Implement
THE TIME FOR PROTOTYPING
Now that the Ideate Step is over, it is time to start working on the Implement Step! Implementing is all about creating sketches, receiving feedback from my reviewers, redesigning my sketches, and creating my prototype!
sketching
I am starting off with my first sketch of Light Alert. I just brainstormed components that will be needed in the device that I create. I wanted this device to not only alert the parents but bystanders that could be nearby.
The picture on the left is my first sketch of Light Alert. I imagined it working like this:
​
-
There is a temperature and weight sensor in the baby's car seat and the Light Alert device is sitting on top of the car. There is also an "amber alert" system as an app on the parent's phone
-
As the temperature gets hotter, the sensor in the baby's car seat will send a signal to Light Alert.
-
Light Alert will light up and make an alarming sound to alert bystanders that something is wrong.
-
The "amber alert" will notify the parent that they left their baby in the car.
Feedback From My Reviwers
My reviewers liked my thought process; however, they expressed their concerns about Light Alert that I had not considered:
-
It seems too complicated.
-
How is it going to be marketable?
-
What happens if a parent does not have their phone on them?
-
Why should Light Alert have to wait until a certain temperature to go off, shouldn't it alert the parents almost immediately?
-
Is there going to be something in the device that will set as a reminder before the parent gets out of the car?
-
This is going to be difficult to build.
REDESIGNING
Given the amount of time I had to build Light Alert, I realized that this design was too complex and may not convince parents to use the product. During one of the Capstone Friday Sessions, a community partner suggested I try to make Light Alert even simpler. He recommended focusing on the baby car seat and figuring out which sensor I need to use to know that there was a baby in the car seat.
​
The picture on the left is my second sketch of Light Alert. I imagined it working like this:
-
The baby's car seat has a weight sensor under the seating area and a proximity sensor on the belt of the car seat.
-
The weight sensor is there to measure that the baby is there
-
The proximity sensor will measure the distance between the car seat belt and the car key.
-
When the car key moves out of a certain range, the car will make an alarm
Feedback from my reviewers
My reviewers liked this idea better, they gave me their thoughts on this new design.
-
This is simpler and marketable.
-
Would the weight sensor still be needed if there is a proximity sensor?
-
It would difficult to code this with the Arduino kit since I am now using a proximity sensor.
-
When using the proximity sensor, how will it identify the car key and not just an object in front of it?
-
How will it be powered?
-
Will this be integrated into the car system or just the car seat itself?
Reflection
After reflecting on the feedback my reviewers gave me, I just needed to polish up my sketch design and provide them a final sketch of what my prototype will look like. Then, I will get to building my prototype.
The picture on the left is my final sketch of Light Alert:
-
The car seat will have the proximity sensor at the seatbelt. There is no weight sensor.
-
The proximity sensor will be connected to a key fob that it is attachable to the car key ring.
-
When the baby is buckled in the seat, the latch button will activate the key fob.
-
When the parent gets out of the car, if they go beyond 10 ft from the car seat, the key fob will activate an alarm
Name, Title
MATERIALS
The main material that I need to have is the Arduino Kit. It is the tool I will use to code my sensors and see how they work. I need to code a LED sensor for light, a piezzo sensor for sound, and an ultrasonic sensor to measure distance.
ARDUINO: LED LIGHTS
Arduino LED Trials
Arduino LED Trials
Blue Light
Red Light
