Hand Wash Guardian with Light Indicator
Hello, my name is Lucas Furlong at Owl Computing, and I am thrilled to introduce my Hand Wash Guardian project. Tired of reminding everyone to wash their hands and flush the toilet? The Hand Wash Guardian is here to save the day! This clever device ensures that everyone washes their hands and flushes the toilet, or they’ll face the illuminating shame of the alarm light.
Brief Description of the Project
This project adds a fun and functional touch to your bathroom. The system uses a combination of sensors to detect if someone has washed their hands and flushed the toilet. If not, an alarm light will provide an engaging visual alert to ensure proper hygiene practices are followed.
Supplies
- Arduino Uno
- Relay Shield
- Water Level Sensor
- Capacitive Touch Sensor
- Reed Switch (Door Sensor)
- Alarm Light
- Additional components such as wires and connectors
Components and Specific Parts
- Arduino Uno: The microcontroller that serves as the brain of the project.
- Relay Shield: Used to control the alarm light as a switch.
- Water Level Sensor: Detects if the toilet has been flushed.
- Capacitive Touch Sensor: Detects if hands have touched the faucet by using electrical charge generated by the person’s own body, after the toilet has been flushed.
- Reed Switch (Door Sensor): Detects when the bathroom door opens and closes.
- Alarm Light: A light that signals if handwashing was skipped.`
How I Put It Together`
- Wiring: The wiring was straightforward but had some challenges. The alarm light had its own power source, which was spliced so the relay could act as a switch. The water level sensor was mounted on the toilet tank, the capacitive touch sensor near the sink, and the reed switch on the bathroom door.
- Code: The code is simple. The system checks the status of the sensors to determine if the toilet was flushed and if hands were washed. If either condition is not met, the light turns on; otherwise, the light remains off.
How to Set Up Your Own Version
- Hardware Assembly:
- Mount the water level sensor on the toilet tank.
- Place the capacitive touch sensor behind the faucet.
- Attach the reed switch to the bathroom door.
- Connect the sensors to the Arduino.
- Wire the relay shield to the Arduino and the alarm light, ensuring the relay acts as a switch for the light.
- Coding:
- Write a simple code to check the status of the sensors and control the relay. The code should detect the flushing of the toilet and the washing of hands, then switch the light accordingly.
- Testing:
- Test the setup by using the bathroom and ensure the light reacts accordingly when someone doesn’t wash their hands or flush the toilet.