NOOB: Rasberry Pi or Arduino - Larson Bar controlled by smartphone bluetooth

Hi,

     Although you have posted in Raspberry Pi, this would work well with Arduino. To add Bluetooth, add a shield for the Arduino like http://www.seeedstudio.com/wiki/Bluetooth_Shield

In the second demo is the programming to connect to a phone and connect a temperature sensor. But you can ignore that part, since you will use to change the action of the LED's. The Raspberry route is doable with a bit more programming because of Linux things. Nice links btw. Please post what you do for the build. I am sure you can get any help you need here.

C

Hi Casey,

I realize that the following project is not a beginner project.  And I am a beginner.  However, before I spend $ and time w/ either Rasberry Pi or Arduino, I'd like some input.

Don't worry, there should always be a starting point to move from a beginner to and advanced Then in my opinion this project don't seems me so much complex. I agree with clem57 that Arduino - as far as what we know reading your post - maybe perfectly working. But if you want to make something competing with a sort of commercial product, my suggestion is that you before see what the other has done, and possibly find at least a small detail that can make the difference. In this case, it is the worth to explain more in detail what do you have in mind, just before deciding to start with Arduino then discover that the Raspberry PI maybe a bit more expensive but opens the door to a more complete and innovative / reliable product.

Enrico

@enrico  thanks for encouragement

@Clems thanks for the direction

The key difference between the commercial product  and my idea

Hardware:  Much more portable (many therapist move between lots of offices and having a $$$ product in each is not feasible).  So the size of lightbar and bluetooth w/ phone are key.  wifi/networks wouldn't be an option as not just different offices, but sometimes different office spaces.  I plan on building a simple tripod, or option to hand from simple push pins for display purposes.

hardware / software dream next generation:  build connection / application in stereo tones that match the lights.   build connectivity / application management for Tacticle sensors (think holding small vibrating paddles, like a phone on vibrate).

App: Today, I was working with a patient, and realized that the latest research supports a small random change between each set of DAS .   So I was hoping to program the app to allow a range of speed or brightness to be unique each time the start button is selected (read below). 

Apps : To allow for eventual recording the number of sets. 

Beyond that , maybe sometime writing a premium app to be the clinical note for the treatment (this would add a whole new layer of complexity).  There is a research based standard protocol for how this is administered and monitored.

Dream of just light bar draft 1

App: Have a dial on screen for changing speed of lights with a max and min boundary. 

App: Possibly dial for brightness of lights.  (v2. separate settings for tactile paddles and audio tones). 

App: Setting to change color of lights from phone.  Can one LED be different colors?  I thought I read that they could.

• Push / slide to start button on phone.  Lights begin.
• Then Option 1
• Have a planned set length that is adjustable by clinician  ~15s to ~45 s
• Set ends automatically w/ countdown.
• Or
• Option 2
• No timer
• Set ends by pushing or sliding stop button.
  
  
• Have option for constant speed of lights on each set.

• Have option for random speed w/n a small variation (it is theorized that we as humans began to ignore novelty quickly).  In other words, each Start speed would be slightly different than the previous w/n a window of tolerance.  The lights would be a constant rate during the entire set.  But set A might be faster than B or C, etc.

Hi @Mention do you think I should repost in Arduino?

cburnett1981

     No problem, just leave here until you decide and then you can edit to move it at the bottom.

C