Outcome

Problem Statement:

My parents are tea lovers. They always desired a perfect water temperature to steep tea. They would benefit from a IoT kettle that knows when the water is ready and is able to alert them. I want to solve this problem because the appliance serves as an alert that could satisfy a lot of tea lovers.

GOAL:

My goal is to connect a waterproof temperature sensor, three buttons and three LED lights onto a photon breadboard. Three buttons and three LED lights refer to the tea kinds the users need to input. Users input their choice by pressing a button and they can change their choice at anytime. When the water is ready, users get a LED alert if the water is boiled / cooled down to the right temperature for a certain kind of tea. The three tea options are 1. White/Green, 2. Olong, 3. Black/Herbal Tea.  

Process:

•  Components used: Photon board, jumper wires, waterproof temperature sensors, 3 buttons, 3 different LED lights, resistors.

• Assembling Circuits:

Build basic circuits based on Online Tutorial (http://diotlabs.daraghbyrne.me/3-working-with-sensors/DS18B20/)

Build basic circuits based on Online Tutorial (http://diotlabs.daraghbyrne.me/3-working-with-sensors/DS18B20/)

Trying one LED light.

Wiring.

Fixing mistakes and Organizing the board with Jesse’s help. 

Soldering jumper wires onto the temperature sensor. 

Waterproof temperature sensor

Wiring temperature sensor onto board.

• Coding process:

I downloaded library codes and tested the temperature sensor based on the online tutorial. (http://diotlabs.daraghbyrne.me/3-working-with-sensors/DS18B20/)

First I planned my pseudocode with the help of Professor Brockmeyer.

Based on the plan, I transferred the algorithm into actual codes. I did not change the library codes for reading temperature.

Testings:

Testing LED 1: White/Green Tea

Testing LED 2: Olong Tea

Testing LED 3: Black/Herbal Tea

Testing buttons(as variable state 1,2,3)

Testing the accuracy of the temperature Sensor.

Using setTemp to simulate a real temperature of boiled water.

After setTemp(180), temperatureF is changed to 180. The corresponding LED is lit.

Code:

Challenges and Help Received:

I did not have any experience with circuits. So when I had the plan to connect the sensors and buttons onto the board. I did not know how they are supposed to connect to each other. I even broke a sensor due to erroneous circuiting. Jesse was very helpful that he taught me how basic circuit work and other things like organizing board. When I first wired the circuits myself, there was a short circuit issue. Jesse also helped me to pinpoint the problem in order to correct it. 

For the programming part, although had experience in programming, I did not know how to use cloud functions, variables, and translate algorithm that would work correctly on a photon board. Through the learning process, I learned those skills.  

Outcome & Reflection: 

Outcome:

The projected satisfied my original goal that LED lights would inform the user whether the water is ready or not. Things I want to implement are:1. LED lights that can inform the water is too hot or too cold. 2. Alert message sent to phones / sound alert. 

Reflection:

I learned a lot from this project. I learned the basics of a circuit, soldering, basic coding on Particle Dev, organizing board and so on. I am satisfied about what I have learned; however, I wish I had practiced with the tutorials more before building on my own. In order to implement more advanced features, I need to learn how to connect this appliance to other IoT such as computers and phones, or other cookwares. I also need to know different components better in order to program them in a correct and concise manner.