EcoSp⚝rk

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  This is the home screen of the EcoSpark app.

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  This is the navigation bar/menu on the home page.

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  This is the log in screen for users.

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  This reports the user's personalized EcoSpark engine and its properties.

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  This is the fun "log points" screen where users can compete to see who can achieve the least carbon footprint effects.

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  Part 2 of "log points" screen.

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  This is the leaderboard screen based on user's points. (Right now it's blank since there aren't any users.)

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  This is the setting where users can reset their password.

Inspiration

Looking out my foggy window the other day, I saw numerous vehicles of all shapes and sizes pass by my house. They were all pretty different, but what they had in common was a trail of emissions behind them, some were colorless and some had dark clouds. It was already a cloudy day, and seeing those engine emissions made me really feel desperate to make a change. I knew something had to be done because I have enough prior background knowledge about climate change to realize that if people don't start taking action now, then it might just be too late. Even though I'm only a high school student and not an expert technician, I still wanted to take the leap and create something impactful. That was also the beginning of my inspiration for EcoSpark.

What it does

EcoSpark is an electric engine that ensure's the safety of the driver and environment. It prevents and decreases the carbon dioxide and monoxide emissions as much as possible. Our engine is made mainly from iron with a bit of copper (for internal wires). Iron is not only an effective option for electric engines, but it also is one of the cheapest metals, allowing customers to purchase EcoSpark’s engine easily for only $250.00 USD. Since the coil is made of copper wire, it is an excellent conductor, making the flow of electricity extremely effective! This also allows maximum lifetime for the engine and vehicle, decreasing the driver's physical danger as well. Moreover, not all engines have to look gray and boring! Our engine is a light purple pastel color that does a good job representing our trademark and style. It also has a smooth finish that has a soft, calming shine. It blends in nicely with the rest of the user’s vehicle composition and is portable and rather lightweight. What's more is that I also developed an app that is synced with this engine. It can check the engine's stability and condition and report to the user so they won't have to worry about their engine suddenly breaking down. In addition, the app also includes a fun quiz/checklist of environmental-friendly activities the user has done, and it gives them a score at the end. They can use this score to play and compete with friends and family to see who has achieved the least carbon footprint effects.

How we built it

I built the engine prototype with CAD (computer aided design), specifically SolidWorks. For the app, I built it with MIT app inventor and designed the appearance of the screens on there as well. For the code, I used block quotes that includes algorithms and functions similar to those in regular coding languages.

Challenges we ran into

The main challenge I ran into was correcting and testing the algorithm from the app. There were many trial-and-error tests that were ran on my phone for the preview of the app, and I encountered many technical incompatibilities since I have an iPhone. (MIT app inventor works best on an android phone.) However, after many tests, I borrowed a suitable android phone to execute my program successfully.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I'm very proud of EcoSpark because it feels amazing to see your ideas come to life and potentially have the ability to make an impact. Originally, I simply wanted to design the electric engine, but as I kept working, I didn't want to give up, so I expand my idea to create an app for it as well. Even though there were many obstacles in the creation of the app and engine, I'm still very excited to see the impact that EcoSpark will make.

What we learned

Throughout this project, the main aspect that I learned is to think practically and try to build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). I found myself overthinking many places of the engine and app that weren't important or effective. In my opinion, making a program that has maximum efficiency yet minimum complexity is the main goal of any developer, and it's something important I learned from EcoSpark.

What's next for EcoSp⚝rk

As it relates to the changing world around us, EcoSpark will continue to promote and support climate change and physical health in the future by helping us restore our Earth's nature, one engine at a time. :)

Built With

• cad
• github
• mit-app-inventor
• slides
• solidworks