Vapor Flames

Emit the fire, but from water

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Inspiration

The inspiration behind the Realistic Smart Fireplace came from the questioning of why the flames of real fireplaces lacked authenticity. We set out on a mission to Target, Home Depot, Home Goods, and Ross to find the perfect materials for the perfect product.

What it does

It's no mistery! It's an LED fireplace! To be more specific, we utilized water vapor technology, which creates dancing lifelike flames, simulating the natural glow of a real fire. The construction offers a captivating visual experience, in other words, it looks fire.

How we built it

With the hassle of the 24-hour timeline and the project taking place over the weekend, we encountered limitations in our search of materials, but we made most of the resources at hand: chips box, aluminum foil, sticks outside, and plastic from the wrapping of a LED with the power of improvisation!

By purchasing a humidifier, we acquired the ultrasonic sensor needed to create the water vapor effect. We combined lights, cardboard, and super glue to make an imitation of a realistic fireplace, providing a glimpse into the potential of our concept.

In addition to the physical prototype, we designed the accompanying app using Figma, a versatile design tool. This allowed us to create a user interface that demonstrates how users can control and customize the fireplace settings, further enhancing the overall experience.

While the current demonstration may not fully represent the final product, it serves as a proof of concept, showcasing our intentions and providing a glimpse into the possibilities that the Realistic Smart Fireplace holds.

Challenges we ran into

The unavailability of crucial components such as laser cutter, acrylic, ultrasonic sensor, and a computer fan hindered our ability to create an ideal product. However, we were able to build a prototype without those materials with the help of the skills in DIY.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Despite the time and resource constraints, we are proud of our ability to showcase the core elements of the Realistic Smart Fireplace, demonstrating its potential to deliver a realistic indoor fireplace experience. We successfully created a proof of concept that highlights the modularity and affordability of our design. Additionally, we achieved an even dispersion of smoke, further enhancing the authenticity of the fireplace effect. Our accomplishments in this limited timeframe serve as a testament to our dedication and determination to deliver a high-quality and visually appealing product.

What we learned

The tribes and tribulations of design and testing. Additionally, to use what we have at hand and find the most effective way to build this product. Our next version would mainly include an improved water refill system, revamped fan system with adjustable speeds, and a bigger, more portable, (modular) design. This project was an unexpected, challenging, yet riveting blend of physics, engineering, designing, and hijacking modern appliances.

What's next for Realistic Smart Fireplace

Well, we're on our way to collect some logs, got to be realistic.

Remember, with the Realistic Smart Fireplace, you'll never have to worry about "Netflix and chill" turning into "Netflix and chilli!"

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