PROJECT TEMPLATE
NAME OF SCHOOL:
NAME OF PUPIL:
CANDIDATE NUMBER :
LEVEL: A LEVEL
LEARNING AREA: PHYSICS
Project Title: Design and Development of a Dual Alarm System for Home
Security: Protecting Door and Yard Access
Syllabus Topic or Topics:
Electricity and Magnetism: Alarm systems' electrical components and
their principles.
Electronics:
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
1. To design and develop a dual alarm system that secures a house by
placing alarms on both the door and the yard.
2. To ensure that the system is activated by turning on a switch at 6 PM
and provides security for the house when everyone is inside.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the alarm system by building a model
and performing theoretical and practical tests.
4. To analyse the failure rate and probability of false alarms using basic
statistical tools.
5. To understand the principles of electrical circuits and motion detection
through the practical application of sensors.
Project Description:
This project involves the design of a security system for a house that
includes two alarms: one installed on the door and another in the yard. The
door alarm is activated if someone attempts to open the door, while the yard
alarm detects movement in the yard. The system is set to activate by a
button switch at 6 PM each day to ensure that the house is secure when all
residents are inside.
Project Execution Plan 2 months
INTRODUCTION:
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
In modern society, securing homes from unauthorized access is crucial. With
increasing incidents of theft, it’s important to find efficient ways to deter
intruders. Traditional alarm systems often produce false alarms, especially
when they’re set off by non-threatening movements or triggers during the
day. This project aims to design a dual-alarm system, where one alarm
button is placed at the door and another in the yard. The alarm system will
only be activated when a door is opened or when someone steps in the yard.
The system will also feature switch based mechanism to activate the alarm
at a set time each evening (e.g., at 6 p.m.) to minimize any unnecessary
activation during the day when everyone is outside.
STAGE 1: PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION:
Main Issue: Unauthorized access or theft from the house during the night,
when no one is present to protect the property.
Suggested Solution: Installation of two alarms:
1. One Alarm at the Door: This alarm will be triggered when the door is
opened by someone unauthorized.
2. One Alarm in the Yard: This alarm will be triggered when an intruder
steps the yard.
3. Timed Activation: The system will remain off during the day and be
activated at 6 p.m. every evening, which is when everyone returns home.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
Thieves often gain access to homes through the door, and existing alarm
systems can be easily triggered by pets or movement in and around the
house. Our objective is to develop a system that ensures only relevant
movements such as someone opening the door or stepping into the yard
trigger the alarm, while minimizing false alarms.
STAGE 2: INVESTIGATION OF RELATED
IDEAS
LITERATURE REVIEW:
-Existing Alarm Systems:
- Many modern alarm systems use buttons systems when either one
steps on in the yard or when one opens the door . However, these systems
may be triggered by pets, wildlife, or environmental factors.
- Magnetic Reed Switches are commonly used in door alarm systems.
These are highly reliable because they detect the mechanical opening of a
door .
DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES:
To assess the effectiveness of the proposed alarm system and its
components (sensors), the following data collection techniques were used:
1. INTERVIEWS:
Target Audience: Households that have implemented security systems,
as well as security professionals.
Objective: To gather qualitative insights into the effectiveness
of current home security measures, common problems such as
false alarms, and the specific concerns regarding system
reliability.
Questions that were asked
- What type of security system do you currently use ?
- Have you encountered issues with false alarms? If so, what caused
them?
- How satisfied are you with your current system’s ability to detect
intruders without being triggered by pets or environmental changes?
- Would you be interested in a system that activates through pressing a
switch at a specified time ( 6 p.m.) each day?
2. QUESTIONNAIRES:
Target Audience: Households, small business owners, or residents in an
area prone to break-ins.
Objective: To gather quantitative data on security system use,
preferences, and effectiveness.
Questions that were asked
Do you currently have a security system in place? (Yes/No)
What type of alarms you have installed in your home? ( Magnetic ,
Motion detectors)
Have you experienced false alarms? (Yes/No)
Would you consider installing a switch-controlled alarm system?
(Yes/No)
On a scale of 1-5, how effective do you feel your current security
system is in preventing unauthorized access?
DATA COLLECTION METHOD:
A sample of 50 households was surveyed to gauge the
prevalence and concerns related to home security systems. The
survey results are then analysed to guide the design of the
proposed dual-alarm system.
STAGE 3: GENERATION OF IDEAS
Based on the findings from the literature review and interviews, the following
ideas were considered:
1. Combining Door and Yard Buttons :
- A magnetic reed switch will be used at the door to detect when it is
opened. This is a reliable mechanism, with minimal risk of false positives.
- A button will be placed under a mat in the path in the yard to foot
traffic. The mat will only activate when someone steps on it, preventing false
alarms caused by animals or environmental factors.
2. Switch to activate the Alarm
A switch will be placed on the alarm so the alarm can be switched off during
the day and turned on during the night
PROPOSED SYSTEM DESIGN:
Door Button : The button will be placed at the door. When the door it
will turn on the alarm
Yard Button : The button will turn on the alarm when someone steps on
it. This will trigger a signal to the alarm system.
Timer System: Using a real-time clock module, the microcontroller will
activate the system at 6 p.m. and deactivate it at 6 a.m.
STAGE 4: DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS
The ideas from Stage 3 were then developed into a detailed design for the
alarm system:
1. Component Selection:
Batteries : To power the alarm system
Alarm inside house : Activates when the door is opened
Alarm at the yard : Activates when the yard mat is stepped
A alarm yard button :to activate the alarm when stepped
Door alarm button : For detecting door movement.
Alarm system: For the actual alert.
Button Switch :Activation of the system at 6 p.m.
2. System Design:
Circuit Design: Connecting the button and microcontroller to work in
conjunction with each other. The door button will trigger the alarm
when the door is opened, and the yard mat button will trigger the
alarm if there’s foot traffic in the yard.
Timing Mechanism: A alarm switch will be used to turn the system on
at 6 p.m. each day and off at 6 a.m.
3. Testing:
Testing the Door Button : We will test the reliability of the magnetic
reed switch. Opening the door should reliably activate the alarm.
Testing the Yard Button : The button under the mat will be tested by
simulating foot traffic to ensure the alarm is triggered only when
someone steps on it
STAGE 5: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Once the system was designed and tested, the findings were presented as
follows:
1. Button Performance: Both the door sensor and yard sensor functioned
as expected, with minimal risk of false alarms.
2. System Reliability :The switch activation ensured that the system was
active only when necessary, reducing the chance of unnecessary
alerts.
3. User Feedback: Feedback from users indicated that the system
effectively detected intruders while minimizing the chances of false
alarms.
The system was designed to ensure security while being cost-effective and
easy to use. Detailed schematics and a step-by-step guide to building and
programming the system were included in the final presentation.
SUB STAGE 1: DESIGN OF THE HOUSE MODEL
1. Objective:
To build a scaled model of a house that demonstrates the placement of
the alarm buttons at key points, specifically the door and yard, and
the workings of the dual-alarm system.
2. Materials:
Cardboard, plastic, or any suitable materials for constructing a scaled-
down house model.
Sound-producing mechanisms to represent the activation of alarms.
Paper or printed components to represent the door and yard areas.
Connecting wires for the alarm systems.
Small motion sensors or similar devices (can be mocked up if actual
sensors are unavailable).
SUB STAGE 2: THEORETICAL PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
1. Objective:
To analyse the expected performance of the dual-alarm system based
on the theoretical calculations made earlier. This includes evaluating
the effectiveness, the probability of false alarms, and the expected
outcomes when sensors are activated.
2. System Activation:
Door Button: The door button is triggered when it detects any
unauthorized attempt to open the door.
Yard Sensor: The yard sensor detects movement in the yard area. If
someone steps within the designated boundary, the sensor will
activate.
3. Analysis of System’s Effectiveness:
The system is designed to reduce the number of false alarms by being
active only when needed. The system will activate when it is turned on
at 6 PM each day to ensure the house is secured when everyone is
inside, and the sensors are on.
SUBS STAGE 4: VISUAL PRESENTATION ( THE MODEL OF THE PROJECT
)
1. Objective:
- To visually represent the layout and functionality of the alarm system,
both through the house model and through pictures
[Link] 1 : House Model and Yard Alarm
3. Picture : Alarm System Wiring and House Alarm System
STAGE 6: EVALUATION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEM:
Effectiveness: The dual-alarm approach worked as expected in
detecting unauthorized access while minimizing false alarms.
System Efficiency: The switch-based activation system was particularly
useful in ensuring the alarm system only operated when needed.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Expansion of Buttons : Adding window button could further enhance
security.
Remote Monitoring: A mobile app could be developed to remotely
monitor the alarm system.
Integration with Smart Home Systems: Linking the system with other
smart home devices could provide more seamless automation.
CONCLUSION
This project successfully demonstrated how a dual-alarm system can provide
effective security for a home while reducing the risk of false alarms. By using
a combination of magnetic reed switches for doors and pressure-sensitive
mats for the yard, the system proved to be efficient in detecting
unauthorized access.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my teacher Mr Sithole who
helped me throughout the research process. In addition l also want to thank
all those who helped me in the project execution process.