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)

During my recent trips, I noticed how car security gates are used at parking lots and residential areas to regulate entry and exit. I was inspired by how these gates combine mechanical design, sensors, and access control systems to improve both safety and convenience.

Tool Chain

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

Software

Materials

Electronics

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?

Design the circuit using Tinker Cad

I created a new circuit sketch on Tinker Cad.

I dragged the following components:

IR sensor
Servo Motor
Breadboard
Arduino UNO

Wiring the circuit

IR Sensor [INPUT]:

VCC (Red wire) → Breadboard positive rail → Arduino 5V

GND (Black wire) → Breadboard ground rail → Arduino GND

Signal (Green wire) → Digital pin 6 on Arduino

Servo Motor [OUTPUT]:

GND (Black wire) → Breadboard ground rail → Arduino GND

VCC (Red wire ) → Breadboard positive rail → Arduino 5V

Signal (Orange wire) → Digital pin 3 on Arduino

Breadboard Power Rails:

Arduino 5V connected to red (positive) rail on breadboard

Arduino GND connected to black (negative) rail on breadboard

Servo motor and IR sensor are powered via the breadboard rails

Programming Arduino using Code Blocks in TinkerCad

I used Code Blocks to set the input and the output as shown in the image below.

I tested the logic of the code through the serial monitor. When the object is out of the range of the IR sensor, the serial monitor prints "No object - Servo at 0 degrees"

And when the object is within the range of the IR sensor, the serial monitor prints "Object detected - Servo at 90 degrees"

Simulation Video of the circuit

Week 6 - Tinkercad circuit - Made with Clipchamp.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?

I uploaded the code to the Arduino UNO board through the USB cable. Then, I wired the IR and Servo and ran a test to make sure that everything is working before putting them in place.

Testing the code

The final product!

Week 6 Video - Made with Clipchamp.mp4

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?

At first, I was unsure whether to use an ultrasonic sensor or an IR sensor. Some online resources suggested ultrasonic sensors because they are accurate for measuring distance, but others noted that IR sensors have a faster response time and are simpler to integrate. Since my project only needed to detect the presence of a car rather than measure its distance, I chose the IR sensor. The quick response made it more suitable for opening and closing the gate without delay.

Reference

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?

At the beginning, I got stuck because the servo motor kept opening and closing too fast. I turned to online resources, and I realized that I needed to add a delay function in my code to control the timing.

Final Project

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

I can use this week’s skills in my digital ruler final project. At first, I planned to use a rotary encoder, but Menna Asker suggested an IR sensor, which actually aligned with my initial idea when I inspected an old laser mouse and discovered it uses a similar mechanism. This week’s assignment gave me good hands-on training with the IR sensor, which will help me apply it more effectively in 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?

The coolest thing I learned this week was the mechanism of the optical mouse. I discovered that it doesn’t rely on wheels or mechanical parts, but instead uses two IR sensors along with a small LED or laser to track movement across a surface. The mouse constantly shines light on the surface and the sensors detect the reflected patterns. By comparing the signals from the first and second sensors, the mouse can determine whether it is moving up, down, left, or right. This principle of analyzing the shift between two signals (called quadrature detection) is both simple and powerful. I will never forget how such a tiny, everyday device uses this elegant system to translate small physical movements into precise digital signals.