Hello,
After the thread of my problem of starting the ADC module, and then after learning how to activate it, I was able to proceed my testing to the joystick module.
So, after learning how to adjust the ADC, the application of the joystick was to read the xy-axis and also to read the push button, there was a problem of reading the push button, but I fixed that with the PCINT interrupt, and I was quite happy to work with interrupts.
But Mr Kartman pointed to me that I could use "soft" timer to run the tasks simultaneously without using hardware interrupts and of course that means saving the hardware interrupts for more important tasks. The title of using this method I would like it to be part of this thread, if not then let's leave it for now until I get to the part in the projects where I need to apply this strategy.
So, as the title of this thread which is about sensors. Let me list the projects I recommended for the students, and then investigate the required sensors for the projects and which sensors are the best for the applications I want.
1. 3-way traffic system, with red light and speed radars.
In this project; the traffic lights are easy would be red, green and yellow LEDs.
But the sensors are what I want to know more about; like, how to operate them in the proper and suitable way for the specific project.
I'm thinking of this module as it would be suitable for all the sensing elements for most of the projects.
It emits IR and receives the reflected signal, it has a range of like 0.1 to 11 cm roughly. It's cheep I can order a lot of it, as it can get the job done.
1. For speed radars, I can put two module for a specific range to cover; like, 5 cm, and if a car triggers the first IR module and triggers the second one, then I measure the time between the 2 triggers and calculate the speed; just for demonstration << would this method work? I can wave my hand and it catches the moves so I based on this test that it should work with small car toys.
2. For red light violation sensing: It should work just the same for any moving car in from of the un-allowed area for each way.
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2. This project is an idea of my colleagues, which is a warning system on the highways in the city, if there's problems or traffic jam in a specific area on the highway, that there are sensors on the two ends of this area which counts the number of cars, if the number is too high then there's a problem or jam, so based on this result, the system warns the people coming before this area that there's a problem and they have the chance to change their way and take any near exit. And that should help in not getting the situation worse.
So for the hardware I think that IR module should work too.
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3. Greenhouse system, in this project, of course there are other types of sensors; like, vibration, humidity and temp., wind .. etc.
I would like to know about any suggestions or recommendations for this project.
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4. Power saving system for buildings;
In the college we have part of this method which is a timer to switch off the air conditioning packages like on 4:30 PM, and that's it, no more power saving system, to switch off any lights which could be ON all the night. I'm not thinking of other things to switch off besides the lights, because there are refrigerators, computers and any other appliances that it's important to stay ON.
I suggested that we may place the same IR modules on the doors of the building and count the people coming in/out from the start of the day, and at 4:30 PM if the counters reads 0 which means that there are no people, then it switches all the lights OFF. Didn't think of another functionality to add other than lights. Maybe monitors, but monitors go to standby mode which saves power.
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5. I still need one more project idea, of course there are many on the web but as you noticed I'm looking for systems that are not very difficult for the students to do. Some students told me of using piezoelectric modules to get electricity from walking people but I think they are expensive, am I right?
What I'm asking now from you is that what you think of the implementation of the IR modules? Are there any suggestions for recommendations for different ways to implement the hardware or software parts or other project ideas.
Thanks :)