Interest in Smart Devices

It’s a funny story. While I was at home for the Christmas break, the light switch in my room got damaged. As I went about trying to fix it, the automation engineer in me thought, “Why not make it wirelessly controlled?” This is how I live. I’m always thinking about how things around me can be improved; to make their operations simpler. 

Inspiration  

While in secondary school, I took a course in GSM/Mobile Phone Repair and Maintenance. This was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. We were taught rudimentary electronics and soldering. I gained hands-on experiences which opened my eyes to STEM in a whole new way. Before then, I was curious about wires, batteries, and appliances. 

Materials and Methods

First, I had to do my research. I knew little about electrical fittings and installations. I’d go around my house observing how different appliances were wired, taking note of their components, and how they were connected. Google Search helped me at this stage. 

Secondly, I purchased the needed equipment and tools, including a soldering iron, soldering station, wire strippers, and several meters of CAT 5 and 2mm copper wires.

Next was the design of the system. I used Altium Designer software to design the electronic circuit. I designed a small UPS that would keep the system running in the absence of power. I also designed the main motherboard that would house all other components. I went on to make all the necessary connections and build the motherboard. This took a couple of days to finish. 

Finally, I did the installations. It was my first time making electrical installations on such a scale. I opened the wiring of the fan and lights in my room and connected them to my new smart system. I put a smart lock on my wardrobe and made my old manual tap smart. 

Cost

I spent over 100,000 Naira (USD 1200) on the project. 

Challenges

The main challenge was in finding the right resources. There are so many things that I would’ve done or built differently with the right resources. My most important component, an ESP32 microcontroller, got damaged due to a faulty connection. It was extremely difficult to get a replacement in Nigeria.

The second challenge was trying to balance my academics and departmental responsibilities as student president. Keeping up with writing my final project and social life while on the project was quite challenging. 

 Message to peers

Get up and build something. You don’t necessarily have to be a STEM expert. There is room for learning. Develop your ideas and get to building. No matter how silly your ideas may be, there are unlimited resources on the internet to help you actualize them. Nigeria is in desperate need of a technological revolution and I’m working hard to be in the vanguard of that revolution.

Plans to Commercialize 

Currently, I am refining my device by adding more features and functions to make it even smarter. I want to create an affordable, simple-to-install box that people can use in their homes. I’m on the lookout for investors and hope to get into the market as soon as possible.

Patent

Several law firms and legal practitioners have already contacted me, expressing their interest to assist me in managing my patent. I am weighing several options. However, it is certain that the device will be patented.

Looking Forward 

My dream is to study automation and robotics. I would love to further my education abroad sometime in the future. I plan to be more focused and consistent with my creations. I would like to establish a tech workshop, to provide a space to share my inventions with the world.

I’m already working on building an Automated Security Gate that uses Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision to allow entry only to registered vehicles. I am also interested in building my own 3D printer from scratch. Or who knows? I may just get an entirely different idea. Follow me to find out.

Follow Khalifa Shuaib on Twitter  @EL__yaq

Published: 28/06/2023

Philip Ephraim

Nigeria