This Instructable is written out and annotated here.

Introduction

In this project I'm going to show you how to make an automated study environment with the Intel Edison! The Intel Edison uses several sensor to monitor the environment in your study room. The Edison will optimize the environment in your room to fit your specified parameters for studying at peak performance. The background for this project is that I was chosen by Instructables to receive one of their Intel IoT Invitational kits. I was lucky enough to receive their Home Automation Kit. This was so I could get to making the idea I had pitched. My idea was for this automated study environment!

The parameters controlled by the Edison are:

• Study/Break time
  • This is based on the pomodoro principle. To increase mental capacity when reading, there is a timer that lets you work for 25 minutes and then gives you a break for 5 minutes. This cycle continues until you either are finished with your work or you need a longer break.
  • The Edison gives you a signal to take a break both by lighting an LED and with a speaker.
• Temperature control
  • There's a sensor which continuously monitors the room temperature and compares this to your desired temperature.
  • If the room is too cold a heater turns on. Likewise, if the room becomes too warm the heater turns off.
• Reading light
  • The Edison starts by turning on a reading light so that you have plenty of light for reading.
  • This light can also be toggled on and off by a wired push button.
• Air quality
  • Theres a sensor which monitors the quality of the air in the room and compares this to a set air quality. This is useful because long study sessions often can lead to lower air quality, which in turn lowers the quality of your work.
  • The Edison lights an LED to indicate that you need to open a window to let in some fresh air. The LED turns off when the air quality is once again at optimal levels.