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Abstract(s)
Dá-se o nome de aquariofilia ou terrariofilia à prática de manter animais (aquáticos ou terrestres, respetivamente) em viveiros, onde para tal é necessário replicar certas características climatéricas dos seus habitats de origem. De modo a atingir as condições requeridas para o ambiente dentro dos viveiros, os praticantes recorrem a equipamentos eletrónicos que controlam as várias grandezas físicas como a temperatura ou a luminosidade.
A aquariofilia e a terrariofilia são atividades extremamente populares e lucrativas, representando um mercado com uma dimensão internacional, onde só nos Estados Unidos da América existem mais de 17 milhões de lares com um aquário ou terrário. A massificação do acesso à Internet juntamente com as inovações tecnológicas nos produtos necessários à prática, tornaram estes hobbies acessíveis a um grande número de pessoas. De modo a expandir este mercado e atrair mais praticantes, urge simplificar todo o processo de manutenção de animais exóticos e respetivos viveiros, tornando-o assim mais aprazível.
Inserido no âmbito dum projeto de criação de uma proposta de valor através do desenvolvimento de um produto comercializável que permita explorar esta oportunidade de mercado, este trabalho descreve a construção de um protótipo de um sistema autónomo que permita a alguém que não tenha conhecimento sobre a prática da terrariofilia, adquirir e manter com sucesso animais exóticos terrestres sem que parar isso tenha de despender uma grande quantidade de tempo a aprender e a implementar as características necessárias no viveiro.
Após estudar os produtos de controlo de ambiente para terrários e aquários existentes no mercado, delinearam-se as características a obter no objeto final de maneira a que o sistema tivesse uma aplicabilidade geral para a prática da terrariofilia, que respondesse com eficácia às necessidades de controlo do ambiente no viveiro e que ao mesmo tempo servisse como guia para o utilizador de modo a que este não necessite de recorrer a fontes externas de informação (muitas vezes não confiáveis).
Foram elaboradas as projeções para as diversas partes que iriam constituir o sistema, onde se selecionaram os componentes eletrónicos e bibliotecas de software a utilizar na sua construção. Seguiram-se diversas fases de desenvolvimento, no qual primariamente foram testadas as várias partes que compõe o sistema. Nomeadamente, o alojamento da base de dados num cartão SD, comunicação via Bluetooth, controlo de temperatura e configuração dum ecrã TFT táctil onde assentará a interface gráfica. Após algumas iterações, foram construídas as PCB finais para as quais foi também desenvolvido o código de acordo com as funcionalidades projetadas. Concluído o sistema, foram verificadas as capacidades do protótipo relativamente aos objetivos propostos e documentado o seu aspeto físico e funcionalidades. No final foram feitas considerações sobre a continuação deste trabalho de maneira atingir o objetivo ulterior de construir um produto comercializável.
Keeping animals in aquariums and terrariums are challenging hobbies that require for the practitioner to replicate inside the vivarium certain characteristics of the animal’s native environment in order for it to thrive. This is usually done by using electronic devices that control various environmental aspects such as temperature or luminosity. These hobbies are very popular and also very lucrative, making up to a worldwide market with more than 17 million households owning an aquarium or terrarium just in the U.S. alone. Internet becoming a common facility and the technological advances of the products for vivariums, made this kind of activities accessible to many. In order to expand this market and attract more practitioners to it, it’s crucial to make exotic pet husbandry simpler, hence more enjoyable. Within the framework of a project with the purpose of creating a value proposal through the development of a retail product that allows the exploration of this market opportunity, this document describes the prototyping of an autonomous system that allows for someone who doesn’t have any knowledge on the practice of keeping animals in terrariums, to pick and raise exotic animals (from terrestrial environments) with success, without having to waste large amounts of time learning how to and creating the right environment for one’s pet. Firstly, there was made a research on currently available products for terrarium’s and aquarium’s environment control. Taking that study into account, the goal characteristics for the device to be built were listed in order for it to be suited for most terrarium pets, as well as being capable of effectively controlling vivarium’s environment parameters and also serve as a guide for the users, so they don’t need to resort to external sources for information that may be non-reliable. Projections were made for the various parts that would constitute the system, as well as the selection of electronic components and software libraries being used for its construction. This was followed by several phases of development in which there were tested various parts of the system, namely: database hosting on a SD card, Bluetooth protocol, temperature control and configuration of a TFT screen and its touchscreen where the graphical user interface will be laid out. After various iterations, the final printed circuit boards were made and the code written for them according to the planned functionalities. When the device was finished, tests were made in order to evaluate the system’s capacities regarding the objetives proposed. All its functionalities and physical features were documented as well. Final considerations were then made towards further work on the project in order to attain the latter objetive of creating a sellable product.
Keeping animals in aquariums and terrariums are challenging hobbies that require for the practitioner to replicate inside the vivarium certain characteristics of the animal’s native environment in order for it to thrive. This is usually done by using electronic devices that control various environmental aspects such as temperature or luminosity. These hobbies are very popular and also very lucrative, making up to a worldwide market with more than 17 million households owning an aquarium or terrarium just in the U.S. alone. Internet becoming a common facility and the technological advances of the products for vivariums, made this kind of activities accessible to many. In order to expand this market and attract more practitioners to it, it’s crucial to make exotic pet husbandry simpler, hence more enjoyable. Within the framework of a project with the purpose of creating a value proposal through the development of a retail product that allows the exploration of this market opportunity, this document describes the prototyping of an autonomous system that allows for someone who doesn’t have any knowledge on the practice of keeping animals in terrariums, to pick and raise exotic animals (from terrestrial environments) with success, without having to waste large amounts of time learning how to and creating the right environment for one’s pet. Firstly, there was made a research on currently available products for terrarium’s and aquarium’s environment control. Taking that study into account, the goal characteristics for the device to be built were listed in order for it to be suited for most terrarium pets, as well as being capable of effectively controlling vivarium’s environment parameters and also serve as a guide for the users, so they don’t need to resort to external sources for information that may be non-reliable. Projections were made for the various parts that would constitute the system, as well as the selection of electronic components and software libraries being used for its construction. This was followed by several phases of development in which there were tested various parts of the system, namely: database hosting on a SD card, Bluetooth protocol, temperature control and configuration of a TFT screen and its touchscreen where the graphical user interface will be laid out. After various iterations, the final printed circuit boards were made and the code written for them according to the planned functionalities. When the device was finished, tests were made in order to evaluate the system’s capacities regarding the objetives proposed. All its functionalities and physical features were documented as well. Final considerations were then made towards further work on the project in order to attain the latter objetive of creating a sellable product.
Description
Keywords
Sistemas embebidos Controladores de ambiente para terrários Cartão SD Bluetooth TFT táctil Microcontrolador ARM LPCOpen emWin Embedded systems Terrarium controllers SD card Bluetooth Touchscreen TFT ARM microcontroller