SmartDesk ONE

Introduction

Abstract

SmartDesk ONE is a cutting-edge Internet of Things (IoT) project designed to revolutionize shared desk management within office buildings. The project addresses the challenges faced by modern office environments where flexible workspaces and desk sharing have become commonplace. SmartDesk ONE utilizes a microcontroller-based system integrated with RFID readers, allowing users to register and access shared desks using RFID cards.

Motivation

The challenges are posed by overcrowded offices, leading to a demand for waysto optimize workspace utilization. The Result of full offices is a scarcity of available desks, making it challenging for employees to find suitable workspaces.

This Project is offering a transformative IoT solution tailored to address the intricacies of modern office dynamics.

Idea

The Solution: SmartDesk ONE

SmartDesk ONE, with its real-time desk availability feature, provides a remedy to the aforementioned issues by empowering users with instant information about free desks. This streamlines the desk selection process by giving employees a tool to effortlessly identify and access available workspaces in the midst of a crowded office. In addition, SmartDesk ONE enhances collaboration and communication by providing insights into the whereabouts of present colleagues. The system's occupancy feature offers an overview of desk utilization, enabling employees to locate their colleagues efficiently. This fosters a more connected and collaborative work environment, where colleagues can easily coordinate and engage in meaningful interactions.

Furthermore, there was the idea to also implement a function to store and load the users’ settings of a height adjustable table. But this would require an integration of the tables control units. Undertaking this task would go way beyond the scope in terms of effort and budget.

Requirements

The project uses the microcontroller provided by the lecturer, ensuring adherence to the established academic guidelines. This microcontroller will serve as the central processing unit, facilitating communication between the RFID readers and the server.

In addition to the microcontroller, our team has requested the inclusion of RFID technology components. The RFID readers, placed at each shared desk, will be responsible for capturing and transmitting user data from the RFID cards. These RFID cards, issued to employees, will serve as personalized access keys to the shared desks. The integration of RFID technology is crucial for ensuring a secure and efficient desk management system, allowing for real-time tracking of desk occupancy and user identification.

Project

Architecture

The Project uses a Microcontroller with an RFID Reader. The Microcontroller has an ID which represents a Table. The RFID Cards represent the Users. The Microcontroller periodically sends its status to the Server. Is no Card read the Table will be marked as Vacant else the Occupiers name will be shown. The Server stores the Data in a Database and also hosts a HTTP Endpoint for the Website to view the Rooms with the Tables.

Installation

The Device would be either mounted below or on the desk. It would need a power supply by either USB or common Power Outlet, additionally it needs a connection to the Server.

Demovideo

Link