new location.



This project was sponsored by MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Digitizing the Restaurant with Network-Enabled Smart Tables

Andrew Chen, Eric Ong, Can Zhou

Featured Project

# Students

Andrew Chen - andrew6

Eric Ong - eong3

Can Zhou - czhou34

# Problem:

The restaurant industry relies on relatively archaic methods of management and customer service. Internal restaurant computer systems are limited and rely on staff members to monitor customer status. Restaurants lack contact-free transactions for clientele.

# Solution Overview:

Our solution to this problem is to develop a standalone LAN restaurant network system to manage customer status and occupancy for restaurants without the need for personnel to monitor it manually. Along with this, to accommodate for contact-free interactions, we propose a system for payment methods. To address customer preferences, we will provide height accommodation built into the table for different types of people.

# Solution Components:

[Self-adjusting Customer Height Accommodation] - The table will be held up with a linear actuator, thus allowing for the overall height to be adjustable. The table will adjust its height accordingly to the customers’ heights once they sit down. We plan to make the table adjust the table’s height by measuring the distance between the bottom of the table with the customer’s knees when they are sitting down using ultrasonic sensors.

[NFC Payment and Card Reader Payment] - The table will have NFC reader and magstripe reader for contactless delivery. The payment data will be sent to the centralized hub for processing and confirmation.

[Table Pressure Sensor] - The status of a table will be gauged based on the amount of weight on the physical table itself. An occupied (or even just an unoccupied and dirty table) will be marked as such since the weight of excess food, water, plates, and whatever else the customer may bring will be measured by this pressure sensor.

[Computer Mesh Network] - We plan to create a mesh network of raspberry pi’s to track the status of tables in a restaurant. This network will communicate via some form of wireless communication (Wi-FI, bluetooth, or Zigbee).

# Criterion for Success:

This project seeks to create a solution in which restaurants can minimize customer interaction with features that accommodate individual needs, such as the height of the table and payment methods. This project will be considered successful with a working prototype that includes features that may be included in an actual restaurant setting.

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