Week6 - 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)

This week's assignment is to build and program a smart circuit using an Arduino UNO which reads a signal from an input component to control an action component using code blocks.
My idea is to make a sensor park that uses in vehicles to assist you to park without crashing.

It's about an ultrasonic sensor that calculates the distance between the car and the object, the buzzer sensor, and the led work depending on the distance to warn you. So, the ultrasonic is the input, and the buzzer and led outputs.

I have searched and get inspired by these videos.

Video1 Video2

Tool Chain

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

Software: Tinkercad

To simulate the circuit and write the code with code blocks.

Software: Arduino IDE

To upload the code to the Arduino UNO

Materials:

  • Mini Breadboard

  • Arduino UNO

  • cable

  • 220 ohm resistor

  • Jumpers

  • Buzzer sensor

  • LED

  • Ultrasonic sensor

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?

First, I tried to make the circuit and simulate it on tinker cad.
Wired the buzzer sensor and led to the Arduino to digital pin and GNDs.

Wired the ultrasonic sensor with 4 pins, Trigger as input, Echo pin is an output pin, Vcc to powers the sensor, and the Ground of the system.

  • I used the code blocks to write the code and made it 4 parts for 4 modes.

  • I have set the Arduino to read the inputs and outputs from the ultrasonic sensor.

  • I have made an If condition and puts distances. In every mode, the output changes depending on the distance.

In this mode when the distance is between 20 and 25 cm the buzzer and the led will beep and light with a slow rhythm.


1

In this mode when the distance is between 15 and 20 cm the buzzer and the led will beep and light with a little bit faster rhythm.

2

In this mode when the distance is between 8 and 15 cm the buzzer and the led will beep and light with a faster rhythm to warn that you are close to crashing with something behind you.

3

In this mode when the distance is between 3 and 8 cm the buzzer and the led will beep and light nonstop to warn that you almost crashed with something behind you.

4

bandicam 2022-03-23 14-14-40-625.mp4

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?

After simulating the circuit on Tinker cad and making sure that everything is working correctly, I started building the circuit on the breadboard.

The ultrasonic sensor works as an input, the buzzer sensor and led work as an output.
Connect the buzzer sensor and the led with the Arduino to digital pins 13,8 respectively and GNDs.

Connect the ultrasonic sensor with 4 pins, Trigger as input (pin 9), Echo pin is an output (pin 10), Vcc to powers the sensor(pin 5v), and the Ground of the system.


After that, I copied the code from tinker cad and insert it in the Arduino IDE to upload the code to Arduino UNO.

IMG_0298.MOV

Community of Learning

Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?

After I have finished, my uni mate Basem suggested that when the vehicle gets too closer to something, the sensor beep until you move.

Overcoming Challenges

When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?

When I got stuck I go to YouTube videos to get inspired by their ideas.
Video1 Video2
I faced a problem while using code blocks on tinker cad in variables block to put distances, I searched for a solution and found that I should create variable distance to use it and put specific distances.

Final Project

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

I think this assignment will help me a lot when I started my final project, it helped me understand how the Ultrasonic sensor will work.
And. I want to add this feature to my RC car.


WOW!

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

The coolest thing i have learned this week is how to use Ultrasonic sensor.

Assignment Design Files