Access Control and Utility Management System for Smart Homes or Buildings

Project Title

Access Control and Utility Management System for Smart Homes or Buildings

Project Area of Specialization Mechatronics EngineeringProject Summary

Our Project's primary goal is to fully automate home to minimize energy consumption. This has a great scope in upcoming future. We want to make a system that is fully automated and has the ability to decide by itself using the techniques of AI and IOT. Our project consists of sliding door along with Smart switches and various types of sensors. Sliding door is connected to a camera and an RFID system. Camera use face recognition technique to identify the person and decide to open door if that person is welcome. Face recognition system helps us in assuring the better security of system. This face recognition technique is preferred because it avoids the risk of spread of virus through touch unlike manually controlled doors or biometric ones. In this way, this project targets the sustainable development goal related to health because it avoids physical contact which is a major cause in spread of COVID. While RFID is used to tell the system of the presence of a certain individual and to perform the assigned tasks. We are also going to integrate different sensors with the system to make it even more effective from indoor's perspective. These sensors work together to make this system effective, efficient and secure. Voltage and current sensor are used to monitor the electricity usage and helps user avoid extra billing. Temperature sensor monitor the temperature and depending upon the input will decide whether to turn ON or OFF the Air conditioner, heater, or Fans accordingly, in order to provide better environment. We will be building a mobile app or server from which different features can be controlled like lights, door ,etc. It will also be helpful in monitoring these basic utilities.

Project Objectives

• To design an automatic sliding door for a building along with a Building Management System (i.e., BMS)
• Using Camera at the front of the door for human recognition
• Integrating sensors and collecting their data pattern to make smart decisions e.g., Current, Voltage, Gas, Ultrasonic etc.
• To integrate all basic utilities into a single server to monitor and control different aspects
• Displaying camera output and sensors data on BSM or Mobile App or Server.
• Making sure that System knows by itself to turn the lights on, when there is someone in the house using RFID
• To develop an Algorithm that will work on basic AI techniques in order to make the system decide what is suitable for it.

Project Implementation Method

Smart home can be classified as home when devices are connected to each other, and control and monitoring of these devices is done automatically.

The primary objective of our project is the automatic sliding door connected with a camera module, directed towards the outside. We will be focusing on a single leaf door. It will be connected to the transmission rail through the rollers.These rollers will help it to shift back and forth between sliding and fixed plate. This transmission rail will also have drive device alongwith stopper, brakes, wheels, belt, track and guides. For the sliding to take place, we also need a battery, a pulley assembly, a controller and a motor which in our case is Brushless DC Motor. 

Camera is being used to detect a human being infront of the door. When there is a positive match detected by AI algorithm, the controller sends the signal to rotate the motor to open the door and let the person through. After some time, it will again instruct the door to close. Now, we are using IR sensors horizontally along the door's fixed plate. Its purpose is to make sure that no person is currently passing through. This has been placed here to avoid any damage to passing human as when closing, if a person is detected, door will stop the closing process and stay open before trying again.

An RFID system is also in place,it can act as an additional security measure for entry and exit, or a system to automate electronics upon entering the building. It can be used as a substitute for camera if camera is not working properly or is not able to recognizze individual due to any reason, then he can verify himself using RFID. 

Different types of sensors will be used inside of the building to get multiple values, then these values are observed in server. The server will then inform controller if an action is required which will be performed through relays.

Benefits of the Project

The project is beneficial in a number of ways. Most of the door automations that we see around us, are based on IR or Ultrasonic sensors. Both of these sensors are unable to differentiate whether the identified object is a human or an animal. But this project allows this feature as through camera we can not only identify the human but also perform facial recognition by switching between general or specific access modes. This feature makes sure that only those people enter the building who has access. As the camera is connected to the server, it will also upload the recording to the server as well as allows the user to remotely access the live feed. This will help in creating a secure and safe environment. Moreover, this feature will help the disabled as they face trouble opening the manual door. It will also minimize the risk of diseases that spread through touch. One of its example is COVID, which has been very active lately. One of the other benefit will be Environment Control. As in Pakistan, we have extreme weathers, so there is a major difference between our indoor and outdoor temperature. In summers, we usually turn on our air conditioners to get rid of hot temperature but when someone enters the area through the door and they leave the door open, then there is a chance that all the cool will diminish. Thus, the sliding door wll automatically close withing a small time, making sure that outdoor temperature does not affect the inside.

An RFID system will have all the features that we see in a Hotel. After entering the building, if RFID card is scanned, it will look in the database who the card belongs to, and depending upon the system, it will not only turn on the lights in the way but also control the electronics of interset.

All the other integrated sensors like Voltage, Current, Ultrasonic sensor etc will be connected to server and they will be sharing their data which will be cotinuously observed and on the basis of the algorithm, appropriate actions will be taken.Doing this will not help in saving resources but also make sure that in case of any mishap or short circuit or leakage, safety measures are in place.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

Property	Details
Door Body Type	Single Leaf
Door width	150-180 cm (i.e., 5-6 ft)
Total Prototype width	300-360 cm (i.e., 10-12 ft)
Speed	15 cm/s
Total Time for Opening	10 - 12 sec
Motor	Brushless DC Motor
Voltage	110 / 220V
Working Noise	<50 db
Installation Mode	Surface Mounting

PropertyDoor Body TypeDoor widthTotal Prototype widthSpeedTotal Time for OpeningMotorVoltageWorking NoiseInstallation ModeFinal Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry OthersOther IndustriesCore Technology Internet of Things (IoT)Other TechnologiesSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for People, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Climate ActionRequired Resources

Elapsed time in (days or weeks or month or quarter) since start of the project	Milestone	Deliverable
Month 1	Literature Review	-
Month 2	Component Selection	Block Diagram
Month 3	Design	3D Model of the product
Month 4	Software Prototyping	Controller's Program
Month 5	Mathematical Modeling	Complete Working Mathematical model of the product
Month 6	Simulations	Complete Simulated Product
Month 7	Prototype Upgrading	Upgraded Prototype
Month 8	Product development PHASE I	Hardware of the finalized product
Month 9	Initial Test	Initial Working model
Month 10	Product development PHASE II	Software + Hardware of finalized product
Month 11	Final Test	Complete working product