The smart window capstone project was aimed at building an innovative window system. This features smart blinds that adjust automatically to changing sunlight and temperature; reducing energy consumption.
The sponsor for this project was Dr. Bing Chen, and its duration was 2022 - 2023.
Capstone Team Members:
- Garrett Divis
- Marcus Hoerth
- Jacob Sims
- Chaz Maschman
Abstract:
The Sustainable Smart Home (SSH) possesses a unique issue where the primary source of interior heating is incident solar radiation through the windows. To minimize energy consumption on heating and cooling, a solution is identified. The Blinds and Windows System (BaWS) aims to implement a motorized blind system that prioritizes energy efficiency in the absence of manual configuration. This implementation relies on a multi-blind system which incorporates sensor-systems, accurate motor control, networking, and a feature-rich user interface. The use of two interior blinds – a light filtering and light blocking blind – and an outdoor blind compose the complete set per window. By considering both indoor and outdoor ambient temperatures, incident light intensity, and time of year, the system adjusts window blind positioning to reduce the impacts of solar radiation on interior heating. Control interfaces for the user consist of infrared remote and an online webpage. The final implementation has several outstanding improvements, including proactive blind control, automated calibration processes, and fault detection.
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Contact Dr. Chen for full permissions to read more about the Smart Window project, including a full definition and proposal.