These are all the categories of people that were considered. The checkmarks represented sensors that could be used and Xs represented sensors that could not be used
To determine the demographic we wanted to help, we established how many sensors applied to that group of people. Since each person presented a demographic, we each pitched our idea to the group and voted on which one was the best. The determining factor was the one where the most sensors could be used.
Diagram of the Adaptive Grip Assist
Diagram of a motorized wheel chair controlled through head movement
By creating diagrams and analyzing the functions of the input/output devices, I learned how to turn complex technologies into visual concepts. This helped me understand how different systems interact. Making the diagrams taught me that ideas are easy to come up with, but making them feasible is much harder. Although it is difficult to think about all the outcomes to account for, and all the parts needed, a simple diagram is still very effective to contribute to brainstorming.
This is a flowchart that considered all possibilities with the 3 combination of variables
The project outlines the logic for an automatic window control system based on temperature and weather conditions. The flow chart opens and closes using real-time data of the outside temperature as well as inside temperature collected from sensors.
Creating this flow chart helped me think about environmental control systems and how simple decisions humans make can depend on multiple variables. It taught me to structure variables into a complex and readable programmable format. I started this project thinking that the logic would be simple; however, the flow chart showed a variety of nested conditions leading to a higher complexity than anticipated.
Although the flowchart displayed the idea well, it could be hard to follow. I wonder if pseudocode would make it easier to explain the idea. Another form of media I was considering was an entity-relationship model, which compares how entities interact with each other. This would be helpful as there are many variables in the code and this is commonly used in software engineering.
💡 How can this decision-making logic be adapted to account for dynamic user preferences that change often or changing weather conditions over time?
💡 How can we handle unexpected conditions like humidity, air quality, or wind speed?