Category: Tutorials

Cheryl’s project prototype and tutorial draft

Background

I believe that every dog owner has the same frustrations of your dog digging in the trash even with a trash can lid. So I want to adjust my dog’s behavior by designing a trash can with a sensor that makes a buzzing noise to stop them before they start their “treasure hunt”. 

Introduction

I realize that most trash cans are in a cylinder shape where my dog loves to approach it from all directions which would be hard to capture their coming distance, so I want to make a right triangle shape trash can that can be placed in a corner of my home, and the sensor will be on the hypotenuse side to better measure and capture my dog’s movement. 

Tutorial Steps:

  1. The trash can will be constructed based on three main pieces of acrylic sheets, so measure and cut the neopixel strip based on the acrylic sheet’s length. 
  2. Solder the Neopixel strip, buzzer, and ultrasonic sensor onto an arduino board.
  3. Alter the code into white color light.
  4. Set the buzz time to last 3 seconds.
  5. Cut a slit (that would fit the neopixel strip) in three wooden blocks 
  6. Cut the wood diagonally on the two shorter sides of the wooden block
  7. Cut the plywood into right triangle shape as the trashcan’s base 
  8. Glue all the parts together

Video Storyboard

  1. Full shot: Me watching tv and heard noises from the trashcan
  2. Close up: My dog digging through trash
  3. Extreme close up: All the mess my dog made, trash on the floor
  4. Wide shot: The triangle trash can I made in the corner
  5. Wide shot: My dog approaching to the trashcan
  6. Full shot: The trash lights up, and make buzz noises
  7. Wide shot: My dog running away from the trashcan

Material List:

  1. Arduino Board
  2. Ultrasonic Sensor: https://www.adafruit.com/product/4007
  3. Buzzer 5V: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1536
  4. LED x 1-3
  5. Jumpwires
  6. Translucent Acrylic sheet 12×12 (3 pieces): https://www.canalplastic.com/collections/acrylic-sheets/products/2447-white-translucent-acrylic-sheet?variant=32920753934
  7. Neopixel strip: https://www.amazon.com/BTF-LIGHTING-Flexible-Individually-Addressable-Non-waterproof/dp/B01CDTEJBG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3TTI0VBO3GULC&keywords=neopixel+strip&qid=1637641223&sprefix=neopixel+st%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQVRRMEhEN0ZDWTBEJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzE4Njk5MlBRUUxPMzI2UURMVSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzgxNDg3Mkw3T05VNDU5MkNUVyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
  8. Plywood

Instructables account:

https://www.instructables.com/member/Cherylzxe/

Circuit Diagram:

Mini version prototype:

Google doc link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DHkaT1zCgoM6UfrQU_1pR1NmNOBNPm9e9XlF5phQSXY/edit?usp=sharing

Week 5 Assignment

For this week’s assignment, I was able to get a deeper understanding of the world of electronics but was also initially confused by some of the new components we are incorporating into our circuit board in the Motor exercise, such as diodes and transistors (hoping we can go over them at some point). Another thing I had the opportunity to improve on was my soldering skills from the Neopixel light exercise. I look forward to incorporating these lights in future projects.

Here are videos of the exercises:

Some fabric light tests for collective benefit

Hey friends! I was struggling with how to even figure out which fabrics to buy based on how I want to diffuse the light in my plush toy, so I grabbed a bunch of samples of sheer fabrics from the VFL and did this light study with a set of clear white LEDs. I don’t necessarily know what each type of fabric is but I plan to find out soon (if you know one, please let me know), so if one of them interests you just let me know which sample number it is. From there, I’m sure we can figure out the type of fabric 🙂

This is not my prototype or anything, but I felt like other people might be interested.

Sample 1

Sample 2

Sample 3

Sample 4

Sample 5

Sample 6

Sample 7: Felt (I know this one)

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions or comments.