Year 12 Major Work - Coding Noob - Need Help

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi Everyone, My name is Lucy and I live in NSW, Australia. I am currently completing my year 12 major work for my final year in school, for my subject 'design technology'. For this subject, I had to find a problem I would like to design a solution to fix. You are able to make a product (one item), a system (a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism) or environment (architecture).

I have chosen to attempt to solve the issue of littering. My idea to fix this problem is a reward system bin scanner, where users will receive (BinBucks) when they successfully put an item in the bin. The scanner will be attached to already existing bins.

The Big Picture - If the project was outside of major work constrictions:
Theoretically, I would like for my system to be partnered with companies such as McDonald's. When a McDonald's customer has finished and would like to put their item in the bin, they are able to scan the barcode, the bin will then wait until the item is put in the (with the help of a weight/infrared/beam kind of system) Once weight has been added or the infrared has detected an item the system will allow the user to collect a set amount of points. These points will be collected using an NFC enabled device. Once points are collected, a sound will be made, a light will flash and the user has then successfully collected their points. The points will then go to an online database where users will be able to redeem their points for vouchers with partnering companies. ie. McDonalds - 100BB = Free Big Mac.

The whole idea revolves around users being rewarded for their positive actions. The companies will benefit with advertising and the information they can receive from the bin system, which bins fill up faster, littering statistics and any other information they may want to use that the system is able to collect.

Overall, I will be unable to make the system to its full potential due to money, time and skill. Therefore, I have decided to make a prototype and a video that shows what it is really capable of for my final project. I would like for my project too:

  • Scan 1 Item
  • Make a Sound
  • Display a set amount of points
  • Flash LED
  • NFC enabled

I would like to achieve the above with arduino although I would like some help with what I actually need to buy to make it possible.

Below I have attached a PDF of what I would like to create.

Thank You in Advance for Your Time :slight_smile:

ardunio map.pdf (64.5 KB)

2

Clear is that "proof of concept" type application naturally never accurately models every aspect of the real world, important is that the differences/shortcomings are explained, together with possible solutions to address those deficiencies.

Is this more or less the basis of your model ?

The user wants to deposit something in the bin.
The item to be deposited is scanned (to identify the entity which will reward the user, and maybe other characteristics) and maybe also something is visible on a display.
After depositing a number of items, the user identifies himself to the bin (using an NFC tag on a cell phone ?).
Then the collected data, that is the list of deposited items and the identity of the depositor (user) is then transmitted to a central database.

Do you want to go as far as transmitting data in your demonstration, or are you simply going to display (somehow) the results of scanning the items to be deposited and the reading of the RFID tag ?

Anyway, it looks like an interesting project.

3

We have lots of people looking for dumpsters to throw their trash in so the dumpsters for my building fill up quick.

But if you open up bins that actually PAY people to fill them then maybe a bit less will get dumped here.

4

I think you need a bit of work on that diagram. The pointers on the arrows should indicate the data flow. For example there is not two way communication between the bar code and the scanner, only one way from the barcode to the scanner.

I don’t see where the rfid tag comes into it and what it brings to the party without communication between the bin and the database. It would make more sense to drop the RFID tag altogether and communicate the product ID and the weight.

However two snags spring to mind

  1. not all waste has a bar code.
  2. if you pay by weight you will get people adding a barcode to a half brick for the money.
5

Hello to my three repliers. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Thank for the pointers on the diagram. The tag is for users without an NFC enabled device. Within my projects criteria, availability to all users is needed. The concept of the design idea is that companies partnered with the bins will have a usable barcode printed on their products. The weight idea is only to detect something was put in the bin.

  1. Item is scanned (System recognizes barcode and allocates the correct amount of points)
  2. The system does not allow the user to collect points until any amount of weight is added and remains. (The weight does not determine the points the user gets - it is only to make sure the user does not repetitively scan an item and receive points - if the weight is added and then removed the points given to the previous device will be removed.)

- Note: This is theoretical - the final project for my school will be a simple prototype that performs the basics of the idea - I will then photoshop a video to present my final idea.

  1. The user can then collect the points via the NFC device
  2. The points are then transferred to an online database where they are assigned to the user's account and are then available to be redeemed for coupons.

Within the actual prototype:

Barcode -->
Simple Scanner -->
Connects to something in arduino and is programmed to then display on a screen: "Hello... please place item in bin.. (waits 5 seconds) Thank You... 10BB... Collect Reward" -->
LED then lights up --> NFC chip is brought towards the scanner -->
Beep noise is made.

Therefore I need some set of arduino parts that allow for a simple screen, LED light, Buzzer, NFC.

Thanks Again :slight_smile:

6

OK. if you can get the following working together, you should be able to have a good demonstration system:

Barcode reader and some sample barcode labels
RFID reader and a few tags
a small screen (maybe scrollable) with instructions/information to the user.
An appropriate Arduino
Your software,

The Arduino compatible bar code scanners are not cheap, incidentally.