This week I began brainstorming ideas for my final project in How to Make (Almost) Anything. After considering several possibilities, I decided to focus on creating a Smart Desk Organizer. The goal is to combine physical fabrication, electronics, and programming into a single interactive system that enhances everyday desk organization.
The Smart Desk Organizer is designed to be both modular and interactive. It will have compartments for pens, notes, and small gadgets, each with embedded sensors that can detect when items are placed or removed. LEDs will provide visual feedback, such as indicating which sections are in use or highlighting specific items at set times. Eventually, it could even log usage data or communicate with a computer or phone.
This project integrates multiple skills learned throughout the course:
By the end of the project, I aim to have a functional, interactive Smart Desk Organizer that demonstrates:
The immediate next steps include sketching designs for the organizer, determining the sensors and microcontroller I will use, and beginning preliminary CAD models for the modular compartments. From there, I can plan fabrication and integration of the electronic components, gradually building toward a fully functional prototype.