Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | A Better Yogurt-Maker |
Betty Nguyen Chidambara Anagani Zitao Wu |
Angquan Yu | design_document1.pdf other1.pdf proposal1.pdf |
|
| # A Better Yogurt-Maker Team Members: - Betty Nguyen (bcnguye2) - Chidambara Anagani (canaga2) - Zitao Wu (zitaowu2) # Problem There are a few smart yogurt fermentation devices on the market but these devices usually only allow the user to set a timer and a temperature. There is no or very little real time sensing happening. However, time can be an unreliable indicator due to the high amount of variability in the starting culture (backslopping) leading to differing fermentation rates or even a dead batch of yogurt. # Solution Our solution would be to build a device that uses sensors to measure the temperature, pH, and viscosity of the yogurt and use these measurements to determine the taste and texture of the yogurt. The device would then send the information via wifi to an app on the user’s phone for easy monitoring # Solution Components ## Subsystem 1: Sensors The purpose of the sensor system is to gather real time information about the taste, texture, and viscosity of the yogurt. These measurements will then be used to measure the status and quality of the fermenting yogurt. - The temperature of the yogurt will be monitored with a thermistor or other temperature sensor. - The sourness of yogurt is determined by the amount of lactic acid in a sample. Thus we can use a pH probe such as the ENV-30-PH to determine if the taste is acceptable. - The texture of the yogurt can be inferred from the viscosity. We can determine viscosity with a small rotating spindle that is submerged in the yogurt. The torque required to rotate the spindle can then be related to the yogurt's thickness. - The rotating paddle would be powered by a dc motor such as the ROB-16413 which comes with an encoder. Using information from the encoder and the hall effect, we can determine the RPM and relate RPM to viscosity. Motor control will be programmed using the MCU. - The temperature and pH sensor will be attached to the sides of the yogurt fermentation container. The rotating spindle to measure texture can be attached to the lid of the container. ## Subsystem 2: Control and Communication The purpose of the control subsystem is to read the information from the sensor, support Wi-FI communication of sensor data to a mobile application, and also provide control for the motor of the texture sensor. - Microcontroller (ESP32-S3-WROOM): Is used to get and process the data from sensors. This microcontroller also supports WiFi and bluetooth data transmission on the board and can be used to send yogurt fermentation to a mobile app. - The ESP32 MCU has GPIO and ADC pins that can read digital and analog measurements from our sensors. - Our MCU needs to be able to send a control signal to start and stop the texture sensor motor. This can be achieved using a timer on the MCU and having the MCU send an enable signal to run the texture sensor every 30 minutes. ## Subsystem 3: Power Subsystem This subsystem will provide the power for all of the electronic components in the device. It must provide enough power for the electronics to last the entire 8 to 24 hours of fermentation - A 12V Battery rechargeable battery will be used to provide power to each subsystem. The battery can be recharged with a USB port. - Voltage regulator circuits will help provide steady and consistent power. ## Subsystem 4: Mobile App and User Interface The purpose of this subsystem is to display the information received from the microcontroller in an easily digestible manner. An app either locally hosted on the ESP32 microcontroller or mobile (Android) will be built to use sensor data to build progress visuals and relay alerts to the user. A graph of the pH and temperature data can be displayed. For the texture measurement, the yogurt will be classified as: runny, good, thick. # Criterion For Success - Ease of Use/User Interface: We want our user interface to be easy to use and clear for our intended audience, homecooks. The mobile application must display information in a way that is easily digestible and also provide clear actionable feedback on the yogurt fermentation process. - Sensor Monitoring: Our sensors must be able to determine the taste and texture of the yogurt and let the user know when to stop fermentation. pH should be within the range 4.0 to 4.4 for food. Temperature should be within the range 105 to 112 F. Texture will be classified as runny, good, too thick. - Durability: The entire device should be able to go through a fermentation cycle (8 to 24 hours) without needing to be recharged. Since the sensors will be touching the yogurt/yogurt container, the probes need to be rated for operation at 105 to 112 F. - Real Time Monitoring and Alerts: The designed app will show the progress of the fermentation while providing any necessary alerts to the user if any of the defined conditions are out of range. |
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