How it could work

Thursday, 11 November 2010 Comments Off

This post is a fairly rough run down of how the device might operate, presented as series of steps.


The complete cycle takes place only once within a nine hour window, between 9am and 6pm.

1. The user arrives at work at 9am and sits at their desk with the device plugged into their computer via USB.

2. The computer is connected to the Internet.

3. An RSS feed containing UV data is processed through a sketch and uploaded to the device once every 10 minutes.

4. If UV levels reach a certain point during the day, the device will give off a signal, perhaps by vibrating or buzzing.

5. There is also a series of LED's running along the device - one LED signifies an alloted amount of time. Depending on the data, the appropriate number of lights turn on - the user spends as much time outside as it takes for all lights to go out.

6. The user unplugs the device and goes outside in the sun.

7. A UV sensor on the device registers an increase in UV levels to match the data and a timer starts, beginning the countdown of LED's.

8. If UV levels drop below a certain point (i.e. the sun goes behind clouds) for less than or equal to 3 minutes then the timer pauses and the LED's begin to flash as a warning.

9. If UV levels remain below a certain point (i.e. the user goes into a shop) for more then 3 minutes then the timer remains paused and a loud buzzer sounds, prompting the user to complete the cycle.

10. At this point the user can go outside in the sunshine again, or manually pause the device.

11. If the user chooses to pause the device, they can complete the cycle later in the day at a more convenient time. The LED's will flash to signify this paused state and it will give off a short, sharp buzzing noise once every 30 minutes until it is re-started. If the user returns to the desk while the device is paused, they may wish to update the data in case the weather has changed and they can no longer complete the cycle as UV levels have reduced. If this is the case, the LED's will react accordingly, letting the user know how much time, if any, they need to still complete.

12. Once the cycle is completed, the LED's will flash in a pattern and turn off.

13. If the cycle is for some reason not completed by 6pm that day, then the device will reset itself.

14. If the user exposes the device to extra UV rays once it has completed its cycle and within the nine hour window, the buzzer will sound until UV levels are reduced accordingly for up to one minute. This is to prevent over exposure to the sun and a lax attitude to work during the summer.

The nine hour window would increase and decrease in line with the seasons and location of the user.

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