Sunlight Alarm

Proposal

We hope to create an apparatus that opens your window shades automatically in the morning, acting as a nicer way to wake up than an annoying alarm. Our apparatus would use a stepper motor to open the shades paired with a Raspberry Pi. The stimuli to open the shades would be based on time as inputted by the user using a keypad attached to an LCD. The LCD would display the current time as well as the current weather.

Possible Add-ons:

• Stimuli to open shades based on light sensor
• Second stepper motor/mechanism to control orientation of slats
• Motor powered by solar panel

Overview

Overall objectives:

• Build frame and shade
• Program Raspberry Pi display LCD (time and weather)
  • Use NTP
• Program Raspberry Pi to accept input from user
• Program Raspberry Pi to control motors
• Program Raspberry Pi to respond to stimuli
• 3D print pieces to attach blind to shade
• Attach motors to frame/shade
  • up/down pull-string
  • twist bar

Team Members

• Sam Chai
• Cole Fitzsimmons
• Arnob Dam

Challenges

• Learn how to use Autodesk AutoCAD
  • We will use AutoCAD to 3D print gears, clamps and other physical parts for the opening/closing function of our device
• Learn how to program Raspberry Pi
  • We are using Raspberry Pi instead of Arduino because we will need Raspberry Pi's capability to access the internet. Through the internet, we will have access to and display both time and weather

Budget

• Raspberry Pi (supplied)
  
• LCD and Keypad $19.95
  
• Adafruit DC & Stepper Motor HAT for Raspberry Pi - Mini Kit $22.50
  
• Stepper motor (2?) (at least 1 supplied)
  
• Battery to power stepper motor
  
• 22ft of 2X4s $10
  
• 1 inch #8 wood screws $4.76
  
• one pack corner braces $1.97
  
• 2 packs straight brackets $5.36
  
• Light sensor?
  
• Solar panel and associated battery?
  

Total: $64.54