Intelligent Customizable Storage System for Daily-life Organization

2017 ELE Engineering Design Project (NMK03)

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Faculty Lab Coordinator

Naimul Mefraz Khan

Topic Category

Intelligent Instrumentation

Preamble

Even in the day and age of smartphones and digital calendars, forgetting things is a common occurrence. An intelligent and customizable storage system can help automatically reminding a person if they are forgetting something through use of IoT sensors, the cloud, and mobile apps. A simple example could be storing critical medications in a compartment, and reminding the person to take them if a certain time has passed and the storage senses the medications have not been taken. Through high-level of customization, such a storage system can be programmed to serve as a personal assistant for any relevant objects and tasks.

Objective

To build a cloud-based smart storage system, where through use of sensors (e.g. pressure sensor) and microcontrollers, the storage system can detect movement of objects inside it. Through a highly customizable web app, and an accompanying mobile app, the user can set rules for each compartment of the storage for specific reminders so that it will be easier to organize mundane daily tasks.

Partial Specifications

1. A storage system that has multiple compartments with built-in sensors (e.g. pressure sensors, proximity sensors) with a microcontroller that can monitor the state of the sensors, and send the state results back to a cloud/server computer through wifi.

2. The server can then verify whether user-specified rules for the specific sensors have been violated, and if there is any violation, send notification to the mobile app.

3. Accompanying mobile and web app with GUI to customize the rules for each
compartment. Users can set custom messages through the GUI and rules (time of day), on violation of these rules they will receive notification through the mobile app.

4. Example: User stores medications in a compartment, if the medication has not been taken between 8 PM - 10 PM everyday (sensed through pressure sensor), user receives alert.

Suggested Approach

1. Attach sensors to a storage unit.
2. Program a Raspberry Pi with wifi connectivity that can monitor state of the sensors and send them back to a central server.
3. Server program monitors rules and sends alerts to mobile app if a rule has been violated.
4. Build mobile app and web GUI to incorporate high level of customization.

Group Responsibilities

1. Study available sensors to achieve the task. 2. Study microcontrollers and microcomputers. 3. Build web GUI/mobile app. 4. Test different levels of complexity by setting specific rules for storage compartments.

Student A Responsibilities

Build Storage shelf and microcontroller rig, program microcontroller.

Student B Responsibilities

Develop server program, collaborate with Student A so that microcontroller and server can exchange messages efficiently.

Student C Responsibilities

Develop mobile/web app to enable customization.

Course Co-requisites