Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Wirelessly Synchronizing LED Mickey Mouse Ears |
Ian Napp Kaitlin Vlasaty |
Hershel Rege | design_document2.pdf final_paper1.pdf presentation1.pptx proposal1.pdf |
|
| Motivation: We want to create a set of affordable and entertaining light up Mickey Mouse ears that families can use to create their own mini light show. Users will be able to choose from a variety of colors and light patterns to customize their experience. Disney has incorporated a similar concept using Glow with the Show/Made with Magic ears that interact with the nightly performances in several of the parks. We feel that we can explore this concept from a new angle. Within the parks, the ears are controlled by IR emitters. We would like to use the design as an opportunity to learn about wireless communication systems, specifically a wireless ad hoc network, as well as basic mobile app design. Solution Overview: Our solution is to create a design for LED Mickey Mouse ears that can be controlled and synchronized within a group. The ears, lined with lights, will be mounted on a headband and contain the necessary circuitry. This will include a WiFi component for communication between the ears and an app. The app, when used on a cell phone, will allow the user to control the color of the lights, or choose from a set of lighting patterns and effects. Overall, the solution is intended to make a family's experience at a Disney Park more enjoyable, or recreate that magic anywhere. Components: Hardware – The first area of focus for the project is the thing people will first notice, the lights, and how to power them as well. We plan to wrap each ear in strips of LED's like the ALITOVE WS2812B. We estimate that for a headband with four inch diameter ears there will be about two feet of light strips needed, and that it will cost around fifteen dollars per headband in lights. These lights offer a high density of LED's at low power consumption to provide an aesthetically pleasing experience without draining batteries too fast. On that note, the lights and components in the headband will be powered by AA batteries hidden in the ears along with the rest of the circuitry. The ears will be made of a frosted plastic that the lights will illuminate from inside the ears, this will also be used to mount components like the battery pack and controller board. Mobile App – We intend to design a simple Android app that is capable of changing the lights. Users will be able to choose from a variety of solid colors and preset lighting effects such as a rainbow gradient or rippling colors. It will be possible to control a single headband, or unite several headbands within a group. The leader of the group will be able to add and delete member headbands, and control all of the headbands within the group, provided that they are in range of the controller. Controller and network – Each set of ears will contain a Wifi chip capable of both transmitting and receiving. When they are within range, they will be able to form a wireless ad hoc network with each other and the controlling cell phone. The payload of the packets will contain data that specifies the colors and patterns for the desired lighting effects, which can be done because the LEDs are individually addressable. The phone will communicate with the master headband, which will then relay the information to the other headbands within the group so that they are all synchronized. Criterion for Success: A successful design would be one that is both functional and comfortable. The headband should be lightweight and the weight should be balanced between both ears. All of the circuitry will be contained within the ears, so no extra wires or components are required. It should be waterproof to some extent, because it rains often at some of the Disney parks. The ears should also be controllable via a mobile app and form their own closed wifi network. Team members: Ian Napp (iannapp2) and Kaitlin Vlasaty (vlasaty2) |
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