WTM Sense

Overview

Design and construct a docking station for an iPhone 6, that includes the following features:

• Speaker that amplifies the sound
• Display that shows weather and time, by connecting to the internet
• Motion sensors that use specific hand patterns and motions to turn the speaker to play/pause songs and turn off an alarm

Objectives

Throughout our Systems Science and Engineering curriculum, our group realized we have had little experience with modeling, 3D printing, and computer programming. For this reason, we decided to take this class and spend the semester working with a Raspberry Pi, Python, and constructing a 3D printed docking station that could be specialized through a developed and scripted code. We brainstormed different products that we would like to own and use in our daily lives and would also be interesting and rigorously challenging to create.

We chose to create a Speaker Dock because we have all come across the problem of trying to play a video or song from our phones when the volume is not loud enough for everyone listening to hear. We came up with the idea of creating a speaker that not only amplifies sound, but also allows for other features including a motion sensor that responds to hand motions to pause and play music, and easy access to the time and weather on a display.

For our demo, the user can plug their phone into the dock (if they have an iPhone 6) or use a provided iPhone 6, to test out our dock. They can use the speaker to play and pause a song, turn off an alarm, view the time and the weather, and most importantly use their hand as a simple tool to control these features.

Team Members

• Audrey Freeman, Sophomore, Bachelors of Science in Systems Science and Engineering, Minor Candidate in Operation Supply Chain Management
• Savannah Johnson, Senior, Bachelors of Science in Systems Science and Engineering, Minor in Psychology
• Ariel Stern, Senior, Bachelors of Science in Systems Science and Engineering, Minor Candidate in Operation Supply Chain Management
• TA: Andrew O'Sullivan

Challenges

• User safety: The wires and jumper cables we're using to connect the phone to the speaker cannot shock the user
• Phone safety: We can't send too strong of a current through the Aux cord and 'fry' the user's phone
• Privacy Considerations: The cameras in the leap motion sensor cannot record the room, so the user isn't being 'spied' on
• Learn python and how to code a display
• Learn how to integrate raspberry pi with leap motion
• Defining hand motions with leap motion to mean specific controls
• Learn how to make a circuit using a breadboard
• Figure out how to get around iPhone's chip that doesn't allow for other products to access controls
• Learn how to use Fusion360 (Autodesk) and how to design a functional model to be 3D printed
• Figure out how to amplify sound from the headphone jack using an aux cord and amplifier and build a simple circuit connecting it to a speaker

Gantt Chart

Weekly Breakdown

Budget

• Fusion360 Autodesk Program $0.00
• 3.5mm 4 Conductor Plug - Solderless w/ Screw Teminals $6.52
• Raspberry Pi $0.00 (Provided by Washington University)
• Leap Motion Controller $79.99 +$0.00 shipping
• 2.25 speaker 8 Ohms $3.99 + $4.44 shipping
• Mono Audio Amplifier Breakout $7.95 + $5.71 shipping
• 16X2 Olivine Backlight LCD Display for Raspberry Pi $7.99 + $0.00 shipping
• Breadboard $0.00 (Provided by Washington University)
• Transistor $0.50 +$0.00 shipping
• Wall plug $0.00 (Provided by Washington University)
• Jumper Cables from lab $0.00 (Provided by Washington University)
• Flexible Filament for 3D printing $0.00 (Provided by Washington University)

Total: $117.09