Behavioral change VS COVID-19

Smart coaster placed at bottom of a bottle/cup holding drinking water to monitor our water consumption rate by reading the weight difference per time and display warning signal if we haven’t drink water for longer period of time for prevention of COVID-19. 

This project is about solving the current Coronavirus crisis of the world by behavioral change to protect one’s self from getting exposed to the coronavirs or preventing yourself from the coronavirus get in your lungs when it is at the throat. 

Coronavirus is spread through droplets transmitted into the air from coughing or sneezing, which people nearby can take in through their nose, mouth or eyes. The viral particles in these droplets travel quickly to the back of your nasal passages and to the mucous membranes in the back of your throat, attaching to a particular receptor in cells, beginning there. The virus then crawls progressively down the bronchial tubes. When the virus reaches the lungs, their mucous membranes become inflamed that can damage the lung sacs or alveoli by reducing their numbers leading to lowering their capacity of holding air. Because of this it is recommended to drink water on a very higher frequency to force the virus move from your throat to the stomach where the virus can be killed via the digestive system. So you often see peoples drinking water often but for people who do not have a habit of drinking water regularly we need a mechanism that trigger behavioral change to drink water on regular basis that will help them protect themselves if they are infected with coronavirs without their knowledge. 

Smart coaster to monitor our water consumption rate by reading the weight difference per time. Meaning, the device have weight measuring sensor/ high precision load cell, programmable timing board, LED light display and Lithium battery that are connected with simple electronic circuit with cover to place the bottle holding water. When we place the bottle on top of the device, it automatically measures the total weight of the bottle with the water. As we drink the water, its weight decreases and the device measures the difference in weight and count time starting from the first weight difference of the bottle. This will enable the device monitor the weight difference over time. Then the device will compare this data to the recommended consumption rate of water per time set by the programmer and display a signaling light. Meaning, when the weight of the water bottle is decreasing as per recommended value of time, the device shows continuous green light. But when the weight of the bottle is not decreasing faster than the recommended time, the device switches to continuous red color. This will bring behavioral change to drink more water in recommended volume to prevent COVID-19 be in your throat. 

The intended target of the project is all the people around the world who has not been infected or has not been confirmed infected with Coronavirus personal product that must be only used by the owner. 

This project aligns with the challenge because it focuses on the Coronavirus crisis of the world.