Thermocalmic Collar

This is the thermocalmic collar; it is meant to be worn over the shoulders and uses a pulse sensor to read the wearer's heart rate. This wearable piece is meant to bring awareness to anxiety/stress issues, especially to students who are finding juggling life overwhelming. By detecting spikes in heart rate, it serves as a calming device to the wearer by relaxing them through color-changing technology as a means to distract and reduce the wearer's heart rate back to regular levels. Due to the exaggerated spiky design, it helps stand out to those around. In case the wearer needs assistance, they would notice through the device changing color. The collar works by once the threshold is met, a heart rate of 100, the MOSFET turns on, which heats a heating pad placed below fabric dyed with thermochromic ink, which will change from blue to violet. The video showcases the concept of the wearable, used by an academically stressed student. Initial prototyping of this wearable featured LED's instead of thermochromic ink as the reacting component.

-CP Bluefruit: has input code to make the wearable function properly

-MOSFET + Diode Driver: activates the heat pad at a certain threshold

-Pulse Sensor: detects a spike in heart rate

-Heating Pad: activates the color change of thermochromic ink

-Thermochromic ink, blue to violet

-3.7V battery: powers the wearable

-Steel Wire: frame for the wearable

-Wire mesh: frame for component pocket

-Pliers: used to shape the wire frame

-Wire stripping pliers: for making connections

-3m Bolts and Nuts: hold stripped cables for a good connection to bluefruit

-Felt Fabric: Serves as a backing

-Cotton Fabric: serves as a protection for the frame and connections.

-Jumper wires: for connections

-Soldering tool: for soldering the shrink tube on the exposed connections

-solder wire: for soldering

-shrink tube: for exposed connection closing

-red thread: arranging components, design aesthetic

-hand needle: for sewing red thread

-fabric scissors: used to cut fabric

-fabric glue: to keep the material on the frame

Using the pliers and steel wire, create the frame of the collar by shaping the wire into a neck opening.

Reinforce the base frame with additional wire to ensure a stable platform and provide space at the front bottom for additional pouch reinforcement. Form a clamp shape with wire mesh for the front pouch enclosure.

Make 6 triangles out of the steel wire, reinforce them, and attach them evenly across the frame. Try it on to check the fit, and ensure it fits over the shoulders.

Using the fabric scissors, cut out the fabric to the measurements of the collar frame, and keep it in place with fabric glue. Coat frame at least twice. Final layer of felt fabric, over spiked panels only(6), in spike shape, then fabric glued on top. Leave an opening between the collar and pouch for the pulse sensor to fit through and out. Repeat the layering steps on the front pouch.

Cut out cotton fabric in the shape of panels, one for each(6), paint over the panel with the thermochromic ink, let it dry, and make sure the color-changing effect takes place(can be done with hot breath, blow dryer). Don't attach dyed panels yet, will go over felt layer later.

Assemble the CP Bluefruit, MOSFET, Pulse sensor, Heating pad, and 3.7V battery. Use alligator clips at first to make sure the connections work properly. Make sure the pulse sensor fits through the gap between the collar and pouch. The wires from the MOSFET to the heating pad are left exposed, but connected.

1. Pulse sensor-> A3, 3.3V, GND -> CP Bluefruit
2. Heating Pad-> - + --> MOSFET - + -> A1, 3.3V, GND -> CP Bluefruit
3. 3.7V battery -> CP Bluefruit

Utilize this code to activate the components, ensure the MOSFET's threshold activates at a BPM of 100, and that the heating pad warms up enough to cause the thermochromic ink panels to shift color.

The CP Bluefruit and MOSFET are hand sewn onto the inside of the front pouch to stay in place; the rest of the components are properly added with alligator clips. The heating pad goes below any of the inked spiked panels, then fabric is glued between, with the blue panel up. Using the red thread, hand sew a spiral pattern around the edges of the front pouch.

Clean up the connections by utilizing the nuts and bolts, wire strippers, and any extra wires to reduce the space used. Solder exposed wires connecting the heating pad to the MOSFET. Cover the exposed solder with heat shrink tubing.

Congratulations! The Thermocalmic Collar is now complete. Test it by wearing it over the shoulders and connecting the pulse sensor clip to your earlobe. Create movement to increase your heart rate and watch as the ink is activated, bringing your attention in and reducing your stress.