sdp11-team gong-“wait watchers” pdr matheus barros (ee) - alex gutowski (ee) - steven mitchell...
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SDP11-Team Gong-“Wait Watchers” PDR
Matheus Barros (EE) - Alex Gutowski (EE) - Steven Mitchell (EE)
Preliminary Design Review
Professor Weibo GongTeam Advisor, Senior Lecturer, ECE
October 20th, 2010
Wait Watchers
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Background
What is the most important aspect of the day?• TIME
There are only 1,440 minutes in a day• Time Management is the key to success
What if you could reduce or even eliminate waiting in line for your lunch everyday?• For all of your daily errands, Bursar’s office, the
barber shop, etc.?• Less time wasted waiting, more time for you!
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Study of Blue Wall Dining Area Studied wait times for lunch at 12:05
(high traffic) and at 12:35 (low traffic) on a Wednesday
Wait time: The time from when a student enters the food area, to when they completed paying for their items
High Traffic: Low Traffic:
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Results The 30 minute time difference resulted in
reduced wait times by 7 minutes per person on average• This correlates to at least 1,820 minutes more
free time for you per work year!
Problem Statement: Provide a resource, such as the “Wait Watchers” website, that works with an embedded system to display wait times in order to reduce time wasted in an individuals everyday life
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Consent from Blue Wall
In contact with the manager of the Blue Wall café to obtain permission
Waiting on Approval from the Manager of Retail Dining Services
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Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s:Decreased wait times to get foodLess crowded in the Blue Wall CaféMore consistent business throughout the day for Blue WallExpandable technology
Con’s:Website might not be used regularlyIf count is not accurate people will not use it Blue Wall might find the system intrusiveCamera’s pose privacy problems
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Proposed Solution Use a system of infrared sensors to detect
people entering and exiting the Blue Wall Food Area
The sensors act with an embedded system to verify the movement is actually a person
The embedded system communicates data wirelessly to the website
The website displays the count, updated in real time, as well as projections on a lower volume time to eat
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Sensor Functionality
Two infrared sensors positioned at entrances/exits
Placed at different distances allows user to determine patron entering or leaving
Signal sent for patron entering or leaving is wirelessly communicated to a microcontroller
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Microcontroller Functionality
Wirelessly receives signals sent from sensors
Keeps an active count of number of patrons inside selected area
Relays patron count wirelessly to be displayed on website• Only information sent wirelessly is the count
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Website Functionality Displays active count of patrons currently
inside (real time)
Forecast algorithm predicts busy times and gives suggestions on best times
Records previous dates patron counts and creates business statistics
Advertising for the cooperating business
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Proposed Error Control Webcam in conjunction with 2-D object sensing
algorithm located at cash register keeps an active count of patrons in-line
Compares sensor count to in-line count in order to detect significant errors
Feedback loop with microcontroller adjusts the number of patrons in-line count as necessary
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Starting Hardware Components
2 Infrared Sensors• Number varies with number of entry/exit points
Microcontroller• Processor• Wireless Transmitter
Feedback• High Resolution Camera• Processor/Laptop
Website• Address• Internet Connection
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Design Challenges
Interfaces• Sensors• Wireless
Comprehension of collected data• Signal processing• Integration
Cost Adequate testing location
• Location of sensors
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Error Control and Data Verification
Special Use Cases• A cart being pushed through the gateway• Person standing non-mobile in gateway• Person carrying object
Someone who leaves through a non-exit Loss of Count
• Feedback Loop
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Proposed MDR Deliverables
• Working wireless IF sensors
• Meaningful data acquisition by Microcontroller
• Display data on a host computer
• Design required SDP project website
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Division of Labor
Microcontroller (software side)
Transmission of data to website
Website Design
Reception of Data
Error Control
Alex: Steve: Mat: Microcontroller
(Hardware side)
Infrared Sensors
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Conclusion
Real-time display of head count
Prediction of lower wait times
Applications• Bluewall• Public administration buildings• Research