Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
22 Automated Window Temperature Regulator
Derik Lee
Hersh Singh
Louis Wright
Shaoyu Meng design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
other1.pdf
presentation1.pptx
proposal1.pdf
Group Members: Hersh Singh (hksingh3), Derik Lee (dhl2), Louis Wright (louisw2)

Problem:
The biggest use of electricity in housing is used in maintaining temperature in buildings. By using the outside temperature to cool down or heat up a house will save energy expenditure. For example, leaving a window open at night in the summer can cool the building down. People aren’t always aware of the difference in temperature when inside a room, thus they constantly have to experiment with how open the window should be. This is a very inefficient way of trying to regulate the desired temperature because the human senses are not as accurate in detecting and calculating changes in temperature and other factors such as humidity, and precipitation.

Solution overview:
We propose making a window that opens and closes automatically when a sufficient temperature differential between the inside and the outside of the building occurs. We will be calculating the temperature inside and outside and then calculating how large the opening of the window should be to get the desired interior temperature. In addition to this, air quality will be monitored to ensure that the air that is being entered from outside is not adding a hazardous amount of pollution. We will also be displaying humidity inside the room and figuring out precipitation outside to make sure that the window stays closed and does not allow for rain or snow to enter the room through the window. Finally, as a precaution we will be checking to see if there are any obstructions in the path of the window, thus having a safety mechanism.

Solution components:
Sensor Subsystem -
The sensor subsystem will measure the following parameters: Temperature, Humidity, Rain. This information will then be passed onto the processing subsystem. These are going to be the inputs of the project and will dictate which state and action the regulator takes. Another IR sensor will be placed as a safety feature in case there is any obstruction. They will be have to be powered as well as send data to the microcontroller. We will also have a switch or button for setting a desired temperature that will be fed into the microcontroller as well, which will be our target temperature to reside around. We will use a hygrometer for humidity levels, a thermometer for temperature, a variable resistor for rain detection, and optical dust sensor for air quality.

Processing Subsystem
Given the data from the sensor subsystem, the processing subsystem will send a signal to open or close the window(s). This will receive the data from the sensors and also have to be connected to power.The input from the user must also be used to compare and calculate constantly. Once the sensors data is received, it must do the calculations with both of these readings and determine what action and state to go to. This decision will send data to the motor system which either opens the window a certain amount or closes it.

Power Subsystem:
This system powers all the sensors, microcontroller and the motor subsystem. We are deciding to power the system through a wall since we intend to have constant polling and sensor reading throughout the activity.

Motor Subsystem:
The motor subsystem is used for controlling which way the window opens and closes and how much. To dictate this decision, the system will be connected to the control subsystem which will send data through to produce an opening or closing motion.

Criterion for Success:
The criterion for success will be the sensors give correct readings to the microcontroller for the sensory subsystem. From there depending on the desired temperature the correct data is being sent out from the processing subsystem on whether to open or close the window. Finally, the motor subsystem using this data must act accordingly and either open or close the window the desired amount.

UV Sensor and Alert System - Skin Protection

Liz Boehning, Gavin Chan, Jimmy Huh

UV Sensor and Alert System - Skin Protection

Featured Project

Team Members:

- Elizabeth Boehning (elb5)

- Gavin Chan (gavintc2)

- Jimmy Huh (yeaho2)

# Problem

Too much sun exposure can lead to sunburn and an increased risk of skin cancer. Without active and mindful monitoring, it can be difficult to tell how much sun exposure one is getting and when one needs to seek protection from the sun, such as applying sunscreen or getting into shady areas. This is even more of an issue for those with fair skin, but also can be applicable to prevent skin damage for everyone, specifically for those who spend a lot of time outside for work (construction) or leisure activities (runners, outdoor athletes).

# Solution

Our solution is to create a wristband that tracks UV exposure and alerts the user to reapply sunscreen or seek shade to prevent skin damage. By creating a device that tracks intensity and exposure to harmful UV light from the sun, the user can limit their time in the sun (especially during periods of increased UV exposure) and apply sunscreen or seek shade when necessary, without the need of manually tracking how long the user is exposed to sunlight. By doing so, the short-term risk of sunburn and long-term risk of skin cancer is decreased.

The sensors/wristbands that we have seen only provide feedback in the sense of color changing once a certain exposure limit has been reached. For our device, we would like to also input user feedback to actively alert the user repeatedly to ensure safe extended sun exposure.

# Solution Components

## Subsystem 1 - Sensor Interface

This subsystem contains the UV sensors. There are two types of UV wavelengths that are damaging to human skin and reach the surface of Earth: UV-A and UV-B. Therefore, this subsystem will contain two sensors to measure each of those wavelengths and output a voltage for the MCU subsystem to interpret as energy intensity. The following sensors will be used:

- GUVA-T21GH - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/genicom-co-ltd/GUVA-T21GH/10474931

- GUVB-T21GH - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/genicom-co-ltd/GUVB-T21GH/10474933

## Subsystem 2 - MCU

This subsystem will include a microcontroller for controlling the device. It will take input from the sensor interface, interpret the input as energy intensity, and track how long the sensor is exposed to UV. When applicable, the MCU will output signals to the User Interface subsystem to notify the user to take action for sun exposure and will input signals from the User Interface subsystem if the user has put on sunscreen.

## Subsystem 3 - Power

This subsystem will provide power to the system through a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery, and a switching boost converter for the rest of the system. This section will require some consultation to ensure the best choice is made for our device.

## Subsystem 4 - User Interface

This subsystem will provide feedback to the user and accept feedback from the user. Once the user has been exposed to significant UV light, this subsystem will use a vibration motor to vibrate and notify the user to put on more sunscreen or get into the shade. Once they have done so, they can press a button to notify the system that they have put on more sunscreen, which will be sent as an output to the MCU subsystem.

We are looking into using one of the following vibration motors:

- TEK002 - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/sparkfun-electronics/DEV-11008/5768371

- DEV-11008 - https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/pimoroni-ltd/TEK002/7933302

# Criterion For Success

- Last at least 16 hours on battery power

- Accurately measures amount of time and intensity of harmful UV light

- Notifies user of sustained UV exposure (vibration motor) and resets exposure timer if more sunscreen is applied (button is pressed)