Think Crazy : Alarm Clock for Deaf People

CEans,

The essential part of being a Crazy Engineer is the ability to think beyond the obvious and innovating. No idea is stupid, no new thought would be laughed at. So here's a crazy task for you to think 'crazy'. I hope to see lot of participation in this task.

Let's say the task is to build an alarm clock for the deaf people. What would you do? How would you design the clock (we don't need technical insights, just an overview)? How much will it cost?

Now come out of your shells and think crazy. Hoping to see some good replies here.

Replies

  • xheavenlyx
    xheavenlyx
    Retailing for about 10$ could be a vibrating clock. But with an extension of the vibrating feature which can be kept under the pillow or somewhere near.

    Another idea is using a way to attach this 'Vibrator' to a normal clock. The vibrator can be the small mobile phone one's, maybe 3 or 5. Or a bigger vibrating motor (like the one used in PS2 controller).
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    xheavenlyx
    Retailing for about 10$ could be a vibrating clock. But with an extension of the vibrating feature which can be kept under the pillow or somewhere near.

    Another idea is using a way to attach this 'Vibrator' to a normal clock. The vibrator can be the small mobile phone one's, maybe 3 or 5. Or a bigger vibrating motor (like the one used in PS2 controller).
    Umm, the idea is good, but I think putting the clock under the pillow is not a good option - what do you say?

    I've another Idea. Let's say, its a thin watch that sits on your writs (like a wrist band) and vibrates at the time set.

    Better? πŸ˜’
  • Ashraf HZ
    Ashraf HZ
    Why not attach the clock to a water spray/water gun aimed at the face? I mean, a gentle spray should wake the person up, hopefully πŸ˜‰

    Or have something tickle the feet. That might work too..
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    ash
    Why not attach the clock to a water spray/water gun aimed at the face? I mean, a gentle spray should wake the person up, hopefully πŸ˜‰

    Or have something tickle the feet. That might work too..
    😁😁😁

    Man! You are Crazy! Water Gun on face!

    What I like is your ability to think beyond the obvious! Keep it up buddy! [​IMG] Long live Crazy Engineers!
  • friendster7
    friendster7
    a necklace with a small clock in shape of dollar which vibrates ...it can wake him up..ha ha ha
  • xheavenlyx
    xheavenlyx
    Hah! Ash you got your idea from Mr. bean! Lolllll 😁
  • Ashraf HZ
    Ashraf HZ
    xheavenlyx
    Hah! Ash you got your idea from Mr. bean! Lolllll 😁
    Honestly, I didnt know there was a Mr Bean episode on this! I can't find it on youtube though πŸ˜” But I read that he used hot water to spray the feet, right? Ouch πŸ˜›

    Come to think of it, spraying the face might be hard.. since people tend to roll around in the bed, so the water will be off target. Tickling or spraying the feet (like Mr Bean) might be better since we can anchor or attach a device to the feet so that movements is a non-issue.

    On an unrelated note, I might regret coming back to CE a little. I can't seem to stop posting these past 2 days πŸ˜”
  • mahul
    mahul
    Well this might seem crazy bt this is one feature i would have loved in an alarm device(its difficult to wake me up u see)

    Why not vibrate up the entire bed?? wouldn't be very difficult to implement i suppose.
  • friendster7
    friendster7
    mahul
    Well this might seem crazy bt this is one feature i would have loved in an alarm device(its difficult to wake me up u see)

    Why not vibrate up the entire bed?? wouldn't be very difficult to implement i suppose.
    ha ha ha nice one..showing that their is earthquake happening.
  • Amit Saste
    Amit Saste
    If anyone has observed,there are moving beds also...we can attach the sensor wrt time set...
    Only the problem with the existing beds is they move slowly...
    so only the thing we need to do is to increase moving speed...
    (But at certain time it should stop moving up and down otherwise...πŸ˜€)

    Amit
  • swaroops1
    swaroops1
    Ok.. I think a hot steam or air attached to the clock which would help them to wake up, which is released mildly where can feel comfortably irritated which serves this pupose...
  • raj87verma88
    raj87verma88
    How about something similar to the context of an Electric Bread Toaster. A powerful spring underneath one side of the bed mattress attached to a timer device. Fix the time after which the spring activates say 7 hrs. When the countdown finishes, the timer device will unleash the compressed mattress. This will send the person sleeping on the bed crashing down the opposite side. The side will have something to absorb the fall so that there is no damage to the body.
  • Ashraf HZ
    Ashraf HZ
    raj87verma88
    How about something similar to the context of an Electric Bread Toaster. A powerful spring underneath one side of the bed mattress attached to a timer device. Fix the time after which the spring activates say 7 hrs. When the countdown finishes, the timer device will unleash the compressed mattress. This will send the person sleeping on the bed crashing down the opposite side. The side will have something to absorb the fall so that there is no damage to the body.
    Haha, interesting! But.. deaf or not, I would be really pissed if I got shoved off/across my bed πŸ˜› You don't want the person to suffer from heart attack, hehe. Also, what if the person just wants to "snooze" for 5 more minutes?

    Hm, you know what wakes me up at night? Mosquito bites. I don't hear them most of the time, but after they continuously bite, you automatically wake up and scratch the effected region (or try killing the insects).
  • MaRo
    MaRo
    A lot of nice ideas πŸ˜€ we've to implement or they'll be stolen
  • Insanatine
    Insanatine
    What about making the person wear a sunglass kind thing with bulb of sharp intensity facing towards eyelids and the bulb rotates clockwise and othr anticlockwise at the set time to irritate the person and coz disturbance in sleep πŸ˜€...ofcourse the intensity shouldnt be high enough to make the deaf guy suffer eye problem too...else we can also have earthquake effect on bed as suggested by a user.. or what about giving the guy mild electric shocks
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    or what about giving the guy mild electric shocks
    Boy! We're not evil :shock:
  • Lock-Os
    Lock-Os
    Ah, I heard about using bright LED's to wake deaf people up. Other than that, maybe attaching a heater and a fan together to blow warm air to help the person wake up? I know the first thing I want to do when waking up out of bed is to get warm, usually by staying under the covers.

    If we use a fan, we could also add some kind of food scent to it like bacon or eggs or something like that. People would smell the food in their sleep and the brain might start to pull out of sleep in the pursuit of food.
  • Raviteja.g
    Raviteja.g
    cann't we attach a hammer made with cloths or sponge which causes a gentle touch like a person trying to wake up
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi All,

    Very nice and funny ideas.I am also having a funny idea,a Descending light clock. It will hang on the person's bed and as soon as it stucks the set time ,a lamp fitted inside will glow which will give directly sudden brightness on the person's face.One more thing will be there,that clock will hang at about 1m above the person's bed and it will keep on descending(every 20cm after 5 mins) until the person stops that alarm clock.

    Those who are in Bangalore and want to make any of the above mentioned ideas in real..can contact.We can try it at weekends.I am serious. Our Big Boss(Big_K) is very angry these days.

    I have a sample image also for this to give you an idea of what I am trying to say but could not insert it here.
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    Shalini, inserting image into post is simple. Just upload your image to popular image hosting sites [ ex. Find your inspiration. | Flickr ] and copy the complete url of the image [upto the file extension ]. You can do it by right-clicking on the image and selecting "Copy Image Location" option.

    Then click on the [​IMG] button in post editor of CE and insert that URL. Your image will appear inside the post.

    [PS: We'll have the facility to upload images, but we'll have to wait till we get a bigger server for CE πŸ˜‰ ]

    PS II : Me? Angry πŸ˜• How about CE Bangalore Meet? Start a new discussion thread in Chit Chat.
  • Raviteja.g
    Raviteja.g
    πŸ˜’even the light glows the person is sleeping na
    then how can he notice that brightness?
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi Raviteja,

    Good point but it would have been better if you have given any alternative for this.Anyways we can put some broom kind of thing in it which will be made of feathers .It will popup out from hanging clock and will swing in to and fro manner over person's bed rubbing his face. He will get irritated and wake up.

    [ ex. Find your inspiration. | Flickr ] -Unfortunately our office has blocked such sites.Anyways I will post the image soon.

    Meanwhile if anyone is having any other ideas,Most welcome.
  • sauravgoswami
    sauravgoswami
    well wat we can do is we equipp a wrist belt which will give out mild electrical shocks,of low range enough to wake the person up!!!
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    1)a little upper to wirst band!! may be a vibrating bicept band, whose vibration creates a ticling sensation inwards???

    2)foot wear can be made with inbuilt tmers and softer sole and when its tim to wake up... it slowy starts tickling their feet!!!
  • Lock-Os
    Lock-Os
    Maybe the bed could have some kind of lift on one end so that when the alarm goes off the bed flips up and the person goes sliding off into the floor, that should defiantly wake them up.
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    mmm..

    lets not hurt a person in an attempt to wake him up!!! 😁
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi All,

    I have tried to show an image for what i tried to say.More ideas are most welcome.

    [​IMG]
  • docel
    docel
    Wow!! What fabulous ideas !!!! ( although some are straight from the ancient torture dungeons 😁 )
    But,πŸ˜•πŸ˜• how come ALL of you think exactly like me???
    I'm all for making it, with all of the above features !
  • karenclave
    karenclave
    @ shallini goel
    when the person is asleep, light doesn't help. if light help then it need more than 05-10 minutes.
    @ durga
    "a little upper to wirst band!! may be a vibrating bicept band, foot wear can be made with inbuilt tmers" all are really gud.
    but we have to make it available to common human.(not targetting rich people).

    somebody has posted abt using BED!!(its craziest, but damn gud πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€)
    BUT my opinion is...
    *clock attached with vibrator which is inserted in thick box(in view of component's lifetime)
    *wrist band or watch which is provided with vibrator
    (other than from those,i dunno other ideas which are economical)
    .
    (this post was created by a DEAF guy!!!) πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    docel
    Wow!! What fabulous ideas !!!! ( although some are straight from the ancient torture dungeons 😁 )
    But,πŸ˜•πŸ˜• how come ALL of you think exactly like me???
    I'm all for making it, with all of the above features !

    We all have one thing on COMMON!!!

    WE ARE ALL CRAZY !!!!!
  • docel
    docel
    We sure ARE, Ambassador Durga!!! ( and Congrats, too !! )
    Its good to be different - to think different and do things different.......

    Seriously , though: Its an idea that needs to be implemented.
    My son got a "Patentable" decree from the Intel SRC, back some years ago in his 9th std. ( he is now 6thSem, EEE). His STDF project was "Helping Hand", a personal alarm device for the hearing & visual impaired kids. He designed a wrist-band, bangle and a ring and subsequently a 'wearable' combo. Well- he's a good-hearted guy.

    My suggestions ( which he completely ignored πŸ˜”) Were straight from Count Dracula's antechamber + the medieval torture chambers.

    What I now see, in the CEan era, is a perfect blend of both these!!

    I say: Lets Build it!!
    :twisted::evil:(twisted, evil CEan)
    To start with, I'll sponsor the ol' cot and the hammer.

    But jokes apart- It IS a great project & worthy of implementation. and not just to wake one up from sleep..........
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    heheh.. thanks!!! 😁

    ok...

    So are we moving ahead with the bed with a soft hammer model ?

    But Docel.. how feasible it would be?

    I mean the person might sleep any way... so how are we making sure the hammer is exactly above his/her head??may be the whole point is juts to wake them up with a gentle tap... mmm not exactly on head... πŸ˜€

    one more point....WHERE exactly we will place the hammer..

    I guess a 'rocking' bed would be a much better way of waking him up.. 😁
  • docel
    docel
    Ahhh, Nice Durga!! You bit the bait......

    Now warming up to the issue- we need to decide whether the contraption is just to 'warn' him to wake up or 'really' wake him up !
    In fact, we should now bifurcate into 2 different projects-
    • Waker for the Lazy engineers.
    • Alarm For the Hearing impaired
    I feel that ALL the suggested methods be used, in descending order- from mild degree to 3rd degree. I suggest the following:
    1. Audio Alarm (40db): some beautiful music, selected by the sleeper.
    2. Audio (60db) with Light: flashing BW light @ 1000w.
    3. Audio (80db)( harsh, NOT selected by the sleeper) + light + gentle face brushing with a feather.
    4. Audio ( @120db) + less gentle brushing.
    5. Feather brush converts to bristles.
    6. Pillow end of bed moves up-down 1in height /min
    7. same @ 2in/min
    8. The bum-to-head half of the bed rises 12in and falls back.
    9. The same part moves in x, y axis, with progressive modulation.
    10. Bed folds inwards 90deg. and ejects / slides him to a chair/net/floor ( to be determined via popular votes by CEans and the various idea contributors in this thread).( I designed an Earthquake simulator for a school, after returning from relief work at the Gujarat earthquake............)

    This above is the Radical alarm- Waker for the Lazy engineer setup.

    Humane Alarm: Alarm for the Hearing impaired
    1. Mild easy listening music ( in consultation with music experts, so that the choice isn't the lullaby type).
    2. Loud music +Fan on face. Difficult to find the face, so oscillating fan on upper half of the bed.
    3. War movie climax soundtrack. Or Video game audio.
    4. Low-back massager device below the bed.

    Deluxe Alarm:
    1. Wearable type.
    2. Vibrating, pulsing, shocking , in order of severity.
    3. "Ab_belt" type( as seen on TVbrands) electric shock belt.

    (This might create several Patents. The relevent individual royalty issues can be discussed later , before its 100% official donation to CE).
  • sauravgoswami
    sauravgoswami
    Buddy!! when we are starting and production and launch in market and earn profit???
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    sauravgoswami
    Buddy!! when we are starting and production and launch in market and earn profit???
    Let's ask Mr. Mayur Pathak, the marketing guy, about the market size for this product πŸ˜‰
  • sauravgoswami
    sauravgoswami
    tats a nice ides!! brainstorming shud be done over it!!
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    docel
    Ahhh, Nice Durga!! You bit the bait......

    Now warming up to the issue- we need to decide whether the contraption is just to 'warn' him to wake up or 'really' wake him up !
    In fact, we should now bifurcate into 2 different projects-
    • Waker for the Lazy engineers.
    • Alarm For the Hearing impaired
    I feel that ALL the suggested methods be used, in descending order- from mild degree to 3rd degree. I suggest the following:
    1. Audio Alarm (40db): some beautiful music, selected by the sleeper.
    2. Audio (60db) with Light: flashing BW light @ 1000w.
    3. Audio (80db)( harsh, NOT selected by the sleeper) + light + gentle face brushing with a feather.
    4. Audio ( @120db) + less gentle brushing.
    5. Feather brush converts to bristles.
    6. Pillow end of bed moves up-down 1in height /min
    7. same @ 2in/min
    8. The bum-to-head half of the bed rises 12in and falls back.
    9. The same part moves in x, y axis, with progressive modulation.
    10. Bed folds inwards 90deg. and ejects / slides him to a chair/net/floor ( to be determined via popular votes by CEans and the various idea contributors in this thread).( I designed an Earthquake simulator for a school, after returning from relief work at the Gujarat earthquake............)

    This above is the Radical alarm- Waker for the Lazy engineer setup.

    Humane Alarm: Alarm for the Hearing impaired
    1. Mild easy listening music ( in consultation with music experts, so that the choice isn't the lullaby type).
    2. Loud music +Fan on face. Difficult to find the face, so oscillating fan on upper half of the bed.
    3. War movie climax soundtrack. Or Video game audio.
    4. Low-back massager device below the bed.

    Deluxe Alarm:
    1. Wearable type.
    2. Vibrating, pulsing, shocking , in order of severity.
    3. "Ab_belt" type( as seen on TVbrands) electric shock belt.

    (This might create several Patents. The relevent individual royalty issues can be discussed later , before its 100% official donation to CE).

    evrythings alright!!!

    but I still dont get the audio stuff for hearing impaired!!πŸ˜’
  • docel
    docel
    Yes, Durga...missed out there!😳
    1. Actually, my 'recommendations' are for both Visual & Hearing impaired. I mentioned it in an earlier post and forgot in the last post.
    2. It also holds good for the Lazy Engineer !!.
    3. We have an on-going discussion in-house about the same thing with some schol kids here since a week now. Happen I hadnt seen this post till someone sent me the link. There is also an VIII sem project being tested right now @Cochin. Its quite a hiFi-ViFi project, but the net result is the same: to wake up people! Been having some real great time on Gtalk nursing the project through 😁

    Thanks for the correction. Will edit & post from now on.

    But I'm serious with the Alarm for the Impaired Kids. It will be a good social project to implement.
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi Docel Sir,

    Thanks for your response.How about having a meet on coming Sunday about starting the project but the problem you can face with me is I am only Computer Science engineer πŸ˜”.Anyways I will work hard as much as I can.

    To start with, I'll sponsor the ol' cot and the hammer.
    Rest of the things I will sponsor but we need to wake up other CEans also in Bangalore.Please guys come up with your ideas.
  • docel
    docel
    Hi Shalini!
    Great! So lets meet, maybe saturday? I have a Robotics workshop at MVJCE on Sunday.
    And all constructive CEans are welcome , too!!!
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Ok Sir,Done on Saturday,Venue?
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    docel
    Yes, Durga...missed out there!😳
    1. Actually, my 'recommendations' are for both Visual & Hearing impaired. I mentioned it in an earlier post and forgot in the last post.
    2. It also holds good for the Lazy Engineer !!.
    3. We have an on-going discussion in-house about the same thing with some schol kids here since a week now. Happen I hadnt seen this post till someone sent me the link. There is also an VIII sem project being tested right now @Cochin. Its quite a hiFi-ViFi project, but the net result is the same: to wake up people! Been having some real great time on Gtalk nursing the project through 😁

    Thanks for the correction. Will edit & post from now on.

    But I'm serious with the Alarm for the Impaired Kids. It will be a good social project to implement.
    No worries mate!!! 😁

    hey I was other day doing some knid of searching for ready made food!! πŸ˜€ Already existing timers with vibrating functinality in them.

    I understand that importing stuff and selling is not economic in INDIA.
    but I would first prefer to do experimentation on these , program them .

    Yeah!!! exception : IF in case you are ready to teach me programming such things , then I would forgo this idea... and start from scratch!!!
  • docel
    docel
    Ok Shalini!! Here's my address #-Link-Snipped-#
    Just call me and confirm on Friday.

    Durga: Sure , lots of products in the market already! Check out 'Sonic boom' on google; comes with the bed shaker.
    It is for these reasons that I want to change the objective.
    Programming is really not necessary. The project is simple enough, except for the Mechanics and construction.
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    docel
    Ok
    Durga: Sure , lots of products in the market already! Check out 'Sonic boom' on google; comes with the bed shaker.
    It is for these reasons that I want to change the objective.
    Programming is really not necessary. The project is simple enough, except for the Mechanics and construction.
    [/COLOR][/COLOR]



    Okie...😁
    so i will start doing my part of research on timers+vibrators.. and will come back with though not patentable results.. but with some inputs!!!!😁
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    docel
    Ok Shalini!! Here's my address #-Link-Snipped-#
    Just call me and confirm on Friday.
    Hi Sir,

    Thanks for the information Sir,I will surely call and confirm it.
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    hey,
    by the way whats the final output!? I am kinda confused...

    and I have a new thought:rolling eyes:

    can a wrist watch with alaram settings be made to include vibrating functionality??this will allow them not only to wake up.. but as well to do important tasks during day time

    I mean instead of only having a normal table clock.. I mean a wrist watch which vibrates ?
    I dont know if am complicating the issues here...:rolling eyes:
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi All,

    Wouldn't it be nice if we make a simple digital alarm clock for special children(vibrating wrist watch will be better,it can be used at any place-sleeping at home or at railway station or airport while waiting for delayed transports.). It will be good from the point of view of Fashion also.Vibrating beds will add much cost to the product.Water Sprinklers will make someone wet, may be it can damage electronic device soon.Shocks giving alarms, to be honest I would never like to buy.I am afraid of electricity though mild ones.Hanging alarm clocks are also not easily portable.So I would suggest to go for vibrating wrist watch.

    Yesterday I was reading a document of how to make a simple digital talking alarm clock. Hopefully, I am going to discuss and understand it with docel on Sunday.I am bad at electronics circuits.

    To start with,First we should come up with a simple digital alarm clock and then we can add something at output that will generate high vibrations instead of sound.

    What say??

    PS:I wanted to share that document here but again unfortunately sites like flicker are blocked by our company.
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    hey Docel, Shalini

    any out come of the meeting??
    Incase you guys are gonna meet tomorow as well just leave a message... may be we can vedio conference and work out??
  • shalini_goel14
    shalini_goel14
    Hi Durga,

    I had meeting with Docel Sir, It was nice and I came to know about so many real facts of which I was not aware.Before taking initiative for making this clock,I have a question for all of you.Why we are making it..for social benefit or for self interest or for just making and throwing it away.If I get any solid answer for this,then only there is point in making it.Then only I should migrate from my area of interest(Computers) to Electronics & Mechanical.
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    I am not sure . I was being drive by sheer interest of it!
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    shalini_goel14
    Hi Durga,

    I had meeting with Docel Sir, It was nice and I came to know about so many real facts of which I was not aware.Before taking initiative for making this clock,I have a question for all of you.Why we are making it..for social benefit or for self interest or for just making and throwing it away.If I get any solid answer for this,then only there is point in making it.Then only I should migrate from my area of interest(Computers) to Electronics & Mechanical.
    @ Shalini: Share the MOM with us [​IMG] !

    Are you all serious about making an alarm clock for the deaf? If yes, we need to define the 'aim' for the project as soon as possible.

    Who's ready to lead the project?
  • Ashraf HZ
    Ashraf HZ
    *silence looms across the empty valley*

    πŸ˜›
  • the number
    the number
    hi for all crazy
    with easy way
    to design any alarm you need to learn for what this alarm will use
    ok
    you need to container and Fumbled and buzer
    full the container with the cold water and then turn on the fumbeld and connect directly to the buzer
    and now put all the project on his bed over your head
    hahahahahahaha
    d o y o u k n o w w h a t w i l l d o i f t h e a la r m r u n
    is this agood idea
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    Not a good idea. The idea is to help deaf people, not harass them!
  • docel
    docel
    the number
    hi for all crazy....
    πŸ˜’ πŸ˜’
  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    This thread is being locked. If anyone has important ideas that can add value to the discussion, please contact admin [at] crazyengineers [dot] com.

You are reading an archived discussion.

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