Specifications and Constraints

Like any other project there has to be specifications set before even commencing it. These specifications will show you if you succeeded/accomplished what the project is supposed to be. My top five specifications are that the final product must feel natural, it must have the two-way mirror effect, the LED’s must work in unison, The latch must be able to open and close without need of an outside force, and the final result must be safe to keep plants alive.

The final result must feel natural because the aesthetic is cozy/earthy and it would give a warm inviting vibe to it. I do not believe this specification is as important as the other ones mentioned. I mentioned that the project has to have the two-way mirror effect, this is somewhat important because if by the end its not reflecting inside the box its not such a big deal but the box has to remain see through because if it is not it will not matter what goes inside the box and it will defeat the purpose of putting the plants within it. The LED’s working in unison are a very important aspect of the project. Without the LED the two-way mirror effect wont properly work and the plants will have a higher chance of dying. My plan for the latch is to make it open every three weeks using a servo and have it close with a push of a button. This is not a crucial part of the project, as long as i can still open it without the need of servos. Finally the last specification i set was that the final result must be safe enough to keep the plants alive. this is an important specification because i believe it wont look as good if the enclosure was full of dead plants.

With any project there is also going to be some constraints that will rise while trying to do it. The five biggest constraints that i know will rise for me while doing this is time. This is going to be my biggest constraint because i have to work on my capstone project and i also have to work on 2 other projects for other classes. with all these projects with deadlines near one another it will make it difficult. Another constraint i can currently think of is skill with coding the servos and LCD screen. I do not have much experience on coding servos and LCD screens using arduino. This is not a big issue as most of these types of codes and be quickly found online. Another constraint i see happening is having to source all the supplies needed, i would have to source enough acrylic sheets, servos, LCD screen, batteries, two-way film, LED’s, trim, and plants. I might need a couple more supplies that i can not think of right now. I would say these are my biggest constraints i can think of at the moment but i am sure that more will rise as i begin to work on the project