Only a few more days until our PDR! It’s only been five weeks since the team formed and began work, but so much has happened it’s hard to believe it hasn’t even been two months. 

This week, we narrowed our concepts eligible for prototyping down to three: a flexible clip-on device that can attach to either the helmet brim or vest collar, a wristband, and a bone-conduction headset (possibly an earpiece). Following the PDR, we’ll start making 3D models in SolidWorks for 3D printing and configuring the Arduino kit to create a minimum viable product in time for the SDLR in December. 

We also got the chance to speak with Team 6 more in depth about their approach to their half of the project and how we may integrate it. They’re still in the midst of their concept generation, so there’s still a lot to consider—and subject to change—as we plan how we’re going to merge our components. It appears that this product would be used everywhere except freeways, and that we must consider that the length of a construction site may be up to a mile long. Because of this, we’re now brainstorming how we might solve issues related to the Wi-Fi connection between their device and ours, and how we can ensure every worker receives the alert. 

We’re thinking of implementing a mesh network, which would turn each Awearable device and the user into a node of sorts, allowing the signal to be transmitted between devices and passed around this web of connections to ensure the signal reaches every user on site. However, these are things to consider after our PDR on October 14, which will be the first red/green light for the next stages of the project.