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  • Author Author: camuyano
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SmartLife Challenge: GeoCar on Droid

camuyano

Here is a quick update from the project.

A lot needs to be done for the GeoCar to call it completed. Well maybe this is one of those projects that is never completed. A project like this is an always growing project, which is great because there is no limit on what can be achieved. Regardless of how much can be done some tasks needs to be completed. So I attacked a big task to check out and it is the Android app to extract data from the PSoC. For this I just pulled out the sample Bluetooth app I did for a prior post on Android and Bluetooth and then added a bit more.

Without further introduction here it is a screen shot of the app. It has one only button to keep it simple, it is press and done. When user press the Connect button, the phone connects to the PSoC and starts pulling the data out. The button caption changes to Disconnect (as shown bellow) and a Loading text is shown. The pulled out data is then saved into the phone external memory (/mnt/sdcard/GPS/GPS.txt ). For now the data is stored on the SDCard for latter either plot from the mobile phone or upload to the GeoCar Web Site.

 

Here is a screen shot of how the app looks like and you may guess it the source code is on github (https://github.com/soynerdito/GeoCarDroid)

image

 

Future plans for the app are:

1. Monitor mode - connecting to the GeoCar and see on real time the PSoC status. Helps on debugging any problem that may arise and as you all know things always happen.

2. SMS - waits for a secret messages code. When the secret code is received then it connects to the PSoC via Bluetooth and sends a shuts off the car signal. This is a feature that can be used in case of the car get stolen. Picture you get a carjack, just get out of the car and back to safety but remember leave your phone inside the car. Once you safe grab somebody's phone a text your secret code to yourself. When the app gets the message it then connects Bluetooth to the PSoC and sends a distress signal. With the message you may have wired up the PSoC to the car engine and turn it off while sending a response SMS with the location. The theft will be inside the car but it will be turned off, then is just getting a cop and collect it back, BOOM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading and keep tune for further updates.

  • Yes, every project reaches the point where you need to take it away from the designers and turned over to the finishers.

     

    I think you have reached that point.

    When you get an idea, write it down.  If you finish the basic project early, you can always add features, but get the basics done first so you have something to demonstrate.

     

    DAB

  • in reply to vsluiter

    What the PSoC is providing on this project may mainstream. However since the PSoC is the hard of it all. In this specific case, the pioneer kit is pack with the PSoC 4 and the PSoC5 and I am using both of them. The PSoC 5 comes with a tool for writing to the SDCard a thing that was giving me trouble on the PSoC4 plus consuming pins. Also since the Pioneer kit has Arduino pin-out compatibility it is easy to prototype by using their shields. I do dream a lot on what can be done and on my day to day work do the same. Not always my dream may come to reality but some do make it and when they do it feels great. I see micro controllers as the unknown heroes, they do the work and don't get recognition.

  • At start I didn't see much use of a PSOC in a car, but this is getting more and more interesting if you get your fantasy flowing... Kind of A-team with electronics image