Published April 21, 2023

Automatic Window Blinds (MEGR 3171 Spring 2023)

This will show the process, schematic, components, code, and a video presentation of the device.

IntermediateShowcase (no instructions)4

Automatic Window Blinds (MEGR 3171 Spring 2023)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Particle Argon

Photo resistor

SG90 Micro-servo motor

SparkFun Pushbutton switch 12mm

Solderless Breadboard Half Size

AA Batteries

wires

battery case

Software apps and online services

Particle Build Web IDE

Story

YouTube Video

Introduction

If you love the natural light through your windows but not the pesky neighbors, our automatic window blinds are for you. With our invention you can get the best of your window blinds as they allow natural light in as they remain open throughout the day, but will close as the sunsets giving.

Demonstration video

Above is a video that shows how the automatic window blinds would work while attached to a mock setup for demonstration purposes. The first argon receives light level values from a photoresistor. If the reading is below or above the variable defined as limit, the Argon will publish a data set called open or close. Argon 2 reads the published data from the Particle cloud and the micro servo will move into an open or closed state based on that reading.

There is also a switch, this can either be a push button or on/off switch depending on the circumstance, that Argon 2 has that allows for a manual override. When the switch is pressed the D7 LED will light up on Argon 2, publish this event to the cloud, and Argon 1 will read this event to turn off the D7 LED on that board. This switch prevents the micro servo from moving as long as it is active to allow the blinds to remain in it's current state.

Light level readings from the photoresistor are also published under an event called thingSpeakData to graph live data onto adafruit. This allows for easy access in monitoring when the blinds would be open or closed based off the limit variable. This also allows you to more accurately determine what time you want the blinds to open and close since each reading has a timestamp associated with it.

Pictures

TheParticle Argon with photo resister circuit is shown below.

Argon 1: photoresistor

The Particle Argon with the SG90 micro servo and switch.

Argon 2: SG90 micro servo and switch

Graphing

Below is an example of the live graphing with adafruit. Data is graphed with a time stamp as can be seen in the first graph. Graph 2 distinctly shows the photoresistor being covered and uncovered, this is shown with the spikes going up and down showing when the photoresistor is covered.

Use the link provided to view our feed: https://io.adafruit.com/Jbird8/feeds/iot-project

Adafruit live data with readings

Adafruit live graphing example 2

CircuitDiagram

Circuit Diagram of Argon 1 and 2

int photoresistor = A1;
int led1 = D7;
int buffer = 2000;
int limit = 1500;
int lightlevel;

void setup()
{
    //pinmodes
    pinMode(photoresistor, INPUT);
    pinMode(led1, OUTPUT);
   
    //subscribe to switch inputs
    Particle.subscribe("servopower", myHandler);
}

void loop()
{
    lightlevel = analogRead(photoresistor);
    Particle.publish("thingSpeakWrite", String(lightlevel), PRIVATE);
   
    if(lightlevel >= limit)
    {
        Particle.publish("lightlevel","open",PRIVATE);
        delay(buffer);
    }
   
    else
    {
        Particle.publish("lightlevel","close",PRIVATE);
        delay(buffer);
    }
}

void myHandler(const char *event, const char *data)
{
    if (strcmp(data,"on")==0) //servo is and light up D7
  {
    digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);
  }

  else if (strcmp(data,"off")==0) //servo is off and turn off D7
  {
    digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
  }
}

//servo pins and values
Servo myservo;
int servo1 = A0;
int orginstate = 1;
int openstate = 1;
int closestate= 90;


//switch pins and values
int buttonstate;
int switchpin = D7;

void setup() {

    //pinmodes
    pinMode(switchpin,INPUT);
    myservo.attach(servo1);

    //initial readings and values to start with
    myservo.write(orginstate);
   
    //subscibe to receive events from the photoresistor
    Particle.subscribe("lightlevel", myHandler);

}

void loop()
{
    buttonstate = digitalRead(switchpin);
   
    if (buttonstate == 0)
    {
       
        Particle.publish("servopower","on", ALL_DEVICES);
       
    }
   
    else if (buttonstate == 1)
    {
        Particle.publish("servopower","off",ALL_DEVICES);
       
    }
    delay(2000);
}

void myHandler(const char *event, const char *data)
{
 
  digitalRead(buttonstate);
 
  if (strcmp(data,"open")==0 && buttonstate == 0) //go to open state, strcmp compares data and open and returns 0 if true
  {
    myservo.write(openstate);
    delay(1000);
  }

  else if (strcmp(data,"close")==0 && buttonstate == 0) //go to closed state
  {
    myservo.write(closestate);
    delay(1000);
  }

  else {
    // if the data is something else, don't do anything.
  }
}

Credits

Collin Owensby

0 projects • 0 followers

J. Bird

0 projects • 0 followers

Automatic Window Blinds (MEGR 3171 Spring 2023)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

YouTube Video

Introduction

Pictures

Graphing

Code

Photoresistor Code

Servo And Switch Code

Credits

Collin Owensby

J. Bird

Comments

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Automatic Window Blinds (MEGR 3171 Spring 2023)

Automatic Window Blinds (MEGR 3171 Spring 2023)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

YouTube Video

Introduction

Pictures

Graphing

Code

Photoresistor Code

Servo And Switch Code

Credits

Collin Owensby

J. Bird

Comments

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