Team 18 - Unconventional Switch (No Phone Distractions!)

As soon as it came time to start brainstorming ideas for what unconventional switch we should make, our first ideas kept circling back into something that could be useful, help someone be productive or encourage them to stay focused on a task.

We know how easy it is to get distracted by all the notifications and colorful apps on our phones so we wanted to make a switch to help combat that. For our switch, you set it on your desk or workstation area, and then set your phone on top of the pad covered in tinfoil. When the phone is set on the pad, a red LED light turns on, and it sends a signal to pin A2 on the Circuit Playground. Then, a delay sends a signal to pin A1, which is connected to the green LED light. The goal of this switch is to help the user stay focused on their work, encouraging them to not pick up their phone as long as the green LED is off. After about 30 minutes, the green LED light will turn on, which lets the user know they are allowed to take a break and check their phone if they wish. But, the user will need to be careful with getting distracted for too long. Our switch aims to help prevent that, and keep the user focused on their task and getting work done.