Energy Efficient Escalator

The Project

I noticed in several Airports and Malls that the escalators are being turned ON even when no one is using. I felt a lot of electricity is being wasted when escalators are running when not in use. I thought why not use a sensor to detect a person and turn ON escalator only when needed.

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Team Comments

I noticed in several Airports and Malls that the escalators are being turned ON even when no one is using. I felt a lot of energy is being wasted when escalators are running when not in use . I thought why not use a sensor to detect a person and turn ON escalator only when needed.

I found some difficulty in getting the motor incorporated because I had to change the LED and the PIR sensor to be compatible with the motor. This took a lot of extra coding and debugging to make it work.

If I had more time, I would add a speaker that would announce when the escalator is starting and ending so the person knows when to step on and off. I would also incorporate a button that would turn the escalator ON and OFF as needed. I would also add some blinking lights for more safety.