Team Name
Guardian Eyes
Timeline
Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
Students
- Troy Tran – Computer Science
- Ngoc Chuan Ha – Computer Science
- Joel Guerra – Software Engineering
- Thierry Makuka – Software Engineering
Sponsor
Mr. Sid Crose
Abstract
This project aims to address the critical gap in awareness and response when a child or pet
is left alone in a vehicle. By developing a compact device that monitors occupancy using
thermal imaging camera and temperature sensor, we can provide real-time alerts to
caregivers through cloud-based to push notification, enabling immediate action and
reducing the risk of harm
Background
In today fast-paced world, the safety of children and pets left in parked vehicles is a
growing concern. Instances of tragic accidents due to heat-related illnesses, often
exacerbated by high temperatures inside vehicles, highlight the urgent need for proactive
monitoring solutions. Currently, caregivers or parents may inadvertently leave children or
pets unattended in cars, leading to potentially life-threatening situations. This project
enhances safety by preventing heat-related emergencies for children and pets, positioning
sponsors as leaders in social responsibility and innovation. It addresses a growing market
demand for automotive safety solutions while providing valuable educational opportunities
for students. Solving this problem not only enhances the safety of vulnerable individuals
but also fosters peace of mind for parents and pet owners, reinforcing the commitment to
safeguarding loved ones in all situations.
Project Requirements
Functional Requirements
- Real-time detection of unattended children or pets using AI vision
- GPS location logging with timestamp
- Automatic email alert system with image, temperature, and location data
- Escalation mechanism if no response is received within 5 minutes
- Live web interface for viewing sensor data and alerts
- Data logging for all detection events and alerts
Non-Functional Requirements
- Low power consumption for prolonged autonomous operation
- Fast response time (<5 seconds from detection to alert)
- High detection accuracy with minimal false positives
- Robust in-vehicle performance across varying temperature and lighting condition
Design Constraints
- Confidentiality: Any personal or sensitive data collected by the system (e.g.,
location, emergency contacts) must be handled securely and in compliance with
privacy regulations. - Packaging standard: The housing must be durable enough to withstand high vehicle
temperatures. It must be lightweight to avoid any impact on the vehicle’s structure. - Performance requirements: The detection and notification system must operate in
real-time without any significant delay. The system must have continuous power to
avoid any latency due to power cycling. - Maintenance: Making sure there are software updates without interrupting the
system functionality. Ensure operation continuity that the system continues to work
despite potential extreme conditions such as extreme heat or cold. - Power efficiency: Power management must account for periods when the vehicle is
off and still allow detection and notifications to be sent. The system must minimize
idle power usage when not in active monitoring mode.
Engineering Standards
- Authentication & Encryption/Security Standards: Encrypt all data transmitted
between the Raspberry Pi, sensors, and mobile device to ensure privacy and data
security using SSL/TLS, AES-256 encryption, HTTPS protocols. - National Electric Code Wiring Compliance (NEC): Any electrical wiring must be
completed in compliance with all requirements specified in the National Electric
Code. This includes wire runs, insulation, grounding, enclosures, over-current
protection, and all other specifications. - Common Engineering Standards (IEEE): Development practices follow IEEE 829 for
test documentation and IEEE 830 for Software Requirements Specification.
Hardware interfaces will follow IEEE guidelines for embedded systems and
component interoperability. - OSHA Compliance: Though not an industrial system, safety considerations follow
OSHA standards in terms of user exposure to electronics, thermal output safety,
and secure mounting within the vehicle to avoid hazards during operation or in case
of an accident. - Programming/Web Dev Standards: The software will adhere to PEP8 for Python
coding, with secure and maintainable practices. The web interface will follow W3C
web standards, ensuring responsive, accessible, and secure design with best
practices in front-end/backend separation and RESTful APIs.
System Overview
The Guardian Eyes system uses a 12MP Raspberry Pi AI Camera for detecting living beings
using image recognition and a DHT22 Temperature Sensor to monitor ambient heat,
triggering alerts if temperatures exceed 40 Celsius degrees. A Raspberry Pi 4 acts as the
brain of the system, continuously collecting and processing data from these sensors. It
filters out errors, analyzes images to confirm the presence of a living organism, and decides
if an emergency alert should be sent. If a potential danger is detected, the system
immediately notifies the user via WIFI and SMS. The user can also monitor real-time data
through a web interface, which converts raw sensor data into an easy-to-read format,
accessible from a mobile device or computer
Results
Future Work
Future enhancements will include intrusion detection, allowing the system to identify
unauthorized entry into the vehicle. This added functionality will extend the system
purpose beyond safety to also provide basic vehicle security monitoring.
Project Files
Project Charter
System Requirements Specification
Architectural Design Specification
Detailed Design Specification
Poster
References
Any references go here, properly formatted
