Week 7 - 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)

Countdown timer. It's part of my final project that I wanna test it. It will be used to set time for activities inside the classroom.

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

Components of Electrical Circuit

Breadboard

to connect all jumper wires and other components

male-female jumper wires

to connect components together

male-female jumper wires

to connect components together

Buzzer

to announce the end of the activity

Arduino Uno

to program the components of the circuit

Arduino Uno USB connector

to connect the Arduino with the computer

LCD

to show the countdown timer on it

Keypad 3x4

to set the time for the activity

IR Sensor

to sense some aspects of the surrounding

Red LED

to light up when someone comes near the IR Sensor

220 ohm Resistor

to limit current flow for the Red LED

Materials

Cutter

to make holes in the plastic cup

Gift Box

to be the main enclosure of the dancing sunflower

Glue Gun

to stick parts together

Software

To code the circuit and upload it to Arduino

Tinkercad

To simulate and code the circuit before implementation

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?

The Main components of my circuit are :

  • LCD 16X2

  • Arduino Uno R3

  • Buzzer

  • Mini Breadboard

  • Keypad 3x4

  • IR Sensor

  • LED

  • 220 ohm Resistor

  • male-to-male jumper wires

  • male-to-female jumper wires

Procedures:

  1. I connected the LCD 16X2 to the Arduino as following:

    • GND with GND of the Arduino

    • VCC with 5V

    • SDA with A4

    • SCL with A5

  2. The Buzzer's positive wire is connected to Pin 2 and its GND is connected to the GND of the Arduino.

  3. The Keypad is connected to the Arduino as following:

    • pin_rows[ROW_NUM] = {9, 8, 7, 6}

    • pin_column[COLUMN_NUM] = {5, 4, 3}

  4. One of the On/Off Switch is connected to the GND of the Arduino and the other is connected to Pin 13.

  5. I connected the IR Sensor to the Arduino as following:

    • GND with GND of the Arduino

    • VCC with 5V

    • OUT with Pin 2

  6. I connect the Red LED Cathode with the 220 ohm Resistor on the same row of the Breadboard and the anode with Pin 12.

I defined the libraries of Keypad 3x4 and and LCD 16x2.

I wrote the variables of the IR sensor, Buzzer and LED. Then I coded the LCD to open in the Void Setup.

In the Void Loop, I added if condition for the IR Sensor and LED.

Then, I coded the Countdown Timer which can be set when ('*') is clicked with if condition too

When ('#') is clicked another if condition begin to start the countdown of the timer. At the end the buzzer announced the end of the activity.

Development/Implementation Process

Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?

  • I did the same wiring of the components on the Breadboard as I did on Tinkercad.

  • Arduino Uno was connected to my tablet with the USB connector.

  • When I come near the IR Sensor. The LED lights up.

  • I click on the * button on the Keypad to set the timer. Then, I click on the # button to start the timer.

  • At the end the buzzer beeps.

video-d8e468f3-5e4c-4792-91a0-107745a35be5-1663354583.mp4

  • I made a simple enclosure with a gift box.

  • I made holes at the top for the LED and IR sensor. In the front part, I cut a hole for the Keypad and another one for the LCD.

video-d8e468f3-5e4c-4792-91a0-107745a35be5-1663354583.mp4
video-48a1dc8a-d2b5-4e4f-a662-12d510b9a8fe-1663358152.mp4

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)

After uploading the code to Arduino, the On/Off Switch wasn't working compatibly with the other components for unclear reasons.

I checked the code and the wiring with the instructor, but there was not something specific.

That's why I tried the IR sensor.

Thanks Mr. Ahmed Shebaya and Faten for your assistance and support.

Final Project

How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?

Each feature should be tested alone before adding all of them in the same circuit.

WOW!

What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?

The Servo Motor has 3 different coloured wires in Tinercad and the real Servo. They don't change.

Each one for a certain function:

  • GND - Brown

  • Power - Red

  • Signal - Orange

That helped me a lot in connecting it to other components in the circuit.

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.

Faten and I made an amazing waving hand with Ultrasonic Sensor and Servo Motor. I really enjoyed this activity.

Title of Media

Assignment Design Files