ECOWIND

Inspiration

As remote workers at home, we often avoid opening our window blinds due to the depressing street view. The SWEB challenge pitch on first hackathon day inspired us to develop an aesthetically pleasing solution that also focuses on energy efficiency.

What it does

ECOWIND offers a smart window (Art Window) solution with three physical layers:

A transparent solar panel that provides electricity for energy efficiency.

A PDLC layer that controls privacy by turning the glass from blurry to transparent with a tap.

An LCD monitor that provides digital visuals for a more pleasant view

Controlling by microcontroller.

How we built it

Microcontroller provides configuration of the visuals, sensor data interpretation and integration with smart home and mobile app. The code was developed in Arduino IDE with implamentation of the knx protocol, so it would be possible to configure into smart homes. First we mechanically coupled ESP8266 and custom photoelectric sensor using low temperature wielding techniques. The app was designed in figma.

Challenges we ran into

On the first day, we had to completely rethink our main idea, as the functionality was clearly not optimal. With the help of mentors, we made a breakthrough by taking an innovative approach, which allowed us to expand its functions.

Initial knx protocol driver libraries didn't work, so we had to modify them for our hardware needs and additionally we had to use not standard led drivers and custom code our drivers for our photoelectric sensor.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Developed a functional prototype within two days, with successful integration of multiple technologies.

Established connections with major smart home companies, who have shown interest in our project and offered valuable technical and market insights.

What we learned

We learned that collaboration with industry experts accelerates the development process and ensures that our product is in line with market needs. We also gained a deeper understanding of manufacturing logistics, having confirmed that mass production could be feasible within a year.

What's next for ECOWIND

Our next steps are to secure 20,000 euros in funding to continue developing our smart windows. We plan to refine our prototype, expand our partnerships, and bring our product to market within a year. We are also focusing on growing our social media presence with the help of our brand mascot, KeyDee, to reach remote workers and gamers who value privacy, comfort, and innovation.

Built With

• arduino
• esp
• figma
• knx
• oled
• photoresistor
• resistor