quantified self

Activity Tracker – Log Date and Time to MicroSD using Real Time Clock and Arduino

December 14, 2013 by michellechandra in Physical Computing

Finally successfully wrote a sketch that logs the date and time to my microSD card when a button is pressed (using Real Time Clock from Adafruit).

Real Time Clock Chip, and MicroSD Circuit

The setup – microSD breakout board to left, RTC to the right

The results, printed to the Serial Monitor:

Right now, the sketch detects button states so only one timestamp is recorded when a button is pressed. Otherwise, multiple timestamps are taken for the duration the button is pressed down. However, now that I have added the RTC, I can’t get the sketch to work with more than one button, although I can get all my buttons to log data when I take out the button state code. So close, yet so far. → Read more

Headache Tracker Wearable Development Plan

November 18, 2013 by michellechandra in Physical Computing

As someone who gets headaches frequently for otherwise unknown reasons, I would like to gain a better understanding of the behavioral and environmental factors that trigger my headaches. Are my headaches caused by changing light or weather patterns? Dehydration, or sleep deprivation? Or, all of these factors in a certain combination?

In order to understand my headache triggers, I need to gather data on my behavior and environment over a period of time (2-3 months) and correlate to my headaches. This is basically a big health data project in which I am the user and “patient.”

First step is to gather the data. This is where Physical Computing plays a role. There are two datasets I am interested in: data on my behavior, and data on my environment. The first dataset I will acquire is the behavioral data as that involves manual input versus using analog sensors. Analog sensors = additional complexity.

I need to build a wearable to gather this data, a bracelet I can use to track my behavior throughout the course of the day. → Read more

Physical Computing: Prototyping Wearable for Self-Tracking

October 30, 2013 by michellechandra in Physical Computing

This week, I am building a bracelet wearable prototype for my self-tracking headache-diary project. Surprising how difficult it is to just wire up and code 7 buttons and an LED!

This is the working circuit for the 7 buttons I will use to record certain instances (when I drink water, have a meal, and my location):

→ Read more

From Research to Experimentation

October 16, 2013 by michellechandra in Physical Computing

Physical computing wearable project is moving out of research-landia and into experimentation mode!

After discussing options and ideas with many folks and reading up on migraines, I have decided to begin small and build on the project. In order to get a real sense of what factors trigger my headaches, I am going to need to track a variety of factors over a longer period of time (at the very least, a month).

The basic premise is that my brain/nervous system dislikes change. When certain factors change too much – both external (changing weather conditions and light) and internal (stress, emotional state, dietary factors) – my nervous system interprets the changing stimulus negatively resulting in headaches. → Read more

Powered by WordPress - Built by ThemeShift