Driving Question
How can we design a technological solution to reduce product loss by increasing the efficiency and precision of item tracking and sorting, while reducing human error in retail?
Project storyIt has become difficult to maintain efficient tracking of inventory through manual labor alone, due to human error that might induce safety risks and product loss. Therefore, the objective of this project is to develop an inventory tracking device to accurately retrieve information, as well as where it is located, without making any mistakes. We will achieve this by implementing an item tag scanning system to keep track of our products, an environmental monitoring system to ensure the products are stored in the ideal conditions, an inventory monitoring system to maintain inventory, as well as a separation system, to put aside any foreign objects detected.
The item tag scanning system consists of a RFID sensor. It is used to identify products through scanning its item tag. The sensor sounds a beeping noise if the object ID is one stored in the system, deeming it as accepted. Otherwise, it will sound a different frequency beep, signaling that the item ID is not one that the system recognizes.
The environmental monitoring system is created using the ENV III sensor. It is able to monitor the humidity, temperature and pressure of the surroundings, ensuring the products are stored in ideal conditions. An image of high temperature will be displayed on the M5STACK if the temperature is too high, while an image of low temperature will be displayed instead if the temperature is too low.
The inventory monitoring system uses a TOF sensor to monitors the quantity of item stock in the inventory. If the TOF sensor detects that the distance between itself and the first item facing it in the inventory is below 20cm, the RGB glows green, indicating sufficient quantity of stock in inventory. If the distance is between 20cm to 50cm, the RGB glows yellow to indicate diminishing quantity of stock left. If the distance is above 50cm, the RGB will glow red to indicate diminished quantity of stock remaining.
Lastly, the separation system comprises of a servo motor and a PIR sensor. The servo motor is used to separate accepted and unaccepted products. If the RFID sensor scans an unaccepted product, it will be pushed away by the servo motor onto the conveyor belt. The PIR sensor is used to monitor the frequency of products passing by on the conveyor belt. If it does not sense movement within 5 seconds, the M5STACK starts beeping, indicating disturbance in the system, and manual help is required.
Project Introduction
For inventory monitoring system
· TOF
- Monitors the quantity of item stock in inventory.
- When it detects distance between itself and the first item facing it in the inventory is below 20 cm, the RGB glows green to indicate sufficient quantity of item stock in inventory.
- If the distance is between 20 cm to 50 cm, the RGB glows yellow to indicate diminishing quantity of item stock in inventory.
- If the distance is above 50 cm, the RGB glows red to indicate diminished quantity of item stock in inventory.
· ENV III
- Monitors the humidity, temperature, and pressure.
- If temperature is too high, image of high temperature will be displayed on M5stack to indicate it. If temperature is too low, image of low temperature will be displayed on M5stack to indicate it.
For item tag scanning system
· RFID
- Scans the item tag to identify the product.
- Monitors which tagged products are acceptable or unacceptable.
For conveyor belt management system
· PIR
- Monitors the frequency of the products passing by on the conveyor belt.
- If no movement of any product is sensed within 5 seconds, the M5stack will start beeping to indicate that there is a disturbance within the entire system and indicate the need of manual help.
· Servo motor
- Separates the accepted and unaccepted products.
- After the RFID scans an unaccepted product, the servo motor will turn to push away the said unaccepted product from the initial path of the conveyor path.
Parts use:
1st M5 stack (TOF, RFID and ENV III sensors) all connected to PA hub which is connected to Port A.
2nd M5 stack (Servo motor and PIR sensor) Servo motor connected to Port A while PIR is connected to port B.
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