Over the course of three intense weeks, my teammates and I, entered the Brilliant Catalyst Start Up Smart Cities Innovation Challenge 2024 and aimed to solve the underlying problem of Phantom Drain 👻, by ensuring "OFF means OFF", through our product, "The Phantom Guard".
We successfully placed second, earning a cash prize of $1500 to further develop our innovative solution to phantom drain, and smarter cities.
Introducing the Phantom Guard, an innovative power solution designed to eliminate phantom power drain. By using advanced circuit theory, the Phantom Guard cuts power to appliances in standby mode, ensuring they don't consume energy when not in use but still operate normally when needed.
We've reimagined power strips with two products: the Phantom Strip and the Phantom Mega. The Phantom Strip is perfect for residential use, saving costs and energy by cutting power to appliances in low-power mode. The Phantom Mega, designed for industrial settings, handles higher voltage and current loads, making it ideal for construction and manufacturing.
The device cuts power to the appliance when it's idle and reconnects it when a touch sensor is pressed. The sensor can be placed on a frequently used button to minimize extra input. Using circuit theory instead of a microcontroller keeps costs low. The main circuit loop includes the outlet voltage and the appliance, with a transistor that blocks current flow.
This transistor activates when it receives voltage from either the current sensor or the touch sensor. If there's no current and the touch sensor is pressed, the transistor activates, allowing current to flow. The current sensor then maintains this state without needing the touch sensor. When the appliance goes into low power mode, the current decreases, causing the transistor to cut off power again.