This project was undertaken as part of the Engineering Education Scheme during A levels. The project brief was to create a safety device for insurance investigators working in potentially dangerous sites. It needs to monitor for falls and alert authorities automatically or manually if requested by the wearer. I worked as part of a team of four other students to create a prototype device. I was responsible for the physical design of the device, as well as assisting with the electronics design. This was a hugely rewarding project personally, and helped me choose to pursue a career as an Electrical/Electronic engineer.
Engineering Education Scheme
Lone Worker Alert device - 2016
The first concept design that was 3D printed to test ergonomics.
The second concept design, larger than previous to help accommodate the electronics.
The concept wrist piece that will house status LEDs and input buttons.
The first functional concept.
This is a component of the CAD model I designed for the final design. This was my first time using the CAD software PTC Creo, and it was a great learning experience.
Technical drawing of the assembly. Created with the help of the Cambridge university engineering department
To improve the surface finish of the parts, I coated them with epoxy and sanded them down.
The completed case.
Test fit of the AA battery holder in the case.
The finished watch housing awaiting wiring. It has two momentary push buttons and 3 LEDs.
Here is the wrist unit with the strap attached.
I worked with the team to complete the wiring of the device. We used a VGA cable with the connector ends cut off to connect the wrist unit to the main enclosure.
Here is of the completed design internals. The device is powered by 4 AA batteries, and uses an Arduino UNO with a GSM shield to interface with the buttons and send text messages.
Wear demonstration by a team member.
Our team was successful and our project was highly rated by the team of judges.
It was a great experience to work in a team of students with a variety of different skills.