Smart Shelter Chair Utilizing Discarded Coffee Grounds
The Smart Shelter Chair uses discarded coffee grounds and features cooling and heating functions activated by a pressure sensor, with a cane equipped with a heart rate sensor to display heart rate on a screen. This eco-friendly, energy-efficient chair provides convenient resting places for the elderly and disabled, enhancing safety and comfort in public spaces.
The most important feature of the Smart Shelter Chair is that it uses discarded coffee grounds as a material. To showcase this, a model chair was printed and covered with coffee ground clay to highlight that the chair is made from coffee grounds. The seat is designed to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter, with the functionality activated only when someone is sitting on it. This is achieved using a pressure sensor and Arduino, which detect if someone is sitting and then activate the cooling or heating seat, indicated by an LED light.
Considering that elderly people are the primary users, a cane is installed beside the chair for easy access when they sit. The cane is equipped with a heart rate sensor in the handle, automatically measuring the user's heart rate and displaying it on a screen. By recycling coffee grounds into chairs rather than burning or burying them, the product is environmentally friendly. It is particularly beneficial for people with physical disabilities, as it provides a convenient resting place in easily visible locations like crosswalks or subway entrances, helping to prevent accidents and offering a place to rest comfortably.
Compared to park benches, this chair is made from eco-friendly materials and is cheaper to install. Unlike heated bus stop benches that waste energy by being constantly warm, this chair only activates its heating or cooling functions when it detects someone sitting. Additionally, it provides a smart health check by automatically measuring heart rate when the user grabs the cane, displaying the information on a screen.