Inspiration
As students, we often rely on our phones to track time while studying, even though they are our biggest source of distraction. At the same time, we rarely realize how much our environment affects our ability to focus. Study Buddy was created to remove phone distractions while encouraging healthier study conditions.
What it does
Study Buddy is a desk-based study timer with a small screen that displays time and monitors air quality in real time. Using simple color-coded LEDs, it lets users know whether their study environment is optimal or needs improvement. A companion website logs study sessions and provides insights into study habits and environmental trends.
How we built it
We built a hardware prototype using an ESP32 microcontroller connected to an air quality sensor, LEDs, and a small display. The ESP32 handles sensor readings, timing logic, and visual feedback. Study session data is sent to a web application where users can view summaries and insights about their study patterns.
Challenges we ran into
Working with hardware under time constraints was challenging, especially sensor calibration and ensuring reliable readings. Integrating real-time data with a clean and understandable user experience also required careful design choices to keep the system simple and intuitive.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We successfully built a working prototype that combines hardware and software into a cohesive system. Study Buddy provides real-time feedback through physical signals and meaningful insights through a web interface, all while minimizing distractions.
What we learned
We learned how environmental factors can be translated into actionable feedback using simple hardware. We also gained experience rapidly prototyping IoT systems, debugging sensors, and designing user-focused solutions under pressure.
What's next for Study Buddy
Future improvements include more precise air quality sensing, additional environmental metrics, smarter long-term insights, and potential integration with smart devices to automatically improve study conditions.
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