Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
23 Intelligent shared item cabinet
Nihaoxuan Ruan
Xiaotong Cui
Yanxin Lu
Yihong Yang
design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
final_paper2.pdf
proposal1.pdf
video1.mp4
Piao Chen
Intelligent shared item cabinet

# TEAM MEMBERS:
- Nihaoxuan Ruan (ruan14)
- Yihong Yang (yihongy3)
- Xiaotong Cui (xcui15)
- Yanxin Lu (yanxinl4)

# PROBLEM
In modern campus environments, students frequently need to borrow small tools (e.g., screwdrivers, wrenches) outside standard front-desk hours, leading to significant inconvenience and wasted time. We propose an intelligent shared item cabinet to address this gap by offering a self-service, 24/7 borrowing and returning system. This solution not only reduces administrative burdens but also innovates on existing resource management by integrating campus card authentication with automated item recognition (via sensors or scanning). Our key success criteria include reliable item detection, user-friendly operation, and seamless integration with existing campus infrastructure, ultimately creating a secure and efficient platform that enhances the overall student experience.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW
Our intelligent shared item cabinet addresses the critical gap in 24/7 access to shared tools on campuses by integrating campus card authentication, automated item recognition, and a user-friendly interface, which are optimized specifically for the university setting. Another alternative to bypass the issues of the manual check-out systems and general lockers is having a system that is scalable, real-time tracking, and seamless integration with campus infrastructure. Achieving an ECE-centric setup is critical to connect the hardware reliability (sensor design, cabinet durability) with the software intelligence (real-time database synchronization, fault-tolerant operations), giving pedagogical effectiveness and sustainability respectively. Our approach differs by offering a proof of concept model that is based on investigating campus card APIs and modular approach to emphasize security, accessibility, and scalability. The team comprises mechanical, electrical, and computer engineers, who produce an inexpensive prototype with sensors, open-source frameworks, and a progressive approach in merely a single semester, thus relieving administrative burdens and enhancing student control by means of technology.

# SOLUTION COMPONENTS
- Campus Card Authentication Module: Handles user identification and access control.
- Automated Item Recognition System: Uses sensors or scanning to detect and manage items.
- User Interface: Provides a simple and intuitive interface for students to interact with the cabinet.
- Backend Management System: Tracks item availability, user history, and system status.

# CRITERION FOR SUCCESS
- Item detection accuracy: Sensors/scanning devices must reliably detect item borrowing/returning status without errors.
- System uptime stability: Full-year operational reliability, supporting 24/7 service availability.
- Intuitive operation: Users can complete borrowing/returning processes within 60 seconds without external guidance.
- Campus card compatibility: Integration with existing campus card authentication systems and real-time synchronization with campus databases (e.g., student credentials, permissions).

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