SDP11-Team Gong-“Wait Watchers” PDR Matheus Barros (EE) - Alex Gutowski (EE) - Steven Mitchell (EE) Preliminary Design Review Professor Weibo Gong Team

SDP11-Team Gong-“Wait Watchers” PDR

Matheus Barros (EE) - Alex Gutowski (EE) - Steven Mitchell (EE)

Preliminary Design Review

Professor Weibo GongTeam Advisor, Senior Lecturer, ECE

October 20th, 2010

Wait Watchers

2SDP11-Team Gong-“Wait Watchers” PDR

Background

What is the most important aspect of the day?• TIME

There are only 1,440 minutes in a day• Time Management is the key to success

What if you could reduce or even eliminate waiting in line for your lunch everyday?• For all of your daily errands, Bursar’s office, the

barber shop, etc.?• Less time wasted waiting, more time for you!


Study of Blue Wall Dining Area Studied wait times for lunch at 12:05

(high traffic) and at 12:35 (low traffic) on a Wednesday

Wait time: The time from when a student enters the food area, to when they completed paying for their items

High Traffic: Low Traffic:


Graphs Showing Study Data


Graphs Showing Study Data


Results The 30 minute time difference resulted in

reduced wait times by 7 minutes per person on average• This correlates to at least 1,820 minutes more

free time for you per work year!

Problem Statement: Provide a resource, such as the “Wait Watchers” website, that works with an embedded system to display wait times in order to reduce time wasted in an individuals everyday life


Consent from Blue Wall

In contact with the manager of the Blue Wall café to obtain permission

Waiting on Approval from the Manager of Retail Dining Services


Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s:Decreased wait times to get foodLess crowded in the Blue Wall CaféMore consistent business throughout the day for Blue WallExpandable technology

Con’s:Website might not be used regularlyIf count is not accurate people will not use it Blue Wall might find the system intrusiveCamera’s pose privacy problems


Proposed Solution Use a system of infrared sensors to detect

people entering and exiting the Blue Wall Food Area

The sensors act with an embedded system to verify the movement is actually a person

The embedded system communicates data wirelessly to the website

The website displays the count, updated in real time, as well as projections on a lower volume time to eat


Upper Level Block Diagram


Sensor Functionality

Two infrared sensors positioned at entrances/exits

Placed at different distances allows user to determine patron entering or leaving

Signal sent for patron entering or leaving is wirelessly communicated to a microcontroller


Microcontroller Functionality

Wirelessly receives signals sent from sensors

Keeps an active count of number of patrons inside selected area

Relays patron count wirelessly to be displayed on website• Only information sent wirelessly is the count


Website Functionality Displays active count of patrons currently

inside (real time)

Forecast algorithm predicts busy times and gives suggestions on best times

Records previous dates patron counts and creates business statistics

Advertising for the cooperating business


Proposed Error Control Webcam in conjunction with 2-D object sensing

algorithm located at cash register keeps an active count of patrons in-line

Compares sensor count to in-line count in order to detect significant errors

Feedback loop with microcontroller adjusts the number of patrons in-line count as necessary


Starting Hardware Components

2 Infrared Sensors• Number varies with number of entry/exit points

Microcontroller• Processor• Wireless Transmitter

Feedback• High Resolution Camera• Processor/Laptop

Website• Address• Internet Connection


Design Challenges

Interfaces• Sensors• Wireless

Comprehension of collected data• Signal processing• Integration

Cost Adequate testing location

• Location of sensors


Error Control and Data Verification

Special Use Cases• A cart being pushed through the gateway• Person standing non-mobile in gateway• Person carrying object

Someone who leaves through a non-exit Loss of Count

• Feedback Loop


Proposed MDR Deliverables

• Working wireless IF sensors

• Meaningful data acquisition by Microcontroller

• Display data on a host computer

• Design required SDP project website


Division of Labor

Microcontroller (software side)

Transmission of data to website

Website Design

Reception of Data

Error Control

Alex: Steve: Mat: Microcontroller

(Hardware side)

Infrared Sensors


Conclusion

Real-time display of head count

Prediction of lower wait times

Applications• Bluewall• Public administration buildings• Research


Questions?

?

Documents

SDP11-Team Gong-“Wait Watchers” PDR Matheus Barros (EE) - Alex Gutowski (EE) - Steven Mitchell (EE) Preliminary Design Review Professor Weibo Gong Team