Congratulations Michael!
Applied Sensor Co. is excited to announce the first-place winner of the TrampleTek Blue Challenge: Michael, a creative tinkerer with a background in IT, UX design, and over a decade of experience in smart home automation. Michael’s innovative solution, aimed at solving a unique family problem, stood out for its practicality, creativity, and seamless integration with TrampleTek Blue.
Michael’s TrampleTek Blue mat is under his baby’s mattress.
Turning a Stomping Problem into a Smart Solution
A very real challenge inspired Michael’s winning project: reminding his 5-year old not to stomp down the hallway and wake up his baby brother! His first solution was a smart hallway light that would visually remind the older son that the baby was in bed, but manually turning it on each time was inconvenient. He tried using a camera to detect when the baby was in his bed, but it just wasn’t reliable enough; that’s when he stumbled upon TrampleTek Blue and saw its potential to automate the process!
“I was researching how to build my own pressure mat for a project when I came across your [finished] Kickstarter,” Michael explained. “It was exactly what I needed.”
After a few days of fine-tuning the setup, Michael had a fully functional system in place that automatically triggered a hallway light as a reminder when nap time started, no manual intervention required. “I’m grateful Michael submitted his entry because I had considered adult-in-bed presence monitoring, but I didn’t even think about baby-in-bed presence monitoring! Really a clever idea and implementation,” said Raymond King, Founder of Applied Sensor Co. Michaels system relies on Home Assistant, ESPHome, and a THIRDREALITY Multi-Function Night Light. He integrated the mat in just minutes and opted to create his own simple custom YAML code to trigger the night light.
Michael’s THIRDREALITY Multi-Function Night Light that is triggered by his baby in the crib.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
One of the key hurdles Michael faced was ensuring accurate detection given his baby’s low weight (~20 pounds) and accounting for voltage drift caused by temperature changes. Despite the challenges, Michael was able to refine his setup and is now eagerly awaiting an upcoming TrampleTek firmware update, which helps to address the voltage drift issue.
When asked about his goal during the project, Michael humorously summed it up: “DON’T WAKE THE BABY.”
Looking Ahead
Michael is excited about the future of smart home technology, especially regarding AI-driven automation. “While I love smart home technology, it currently requires a lot of ongoing adjustments. I’d like to see a future where an AI bot manages routine tasks so I can enjoy the benefits without constant fine-tuning.”
He also offered valuable feedback for future iterations of TrampleTek Blue, suggesting built-in handling of voltage drift and targeting the sleep-tracking market. “I’ve had nothing but great experiences with the TrampleTek Blue team. The founder personally reached out to discuss my project, which was incredibly helpful. I truly love the product and wish you all the best for continued growth in 2025.”
About the TrampleTek Blue Challenge
The TrampleTek Blue Challenge invited smart home enthusiasts and tinkerers to create unique solutions using the TrampleTek Blue mat, with cash prizes for the most creative and impactful ideas. Michael’s project earned him the $500 second-place prize, with second and third-place winners also receiving recognition for their innovative entries.
“Congratulations Michael!,” said Raymond King, founder of Applied Sensor Co. “A very unique solution that has inspired me to explore more of this type of use for smart textile technology in the future.”
Applied Sensor Co. congratulates all participants and looks forward to seeing how these creative solutions continue to evolve. Interested in exploring your own creative automation ideas? Check out TrampleTek Blue today and stay tuned for future offers and updates!
For more information about TrampleTek Blue or to explore the smart home possibilities it offers, visit ASC’s website.
