MSME IDEA HACKATHON - 2024

LOCKBOXES FOR ELECTRONIC GADGETS

Team Members:
1. Shradhdha Harikrishnan (CB.EN.U4AEE24051)
2. Laasya Kasichinula (CB.EN.U4AEE24070)

Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Amrita School of Engineering,
Coimbatore, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India.

Origin of the Idea:

Holding a small smartphone in today’s times is almost equivalent to having the

secrets of life in our hands. Similarly, when mis-utilised, these simple devices can
end up ruining our lives. Addiction to mobile phones and other electronic gadgets
among today’s youth surprises no one. Even the brightest of students have fallen
prey to this. We ourselves are cognizant of this disastrous addiction. Most of us
might have experienced this at some point in our lives.

We all know that smartphones have become a basic necessity in an individual’s life
in this day and age. However, this has also led to several individuals going astray
and using these phenomenal devices for unnecessary and harmful reasons. We are
no strangers to stories showcasing teenagers going on to ruin their careers and life
prospects over this addiction. In fact, according to recent studies, about 66% of
teens have come out saying that they feel “anxious” without their phones on them
at all times while 33% have outright agreed to being addicted to their devices.

Generally, mobile phone addiction can either be categorized into social media
addiction or video-game addiction. What starts as a single post or a short game
quickly grows into something that occupies the person’s mind 24/7. However, just
staying off of all platforms would not exactly be a good idea either. As we know,
networking can be very useful when done right. So now the major question strikes.
How do we change this? Or better yet, can this be prevented without having
individuals cut off contact with the world around them?

Project Overview:-

Let’s start talking about solutions now. What can we do in order to prevent an individual from
disappearing off the face of the earth by letting go of all forms of social media without the said
individual becoming a social media addict? Your first thought would most probably be
moderated usage of social media. Like a set amount of time per day probably. That might work
to an extent but after a while, the pop-up notification is simply ignored by the users. Now is
where our idea comes into play.
We propose using a simple lockbox that is equipped with a timer. As mentioned previously,
phone addiction prevents the brightest of students from prospering. This is simply a small
technique that could be a step forward in preventing or controlling such addictions. When an
individual, a student per se, intends to focus on a particular task without their phone or other
electronic gadgets of choice getting in the way, they can simply lock their gadgets away in this
timed lockbox. The student can set the timer as per their requirements and get their device out
once the set time has passed. This box can also be equipped with an emergency feature that
would allow the individual to access the devices in the box before the aforementioned interval.

Now, let us introduce you to the main feature of this lockbox, one that truly sets it apart. A
simple phone application that is linked to the lockbox. The main purpose of this application
would be to track the progress of its users. To basically analyze if the user is actually letting the
device remain locked away for the entirety of the set duration. In case the user is triggering the
emergency function to open the lockbox, how often are they doing it, and after how long? These
are the two major things that will be tracked by the application. A graph would be generated
weekly, monthly, and annually to showcase the user’s progress.

This device can hence be used by parents who want to moderate their child’s device timings.
Another major market for this device would be university hostels. Installing this device could be
extremely beneficial for students who are trying to focus but are unable to do so. With this
device, students will simply be able to lock away their devices which could drastically improve
their focus over time.

Detailed Problem Statement: Addiction to phones or other electronic

gadgets

Introduction to the Problem:

In today’s world, smartphones and smartphone-like devices have grown to become an integral part of our
lives. Their efficiency and undeniable convenience have given them the title of “essentials” created a
space for them in our daily schedules. However, the innumerable benefits of these devices seem to be
coming at the price of numerous people’s mental and even physical health. Several individuals have
already fallen prey to this menacing addiction. Mobile phone addiction has now been clinically proven to
cause lethargy and depression among other problems.

This addiction seems to have a stronger grip on the younger generation who have grown up with these
devices right from the start. We now have data showing that an average teenager spends about 8 hours
and 39 minutes per day on screens. This includes time spent on social media, texting or gaming but
doesn’t include any sort of school work. This gives us a clear picture of the state we, as a society, stand in
today. The problem doesn’t simply lie in the amount of time one spends on their phone though.
Applications and platforms are being designed in ways which are meant to captivate attention. One major
example of this is infinite scrolling or other forms of social media engagement which have been known to
trigger dopamine-driven behaviors in users.

We have been relying on smartphones and smartphone-like devices so heavily that the line between
healthy usage and addiction has been blurred in recent times. We must understand and address the ill
effects of this problem before it completely overtakes today’s generation is something we as a society
should focus on. This is a crucial step to make sure that our relationship with technology remains positive,
fueling more such inventions and innovations.

Current Challenges

The following is a list of challenges one might face due to phone addiction:
 Decreased productivity
 Poor sleep quality
 Mental health issues such as depression, self-esteem issues, etc.
 Social isolation
 Physical health problems such as eyes strain, poor posture, etc.
 Impulse control issues
 Deterioration of interpersonal relationships
 Attention deficits
 Increased risk of accidents
 Reduced creativity and critical thinking

Proposed Solution

We are proposing a solution called the LOCK BOX. It is basically a wooden box which contains the
phone till you finish your work. There is a set timer on the device telling you the amount of time left in
your session. There is also an pap which gives you the graphs of how many productive hours you have
spent with the device and how many times you failed to accomplish your goal. There is also a feature
where the user is allowed to press the emergency button to open the box and take the phone if it is
immediately necessary.

Key Features

 Usage insights
 Tamper-proof design with alerts
 Emergency trigger function which can be used
 Customizable lock duration
 Multiple user profiles
 Manual override settings

Benefits

 Cultivating self-control
 Encouragement of healthy technology habits
 Enhanced focus and productivity
 Improved mental well-being
 Behavior tracking and accountability
 Versatile usage
 Structured study time
 Better physical health
 Practice of mindfulness
User groups:
The major user groups include:
 Students
 Working professionals
 Parents/children
 Individuals with impulse control issues
 Event organizers
 Educational institutions
 Rehabilitation programs

Proposed Schematic Diagram

Design Requirement:
Parameter Calculated Value
Emergency trigger button Emergency trigger button is used to release the
phone when the phone is required immediately.
Automatic lock Lock that activates when phone is inserted.
Wooden box Fool proof wooden box, where taking it out of
the box is almost impossible.
Sensor in box IR Sensor that detects if the phone is inserted in
the box
Display panel Panel that shows amount of time left in phone
lockdown.
App developing Develop an app to sense important phone calls
and announce them, block all notifications, track
lockdown history,
Microcontroller Arduino Nano clones are very affordable and
sufficient for basic tasks.
Buzzer (Optional) Very low-cost piezo buzzers available.

Basic Timer Circuit Simple timer

Conclusion

This device can be massively helpful in solving the problem of phone addiction to
increase productivity.