I like to learn new things, as evidenced by me trying to program in Android, learning drupal, and now arduino.
Android was half baked, but I am using drupal in production. So I wonder if I am actually going to finish at least one arduino project. Today I got really close.
This is my first arduino project where I have the lights go on when someone goes down the steps.
My First Arduino Project
It uses an arduino uno board, a relay I got off ebay and a rhino 12 outlet power strip from Fry’s.
At this point it works, I can call it good. My solder skills seem to be better than whoever soldered the inside of the powerstrip.
But this is not the goal, the goal is to have my outdoor steps light up as someone walks by. No PC attached. So I need to get either a motion sensor or an IR sensor.
I certainly can purchase something premade and is way cheaper, but the goal is to learn, and learn I did. Its the journey not the destination.
Couple Things I learned
- Microcontrollers are cool
- Arduino is a popular electronics platform
- How to solder
- Fry’s is frequently out of the little things you need.
- Radio Shack still sells electronic components
- The small shops have really really friendly people and real dicks too.
- Online is cheap.
Ran an untimed 1 lap and walked 1 today and felt faster, wish I did time it. May attempt a 5k tomorrow, it is time to kick it up a notch.