Wk19: 2016/06/08-2016/06/15

The assignments for wk19 were as below;

1. Complete your final project.
2. Track and document your progress.
3. Answer the following questions:
   • what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?
   • how will I complete the remaining tasks in time?
   • what has worked?
   • what hasn't?
   • what questions still need to be resolved?
   • what have you learned?

Background and summary

Since I did so many lost property, I would like to make lost property prevention attachment, which can let us know by beeping if we leave the property without taking as below.

Main functions are:

1. Bluetooth connection notifies me before I leave items behind over 30m or so.
2. Accelerometer alerts me when items are closely to be snatched away by thief.

And for final presentation, function 2) is minimum and vital.

Final Presentation

Below are the presentation slide of my final project.

PRESENTATION SLIDE

Mainly, I documented detailed process including many trial and error, occurred bugs, and how to solve them and improve on final project development page. You can check the development process more in detail there.

1) what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?

First, my project overview is as below;

Project Overview

(electrical part)

• Main microcontroller module (equivalent to Arduino: Fabkit)...DONE
• Input module: accelerometer board...DONE
• Output module: speaker board...ON THE WAY
• Network module: Bluetooth Law Energy Module...NOT YET
• Battery module...ON THE WAY

(mechanical(design) part)

• Plastic Case of the device...NOT YET
• Decoration sticker...DONE

(programming part)

• software/arduino code...DONE

Remaining Tasks

(electrical part)

• Output module: speaker board
  1. Design the board ~ Solder the components...DONE
  2. Embed programming and check function (Arduino)...ERROR OCCURED
• Network module: Bluetooth Law Energy Module...NOT YET
• Battery module
  1. Calculate appropriate power supply...DONE
  2. Check workability...NOT YET
• Integrate functions above into one device...NOT YET

(mechanical(design) part)

• Plastic Case of the device
  1. Design the plastic frame/case (Fusion360)...NOT YET
  2. 3D print it (3D Printer)...NOT YET

2) how will I complete the remaining tasks in time?

• Down the priority of BLE and smartphone application
  Discussing with Emma, our local instructor, I have only one week until final presentation day: 15th June. So I decided to rank down the priority of 'Networking and communication part: Bluetooth module' on my final project.


• Fix the bug on the speaker module and battery module
  Though I finished making the speaker module and added battery module to it, it does not work correctly. I guess that the electircal circuit and wire connection have any problems, so I have to detect it.


• Make the plastic case by 3D printing
  I decided to make the plastic case of my device by 3D printing because I can print very quickly and precisely, which seems to be suitable for my final project.

3) what has worked?

• Fabkit and accelerometer board
  I successfuly made the Fabkit and accelerometer board, and connected them with each otehr. The accelerometer board can measure the acceleration/motion of the device, and send the value to central microcontroller on Fabkit.


• Programming on Arduino
  I wrote the whole code for my final project, and tested it by Arduino and exsisting accelerometer board. If the acceleration is over the threshold, the speaker started to sound.


• Decoration sticker
  I made simple sticker for decorating the white plastic case.

4) what hasn't?

• the speaker module and battery module
  the speaker module and small battery module has not worked yet, although it seemd completed apparently. So I have to identify the cause of bug.


• Plastic case
  I have not copleted the electircal part, so also cannnot start to make the plastic case. I have to make plastic case which can include electircal boards compactly.

5) what questions still need to be resolved?

• What is the cause of the bug on the speaker board and battery module?
  There are several hypothesis on the cause of the bug as below:
  • There are sevral mistakes on designing/soldering process of speaker board. For instance, using wrong MOSFET, connect circuit wrongly, or so.
  • Appropriate voltage and current is not supplied to the board from small battery.
  • Wire connection between the boards are not correctly solderred
  So I have to re-do each process and detect/fix the bug so that it can work.


• How should I design the plastic case?
  I have not copleted the electircal part, so also cannnot start to make the plastic case. I have to make plastic case which can include electircal boards compactly.

6) what have you learned?

• Trial and error is necessary
  Almost of all issues need trial and error during development, which means there are many issues we do not know if we do not try. For instance, the best mechanical structure for the project, correct electircal circuit, coordination between hardware and software. Trial and erros, and many test/prototypes are vital for development of good product.


• Schedule must be delayed
  Even if we plan detailed schedule and timeline for hardware project, schedule will be delayed in many cases because of the reasons above. However, it does not mean that we do not have to plan the schedule. What is important is to recognize the gap between the actual progress and the planned schedules, and identify the cause of gap. If we do so, we can improve our project management skill on hardware development project.