Prototype/Outcome

For my final prototype, I created a fan that would turn off when you get too close to it. I was assigned a servo motor for output and a proximity sensor for input, so I was able to use the proximity sensor to detect closeness and use the servo motor to turn the fan on. The device was built so that it would hang off the table with the fan on top and the sensor on the bottom in an attempt to detect when people sit at the desk, as it is ultimately a desk fan. I also added some aesthetic features like eyes to show that it was “watching” it’s personal face.

Any proximity sensor reading below the maximum was recorded as being “close.” This is because the sensor can only detect a few centimeters ahead of it, so trying to determine a range is difficult due to how small the differences in distance could be. When the sensor reads someone as being close, the servo is turned. The mechanism for the servo to turn on the fan is purely physical — I used popsicle sticks and other materials to build a lever that when pushed by the servo, would press the button on the back of the fan. This required the fan and the Arduino to both be plugged into a power source. The following are pictures of the final prototype, servo setup, and breadboard circuit.