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Arduino Wearable Projects
Arduino Wearable Projects

Arduino Wearable Projects: Design, code, and build exciting wearable projects using Arduino tools

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Arduino Wearable Projects

Chapter 2. Working with Sensors

A sensor is a device that can detect changes or events and provide a corresponding output. The output is usually an electronic signal, for example, a light dependent resistor (LDR) outputs a voltage, which depends on the level of light cast on the sensors. When working with electronics, sensors are often divided into analog and digital sensors. Digital sensors can only detect two states, either on or off. The digital sensor can only distinguish if there is voltage going into the sensor or not. In code, this transfers into a 1 for voltage coming in and 0 if there is no voltage present. This is why they are called digital sensors, since they only operate in 0s and 1s. This means that these sensors only have two states, either on or off. A button, for example, is a digital sensor, which can only sense two states, if the button is pushed or not.

Analog sensors, however, can sense a range of values. The LDR, for example, is an analog sensor that changes...

Sensors

In this chapter, we will cover bend sensors, pressure sensors, light sensors, accelerometer, gyroscopes, and compass sensors. A sensor is a device that can detect events or changes of different kinds and can provide a corresponding output. It is a device that changes some characteristics due to external conditions and can be connected to a circuit, converting the signal so that it can be interpreted by a microprocessor.

With some sensors, you need to build you own circuitry and interpret the data provided by the sensor through code. Some complex sensors have a built-in communication protocol, which enables them to provide data corresponding to their function. The sensitivity of a sensor indicates how much the output data can change.

A bend sensor

The first sensor we will try out is a bend sensor. Sometimes it is also known as a flex sensor, and the name gives a good hint at what kind of sensor this is. As the name suggests, this sensor senses bends. The sensor works similarly to most...

Light dependent resistors

In this example, we will have a closer look at an LDR. The principal behind it is the same as the bend sensor used in previous bend sensor example. Depending on the light levels cast onto the sensor, the sensor changes its output voltage. LDR comes in different shapes and sizes and the LDR used in Figure 2.8 comes premounted with a surface mounted resistor on a small PCB manufactured by Adafruit. The principal of the PCB is similar to the circuit created using a breadboard and components in Figure 2.3.

Light dependent resistors

Figure 2.8: A PCB mounted LDR and resistor

The difference is that in the case of the PCB, in this example, everything is mounted nicely and we only need to attach it to the FLORA board using alligator clips. As shown in Figure 2.8, the LDR PCB has three connections VCC, OUT, and GND. Sometimes VCC is used to indicate power in. OUT in this case is the output signal, which is an analog signal. In Figure 2.9, you will find the necessary connections to the FLORA board...

The accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope

In the following example, we will try out an accelerometer, which is a device used for sensing g-force. The accelerometer can sense movement in different directions. Normally, there are two types of accelerometer: the 2 axes and 3 axes. The 2 axes measures in two directions, left to right and front to back, and these directions are often named as the x axis and y axis. The 3 axes accelerometer also measures in a z axis, which is up and down. The accelerometer measures movement relative to its own position, which means that when you move it, it measures the g-force in the direction you are moving it.

The sensor used in this example is the FLORA accelerometer/compass/gyroscope, which is actually three sensors in one. Besides the accelerometer, it holds a compass, known as a magnetometer, which senses where the strongest magnetic field is coming from. If there are no other magnets near by, the strongest magnetic field comes from the Earth's north...

Summary

In this chapter, we had a look at some different analog sensors that might be suitable for working with wearables. What defines an analog sensor is that they can output a range of values, not just 0s and 1s. The selection of sensors used in this chapter is just a small portion of the sensors available on the market, and if you can think of something that you might want to sense in the future, there is a good chance there is a sensor available for it.

The purpose of the chapter has also been to introduce readers not familiar with Arduino programming to some new commands, as well as two different communication protocols for interfacing with more complex sensors. Sensors that use some form of communication protocol are often referred to as complex sensors, and the ones that don't, such as the bend sensor and LDR used in this chapter, are normally just called sensors.

Finding the right sensor for your project may be tricky sometimes, and some of the sensors available can be expensive...

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Description

The demand for smart wearable technologies is becoming more popular day by day. The Arduino platform was developed keeping wearables, such as watches that track your location or shoes that count the miles you've run, in mind. It is basically an open-source physical computing platform based on a simple microcontroller board and a development environment in which you create the software for the board. If you're interested in designing and creating your own wearables, this is an excellent platform for you. This book provides you with the skills and understanding to create your own wearable projects. The book covers different prototyping boards which are compatible with the Arduino platform and are suitable for creating wearable projects. Each chapter of the book covers a project in which knowledge and skills are introduced gradually, making the book suitable for all kinds of readers. You begin your journey with understanding electronic components, including LEDs and sensors, to get yourself up to scratch and comfortable with different components. You will then gain hands-on experience by creating your very first wearable project, a pair of interactive bike gloves that help you cycle at night. This is followed by a project making your own funky LED glasses and a cool GPS watch. You'll also delve into other projects including creating your own keyless doorlock, wearable NFC tags, a fitness-tracking device, and a WiFi-enabled spark board. The final project is a compilation of the previous concepts used where you make your own smart watch with fitness tracking, internet-based notifications, GPS, and of course time telling.

Who is this book for?

This book is intended for readers who are familiar with the Arduino platform and want to learn more about creating wearable projects. No previous experience in wearables is expected, although a basic knowledge of Arduino programming will help.

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Publication date : Aug 28, 2015
Length: 218 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785282799
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Publication date : Aug 28, 2015
Length: 218 pages
Edition : 1st
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ISBN-13 : 9781785282799
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Table of Contents

10 Chapters
1. First Look and Blinking Lights Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Working with Sensors Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Bike Gloves Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. LED Glasses Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Where in the World Am I? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Hands-on with NFC Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Hands-on BLE Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. On the Wi-fly Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Time to Get Smart Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

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1 star 0%
talking Heads Oct 02, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
I was a technical reviewer for this book and reading it at its full version now I can guarantee it is a great resource. During my first experiments with Arduino I had to face a lot of the stages that are analytically explained in the chapters of this book. With a little more experience now I can use this guide to advance my skills and challenge myself for more complicated systems.Moreover, this excellent guide can eliminate the frustration often experienced when playing around with tangibles and Arduino. It enhances your creativity to think beyond the technical limitations and explore the overall functionality and design of the final product. It describes all the steps from introducing the components, to resources, to programming with Arduino IDE, to soldering the connections and creating the case for the product in an uncomplicated language.I think this book is for every maker soul out there!Enjoy!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Andreas Göransson Oct 11, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Tony has a way of explaining very technical things (like electronics) without having to dive too deep into the technical nature of the components. This book provides a solid introduction to building your own wearable electronics from a designers perspective using several different tools, platforms, and frameworks - each with their own strengths which Tony highlights in every chapter. Having read this book you will have all the means to creating your very own wearable prototypes using almost any kind of sensors and actuators.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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