Tool Tracker
Contents
Team Members
Eliot Stein
Zach Steinberg
Hannah Lester
Nathan Schmetter (TA)
Project Description
Our project is an organization system designed to be used to keep track of tools in a lab. It involves RFID chipping/tagging the tools and creating software that monitors the time at which someone checks in and out the tools and can display this information, if requested. This could be used in labs to ensure that tools are not damaged or misplaced, and if they are, then the log will be able to determine when and by whom the tool was misplaced and/or damaged.
Challenges
Some that challenges we may face are:
- Connecting the software to the hardware, using RFID chips, and making the check in/check out console
- Learning how to properly implement our software to meet our desired goals.
- Learning how to use RFID chips and Raspberry Pi.
- After doing some research, it seems that a common problem with RFID is tag collision and reader collision, meaning that signals can accidentally become overlapped. We will have to make sure that this issue does not happen with our tags.
- Making sure that each group member understands the software in its entirety.
Materials and Budget
(Please note all prices do not include shipping and handling fees, but the total cost does include this.)
- $22.50 for 10 RFID Tags
- $39.95 for RFID Reader
- $49.99 for 7-inch LCD Touchscreen
- $39.95 for Working RFID Reader
- Raspberry Pi
- 3D Printer Filament
Total Spent: $187.02
Using the RFID Reader with Raspberry Pi
Design and Solutions
3D Console
Zach
Attaching NFC Sheild to the Raspberry Pi
Eliot
Creating the Interface
Hannah
ID Analysis
Zach/Eliot
Gantt Chart
(These are preliminary, and we know that as the semester goes on, we will be able to break down these steps even further.)
Our main steps will include:
- Learning how to code the Raspberry Pi
- Creating the console using 3D-Printing
- Testing with RFID chips
- Programming the software
- Setting up the server
- Debugging the software
- Connecting the software to the hardware
- Creating the poster
- Demonstration
For the most part, we were able to stay on track with our Gantt Chart. We ran into some issues with the reader, which pushed us back slightly. However, once that issue was solved, we got back on track with the original plan. Many of the tasks we accomplished were completed as a group, with one person taking the lead.
Weekly Log
Link To Project Proposal Presentation
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QZ4nD29VvKhSjkBULobw2ty8cCK_nobTKngFTUjaWQA/edit?usp=sharing
Code Explanation and Link to GitHub
The coding that we did for this project was all done in Python. We used Tkinter as a visual interface program that helped us make pages for the screen. This code includes labels, buttons, and many other visual pieces of the interface. We also used source code that we found to help with the scanner. Links to this code can be found in our weekly log. The most challenging element of our coding was combining the code that we made for the interface pages with the scanning code. Also, we initially had a lot of trouble with learning how to code in transitions from one page to another. Once we learned the syntax for one transition, then we were mostly able to mimic this syntax for the rest, with the exception of a few harder transitions.
In addition, we wrote text files that were able to store many pieces of information recorded by our program, such as who checked a certain tool in/out at a certain time, the ratings that tools were given, etc. These are also included in our GitHub.
MAKE SURE TO SAVE TEXT FILES TO GITHUB!!!!!
https://github.com/tooltracker/Tool-Tracker-
Results
Project Poster
- Please note that the total cost included on the poster only includes the cost of the second reader that we purchased, since this was the only reader included in the final product.
Future Improvements
Tutorial
(Updating a text file)
