Week #6 - Journal

controling a servo using an LDR sensor

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)

THE IDEA for this week the assignment was to code and develop a smart device using arduino uno and tinker cad code blocks and implement the circuit in real life.

Tool Chain

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

below are the tools and softwares i used to finalize the assignment: 

brain, input and output components

Design Process for controling a servo using an LDR sensor

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?

testing the LDR Coding

1 - i started by researching how to code arduino using tinkercad code blocks to receive an Analog output with arduino. 

2- since tinker cad didn't have an LDR sensor module i researched how i can compensate for that and found a circuit that implements a photo resistor to serve as a sensor module. 

3- this circuit  has the same concept of reading the analog input from a POT on pin A0   

testing the LDR Coding

4- to make sure my wiring was correct and to get a better understanding on how it works and what the analog input of the LDR looks like i used serial monitor  to view the reading of the LDR

5 - serial monitor reads the input - proof the circuit is correct

6- add the servo motor to the circuit 

7- after connceting the servo it is time to code the smart device. since the normal method of mapping the value of the LDR reading on the servo degrees will result in aggressive and sudden movements i decided to go with  a more dynamic method

8- the below block reads the analog input on pin A0 and maps the input from 1023 to 180 degrees of the servo and stores that value on the variable (LDR_servo) [now the value stored in the variable is the angle we want the servo to go to ) 

9- the below block reads the current degree of the servo attached on pen 3 and stores it on the variable (set_servo)

10- the below block increases the value of (set_servo) by 1 degree if the value of (set_servo) is less than the required value for the servo by the LDR stored in (LDR_servo) 

11- then sets the rotation of the servo to the value of (set_servo) [this will loop until the value of (set_servo) = the value of (LDR_servo) ]

12- the below block decreases the value of (set_servo) by 1 degree if the value of (set_servo) is bigger than the required value for the servo by the LDR stored in (LDR_servo) 

13- then sets the rotation of the servo to the value of (set_servo) [this will loop until the value of (set_servo) = the value of (LDR_servo) ]

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?

14- implement the diagram in real life and test the the LDR and servo on the breadboard

15- to flash the code onto the arduino i used arduino IDE

16- copy the code text from tinker cad 

17 - after opening arduino IDE, delete the existing code

18 - paste the code from tinker cad to the IDE 

19 - before flashing the code make sure that i have selected the correct board and port in the arduino IDE 

20 - verify the code in IDE ( no errors) 

21- upload the code to the arduino

part preparation and assembly 

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 first challenge was to find the LDR sensor module on tinker cad

1. after research i found out that there was no LDR sensor module but there was a photo resistor 

2. i researched hot to use a normal LDR to work as an LDR sensor module and i found the below example 

4- after drawing the schematic on tinker cad i coded the arduino to print the value of the analog input pin A0 to view the changes in real time as a testing technique for the new schematic

5- i found that it was working and the schematic worked as intended in real life with and arduino

Final Project

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

i chose this prototype since it is essentially a part from my final project coded and wired with arduino using a servo motor instead of a stepper motor. when i succeded and i got the output i wanted, now i have proof of concept that it can work and i have a better understanding of how the LDR works and what kind of limitations it has. now i can focus more on the other sections of my 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 had the make diploma W23 dish party and it was an amazing time

Weekly Digest

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.

Week Wrap Up In Pictures