Michael Beyhs shows us how to use an LED as a sensor: How the code works: Configure all analog inputs to outputs and pull low to turn on all red LEDs. Turn one analog input pin into an actual Input and read the amount of light that is reflected into it. Turn that input back into […]
Category Archives: sensors
Diode temperature sensor calibration using Arduino and SHT15 module
Paulo writes: A simple diode or the output of a transistor bias circuit can be used as a rough temperature sensor. For this purpose, a calibration procedure using a precise temperature sensor is recommended. This article shows how to calibrate such a temperature sensing circuit using an Arduino and the SHT15 Sensirion temperature/humidity sensor module.
Magic Mote thermostat and wireless temperature sensor
Tom’s another cool project the Magic Mote thermostat and wireless temperature sensor: A homemade thermostat up in the basement rafters controls the heating in my home. The smart bit is the radio frequency communication that connects it to a remote temperature sensor. So, I’m planning a home automation system based around wireless nodes (the Magic Mote […]
Wireless sensor node with MSP430G2553 and 8-pin adapter for NRF24L01+
Tom has designed this Magic Mote wireless sensor, that is available at Github: I set out to design a wireless sensor PCB that could be inexpensively prototyped in quantities of 10. NRF24L01+ modules are exceedingly cheap (~$10 for 10), use very little power, and have sufficient range for most indoor projects. Low power MSP430 microcontrollers make an ideal […]
MSP430TCH5E MCU integrates haptic and cap touch sensors
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player TI has announced their new MSP430TCH5E microcontrollers which include haptics and capacitive touch capabilities on one chip. This allow users to add vibrational feedback on capacitive touch buttons, sliders and wheels, as well as capacitive touch screens in designs. The Immersion TouchSense technology enables 122 different haptics effects, including effect […]
Reviewing Dorji’s DSTH01 digital temperature and humidity sensor module
Raj did a review of Dorji’s DSTH01 digital temperature and humidity sensor module: The DSTH01 module is smaller than 0.4″X0.4″ in dimension and operates at 2.1-3.6V power supply. The pull-up resistors for I2C lines are available on board. I tested this sensor module with Crowduino (an Arduino Duemilanove clone with Atmega328) using Jonas Bo Jalling’s Si7005 Arduino […]
MotionMote – Moteino motion sensor
Felix of LowPowerLab writes: I’m calling it MotionMote because it detects motion and because pretty much every type of wireless sensor or Moteino node name ends in “mote“. The possibilities for home security are endless, put this little guy in a corner near a door or on top of a cabinet somewhere and detect them intrudaz! […]
Realtime color tracking with Arduino and OpenMV
In a previous post we featured OpenMV, an inexpensive open-source tiny machine vision module based on an STM32F4 ARM Cortex-M4 micro and OV9650 sensor. Ibrahim has posted an update on this project, including links to the schematic and source code. The above video shows the module tracking a ball with an Arduino. Via the contact […]
The street lights really ARE tracking you
Reuters has reported that overhead street lights are being retrofitted with multi-sensor capabilities. One such platform being used is known as Netsense by Sensity. The Sensity site describes the platform thusly: NetSense integrates LED lighting, sensors, high-speed networking, cloud computing, and big data analytics into a single, MultiService Platform (MSP). With NetSense you get distributed […]
Arduino Neurosky brain wave (EEG) library
Users of the Neurosky EEG brainwave sensor devices will be glad to learn that there’s an Arduino library for reading data. “Brain is an Arduino Library for parsing data from Neurosky-based EEG headsets. Tested units include the Star Wars Force Trainer and Mattel MindFlex. It’s designed to make it simple to send out an ASCII […]
Video: Reversing Tire Pressure Monitors with SDR
In this presentation from the recent Toorcon 15 in San Diego, CA, Jared Boone, co-developer of the HackRF SDR detailed his efforts in reversing tire pressure monitors found on most vehicles. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) are present on all US automobiles sold as of 2008. This talk, given at ToorCon 15 in San Diego, […]
Weather station
Xose Perez of Tinkerman has written an article detailing the build of his weather station: Arduino FIO based weather station with a DHT22 temperature & humidity sensor and a BMP085 barometric preassure sensor. The whole sensor will be powered by a solar panel (doubling as irradiance sensor) and backed by a LiPo cell.
Simple Propeller GPS status display
If you’ve ever wanted to know how many GPS satellites are receivable at your location here’s a good beginneer’s Propller project that provides the answer. Its a GPS status display project Nick Ernst developed written in SPIN code and using a Propeller Mini Board, VPN11513 GPS Receiver, shift register and 7-Segment LED display. “The Propeller […]
libfitbit: open source Fitbit API
Today there are a number of wearable fitness monitoring products with the Fitbit family among the more popular choices. While Fitbit has made an API available for developers to interact with Fitbit data in their own applications, products and services, the product is not open source. There is an open source alternative API developed by […]
TI glass breakage detector design and sample kit offer
TI is making samples available of of components used in their new glass breakage detector. This simple glass-breakage detector solution describes a simple glass breakage detector using the MSP430F2274 and was developed to operate at low power, allowing long battery life. The algorithm is based on the spectral analysis of a typical glass breakage signal […]
A simple brushless sensored motor driver for AVR Atmega
Davide Gironi has written an article detailing his brushless sensored motor driver for AVR Atmega: For this project, I’ve implemented a simple brushless sensored motor driver for AVR Atmega. The code i propose it’s not perfect, and can be improved, but for the needs i had it works. Using this library, the motor can be controlled in speed […]
Precision temperature measurement
Scott Harden writes: In an effort to resume previous work [A, B, C, D] on developing a crystal oven for radio frequency transmitter / receiver stabilization purposes, the first step for me was to create a device to accurately measure and log temperature. Check out the video after the break.
Breakout board uses HB100 doppler motion sensor
limpkin has been working on a dev board for the HB100 microwave sensor. He developed a breakout board that allows the module to operate as a motion sensor. “I’m sure you’re quite familiar with the Doppler effect: you send an RF signal at a given frequency to a target, and if this object/person is moving […]
AmbientMonitor Arduino Javascript dashboard project
Luca Dentella posted an example on his blog about creating a full-working dashboard for Arduino (charts and gauges) in Javascript, running entirely in a web browser without the need for a webserver.without the needing of a webserver it runs entirely in a web browser. In this implementation, Luca uses the Arduino connected to an AM2302 […]
Arduino based sensor shoes assist visually impaired
Student and developer Denver Dias has posted an intro to his undergrad project in Engineering: a walking aid for the blind. The walking aid consists of a pair of shoes attached with ultrasonic sensors on the sensing side. The information, obtained from these sensors, is used to form a virtual map of the surroundings. This […]