The IoT mood tracker is a device that provides feedback to student advisors on how a group of students is feeling. Graduate school can be extremely challenging. Sometimes it gets so bad that students get burned out. What if student advisors knew that students were not doing well before they reached the burnout stage?
The IoT Mood tracker uses a suite of Adafruit products, Adafruit IO and IFTTT to invite passersby to hit a physical thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumb level that represents the mood they are feeling. When any one thumb has been pressed a certain amount of times, the device sends an email to a student advisor.
Ever got burnt our with schoolwork? This IoT Mood Tracker helps student advisors know how a students cohort is doing to keep burnout at bay. The device uses thumb-shaped buttons, electronics and the internet to record student moods and relays the info to school administrators
It is normal that school is challenging and, at times, deeply so! But sometimes things really do get out of control, and students, unable to communicate to their teachers and advisors how they are feeling, can fall over the edge. It is at this point–when students are burnt out, sleep deprived, and even physically ill, that the institution notices that it’s time for a change.
We believe this is an issue of feedback delay. What if teachers and academic advisors knew before it is too late, that school life for students is going downhill? What if there was a way to stop the burn out and misery before it happened?
The Concept
Preliminary Sketch
The mood tracker is inspired by the notion of checking in on how a group of people are doing using “thumbs” as a visual cue. An upward, side, or downward-pointing thumb signifies a good, ok, or bad emotional state, respectively 👍👎
When a students punch in their mood on the tracker, the tracker tallies up the number of presses for each button. When any one button reaches 20 presses, the tracker sends data to an internet feed, which in turn triggers an email to the academic advisor announcing the student status.
Let’s See It In Action
Product in use
This product is designed to help academic advisors to know how a student cohort is doing on a daily or weekly basis, so that they can take action when needed.
Research
The concept of of checking in date back to the 1960’s practice of punching. -in at work.
Our mood tracker bears a core resemblance to the standing satisfaction booths in airport bathrooms and stadiums.
However, our product goes further in that it is not so much an endless vessel for feedback, but an alert system that is triggered at specific moments to help educational institutions and staff know when to check in with their students.
The Neumann study found emotional exhaustion and lack of felt accomplishment are ingredients of the burnout process. Therefore, Emotional fatigue greatly influences student performance and affects personal commitment which makes it important to track and prevent.
Lastly, we use the thumbs similar to the iconic Facebook “LIKE” since it is a familiar concept to a majority of our target audience -Millennials.
Open-Sourcing the Mood Tracker
A mood tracker can be used in settings other than schools. It would be interesting to imagine this product in work settings as well.
To create your on Mood Tracker for school or work, click here and follow the steps.
How We Did It: Our Process
User Story BoardUser Story Board Low Fidelity Model3D Rendering Final Product
Final Product Shots
PoD Mood Tracker: Vote GoodPoD Mood Tracker: Vote Bad
Future Projections
Lastly, since emotional feelings are a lot more complex and subjective to each individual having a detailed database on who clicks what button throughout the week would help understand individual emotions better.
It is normal that school is challenging and, at times, deeply so! But sometimes things really do get out of control, and students, unable to communicate to their teachers and advisors how they are feeling, can fall over the edge. It is at this point–when students are burnt out, sleep deprived, and even physically ill, that the institution notices that it’s time for a change.
We believe this is an issue of feedback delay. What if teachers and academic advisors knew before it is too late, that school life for students is going downhill? What if there was a way to stop the burn out and misery before it happened?
The Concept
User Story BoardUser Story Board
This project is designed to help students track their mood with feedback sent to academic advisors to know how a student cohort is doing on a daily or weekly basis.
The mood tracker is inspired by the notion of checking in on how a group of people are doing using “thumbs” as a visual cue. An upward, side, or downward-pointing thumb signifies a good, ok, or bad emotional state, respectively 👍👎
When a students punch in their mood on the tracker, the tracker tallies up the number of pressed buttons and sends email triggers. For example if 20 “thumbs down” were recorded, the IFTTT APP sends an email alerting the academic advisor of a perilous student status.
Research
The concept of of checking in date back to the 1960’s practice of punching. -in at work.
Our mood tracker bears a core resemblance to the standing satisfaction booths in airport bathrooms and stadiums.
However, our product goes further in that it is not so much an endless vessel for feedback, but an alert system that is triggered at specific moments to help educational institutions and staff know when to check in with their students.
The Neumann study found emotional exhaustion and lack of felt accomplishment are ingredients of the burnout process. Therefore, Emotional fatigue greatly influences student performance and affects personal commitment which makes it important to track and prevent.
Lastly, we use the thumbs similar to the iconic Facebook “LIKE” since it is a familiar concept to a majority of our target audience -Millennials.
To follow detailed steps on how to create the Mood Tracker click here
Process
Preliminary SketchLow Fidelity Model3D Rendering Final Product
Product Video
Product in use
Final Product Shots
PoD Mood Tracker: Vote GoodPoD Mood Tracker: Vote Bad
Future Projections
A mood tracker can be used in settings other than schools. It would be interesting to imagine this product in work settings as well. Lastly, since emotional feelings are alot more complex and subjective to each individual having a detailed database on who clicks what button throughout the week would help understand individual emotions better.
Software Setup: Blinking Light and connecting to the internetSoldering headers to Adafruit Feather Huzzah ESP8266 and attaching to breadboard.
Hardware Setup: Set up of button that lights up LED
Final Project Ideas
I have always been interested in exploring smart light that has a motion sensor that is activated either by physical touch or by movement. To me this is a very satisfying interaction that is almost like magic and so for my final project I am very interested in exploring this concept.
The Octacle Skirt is inspired by the camouflaging nature of an octopus that can change its skin color. They have special cells in their arms that facilitate this mechanism. Research shows that when different parts of the octopus’s arm are illuminated, the tip of the arm was the most sensitive to light. Using these concepts, I chose to program the code on my skirt.
My Fascination with the Octopus
I have always been fascinated with the camouflaging nature of an octopus and how they squirt ink to deter predators. My observations and research led me to recreate how an octopus reacts in its natural habitats.
A close look at the OctopusOctopus suckers turning blueOctopus suckers turning pink
Concept Sketches
Brainstorming ideas for skirtFinal sketch idea for halloween costume
Step1: I began by testing my code using a Neopixel strip on the Arduino Uno Board. I programmed the code using 4 main functions:
-The colorWipe and reversecolorWipe that depicted how the suckers of the octopus react at a different speeds.
-The delay function that is a buffer before the octopus changes its color.
-The pulse function that gradually illuminates the color change.
Step 2: Measuring and pinning desired skirt length to trace a paper template.
Step 3: Cutting the skirt template and determining the size of the octopus suckers on the front and back of the skirt to resemble a tentacle.
Step 4: Resizing the 3D model and converting file to STL ready to 3D print. The 25 suckers are meant to act as light diffusers. If I had the right 3D printer I would have preferred to print the model in NinjaFlex rather than PLA.
Step 5: Process of 3D printing diffusers.
Step 6: Testing code on soft neopixels using the Gemma with alligator clips and my battery back.
Step 7: Soldering the Gemma to the soft neopixels.
Step 8: Taping the neopixels to the skirt paper template to test the effect.
Step 9: Marking positions for neopixels and sewing them onto the skirt.
Step 10: Individually sewing the suckers onto the skirt.
Circuit Digram and Code
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
#define PIN A1
#define NUM_LEDS 25
#define BRIGHTNESS 25
// Parameter 1 = number of pixels in strip
// Parameter 2 = pin number (most are valid)
// Parameter 3 = pixel type flags, add together as needed:
// NEO_RGB Pixels are wired for RGB bitstream
// NEO_GRB Pixels are wired for GRB bitstream, correct if colors are swapped upon testing
// NEO_RGBW Pixels are wired for RGBW bitstream
// NEO_KHZ400 400 KHz bitstream (e.g. FLORA pixels)
// NEO_KHZ800 800 KHz bitstream (e.g. High Density LED strip), correct for neopixel stick
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUM_LEDS, PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
void setup() {
strip.setBrightness(BRIGHTNESS);
strip.begin();
strip.show(); // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
}
void loop() {
// Some example procedures showing how to display to the pixels:
pulseWhite(5);
colorWipe(strip.Color(255, 255, 255), 50); // White
delay(500);
pulsePink(5);
colorWipe(strip.Color(255, 5, 180), 20); // Pink
delay(500);
pulseBlue(5);
colorWipe(strip.Color(0, 0, 255), 50); // Blue
delay(500);
pulseWhite(5);
reversecolorWipe(strip.Color(255, 255, 255), 50); // White
delay(500);
pulsePink(5);
reversecolorWipe(strip.Color(255, 5, 180), 20); // Pink
delay(500);
pulseBlue(5);
reversecolorWipe(strip.Color(0, 0, 255), 50); // Blue
delay(500);
// fullWhite();
// delay(100);
}
// Fill the dots one after the other with a color
void colorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, c);
strip.show();
delay(wait);
}
}
void reversecolorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
for(uint16_t i=strip.numPixels(); i>0; i--) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, c);
strip.show();
delay(wait);
}
}
void pulseWhite(uint8_t wait) {
for(int j = 0; j < 256 ; j++){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, j ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
for(int j = 255; j >= 0 ; j--){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,0, j ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
}
void pulsePink(uint8_t wait) {
for(int j = 0; j < 250 ; j++){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(j+2,0,j,0 ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
for(int j = 250; j >= 0 ; j--){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(j+2,0,j,0 ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
}
void pulseBlue(uint8_t wait) {
for(int j = 0; j < 256 ; j++){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,j,0 ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
for(int j = 255; j >= 0 ; j--){
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip.numPixels(); i++) {
strip.setPixelColor(i, strip.Color(0,0,j,0 ) );
}
delay(wait);
strip.show();
}
}
Final Product
Halloween Parade
Takeaways
I really enjoyed this project. The most accomplishing part was understanding the code and being able to resolve minor issues that I was facing. The process of working with the Gemma was fairly easy with minimal soldering to the soft neopixels. I would have loved to use Ninjaflex instead of Hard PLA if I had the right printer. Also, from the beginning of my concept, I was interested in movement triggering the lights effect and so I would like to add this function in the future to my project. This function, would also more closely imitate the octopus’s reaction to camoflaudgye.
U2hug allows women to rest their lower back during and before menstruation. Inspired by the female uterus this plush night light duals as a back pillow in the shape of a women’s uterus that supports the back. Its fallopian tubes are described as arms hugging the waist and the fimbriae are described as helping hands that light up giving the user a sense of comfort.
Target User: Lisa who suffers from lower back pain before and during menstruation.
The Problem
80% of women worldwide spend five to seven days in a month from mild discomfort to debilitating pain that interferes with daily activities.
Lower back pain associated with your period can start a few days before menstruation (PMS) and get better after your period is over. This type of back pain is typically muscular and caused by hormonal changes.
The Story
Lisa is a 29 year old woman (Target User) who is suffering from lower back pain before during her menstruation and is waiting to head back home from school. She has been in the studio all day and has not had a chance to rest.
The concept of U2hug, a plush night light is inspired by the literal form of a women’s uterus. The product attempts to provide a sense of comfort and security for women during their period by supporting the back.
Lisa can also carry U2hug with her during long days at the studio and can have a 20 minute power nap by relaxing her lower back.
Female reproductive system
Design Process
Sketches + ConceptPaper pattern
After the exploratory sketches, I created a paper pattern to help guide the template for the fabric. I chose a light pink wool fabric that is soft to the touch and decided to embed 6 LED white lights into the palms of my plush night light. I also added a translucent foam film to better defuse the light. Initially I was imagining the name of the product embroidered on the front of the pillow. However, I decided to go with a smaller embroidered name tag “U2hug” on the side of the plush night light.
It was my first attempt at using the embroidery machine at the VFL and I was very satisfied with its outcome.
I decided to challenge myself and hand sew the plush toy. The most challenging part was perfecting the ridges between the fingers. Also,adding the fiber fill to the fingers was a challenging task. I also had a hard time finding the perfect material to defuse the light and fit in the palm.
The future refinement of this product would be to have the pillow heat up with a cordless recharging system to alleviate cramps from period pain.
Target User: Lisa who suffers from lower back pain before and during menstruation.
80% of women worldwide spend five to seven days in a month from mild discomfort to debilitating pain that interferes with daily activities.
Lower back pain associated with your period can start a few days before menstruation (PMS) and get better after your period is over. This type of back pain is typically muscular and caused by hormonal changes.
The Story
Lisa is a 23 year old woman (Target User) who is suffering from lower back pain before her menstruation and is waiting to head back home from school. She has been in the studio all day and has not had a chance to rest.
Therefore, I have decided to design (name of product), a plush night light that is a lower back pillow in the shape of a women’s uterus that supports her back, its fallopian tubes are described as arms hugging her waist. The fimbriae are described as helping hands and light up giving Lisa a sense of comfort.
Lisa can also carry (name of product) with her during long days at the studio and can have a 20 minute power nap by relaxing her lower back.
I used 6 white LED’s. The wires to the right side of the diagram are much longer since the battery back is located to the top right of the plush night light.
The Amazon Kindle is one of the most popular ebook reader in the United States. It was exciting to get this product to unravel its inner workings.
The Kindle 2 and its AC adapter.
Cracking open the back.
Closer look of the inside of a Kindle.
Tools used to take apart the Kindle 2
To remove the Back Casing(1) of the product I used a metal chisel. I must say this was an exciting look into a product with electronics. I then used a screwdriver to remove the small screws and lifted the logic board and display assembly out of its plastic housing.
Disassembled: Front View
The Back Casing (1) andFront Casing (2)are made from Plastic that is obtained from oil through the process of injection molding. The Back Casing has speaker holes on the top right and left. Amazon is not discrete about what plastic they use for the production. However, when we are done using our Kindle we can send it back to Amazon and they will properly dispose it. The Keyboard (3) seems to be a blend of plastic and rubber. It’s has an elasticity, when we press any key, it comes back to its original position. The Metal Case (4) is a part behind the Electrophoretic Display (5). The display is held by a “window frame” of adhesive on the Front Casing (2). After a couple of gentle twists I was able to separate these parts. The Electrophoretic Display (5), is made of tiny titanium dioxide, hydrocarbons, black dye and oil.
Disassembled: Back View
The Keyboard (3) fit into the Front Casing (2). 16 screws (6) attach the FrontCasing (2) to the Metal Casing (4).
Disassembled: Back View
The back of the Electrophoretic Display (5) has a mirrored shinny appearance and is sandwiched between these two pieces. The lower end of the Display is attached with a copper coated piece known as a Flex Circuit Connector (11) Flex circuits are typically manufactured in China using a polyimide (Kapton) material and one to multiple layers of copper. It is responsible for allowing electrical circuits to flow through the device. The Lithium Ion Battery (7), Controller Board (8) and EMI Shield (9) are secured with screws on the grey area of the Metal Case (4). The Lithium Ion Battery (7), is a rechargeable power source that is made using heavy metal such as Lithium, Cobalt and Lead making it extremely important to dispose correctly. The battery is Model No. S11S01A. It’s a 3.7 V, 1530 mAh lithium polymer. The Controller Board (8) is used for video cards and Random-access memory (RAM) which allows connection of different video source inputs to be selected and shown on a screen. The EMI Shield (9) is a metal piece attached on top of the Controller Board (8) toprevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI) from impacting sensitive electronics. The black piece (10) is attached to the red and black wire. It looked like a plastic part that felt like the control for the exterior button
Disassembled: Back View
The Logic Board (12) contains 7 chips that are protected by different EMI Shields (13). It also has a wireless card (16) that was inserted in its own Card Casing (15).
Close-up of Logic Board
The wireless card (16) is by Oberthur Technologies , a French digital security comment that enables the Kindle to connect to the internet via radio wavelengths. Most of the chips are made by Freescale, Samsung and Epson. The main processor of the Kindle 2 is the Freescale chip which is labeled MCIMX353DjQ5C M99V BTHV1052C SNGPR(12 A). It is a 532 MHz, ARM-11 90nm 14mm package. The MC13892AJVL CTGL 1103K(12 B) is a Freescale battery management chip that is made in china. The Samsungsemiconductor K4X1G323PC -8GD8 (12 C) is a Mobile-DDR SDRAM chip. There another Samsung SDRAM chip, KLM4G1EEER (12H). The WM8960 (12 D) is a low power, high quality stereo codec designed for portable digital audio application. The Atheros Chip (12E) supports for Kindle’s WiFi. The Texas instrument SN92009 A2 TL 11L A14G G4(12 F) is the power management chip. The co-branded Epson and E-Ink chip (12 G) is the display controller. It is a PFBGA package that supports “high speed screen updates (2048×1536 at 50Hz+)
All the parts
Interesting Design Elements:
The redesign of the Kindle 2 from its first generation seemed to have cleaner lines and carefully designed proportions. Despite new models, the Kindle 2 still has an evergreen design and personally I love the white. Additionally, the Kindle 2 is a good example of Design for Disassembly. I only required 2 tools (Metal Chisel and a Screwdriver) to take the whole tablet apart. This helps facilitate future changes and dismantlement for any parts that need to be replaced and recycled.