Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
44 Self Heating Bed
Amaan Rehman Shah
Hari Gopal
Siddharth Kaza
Jialiang Zhang design_document1.pdf
proposal2.pdf
proposal1.pdf
# Self Heating Bed

Team Members:
Siddharth Kaza (kaza3)
Amaan Rehman Shah (arshah6)
Hari Gopal (hrgopal2)

# Problem

Many prefer a fan or heater next to their bed, so as to get a restful night’s sleep. Certain solutions such as the BedJet or EightSleep have been produced, but are financially out of scope for the majority of people. Additionally, standing ventilation systems can often be loud or not provide temperature control for the entire bed, leaving a non-uniform warmth or coolness which may become uncomfortable over time.

# Solution

A heating mattress is our answer to the many who feel uncomfortable with frigid temperatures in the middle of winter. The system would be an attachment to one’s bed frame (through clamps), with hot air circulating through bed sheets to simulate a warmer environment. Four splits can be made for this project: heating, circulation, and safety. Each will be expanded on below.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1

We intend on implementing heating using independent and smaller heating coils, due to their cost effectiveness compared to the circulatory system in most apartments and houses. This coil is usually a resistor in most heating systems, coupled into an electric system where more power sent through the resistor results in more heat being dissipated. An infrared heater is potentially another option, but considering the space is a bit larger than what infrared is meant to hit, coils seem like the better choice. McMaster sells heat coils for around 30-40 dollars, at this link: https://www.mcmaster.com/products/heating-coils/. To measure the temperature, we will use a thermometer at the output
At the moment, we believe it is too complex/expensive to implement a cooling system for the bed; however, we’d like to discuss the idea further with a TA to understand the components needed and finalize it in our proposal. In the current implementation, we would be venting room temperature air underneath the covers, which can still serve to reduce the temperature similar to a tower fan.

## Subsystem 2
Circulation is an issue even in conventional air conditioning systems, which makes its implementation all the more pertinent in our project. Through a fan or air blower, we can circulate air under the blankets and bed sheets to increase the temperature of the bed without having the problems of Eight Sleep (leakage issues, temperature mismatches, etc.). Additionally, we intend on giving the user control of this function through a motor control system and receiver implemented on our PCB. Easy access and variability through an app or remote of some sort will most certainly satisfy user expectations and leave a good experience. This speed controller from Amazon is an example of what will be used to modulate the fan power. https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Adjustable-Portable-Interface-Accessories/dp/B0D2BJV1KY

## Subsystem 3
Safety and power are the last two issues, and largely hinge on limits that we need to implement on the heating system. The coils that we buy will likely have a wattage rating that we can abide by, and set hard limits for using fuses within the system and on the PCB. Furthermore, checks and balances will be made for the power system through multiple voltage valuations and current examinations, feeding back to the main controller on the PCB and allowing us to monitor the system at all times. A potential option for the feedback system is PID based, as it provides the most flexibility and has been tested numerous times in other projects. The feedback system will be core to how we control our fan and heating, and will require fine tuning at the end of our project to ensure that we stay within safe operating temperatures.
# Criterion For Success

Describe high-level goals that your project needs to achieve to be effective. These goals need to be clearly testable and not subjective.

Our project should:
Be able to modulate the temperature of its surroundings (defined as the temperature within a square box of the bed) within 3 degrees Fahrenheit of what the user inputs

Have a quiet air ventilation system, measured around 50-60 decibels (when sleeping, noise around one should not exceed 50)

Not power hungry and able to subsist off of the wattage of a normal fan or heater (1500W)

Electronic Mouse (Cat Toy)

Jack Casey, Chuangy Zhang, Yingyu Zhang

Electronic Mouse (Cat Toy)

Featured Project

# Electronic Mouse (Cat Toy)

# Team Members:

- Yingyu Zhang (yzhan290)

- Chuangy Zhang (czhan30)

- Jack (John) Casey (jpcasey2)

# Problem Components:

Keeping up with the high energy drive of some cats can often be overwhelming for owners who often choose these pets because of their low maintenance compared to other animals. There is an increasing number of cats being used for service and emotional support animals, and with this, there is a need for an interactive cat toy with greater accessibility.

1. Get cats the enrichment they need

1. Get cats to chase the “mouse” around

1. Get cats fascinated by the “mouse”

1. Keep cats busy

1. Fulfill the need for cats’ hunting behaviors

1. Interactive fun between the cat and cat owner

1. Solve the shortcomings of electronic-remote-control-mouses that are out in the market

## Comparison with existing products

- Hexbug Mouse Robotic Cat Toy: Battery endurance is very low; For hard floors only

- GiGwi Interactive Cat Toy Mouse: Does not work on the carpet; Not sensitive to cat touch; Battery endurance is very low; Can't control remotely

# Solution

A remote-controlled cat toy is a solution that allows more cat owners to get interactive playtime with their pets. With our design, there will be no need to get low to the ground to adjust it often as it will go over most floor surfaces and in any direction with help from a strong motor and servos that won’t break from wall or cat impact. To prevent damage to household objects it will have IR sensors and accelerometers for use in self-driving modes. The toy will be run and powered by a Bluetooth microcontroller and a strong rechargeable battery to ensure playtime for hours.

## Subsystem 1 - Infrared(IR) Sensors & Accelerometer sensor

- IR sensors work with radar technology and they both emit and receive Infrared radiation. This kind of sensor has been used widely to detect nearby objects. We will use the IR sensors to detect if the mouse is surrounded by any obstacles.

- An accelerometer sensor measures the acceleration of any object in its rest frame. This kind of sensor has been used widely to capture the intensity of physical activities. We will use this sensor to detect if cats are playing with the mouse.

## Subsystem 2 - Microcontroller(ESP32)

- ESP32 is a dual-core microcontroller with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This MCU has 520 KB of SRAM, 34 programmable GPIOs, 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, and much more. This powerful microcontroller enables us to develop more powerful software and hardware and provides a lot of flexibility compared to ATMegaxxx.

Components(TBD):

- Product: [https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/espressif-systems/ESP32-WROOM-32/8544298](url)

- Datasheet: [http://esp32.net](url)

## Subsystem 3 - App

- We will develop an App that can remotely control the mouse.

1. Control the mouse to either move forward, backward, left, or right.

1. Turn on / off / flashing the LED eyes of the mouse

1. keep the cat owner informed about the battery level of the mouse

1. Change “modes”: (a). keep running randomly without stopping; (b). the cat activates the mouse; (c). runs in cycles(runs, stops, runs, stops…) intermittently (mouse hesitates to get cat’s curiosity up); (d). Turn OFF (completely)

## Subsystem 4 - Motors and Servo

- To enable maneuverability in all directions, we are planning to use 1 servo and 2 motors to drive the robotic mouse. The servo is used to control the direction of the mouse. Wheels will be directly mounted onto motors via hubs.

Components(TBD):

- Metal Gear Motors: [https://www.adafruit.com/product/3802](url)

- L9110H H-Bridge Motor Driver: [https://www.adafruit.com/product/4489](url)

## Subsystem 5 - Power Management

- We are planning to use a high capacity (5 Ah - 10 Ah), 3.7 volts lithium polymer battery to enable the long-last usage of the robotic mouse. Also, we are using the USB lithium polymer ion charging circuit to charge the battery.

Components(TBD):

- Lithium Polymer Ion Battery: [https://www.adafruit.com/product/5035](url)

- USB Lithium Polymer Ion Charger: [https://www.adafruit.com/product/259](url)

# Criterion for Success

1. Can go on tile, wood, AND carpet and alternate

1. Has a charge that lasts more than 10 min

1. Is maneuverable in all directions(not just forward and backward)

1. Can be controlled via remote (App)

1. Has a “cat-attractor”(feathers, string, ribbon, inner catnip, etc.) either attached to it or drags it behind (attractive appearance for cats)

1. Retains signal for at least 15 ft away

1. Eyes flash

1. Goes dormant when caught/touched by the cats (or when it bumps into something), reactivates (and changes direction) after a certain amount of time

1. all the “modes” worked as intended

Project Videos