The primary objective was to design a marketable product that could be developed with limited resources while still offering practical, real-world value. During the product development session, the team proposed several potential project ideas. However, the final decision was influenced by certain restrictions placed on the product, including:

• The product had to be developed using a PicoBoard microcontroller.
• It needed to be interactive and user-friendly, ensuring an engaging user experience.
• The design required a clearly defined target audience and had to address a specific real-world need.
• The project needed to be achievable within the available time frame and resource constraints.
• The product was required to incorporate real-time data or sensor-based inputs.

After evaluating various design ideas, the team selected "Stair Buddy", an interactive companion device designed to enhance safety and provide a friendly presence for users. The Stair Buddy utilizes an HC-SR501 PIR motion sensor to detect movement, which in turn activates its WS2812 RGB Light Ring to emit a visual alert. Its face is displayed on a 2.8” ILI9341 LCD screen, capable of showing expressive facial animations that change based on input from the PAM8302A audio amplifier, making the device appear more lifelike and engaging. This combination of responsive lighting, motion detection, and expressive visuals creates a product that is both functional and companion-like, encouraging user interaction while maintaining practicality.