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Project Ideation
Project Ideation
1- What sustainability-related problem or need does your project address? What were you inspired by? What is/are the SDG/s you are tackling in your project? Include images and videos of similar projects
1- What sustainability-related problem or need does your project address? What were you inspired by? What is/are the SDG/s you are tackling in your project? Include images and videos of similar projects
I want to make a device that can be hung on fish tanks. It has two sensors and a screen.
It does the following:
- Measures water temperature.
-Measures the turbidity of water.
My project is likely inspired by:
Aquarium Enthusiasts:
Many aquarium owners struggle to maintain optimal water conditions manually. so my device automates this process, making it easier for both hobbyists and professionals.
Environmental Monitoring Systems:
Similar systems are used in large-scale environmental monitoring (e.g., lakes, rivers, and oceans) to track water quality. My project brings this technology to a smaller, more accessible scale.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation:
My device helps ensure clean and safe water for aquatic life by monitoring turbidity and temperature, which are key indicators of water quality.
SDG 14: Life Below Water:
By promoting healthy aquatic environments, my project contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of aquatic ecosystems.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production:
My device encourages responsible resource use by preventing unnecessary water changes and energy consumption.
SDG 13: Climate Action:
By optimizing energy use (e.g., reducing the need for excessive heating or cooling), my project indirectly contributes to climate action.
2- Conduct a feasibility/impact assessment using the standard template and attach it below. How do you think this assessment will guide your design?
2- Conduct a feasibility/impact assessment using the standard template and attach it below. How do you think this assessment will guide your design?
Explain your impact assessment on those four pillars: social, economic, environmental, and natural resources. And, explain how this assessment will influence your project concept and goals.
1. Social Impact
1. Social Impact
a. Does your prototype directly address a specific need or improve the quality of life for its target audience?
Yes, my prototype addresses the need for maintaining optimal water quality in aquariums, which is critical for the health and well-being of aquatic life. It also improves the quality of life for aquarium owners by providing real-time monitoring and alerts, reducing the stress and effort required to manually check water conditions.
b. Have you considered inclusivity or accessibility to ensure your solution benefits a diverse group of people?
Yes, the device is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to a wide range of users, including hobbyists, professionals, and even educational institutions. The inclusion of visual (LED) and audible (buzzer) alerts ensures that it can be used by people with different preferences or needs.
2. Environmental Impact
2. Environmental Impact
a. Have you taken/going to take steps to use materials efficiently, reduce waste during production, or repurpose leftover materials from your prototype?
Yes, you can use eco-friendly materials for the enclosure (e.g., recycled plastics) and minimize waste during production by optimizing the design and manufacturing process. Leftover materials can be repurposed for other projects or recycled.
b. Does your solution promote environmental awareness or encourage sustainable practices in its intended use?
Yes, my project promotes environmental awareness by highlighting the importance of water quality monitoring. It encourages sustainable practices by helping users maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems and reduce resource waste (e.g., unnecessary water changes or energy use).
3. Economic Impact
3. Economic Impact
a. Is your prototype designed to be affordable and cost-effective for its intended users?
Yes, the prototype uses low-cost, widely available components (e.g., Arduino, basic sensors) to keep it affordable for hobbyists and small-scale users. Its cost-effectiveness is further enhanced by its ability to prevent costly issues like fish mortality or equipment damage due to poor water quality.
b. Does your project contribute to local economic growth, such as supporting local manufacturing or jobs?
Potentially, if the device is manufactured locally, it could support local businesses and create jobs. Additionally, it could inspire local entrepreneurs to develop similar solutions for other applications, further boosting the economy.
4. Natural Resources Impact
4. Natural Resources Impact
a. Are you going to responsibly use sourced or recyclable materials in your prototype?
Yes, you can prioritize responsibly sourced or recyclable materials for the device's components and packaging. For example, using biodegradable or recyclable plastics for the enclosure and minimizing the use of non-recyclable materials.
b. Does your solution help conserve essential natural resources like water or energy?
Yes, by maintaining optimal water conditions, my device reduces the need for frequent water changes, conserving water. It also helps save energy by preventing unnecessary heating or cooling of the aquarium.
How This Assessment Will Guide Your Design
How This Assessment Will Guide Your Design
Social Impact:
Ensure the device is easy to use and accessible to a diverse audience.
Include multilingual support or clear visual instructions to enhance inclusivity.
Environmental Impact:
Use eco-friendly materials and minimize waste during production.
Highlight the environmental benefits of the device in marketing and user guides to promote sustainability.
Economic Impact:
Keep the design simple and cost-effective to make it affordable for a wide range of users.
Explore partnerships with local manufacturers to support the local economy.
Natural Resources Impact:
Prioritize recyclable or biodegradable materials in the design.
Emphasize the device's role in conserving water and energy in its intended use.
3- Describe the project idea and general features. How would it work?
3- Describe the project idea and general features. How would it work?
The idea of my project is simply a small device that is hung on the outside of the fish tank and two sensors come out of it and are placed in the water, the first sensor detects the temperature of the water and the second measures the degree of turbidity, the result appears on a screen on the body of the device so that the user can see the measurements.
A buzzer or LED can be added to alert the user or both can be added such as lighting the LED red when the temperature rises above the required, and a buzzer makes a sound when the degree of turbidity reaches a certain level.
I got the idea from this project I came across on the internet that measures water turbidity, but I will add a sensor to it that measures temperature and with this I will be able to measure two of the most important things that will help a person pay attention to the fish tank
I will make a body to put the electronics inside and the device will be attached to the tank in a way similar to this picture, only the sensors will be placed in the water.
4- Sketch your project: You may use pen and paper or a simple sketching tool like Microsoft Paint or Photoshop
4- Sketch your project: You may use pen and paper or a simple sketching tool like Microsoft Paint or Photoshop
Project Planning
Project Planning
5- Describe the Technical Modules that your project consists of
5- Describe the Technical Modules that your project consists of
Construction Parts
The body of the device will be made of wood sheets using a laser machine, and I will make the hanger using pla material and print it using a 3D printer.
Input
(Sensing, Tactile Input, and/or Graphical Input)
A button to turn the device off and on when not needed, a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the water, and a turbidity sensor to measure the turbidity of the water.
Action
(Physical and/or Graphic)
The measurements will appear on the screen when the device is turned on.
(In case of placing a buzzer or LED, the LED will light up when the temperature rises, and the buzzer will make a sound when the turbidity rises)
Brain
Arduino UNO
Power Management
Battery
6- How will you use tools like the laser cutter and 3D printer with sustainable materials to make your project eco-friendly? What materials will you use, and why are they sustainable choices?
6- How will you use tools like the laser cutter and 3D printer with sustainable materials to make your project eco-friendly? What materials will you use, and why are they sustainable choices?
Describe how your project will leverage maker tools like laser cutters or 3D printers to reduce waste, and increase maintainability. Also, explain your choice of materials such as fabric, plastic filament, or recycled plastic sheets to support green innovation. Select materials with low environmental impact, and explain their relevance to your project.
My project will depend on three things: Arduino as the brain, wood sheets for the body, and I will use a 3D printer to make the hanger, which depends on pla material for printing
As for the Arduino, it can be reused in several ways after a while.
As for the wood, it can decompose under natural conditions, so it will not affect the environment and can be reused again. For example, if you have a medium-sized wood sheet and want to reuse it, you can cut smaller things on it, whether for decoration or for another project. It can be used as a filler after it is cut into sawdust, for example.
As for the pla, the plastic can be reused in several ways after it is heated and reshaped.
7- Create a cardboard prototype of your project, demonstrating the project face as well as internal movements and mechanisms. Include a demo video and photos of the prototype.
7- Create a cardboard prototype of your project, demonstrating the project face as well as internal movements and mechanisms. Include a demo video and photos of the prototype.
There will be a screen on the front to display sensor measurements, and an on/off button to save power when not in use.
The device component will be placed inside the body.
(Arduino, Battery, Breadboard
The device will be attached to the fish tank using a hanger that will be hollow from the inside for the sensors to pass through and be placed in the water.
8- Categorize your project’s User Features into: Minimum, Complete, and Nice-to-have features. List the required action and input components per feature.
8- Categorize your project’s User Features into: Minimum, Complete, and Nice-to-have features. List the required action and input components per feature.
Minimum Features: are the least amount of features that would demonstrate the coverage of all the technical modules and their complete integration
Complete Features: are the set of features that will complete your original project objective and vision
Nice-to-have Features: are the extra set of features that will make the project cooler, yet they need extra time, effort, and/or resources to finish
Minimum User Features
- Thermistor Sensor
Action: Temperature measurement
Sensing: Water temperature
User Input: None
Turbidity sensor
Action: Turbidity measurement
Sensing: Water turbidity
User Input: None
LCD screen
Action: Display sensors measurements
Sensing: None
User Input: None
Complete User Features
Buzzer
Action: Alarm when turbidity level rises
Sensing: None
User Input: None
LED
Action: Lights up when the temperature rises
Sensing: None
User Input: None
Nice-to-have User Features
On and off button
Action: Turn the device on and off
Sensing: None
User Input: Press the button
9- How will you incorporate Arduino programming, sensors, and actuators to enhance the sustainability features of your project?
9- How will you incorporate Arduino programming, sensors, and actuators to enhance the sustainability features of your project?
Describe how you’ll use Arduino programming, along with sensors and actuators, to create functions that improve your project’s efficiency, reduce resource use, or monitor environmental impact.
By incorporating Arduino programming, sensors, and actuators My device does the following:
1-Temperature Sensor: Prevents overheating, reducing energy waste from unnecessary heating
2-Turbidity Sensor: Helps maintain clean water, reducing the need for frequent water changes and conserving water.
3- Monitors water quality in real time.
4- Reduces resource (water) usage through printouts and alerts.
5 -Creates environmental awareness and global practices.
10- What are the required electronic components and materials for the project?
10- What are the required electronic components and materials for the project?
Component/Material
Amount
Link
PLY Wood
2
3D Printting PLA
20g
11- What are the project tasks and its time-frame?
11- What are the project tasks and its time-frame?
Task
Sub-Tasks
From:
To:
Components
1- Receive components.
2- Check the components.
3- Search how to use the component, and testing it with it's code
20/02/2025
22/02/2025
Electronics
1- Simulating the circuit on Tinkercad
2- Writing a code that takes the reading and displays it on the LCD
3- Connecting the circuit in reality and testing it
22/02/2025
25/02/2025
Design
I will use Fusion 360 to design for wood and 3D printing.
25/02/2025
28/02/2025
Testing
To check that the design matches the components and the final shape and that the circuit works correctly, I will use cardboard to simulate the design before Fabrication
28/02/2025
29/02/2025
Fabrication
1- Go to the lab and make the design.
2- Assemble the components with the design.
3- Test the final project.
30/02/2025
4/03/2025
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