Team 14 - Bouncr

Inspiration

Among the many topics we discussed for a potential project, we knew that drink spiking was among the most prevalent problem among teens and young adults. Through our research, we recognized how frequent it was and how unreported it goes. Many of the products on the market like Test My Drink help in the aftermath, and those that can help prevent it like Nightcap can be easily removed. That's how the idea for Bouncr was born, a product that could prevent the unpredictable.

What it does

Bouncr is a drink-tampering prevention lid that alerts users of potential tampering through an app and phone notifications, aimed at keeping high school and college students safe. Once the lid is placed on the cup through an app users can lock the lid so that if it is moved it will send an alert in the app, notification, and email to warn the user. Users are also able to set the sensitivity to accommodate for different drinks.

How we built it

For our final design, we wanted to keep it simplistic to encompass its two main features: expandability and portability. Bouncr is made out of three physical parts: the top, lid, and bottom storage container that screws in to the top. The top holds all the electronical components such as the accelerometer that takes measurements in all three coordinates (x, y, and z) to measure the position of the lid. If these coordinates change from the initial values when the app was activated, it triggers the alert. The lid is made out stretchy spandex that and a rubber band that keeps it tightly wrapped around the cup. The bottom container is small enough to pass as a lip gloss container which allows it to be easily carried in a pocket or purse.

Challenges we ran into

We ran into main challenges while designing our product: getting the app to work with the feather and designing the prototype. When using Blynk, we had trouble with connections to the wifi but were able to fix it by consulting different code files. When making our prototype, we wanted to maker sure that it wouldn't stick too easily to the cup as that would allow for something to be easily slipped into the drink. In the end, we found that a rubber band would secure the lid around the cup but spring when removed triggering the device.

What's next for Team 14 - Bouncr

Looking forward at the future growth of Bouncr, we could work on eliminating and minimizing all possible flaws of the products such as ensuring that it can only connect with one device and create security measures against hacking.