Day 24: Gift box

With the last test in this Advent, we get really Christmasy. We’re building a reusable gift box with which you can delight your relatives. Every time someone opens the present, the contents are lit up in an individual colour, and a Christmas sound plays. Behind today’s door is a retro-reflective sensor. This is actually two components, an IR transmitter diode and a phototransistor. It’s not very easy to see which way the elements have to be connected in terms of polarity. For this reason, it’s best if you connect the photoelectric sensor with the connection cables according to the example shown. Then you won’t be able to switch the polarity as easily. ...

24.12.2016 · 6 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 22: MQTT Cheerlights

Today’s trial is about MQTT and a global project that was presented last year: the Cheerlights Project by Hans Schaaler. For everyone who doesn’t know the project: It’s about globally networked coloured lights that can be simultaneously controlled through Twitter commands. Another version of this project was part of last year’s Advent calendar. This year we have the version with MQTT and expanded functions. Behind today’s door is a 1-kohm resistor. The layout consists of the RGB LED with series resistors and a button. ...

22.12.2016 · 6 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 19: Configuration page for the NanoESP

Behind today’s door is another cable. With the two cables it’s possible, for example, to place the RGB LED apart from the board. We’ll need the RGB LED today because the test is about a website with which you can adjust its colours. But that’s not the main aspect: To make the configuration of the NanoESP board especially easy not just for programmers, there is a configuration page through which the WLAN data of the module can be adjusted. But first to the set-up. You see it in the following picture. ...

19.12.2016 · 5 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 17: Wake Up Light

Today’s project deals with a well-known lamp from Phillips, the Wake Up Light. This is an alarm clock that, instead of making a loud noise, slowly increases the brightness. This creates a type of sunrise, and one wakes up in a natural manner. Behind today’s door is another potentiometer, which is important for tomorrow’s test. The following layout is required today: The RGB LED with series resistors The sketch: A16_P17_WakeUpLight.ino /* TCP-Server: Wakeup light Change SSID and PASSWORD. RGB-Led (common cathode) on Pins 3,5,6 */ #include <NanoESP.h> #include <NanoESP_HTTP.h> #include <SoftwareSerial.h> #include "Websites.h" #include <math.h> #include <Time.h> #define SSID "YourSSID" #define PASSWORD "YourPassword" #define LED_WLAN 13 #define RED 3 #define GREEN 5 #define BLUE 6 #define GND 4 #define BUTTON 7 NanoESP nanoesp = NanoESP(); NanoESP_HTTP http = NanoESP_HTTP(nanoesp); //String timeServerIP = ; // time.nist.gov NTP server address String ntpServerName = "195.145.119.188";//"time.nist.gov"; const int NTP_PACKET_SIZE = 48; // NTP time stamp is in the first 48 bytes of the message byte packetBuffer[NTP_PACKET_SIZE]; //buffer to hold incoming and outgoing packets int alarmHour = 0, alarmMinute = 2; bool alarm; byte cRed = 0, cBlue = 0, cGreen = 0; unsigned long previousMillis = 0; // will store last time a msg was send unsigned long interval = 78; // void setup() { Serial.begin(19200); nanoesp.init(); pinMode(RED, OUTPUT); pinMode(GREEN, OUTPUT); pinMode(BLUE, OUTPUT); pinMode(GND, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(GND, LOW); pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT); //Only Station Mode for TimeSync nanoesp.configWifiMode(STATION); //delay(1000); // Wait till Connected to WiFi if (nanoesp.wifiConnected())digitalWrite(LED_WLAN, HIGH); else Serial.println(F("Error WLAN Connect")); //Start TCP Server if (nanoesp.startTcpServer(80)) Serial.println(F("TCP Server Activ")); else Serial.println(F("TCP Server Error")); //Print IP in Terminal Serial.println(nanoesp.getIp()); setSyncProvider(getNtpTime); Show_Time(); } time_t getNtpTime() { //convert to time_t , Paramter: connectionId, ServerAdress, Timezone return (time_t)getNTPpacket(4, ntpServerName, 2); } void loop() { String method, ressource, parameter; int id ; if (http.recvRequest(id, method, ressource, parameter)) { Serial.println("New Request from id :" + String(id) + ", method: " + method + ", ressource: " + ressource + " parameter: " + parameter); if (ressource == "/") { http.sendFromFlash(id, index, sizeof(index)); nanoesp.closeConnection(id); } if (ressource == "/settimer") { if (parameter != "") { //timer=02%3A03& String sHour = parameter.substring(parameter.indexOf('=') + 1, parameter.indexOf('%')); String sMin = parameter.substring(parameter.indexOf('A') + 1, parameter.indexOf('&')); String sDuration = parameter.substring(parameter.indexOf('&') + 1); sDuration = sDuration.substring(sDuration.indexOf('=') + 1, sDuration.indexOf('&')); alarmHour = sHour.toInt(); alarmMinute = sMin.toInt(); int iDuration = sDuration.toInt(); interval *= iDuration; Serial.println("Timer: " + String(alarmHour) + ":" + String(alarmMinute) + " Duartion: " + String (iDuration) ); Show_Time(); } nanoesp.closeConnection(id); } if (ressource == "/turnoff") { alarm = false; cRed = 0; cBlue = 0; cGreen =0; analogWrite(RED,cRed); analogWrite(BLUE,cBlue);analogWrite(GREEN,cGreen); } else { http.sendFromFlash(id, error404, sizeof(error404)); nanoesp.closeConnection(id); } } else { if (hour() == alarmHour) { if (minute() == alarmMinute) { if (!alarm) alarm = true; } } if (alarm) wakeUp(); } } void MorningAlarm() { Serial.println("Alarm: - turn lights off"); } void wakeUp() { if (millis() - previousMillis >= interval) { previousMillis = millis(); if (cRed == 0) Show_Time(); if (cRed < 255) { cRed++; analogWrite(RED, cRed ); } else { if (cGreen < 255) { cGreen++; analogWrite(GREEN, cGreen); } else { if (cBlue < 255) { cBlue++; analogWrite(BLUE, cBlue ); if (cBlue == 255) Show_Time(); } } } } } // prepare an NTP request to the time server and send to the given bool sendNTPpacket(int id, String address) { // set all bytes in the buffer to 0 memset(packetBuffer, 0, NTP_PACKET_SIZE); // Initialize values needed to form NTP request // (see URL above for details on the packets) packetBuffer[0] = 0b11100011; // LI, Version, Mode packetBuffer[1] = 0; // Stratum, or type of clock packetBuffer[2] = 6; // Polling Interval packetBuffer[3] = 0xEC; // Peer Clock Precision // 8 bytes of zero for Root Delay & Root Dispersion packetBuffer[12] = 49; packetBuffer[13] = 0x4E; packetBuffer[14] = 49; packetBuffer[15] = 52; // // if we need a cr/lf // packetBuffer[NTP_PACKET_SIZE ] = 0x0D; packetBuffer[NTP_PACKET_SIZE + 1] = 0x0A; // all NTP fields have been given values, now // you can send a packet requesting a timestamp: if ( nanoesp.sendRaw(id, packetBuffer, NTP_PACKET_SIZE)) return true; return false; } long getNTPpacket(int id, String address, int timeZone) { unsigned long secsSince1900; byte offset = 40; if (!nanoesp.newConnection(id, UDP, address, 123)) Serial.println ("no connection ntp server"); //NTP requests are to port 123 delay(100); if (!sendNTPpacket(id, address)) { Serial.println("No time request send"); return 0; } nanoesp.setTimeout(2000); if (nanoesp.find("+IPD,")) { int vid = nanoesp.parseInt(); nanoesp.find(","); int len = nanoesp.parseInt(); //Serial.println(String(len)); byte buffer[len]; nanoesp.find(":"); nanoesp.readBytes(buffer, 48); // for (int i = 0; i <= NTP_PACKET_SIZE; i++) { // Serial.print(buffer[i], HEX); // } // convert four bytes starting at location 40 to a long integer secsSince1900 = (unsigned long)buffer[offset + 0] << 24; secsSince1900 |= (unsigned long)buffer[offset + 1] << 16; secsSince1900 |= (unsigned long)buffer[offset + 2] << 8; secsSince1900 |= (unsigned long)buffer[offset + 3]; nanoesp.find("OK\r\n"); nanoesp.closeConnection(id); // return secsSince1900 + timeZone * SECS_PER_HOUR; // NTP Date return secsSince1900 - 2208988800UL + timeZone * SECS_PER_HOUR; // UNIX Date } else { Serial.println("no time recieved"); nanoesp.closeConnection(id); return 0; } } void Show_Time() { String shour, sminute, ssecond; Serial.print("Date: "); Serial.print(day()); Serial.print("."); Serial.print(month()); Serial.print("."); Serial.println(year()); if (hour() <= 9) shour = "0" + String(hour()); else shour = String(hour()); // adjust for 0-9 if (minute() <= 9) sminute = "0" + String(minute()); else sminute = String(minute()); if (second() <= 9) ssecond = "0" + String(second()); else ssecond = String(second()); Serial.println( "Time: " + shour + ":" + sminute + ":" + ssecond ); } (The former Arduino Create embed is no longer available; the code is taken from the download of all sketches.) ...

17.12.2016 · 5 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 11: Day- and nightlight

Behind today’s door is a 10-kohm resistor, but we don’t need it yet today. Instead, the set-up from yesterday’s test works today as well. In this project, you’ll build a day-night lamp that changes colours at specific times. Thus you can have a bright light shining during the day, while at night only a dim red serves as emergency lighting for a bit of orientation. The layout from Day 10 The sketch: A16_P11_Blynk7_DayNight.ino /* Blynk 7: DayNight Change ssid, password and token */ char ssid[] = "YourSSID"; char password[] = "YourPassword"; char token[] = "YourToken"; #define BLYNK_DEBUG #define BLYNK_PRINT Serial // Comment this out to disable prints and save space #include <ESP8266_SoftSer.h> #include <BlynkSimpleShieldEsp8266_SoftSer.h> // Set ESP8266 Serial object #include <SoftwareSerial.h> SoftwareSerial EspSerial(11, 12); // RX, TX ESP8266 wifi(EspSerial); boolean isDay; void setup() { // Set console baud rate Serial.begin(19200); EspSerial.begin(19200); Blynk.begin(token, wifi, ssid, password); } void loop() { //all events are handled by functions below Blynk.run(); } BLYNK_CONNECTED() { //Sync all states when reconnected Blynk.syncAll(); } BLYNK_WRITE(V1) //DayTimer { if (param.asInt()== 1){ Blynk.virtualWrite(V0,1); Blynk.virtualWrite(V7,0); isDay = true; Blynk.syncVirtual(V3); } } BLYNK_WRITE(V4) //NightTimer { if (param.asInt()== 1){ Blynk.virtualWrite(V0,0); Blynk.virtualWrite(V7,1); isDay = false; Blynk.syncVirtual(V8); } } BLYNK_WRITE(V0) //Day { if(param.asInt()==1) { Blynk.virtualWrite(V7,0); isDay = true; Blynk.syncVirtual(V3); } } BLYNK_WRITE(V7){ //Night if(param.asInt()==1) { Blynk.virtualWrite(V0,0); isDay = false; Blynk.syncVirtual(V8); } } BLYNK_WRITE(V3) // change color Day { if (isDay){ analogWrite(3, param[0].asInt()); // getting first value analogWrite(5, param[1].asInt()); // getting second value analogWrite(6, param[2].asInt()); // getting N value } } BLYNK_WRITE(V8) // change color Night { if (!isDay){ analogWrite(3, param[0].asInt()); // getting first value analogWrite(5, param[1].asInt()); // getting second value analogWrite(6, param[2].asInt()); // getting N value } } (The former Arduino Create embed is no longer available; the code is taken from the download of all sketches.) ...

11.12.2016 · 3 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 24: Fire alarm for the Christmas tree

The final project consists of several elements you have been introduced to in the course of the advent time. One function is the Cheerlights function presented the day before. You can also receive the current colour of the Cheerlights project and display it with the RGB-LED. The board is also used for long-term monitoring of the temperature. At the same time, the board is used to emit an alarm sound when the temperature exceeds a specific value, e.g. because there is a fire. As a last function, the board can be used as a Christmas bell, by making it play the song Jingle Bells with a time-controlled TalkBack command. All in all, today’s project is an all-rounder for the Christmas tree. ...

24.12.2015 · 5 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 23: Cheerlights

Today’s experiment is based on a project by Hans Scharler that is called Cheerlights. The idea is globally linked lights that can be simultaneously controlled via Twitter commands. It is a good example of the world growing closer and closer together with the Internet. The circuit is similar to previous projects Behind today’s door, you will find a fourth extension cable with which the RGB-LED can also be placed aside. This can be particularly practical if, for example, you want to hide the board in the Christmas tree while the RGB-LED decorates the top of the tree. ...

23.12.2015 · 2 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 17: IR module

Today’s project permits controlling the controller by remote control. You can change the colour of the RGB-LED with buttons you can choose on an infra-red remote control, and change the background colour of the website right along with it. TheIR-Modul on Pins D7-D5 Behind today’s door, you will find the important part of today’s project, i.e. the infra-red receiver module. You can connect the module without a cable as shown in the figure below. The program sets the corresponding pins so that the module is supplied with power. ...

17.12.2015 · 2 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 16: GPIO Control

Today’s project permits simple control of the digital pins D2-D7 per website. The status of the respective pin is also presented on the website, so that you will never lose the overview. To review the condition of the pin well, a setup as in the following figure is recommended. Both the RGB-LED and the regular LED are used. The cathodes of the LEDs are now not connected to the long ground line on the outside of the board, but are also at a digital output. Only when these pins are switched low can the LEDs light up. ...

16.12.2015 · 2 min · Fabian Kainka

Day 14: Webserver for the RGB-LED

Today’s project is about controlling the RGB-LED by web server. A well-structured interface can be used to change the colour of the LED. The website has also been adjusted and should be easy to display even on Smartphones. The website on a PC browser Behind today’s advent calendar door, there is another resistor, but this one is of 10 kΩ (brown, black, orange). You will need it for tomorrow’s experiment. ...

14.12.2015 · 2 min · Fabian Kainka