Project
# | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
51 | Power Bank Sharing System |
Fangwei Gao Hanlei Gu Huiwen Song |
Shaoyu Meng | ||
Fangwei Gao(fangwei2), Hanlei Gu(hgu7), Huiwen Song(hsong38) Power Bank Sharing System Problem: Think about this scenario: when you are out in a restaurant, shopping mall or a Starbucks trying to reach your friend, your phone is out of battery. This could possibly happen to anyone who has a mobile phone. However, most people don’t carry cables or power banks with them all day long because, first, this situation normally does not happen; and secondly, cables entangle and become a mess in the bag and power banks are not only heavy (inconvenient), but also very expensive for some high-performance models. However, once this situation happens, people run out of options. Solution Overview: Power bank sharing station system. Place the stations in shopping malls, restaurants and other public places where people do not have the convenience to stick to a power outlet to charge their phones. Each station holds several power banks. When customers would like to borrow a power bank, they could scan the QR code on the station and the station would automatically pop out one power bank with a enough charge. When customers would like to return the power bank, they need not necessarily return it to the station where they originally borrowed the bank, but they can just find a nearby station with an empty slot and insert the bank into the station. This service can solve the problem because first, the banks provide portability that charging cables does not have; second, people do not need to pay for the bank, they are just charged for the service provided. A deposit and a payment option would be required from the user. The customers should simply log in to their mobile app (which is part of our system) to scan QR code to check out the bank and the charge would be automatically placed on their accounts when they return the power bank. And the deposit would be returned when they return the power bank. If at place where a valid credit system is implemented, like a U of I, the credit system can be incorporated, so that student could check out banks with their i-card and the fees will directly posted on the the student account. Each power bank should have USB A, USB C, and lightning cables to cover customers with different models of cellphones. The bottom side(to connect with the station) should have metallic parts as a connector and a "charging cable". That is, when the power banks are in the station, they should be charged and stick to the station, which could not be unplugged. Solution Components: Hardware: 1. The station will have a power unity that power the station and charge every power bank in the station. 2. The slots that hold the power banks should be capable of detecting if the banks are checked out or returned back. It would also be able to detect how much power is left in each bank. 3. Locking unit should be able to lock the banks before the checking out process is completed and release the bank when checked out. 4. Each power bank should be identified when checked out and returned in order to calculate the time and rate. Software: 1.We would like to design an Android app that allows users to locate power bank stations, unlock power by scanning QR code on a power bank station and check the status of the power bank brought. Our current plan for this app is React-Native + Flask + MongoDB. 2. We need to program a microcontroller in a power bank station as the main interface. The microcontroller should be connected to the internet and communicate with our central server to handle unlocking and returning processes. Criterion for Success: A good interaction between users and our power bank sharing system can be achieved. Users can borrow a power bank in a short time by simply opening a mobile app and scanning a QR code. The returning process should be smooth as well to create a good user experience. The power banks should be stored and kept correctly and securely when not been checked out. |