Outcome

Intention

Lighton's are smart shoes with two functions. Each function is intended for a different audience: overactive children between the ages of 8 and 12 and their parents. Those functions are:

1. Monitor and set performance goals to improve in sports and physical activities. 

2. To provide parents with their child's whereabouts and location.

While those are the main selling points, the shoe also has the capability to prevent an "overactive" (or misbehaving) child from leaving the boundaries of where their parents have allowed. After a parent(s) has set the boundaries of a location, the child will be physically stopped, utilizing magnetic fields generated through an additional part of the product, to lock the shoes and prevent them from leaving the boundary.

This provides parents a sense of security in that their child is safe, with their whereabouts known. The child, however, sees the shoes as a stylish athletic coach that can keep pushing them to break personal records in athletics. 

Context

Currently, there are many wearable devices that track the location and activities of kids. Parents concern about safety and they think these devices are good for their children. However, no one has discussed if kids have the right to reject putting these devices on. In some extreme situations, parents who are controlling about their kids could even trick the kids to put on such devices. This project constructs a sad scenario where the tracking device causes a tragedy. While the technology of wearable devices is rapidly developing, some human rights are being neglected, especially children's right as they don't have sufficient channels to express their opinions and feelings. Out team thinks it is worth the discussion to consider children's right when we make IoT devices.

Process

This product was decided on after a breakdown of intent. We started by selecting an opportunity area where large amounts of people are involved. The list included:

1. Hospitals

2. Public Transportation Areas

3. Schools

4. Government

5. Sporting Events

We then tried to think in terms of the most potentially destructive location. We reconciled that nothing is more important to people than their children and children are found in large amounts in schools. Therefore, we decided our location was a school. Next we wanted to establish an opportunity for a plausible function and we came to a parent monitoring. That led us to where the function could go wrong and this was if the monitoring and limitations imposed by the parent ended up harming their child. We then posed a scenario where monitoring could malfunction. This manifested in trapping the child in a harmful situation rather than keeping them secure and safe. Thus the storyline of a misbehaved child always leaving school until getting trapped within school experiencing a situation where the child desperately needed to leave unfolded.

We decided on a shoe because we knew it was something the child would always be wearing and would always continue to wear. We initially were posed with a bracelet but we did not want to do something so common. The design of the shoes was based on one of the team member's existing shoes, so that it would align well with the video. 

The main challenges were keeping the circuity connected and together. We did not create a housing, nor did we include extra material for issues that may arise. As a result, some of the quality of the video had to be compromised so that the circuitry would stay connected and the photon would retain its connection to the internet. To accommodate these issues, we adjusted our location of filming and actors were more deliberate in their actions. 

Product

Lighton's use a lighted ring on the sides of the shoes to illuminate different colors depending on the proximity of the shoes to a selected location. As distance between the shoes and the point of origin increases, the color changes from green (meaning still in proximity) to red (meaning cannot pass this point). The point of origin and time of access is preset using a phone application that comes with the product. To ensure the barrier cannot be crossed, the Lighton's come with a set of 4 super-magnetic field emitting sources that lock the shoes in the field once breached. 

As an additional measure of ensuring repeated use, the shoes also record personal records set by the wearer in athletic scenarios. Thereby continually pushing the wearer to overcome the previous personal record as it continually notifies their accomplishments by changing color (change to blue is the acknowledgement of a record break).

The LightOn App takes you through the process of registering new users and uploading their schedule.  It connects with the LightOn shoes and syncs the uploaded information. This enables the user to monitor their activity and of any other user registered on the app. 

The LightOn app and the shoes together motivate the user to stick to the routine and be productive throughout the day. It has flexible features that can be deactivated when necessary. 

Video

Code for Lighton

The code for the Lighton's is for the adjustment of a 24 ct neopixel ring colors. Two neopixels were connected to the same circuit with the same data input for illumination on both shoes. To adjust for color within the confines of the movie, a button was incorporated to alter the color on command.

Circuitry for the Lightons

Reflection

Given more time, we would have included a representation of the athletic monitoring and functions of the shoes to show how it relates to the child/wearer in the video. We would also be inclined to add more colors beyond just green and red in order to indicate ranges of set proximity. 

If this product were to be continued, we propose to add more color variations for greater customization of the color schemes and choices so that the child is not limited to just the two colors. 

If remaking this project, we would be sure to include extra wiring for additional length. We would use a circuit board rather than a breadboard and make sure all the connections were soldered and attached well. Additionally, we would make a housing for the product so that it would be easier to operate. Finally, we would add more colors with more meanings.