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  • Author Author: PaulMakesThings
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Smarter Life Challenge - USB-UART and other features

PaulMakesThings

Electronics

I'm really liking the PSoC creator software. I often find that when I program a micro controller I have to re-import the same features repeatedly. It's nice that the component catalog gives you standard features that you can reuse. Of course on other platforms I can paste in my code from my personal library and adjust it, but it's a lot faster and cleaner having a PWM block or a UART block that I can just drop in. Also, it really streamlines a project having the schematic and code in one project, and configurable pins are also a nice feature to have.

 

I figured one of the first things I'll need is a way to debug what the development board is doing. So before I get into integrating wirelss, rotary encoders or capacitive sensors I ran through a tutorial on USB-UART

PSoC 4 Pioneer Kit Community Project#04 - USB-UART Utility

The only hiccup I hit was that my project created without device.h, and I had to add it in to get this code to compile.

 

Project Direction

I’m considering what I really want this system to do. The original plan was to make an automated coffee maker so that I can have fresh coffee ready in the morning when I get up. Now that I’ve learned more about the PSoC 4, I’m realizing that it can do more than just run a process; it can constantly regulate a process. So I’m thinking that in addition to running my coffee maker, I would like to regulate other things which usually have to be controlled manually, such as my humidifier and heater.

Many people will quickly point out; you can buy a system that will regulate your heat and humidity. I know people point this out because I work with engineers and when I told them about it they immediately mocked the idea. But a hacker/maker doesn’t only make things that never existed; they also make their own customized and improved versions. There may be a system out there that does all the things I’m thinking of, closing vents in unused areas or to even out heat, monitoring energy usage, notifying me to refill the humidifier etcetera, but it’s probably expensive and wouldn’t work exactly how I want, and it probably doesn’t grind and brew my coffee every morning. I know it probably sounds like my project is creeping, but I’m keeping it modular. So I will add one part at a time and make it a complete system at each step. Right now I’m just investigating what is feasible, trying out sensors and other components.

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  • Hey Paul,

     

    Great post!

     

    I've learned to limit sharing ideas because it was frustrating to have people just rip them apart and try to stop forward progress and creativity because these others lacked vision. In fact, when I told my boss about winning into the finalists for the SmarterLife Challenge, he told me no one gave a "blank". I don't share his belief, lol.

     

    When I read about some of the projects, I realized how massive a system I was trying to implement and chose to whittle down. Your coffee maker idea assisted me in this process. It gave me focus to choose one item, develop it, and set it up to hack it (incorporate) in the future to become part of this larger system. Over the last couple weeks, although it has felt a little like a winding road, there is continued learning, forward progress, and enjoyment!

     

    I've used some of the $500 to buy Cypress Thermal Kit and CapSense Expansion Kit. I have L298N ICs and looked into one of the stepper motor projects, realized I had a drop in place IC. Then when I researched the Arduino board in that projects, I found out it actually uses the same chip family, L298P. Going through these things has been a lot of fun, tweaked some thoughts and perceptions, yielded blinky LEDs and gyrating motors.

     

    Keep having fun!

     

    Jim

  • in reply to marsmen

    There are a lot of people who think if they can find fault in an idea then they are smarter than the person who designed it. If you start out by trying to learn about what someone is doing than you can usually gain new ideas and possibly help them out. It's far more satisfying than just dumping on their idea. I like how the people on this site seem to have more of the learn/teach attitude than the "I'm smarter than you" one.

     

    So far I've spent about $100 of my budget, largely on sensors. I got some capacitive and digital temperature and humidity sensors because I know in a challenge like this it's worth getting a few spares to find the one I can implement the fastest and the most effectively. I'll post about integration when I have the one I choose to use set up. I'd like to do some blog posts that are more technical, but I'm glad people are responding well to the concept selection and ideation ones.

     

    I often use the line of chips you mentioned. The L298 is one of my go to motor drivers because they handle so much power, and L293 chips are a nice dip version that is a bit lower power. I keep a few of each on hand, even when I'm controlling a DC brush motor, the other half of the chip almost never goes to waste because I usually need two.

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  • in reply to marsmen

    There are a lot of people who think if they can find fault in an idea then they are smarter than the person who designed it. If you start out by trying to learn about what someone is doing than you can usually gain new ideas and possibly help them out. It's far more satisfying than just dumping on their idea. I like how the people on this site seem to have more of the learn/teach attitude than the "I'm smarter than you" one.

     

    So far I've spent about $100 of my budget, largely on sensors. I got some capacitive and digital temperature and humidity sensors because I know in a challenge like this it's worth getting a few spares to find the one I can implement the fastest and the most effectively. I'll post about integration when I have the one I choose to use set up. I'd like to do some blog posts that are more technical, but I'm glad people are responding well to the concept selection and ideation ones.

     

    I often use the line of chips you mentioned. The L298 is one of my go to motor drivers because they handle so much power, and L293 chips are a nice dip version that is a bit lower power. I keep a few of each on hand, even when I'm controlling a DC brush motor, the other half of the chip almost never goes to waste because I usually need two.

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