Inspiring Projects with Arduino
As I begin to explore Arduino, I sought out some inspiration for directions of future projects. In my research, I found three projects that offer me ways of prototyping some ideas.
1. Shower Light
My first idea came from this project posted in the Arduino project example library. This project consists of a light up cube which takes in audio from its surroundings. LED lights are in the middle of the cube which light up in cadence with the sounds it takes in. It’s simple and fun.
One idea I’d like to apply to with this idea is a light for the shower. The light, which would not be a cube probably more like a flashlight, could be attached to the shower head so it lights up the stream of water — turn out the bathroom lights, blare some EDM and you have a party. It sounds fun, I love a good shower dance. But I didn’t want to make something which encourages water waste. To counter this, I’d like to make something that is fun yet encourages timely showers. One way that I’ve thought about how to do this is using different colors for every minute or another type of rhythm to enable the user to know the amount of time in the shower.
Parts and costs for this project:
- A000005 Development Board, Arduino Nano, ATmega328 MCU, 14 3.3V I/O, 6 PWM Outputs, USB Mini B ($20.79)
- Spark Fun Electret Mic Breakout ($6.95)
- UCS1903B WS2811 SM16703 DC5V 12MM Full Color Led Pixel Light String ($7 for 15 pieces + $17 shipping)
- Total: ~$51.74
2. Light Up Phone Case
This project was made by a Dad to be able to provide a timer for his daughter. His daughter was unable to understand how long 2 or 10 mins was. The timer has a friendly and fun way of knowing how much time has passed during certain activities. On the display, LED boxes light up and as time passes more of the boxes “stack” from the bottom up — sorta like Tetris. When the lights are all lit up, your time is up.
I liked this idea and I wanted to be able to bring this kind of time keeping into a user’s phone. I think lights are less intrusive than the alarm sounds that iPhones offer. So I thought about how a clear phone case could offer a way to display the lights while also keeping the phone safe. The lights could be connected to the phone through an app where the user can adjust and personalize the settings. Maybe it could be used for fitness, studying, creative sessions, or prioritizing time such as when the user has been on social media or sedentary too long.
Parts and costs for this project:
- Adafruit NeoPixel NeoMatrix 8x8–64 RGB LED Pixel Matrix ($34.95)
- SparkFun Bluetooth Modem — BlueSMiRF Silver ($27.95)
- Piezo Buzzer — PS1240 ($1.50)
- Arduino UNO Rev3 ($22.00)
- PNY T2200 2200mAh 1 Amp PowerPack ($20.00)
- -Total: ~$106.40
3. Controlled Motor Rotator
At first, I was mostly interested in LED light systems. Than I began thinking of the research we have been doing in our product design project. Our problem space revolves around boredom and many of our insights have led us to the importance of goals, priorities, and acts of gratitude. I’m not entirely sure what this project from the Arduino library was intended for but it got me thinking of how I could use a spinner as a way to remind the user of something to keep them on track or in a better state of mind. Through an app, a user can spin a virtual dial which spins the motor of a physical dial as well.
This idea is intended to offer the user with a personalized spinner board which shows what they wish to be reminded of — goals, things to be grateful for, pictures or loved ones, etc. Throughout their day they can spin the motor to land on something to be reminded of. In my head it would serve best on a bedside table, so the user can have it next to them as they sleep and allows it to serve as a positive reminder to start and end their days. As I think about this idea more, I’d have to think about why it needs to be attached to their phone or if it needs to be attached at all.
Parts and costs for this project:
I’m excited to see how and if any of these ideas may manifest. It’s really inspiring to see the different projects that can be created with Arduino. It’s also inspiring to feel like I can make something of my own and test it out. For now, these are my inspirations and I know I can use these in so many different ways. One idea that is sitting in the back of my mind is creating some sort of lighting system on smartphones that can be connected to a controller through bluetooth. It could be a neat interactive addition for concerts or anything with a crowd. If any of the LED pursuits work out, maybe I can seek something out that fulfills this image.
