TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MOMBASA

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND

TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL ENGINEERING

PROJECT TITLE: SOUND TRIGGERED WATER TAP

STUDENT NAME: OLIVIA JELIMO
STUDENT NUMBER: DTME/160J/2020

SUPERVISOR: MR KENNETH NJUE

ABSTRACT
 Disease transmission through physical contact with common surfaces,
including water taps, is a significant concern in healthcare settings.
 We introduce a sound-triggered water tap system designed to minimize
contact and reduce disease transmission risks in hospitals.
 Leveraging voice recognition technology, the system enables water flow
activation without touching the tap handle, promoting hygiene and patient
safety.
 This idea solution reduces cross-contamination, enhances patient and staff
safety, and contributes to overall infection control measures.
 Our system integrates voice recognition hardware, microcontroller
programming, and sensor technology. The design prioritizes user-friendliness,
reliability, and compatibility with existing infrastructure.
 INTRODUCTION
 Conventional manual water taps in hospitals pose hygiene and convenience
challenges due to the need for physical contact. Cross-contamination risks are
elevated, and operational inefficiencies arise.
 Key Features:
 Hygiene Enhancement: The system eliminates the need for physical contact,
reducing cross-contamination risks and promoting a cleaner hospital
environment.
 Efficiency Boost: Manual tap operation can be time-consuming for healthcare
professionals. The proposed system offers seamless control through simple sound
commands, streamlining tasks and increasing productivity
 The system will ensure reliability, accuracy, and responsiveness to sound inputs.
It will offer an intuitive interface for users, enabling easy control of water flow
with commands like snap of fingers
 By combining hygiene improvement and operational efficiency, the sound-
triggered water tap system strives to create a safer, cleaner, and more effective
healthcare setting.
 PROBLEM STATEMENT
 The need for direct physical contact with tap handles in healthcare facilities poses a
significant risk of transmitting germs, pathogens, and contaminants, thus compromising
the overall health and well-being of patients, healthcare professionals, and visitors.
Furthermore, the manual operation of taps in busy hospital environments can be time-
consuming and inconvenient, potentially affecting the efficiency of medical staff and
the quality of patient care. To address these pressing issues and promote improved
hygiene practices, this project aims to design and develop a sound-triggered water tap
system.
 By harnessing the power of sound recognition technology, the project seeks to enable
hands-free tap operation through voice commands, thereby reducing the risk of disease
transmission and enhancing overall infection control measures within the hospital
environment.
 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Main Objectives:
 To design, construct and test a sound-triggered water tap.

Specific objectives:
 To design a system that can be triggered by sound to produce an output
 To use a micro-controller system for signal conditioning and processing
 To test the working principle of the developed model
 RESEARCH JUSTIFICATION
 Eliminates direct touch, reducing pathogen transmission and enhancing
hygiene.
 Ease of use via sound commands (“snap of finger") saves time for medical
staff.
 Precise water flow control minimizes wastage, aligned with conservation
goals.
SCOPE
Functionality:
 The project aims to develop a functional voice-triggered water tap prototype.
 The prototype will simulate tap opening upon sound detection.
 The system will incorporate a dead time of five seconds to prevent rapid successive
activations.
Components:
 The prototype will include a condenser microphone as the sound sensor.
 An LED will be used to symbolize tap opening.
 An Arduino microcontroller will be employed to control the system's operation.
 A transformer will be used to step down power for safe operation.
SIGNIFICANCE
 The project's touch-less tap system directly addresses the challenge of cross-
contamination in healthcare settings.
 The touch-less tap system aligns with the broader goals of infection control in hospitals.
 The system's ease of use and rapid response to sound commands translate to time
savings for healthcare professionals.
 Implementing a sound-triggered water tap demonstrates the hospital's proactive
approach to integrating innovative technologies for improved patient care and
operational efficiency.
 In the larger context, the sound-triggered tap system aligns with global public health
initiatives aimed at minimizing disease transmission
LITERATURE REVIEW
 This chapter dives into the relevant literature concerning the key components utilized in the design of
our project prototype. Additionally, we explore various methodologies employed by other researchers in
related fields.
Pure Water Dispenser: Pure water dispensers represent a prominent advancement in water delivery
systems. These systems focus on delivering uncontaminated water through innovative purification
technologies.
Portable and Countertop Water Dispensers: Portable and countertop water dispensers offer convenient
access to clean drinking water. These compact systems cater to user preferences for on-demand water
supply
Brita Ultramax: The Brita Ultramax dispenser showcases a notable advancement in water filtration
technology. This widely recognized brand emphasizes water purity through effective filtration processes.
the dispenser has an electronic water filter change notification that lets consumers know when it is time to
replace the filter.
LITERATURE REVIEW
System Components:
 Sound Sensor: a module that monitors and detects the sound signals like voice. It has a
microphone which acts as an input sensor receives the sound signal and converts it into an
electrical signal
 Power LED: This LED starts blinking when the positive voltage supply is given to the module
 Potentiometer: This is used to change or adjust the sensitivity of the module regarding the
sound signal hit by the microphone.
 Microcontroller: It is a compressed microcomputer used to control the embedded system
functions in robots and other electronic gadgets
 Power supply: Transformer steps down high voltage AC mains to low voltage AC.
POWER SUPPLY

SOUND SENSOR MICROCONTROLLER

CONTROL VALVE
METHODOLOGY
 Research on the arduino, sensors, types of sensors and how to intergrate the
whole system to work together
 Programming Arduino to understand the simple command of snapping fingers
to turn on the LED
 Assemblying the LED, sensors, and power supply to create a working
prototype
CONCLUSIONS
 In conclusion, this project signifies a significant stride toward addressing hygiene concerns and
infection control in healthcare settings. By introducing a voice-triggered water tap system, we have
showcased the potential for touch-less interaction to enhance hygiene practices and reduce the risk
of pathogen transmission. The successful integration of sound recognition technology, coupled with
the demonstration of hands-free water dispensing, underscores the project's viability and relevance
in modern healthcare environments.
Key Achievements:
 Successful incorporation of sound recognition technology for touch-less operation.
 Effective simulation of tap activation through voice commands (“snap of fingers").
 Demonstrated potential to minimize cross-contamination and promote hygiene awareness.
 Alignment with eco-conscious goals through water conservation features.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Integration of Voice Recognition- Incorporation of the voice recognition
system to accurately interpret a wider range of voice commands.
 Enhanced Sensing Range: Investigate and optimize the sound recognition
system to extend the sensing range for improved user experience.
REFERENCES

 Davies, J. H. (2008). MSP430 microcontroller basics. Elsevier.

 Pobering, S., & Schwesinger, N. (2008, October). Power supply for wireless
sensor systems. In SENSORS, 2008 IEEE (pp. 685-688). IEEE.
 Baker, A. W., Stout, J. E., Anderson, D. J., Sexton, D. J., Smith, B.,
Moehring, R. W., ... & Lewis, S. S. (2021). Tap water avoidance decreases
rates of hospital-onset pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria. Clinical
Infectious Diseases, 73(3), 524-527.