Object Sensing Timer, JD2 Spring '25

Spring 2025

Trevor Fabris, Leland Wendel, and Josiah Collmer designed and built a timer that starts when an object has been sensed. The timer can be set to 5 min or 10 min, and can be incremented or decremented by 30 sec. The timer alerts the user when it has ended or the object has been removed. This system is intended to be used as a study method tool, where you are able to set your phone down or any other distraction on the photosensor, set a timer, and work for the set amount of time you set. The timer will notify you that it is time to take a break when it finishes, and then you can start again. This resembles the Pomodoro Technique for studying. This timer utilizes an ESP32 microcontroller, which serves as the method of information and signal processing such that the user can input into the system as well as read the outputs to the system. A photoresistor was also used to determine when an object has been placed down and whether it has been removed while the timer is running. Notable accomplishments of this project are the use of the Arduino IDE and the process of using pulldown resistors to help with our button logic. Although it is small, we will say our cable organization looks quite nice. Another accomplishment is the enclosure, which is handmade and very well done and looks extremely nice due to the high-quality wood and craftsmanship that were used to create it.

3 Lifts 

Artifacts

Name Description
Project Demonstration Video A demonstration video of our custom detection timer project!   Link
Late stage testing with complete box Wiring inside the finished box, and how it was routed.   Download
Finished box waiting for input The finished box in the initial input stage waiting for user input   Download
Early stage prototyping An early prototype used to validate the microcontroller and display blocks   Download
Early prototyping continued More of the early prototype for our system   Download
Early box construction Early stages of the final enclosure being built   Download
Code for the system This is what is uploaded to the ESP32 in order to run our system   Download
Executive Project Summary Executive Project summary for the project   Download
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