Synthesis

Morphological Chart

Through the use of a morphological chart, we were able to narrow down our product's desired functions into an organized list. We first discussed and wrote out what we believed to be the most important desired functions by looking back at the problem that our original design aimed to solve. Afterward, we listed out the various different ways our product could achieve these goals by looking at similar products and coming up with our own ideas. Finally, we selected what we believed to be the best option in each section in order to finalize our product's main features.

• The main component for cost will be the Arduino mini-computer which is an essential part of every smart lock. Using cheaper materials in the locking mechanism has the potential to compromise the strength of the lock, so we decided to minimize material usage to keep costs down while maintaining the integrity of the lock.

• Between NFC and RFID unlocking methods, NFC is much more suited towards our needs and overall is cheaper. RFID can be used over longer distances, while NFC is mainly short distances. For our smart lock we would only need to send data over short distances, so there's no reason to use an RFID reader over the NFC reader.

• The authentication token method is the best option in terms of having good verification strength and keeping costs down. A keypad door lock is very cheap but also not very secure. A biometric scanner would be incredibly costly and, while very secure, most likely overkill in terms of locking down a house. We chose the Authentication token method because it is both incredibly secure and cost-effective.

• In case of any scenario where the main lock does not work, whether it is due to an electrical outage or sensor failure, a backup system is chosen as an alternative, secure way for entry. Out of the three options in the morphological chart, unlocking the door through a separate phone app is the most secure option. The mechanical lock risks lockpicking attempts and the passcode backup leaves another possible entry for intruders too, since there are many ways to find out the passcode as it is static.

• In addition to providing a more secure lock, another goal of the product was convenience. Standard locks require you to carry around something extra on your person such as a key. Because we wanted to eliminate this need, we opted out of using an NFC type keycard to unlock the lock. The next option would be to use a biometric scanner but believed that too be a bit too expensive and impractical. Through these decisions, we finally landed on using your smartphone as the key as this is a common device that almost everyone carries with them when leaving the house.