Annoying Alarm

Yvonne Ng, Britney Phan, Alokik Kinra, Ariel Lin (me)

Using an Arduino to help people wake up and get out of bed on time.

Annoying Alarm is an Arduino-powered robot car to help people wake up promptly. It combines sensor modules and output components from Arduino Robotic Kit, creating an alarm that actively evades the user, compelling them to get out of bed to catch it.

Live Demo

Source Code

Initial Concept Sketches

In the concept sketch phase, I collaborated with ChatGPT to select and sketch out intriguing and feasible ideas. These sketches are a blend of innovative concepts stemming from ChatGPT's insights.

Interactive Art Installation

Combine the Sony Toio and sensor modules to create dynamic drawings through customized commands.

Automatic Blinds Controller

A system that uses the NEMA 17 stepper motor to automatically adjust the blinds based on sunlight, time of day, or user preferences.

Guitar Tuning Assistant

A device that listens to the sound of a guitar and uses servo motors to adjust the tuning pegs to achieve perfect guitar tuning.

Bike Light System

A bicycle light system that adapts its brightness and flash patterns based on ambient light conditions and the bike's speed, improving safety for night cyclists.

Adaptive Ergonomic Desk

A desk combines with sensor modules and NEMA 17 stepper motor that intuitively adjusts its height, making it easy for users to switch between sitting and standing positions.

Home Security Sentry

A alert device that incorporates a Sony Toio or Sphero Ball to act as a sentry when intruders are detected.

Object Tracking and Delivery System

A robot that can swiftly locate and deliver objects within a designed spae.

Indoor Drone Navigation

A system using sensors and an Arduino kit that guides indoor drones through a complex environment, making them suitable for tasks like inspecting hard-to-reach areas or mapping indoor spaces.

Auto Drink Mixer

A hands-free drink mixer prototype designed to effortlessly blend and craft various beverages at the touch of a button.

Smart Diet

A device that intelligently scans and analyzes the nutritional content and calorie information of dishes placed on a table, providing real-time dietary insights.

Choice of Concept

As a group, we collectively selected 1 sketch from each member's 10 sketches, choosing 4 intriguing ideas to explore further. These concepts included "Annoying Alarm Clock" by Britney, "Desk Organizer & Cleaner" by Alokik, "Hand Gestures" by Yvonne, and "Object Tracking & Delivery System" by Ariel. Ultimately, we leaned towards Britney's "Annoying Alarm Clock" as it showcased both innovation and practicality, also aligning well with our project's scope and timeline!

Refinement

During our refinement design process, each team member contributed by creating refined sketches for the chosen concept.

Selected refined sketches are shown in the gallery below.

Variations (Britney) - Sound & LEDs

1. A versatile alarm that alternates between loud movement and silent hiding.
2. Gradually amplifying alarm volume until snoozed.
3. Featuring a diverse of LED flashes for enhanced alertness.

Variation (Ariel) - Voice Command

Integrate voice recognition using the sensor modules to control the alarm. Users have to wake up and give a specific command to stop the alarm from running away.

Variation (Ariel) - Remote Controller

The alarm has a remote control for deactivation, but the remote is placed in another room, forcing users to leave their bed to retrieve it.

Detail (Yvonne)

Sketches for physical prototype designs (button, wheels).

Detail (Yvonne)

Sketches for alarm clock interface and display.

Variation (Alokik) - Sound, LEDs, Speed

An alarm that moves randomly, ramps up volume, starts more flashing lights, and speeds up over time for an escalating wake-up challenge.

Final Design & Implementation

The final design boasts several key features that redefine the traditional alarm clock experience.

Obstacle Avoidance Robot Car
The prototype embodies a robot car that adeptly navigates and avoids obstacles, ensuring seamless movement.
Dynamic Speed Adjustment
Dynamically accelerates as the user approaches, intensifying the challenge of stopping the alarm.
LCD Display Alarm Clock
Features an LCD display, providing clear and visible time indication.

Our final implementation revolved around the utilization of the Arduino Robotic Kit complemented by components from the Arduino Starter Kit, employing C++ programming. The key components integrated into our system included:

220 Ω Resistor	1
Button	1
Passive Buzzer	1
I2C LCD1602	1
Ultrasonic Module	2
Mini Breadboard	1
IR Obstacle Avoidance Module	2
SunFounder R3 Board	1
L298N Motor Driver Module	1
TT Motor	2

Annoying Alarm Wiring Diagram

Contribution

As for contribution, I recorded the concept video, assembled the robot car, and collaborated with Yvonne to integrate and synchronize the alarm clock logic, conducted thorough debugging, testing, and restructured the source code for optimal performance, crafted and worked with Britney to put together the cardboard exterior for the alarm, assisted Alokik in capturing and editing the final demo video.

Resources

Self-Driving Car

Simple RTC Alarm Clock

Obstacle Avoidance Robot