Prototyping | Firmware | Electrical Design | 3D CAD | DFMA
Preventing Concrete Spills with a Smart Sensor
We created a novel sensor device for Black Rock Tech to help prevent spills from concrete trucks. The device needed to be easy to install, energy efficient, rugged, robust and reliable.
What We Did
Initial Proof-of-Concept Prototypes
We started the project by building simple demo prototypes to test the initial concept and get preliminary feedback from various stakeholders, including concrete truck drivers, safety managers. Once we confirmed that the concept worked and proved useful, we continued developing the product.
Electronics System Design
After our proof-of-concept, we worked to reduce the overall size of the devices, improve the sensor's detection reliability, optimize for power consumption, and build out various safety and user functionality features. We designed and fabricated custom PCBs for both the sensor and alarm units.
Firmware Development
This device requires two electronics hardware assemblies that wirelessly communicate. The sensor unit had to be ultra-low power, running on small watch batteries for months at a time. The alarm unit employed audio and visual outputs based on the sensor status and system state.
Human-Centered Design
We developed the system behavior and user interaction with the device. Through several iterations of building and testing the hardware and firmware with various stakeholders, we refined the design to ensure that it was easy to set-up, understand and use.
Mechanical Design
The sensor unit housing had to be very tough, able to stay attached to the outside of a concrete truck, withstanding extreme temperatures, sunlight, rain and acid wash. We engineered a polymer housing that could handle it all.
Field Testing with Functional Prototypes
We built robust, functional prototypes that could be used out in the field for an extended period of time to gather data on their use in the real-world.
Packaging Design
We created the instruction manual and packaging assembly for the product.
