Prototyping

Frame Design

We knew we wanted a frame design that would both look good and function, so when designing our product we took component placement, aesthetic, and proper performance into consideration.

Hand Sketch

This was the first step in designing our prototype. We decided to go with a sleek, modern design that incorporated all of our criteria.

CAD Design

After hand sketching out design, we used a website called Onshape to make a basic 3D rendering of it.

Straight Brow:

This design incorporates a flat top bar for those who desire a more serious look. Components like the battery, Arduino and Nichrome wiring are located inside the frames to give the glasses their sleek design.

Round Frames:

The round frames are another one of our design concepts. They also have the components located on the inside of the frames, and offer a more playful, childish look.

Software

Besides an initial program to determine whether the sensor functioned properly, we created two programs for our product. The first would be used for testing and only required the components we had access to while the second would be used in the final product.

Program for Testing:

Rather than initializing or stopping heat, this program plays a tone on a speaker and then displays on a screen whether the humidity is too high and the heating should start or the temperature is too high and the heating should stop. This helps us understand whether the program's logic works as expected. It also allows us to use it in testing for what relative humidity the air should be at when the heating begins.

Program for the Final Product:

This code functions the exact same as the code used for testing. The only differences are that all of the components are present and heating is initialized or halted rather than a tone being played. In the current version of code, comments are in the place of code to start or stop heating because we did not have the components to work with and test.

*Note: We decided that we would use the humidity reading from the sensor to determine when to start heating rather than calculating the dew point temperature. The dew point temperature changes and therefore must be put through an equation to find the correct value. Because of that, it was likely that the value would not be as accurate.

Both programs use similar logic: if the humidity is too high, heating begins, but if the temperature of the frames is so high that the wearer would experience discomfort, the heating stops regardless of the humidity reading. Areas of the code not shown in the above pictures help with setup to make sure that there are sensor readings coming in, and average the incoming values so noise and other issues don't mess with the overall functionality of the programs.

Prototype Testing

We would like to note that due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were unable to assemble our prototype and therefore could not test it. The tests we have written would have been conducted had COVID-19 restrictions not prevented us from doing so.

Nichrome Testing

We decided that to heat the lenses we would use nichrome wire. The heat would be generated by running a controlled current through the wire.

Nichrome Testing Procedure

Frame Material Testing

During research, we found that glasses are made from various types of materials with different properties. Some materials may not react well with heat causing deformation in the frames or even excessive heating which would be a hazard to the wearer.

Best Frame Material

Sensor Testing

We determined that the best way to know if heating should begin is to look at the relative humidity. The heating of the lenses must start at an appropriate time so that we can quickly get rid of fog without heating the lenses when no fog has or will appear.

Sensor Testing Procedure

Temperature Testing

Because one of our functional requirements was being safe, we recognized that a regulation on how hot the glasses could get was needed. If the glasses heat up too much, the wearer may become uncomfortable wearing them or may even be burned.

Temperature Safety Procedure

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