Week #6 - Journal
Ideation
Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)
Commercial Infrared motion sensor switch
The idea behind this week's project it the automatic light that turns on whenever motion is detected. This idea is useful in several situations like a stairwell where you need the lights on but don't want to turn the lights off. Also it can be used as a silent alarm to detect motion anywhere without causing any noise or disturbance. This picture on the left shows an infrared motion sensor but for my assignment i will use a Microwave Motion Detection Sensor (RCWL-0516).
Tool Chain
Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?
Tinker cad showing the circuit.
First, i used tinker cad to design and test my circuit and make sure everything works fine before assembly. Then i used an Arduino uno board, a breadboard, a microwave motion detection sensor (RCWL-0516), a LED bulb and a 220 ohm resistor. Since the microwave sensor is not available on tinker cad, i used an infrared sensor instead which works in a similar fashion for design and testing purposes.
Design/Preparation Process
Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?
Using tinker cad i connect the IR sensor to the the Arduino (out pin) and to the power source and ground coming from the Arduino board too. The Led bulb was also connected to the Arduino board with a 220ohm resistor. Using the coding option in tinker cad, i set up the Led bulb to light up in 0.25 seconds interval when the sensor detects any motion. After a successful simulation i attempted to build the real circuit using the above mentioned components. Then connecting the Arduino board to the computer and uploading the new code using Arduino software.
Development/Implementation Process
Using the breadboard, i connected the microwave sensor and the led lamp to the arduino board. The led lamp was also connected to a 220 ohm resistor at its cathode end. With the proper code written and uploaded to the Arduino uno board, the device now functions as intended. If anything move around the sensor, the led light blinks a few times and thus acting like a silent alarm.
Implementation
Downloading the code to the Arduino board using the Arduino software.
Overcoming Challenges
What kinds of challenges or problems did you face while doing the assignment, tutorials, or exercises? How did you solve them? Did you ask for help from an instructor or peer? Please provide a link to the tutorial or article that you used to solve your problem (if any)
The challenge was to come up with an idea that was not explained in the videos. But all it took was looking around my everyday life i found this idea to be the most entertaining for me to make.
The other challenge was wrinting the code using the code blocks, but the video tutorials helped alot.
otherwise this was a relatively simple project with no major challenges.
Final Project
How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?
WOW!
What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?
This week we learned how ti use the Arduino board to receive and send signals and how to use different components and the difference between coding and processing. On Saturday we got to make a device that waves a hand when it senses motion using an ultrasound sensor, a micro servo motor and an Arduino board.
Waving hand machine
Weekly Digest [OPTIONAL]
Tell us about any other cool things that you've made this week: in the Hands-on activity, tutorial examples, exercises, or any other cool mini-project that you tried out aside from the assignment.
Title of Media