Sheema & Claire: Three Situations

Where did that mail box come from?

 

Situation: People today are always on the go. Walk onto any street and you notice that most people are multi-tasking in some way. People are doing things from texting, to talking on the phone, to cramming for a test, to talking to friends, or listening to music. We have found ways to make the most of our time we spend in motion, but that often results in unplanned collisions, falls, and accidents. When was the last time you were texting and tripped on a crack, or looking down at an email and ran into a mailbox?

Response:

1.     A vibration or zap grabs your attention as you are about to run into something (using a proximity sensor)

2.     Noises alert you (using a motion sensor)

3.     The device your holding starts to get warm in your hand (using a temperature sensor to detect the body heat of people around you)

4.     Detects a sudden change in slope which would then tingles your foot

5.     Detects peoples' footsteps and alerts you

Objects Available: backpacks, purses, wallets, belts, shoes, clothing, electronic devices

Sensor:  Proximity Sensor: The PING proximity sensor is an ultrasonic range finder. The distance of the closest object in front of the sensor is detected (from 2 cm up to 3m).

  

 

What happened to my alarm?!

Situation: Every morning it's the same story: your alarm beeps, you turn off your alarm, over sleep and frantically start your day. Alarm clocks were invented to make our lives easier, but that little snooze button on top has really made our lives that much harder.

Response:

1.     Pillow cools when alarm goes off to make an uncomfortable sleeping situation (using a sound/ vibration sensor)

2.     Sheets pull back (using a sound/ vibration sensor)

3.     Plays continuous noises (using a heart rate monitor sensor)

4.     From phone alarm: It circulates fake calls from your list of favorites, until you get out of bed

5.     Loud, horrendous yelling from all walls of the room

6.     Dumps water on you

7.     Tickles you

8.     Pull up/open your blinds

Objects Available: bedding, water, alarm, phone, blinds, speakers, floor, clothing

Sensor: Pulse Sensor: A plug-and-play heart-rate sensor that functions by shining a LED light into a person’s fingertip. The sensor then reads the light that bounces back to give an accurate pulse reading.

 

Burger with a side of wasp...

 

Situation: Summer is a time of picnics, barbecues, bonfires, camping, hiking, and the outdoors. There is nothing people look forward to more than coming home and enjoying their dinner outside where the weather is nice and the view is serene. What’s stopping you from this perfect picture? Those pesky wasps, bees and flies! These tiny, annoying bugs always find themselves on or by your food, making it difficult to eat anything outdoors and often times agitating you to a degree where food is no longer appealing.

Response:

1.     High frequency noise that repels bugs

2.     Projects aromas that would move the bugs/bees somewhere else

3.     Constant air stream keeping them away

4.     Hallucinogen (small dose) that rewires their brain and sends them in the opposite direction

5.   Site/sound of predator that would scare them into retreating

Objects Available: table cloth, dishes, centerpiece, table, umbrella, personal electronics

Sensor:  Motion Sensor: The PIR (Passive Infra-Red) Sensor detects motion by measuring changes in infrared (heat) levels emitted by nearby objects.