MEC202

Project Background and Objectives

Background: The demand for smart homes is increasing, but existing curtain controllers have problems such as high price, complex installation, and single function.

Objectives: To design a low-cost, easy-to-install, and multifunctional automatic curtain controller that integrates functions such as light sensing, smoke detection, voice and WIFI control to meet users’ needs for smart home devices.

Design Concepts and Screening

Requirement-Driven Design: According to users’ needs for intelligent control and safety detection functions, functions such as voice control, remote control, light sensing control, and smoke alarm are selected and integrated into the system.

Prototype Design Evaluation: Solar charging and projection functions were considered but abandoned due to unstable charging, high cost, and low practicality.

Final Design Scheme: Smoke sensors are used for fire detection with preset preheating time and concentration thresholds; voice control is used to open and close the curtains; light sensing control automatically adjusts the opening and closing of the curtains; the mobile phone APP controls the curtains through WIFI and has various additional functions.

Prototyping and Testing

Hardware Construction

MCU Control Board: The NodeMcu control board with esp8266 chip is selected to realize WIFI communication and logic programming control.

Motor and Motor Control Board: A 12V DC gear motor and L298N motor control module are used to ensure the safe and stable operation of the motor.

Sensors: Including MQ-2 gas sensor, BH-1750 light intensity sensor, and SU-03T voice recognition module, which realize gas detection, light intensity detection, and voice control functions respectively.

Power Supply and Switch: A 12V, 2800mAH rechargeable lithium battery is selected as the power supply, and a physical switch is equipped.

APP Development: The Blinker’s IOT development platform is used to create a mobile application to realize curtain control and various additional functions.

Mechanical Structure and Assembly: The mechanical structure is designed and the shell is 3D printed to ensure that the device is easy to install and fixed on the curtain.

Testing Plan and Results

Testing Plan: Tests are carried out for four functions: light sensing, voice control, fire detection, and mobile phone control, with corresponding test standards set.

Testing Results: All functions of the product can be realized, but there are some problems in practical application. For example, the voice control is not very friendly to the elderly with accents, and it is a little inconvenient to close the curtain again after it is automatically opened in the morning. At the same time, user test feedback shows that the product is easy to install and use, can effectively improve the living experience, and can ensure family safety to a certain extent.

Project Summary

Product Advantages: It integrates control and detection functions, has low cost, is open-source and customizable based on the Arduino platform, and is easy to install.

Social and Environmental Impacts: It promotes the popularization of technology, adapts to the diverse needs of users, supports multiple languages and cultures, encourages open-source innovation, optimizes resource utilization, enhances environmental monitoring, improves social inclusiveness, promotes community cooperation, ensures health and safety, and creates economic opportunities.

Reflection and Suggestions: The design process includes requirement analysis, technology selection, prototype design and testing, software development, user experience optimization, and impact assessment. The final product has the characteristics of multifunction, ease of use, and environmental protection. It is recommended to further reduce the volume, improve the stability, continuously iterate, and pay attention to sustainable development.