Category Archives: Physical Computing

Plant Watering Alert System

The alert system functions by illuminating the green LED while the plant is properly watered and switches the red LED on when the plant is in need of watering (or dry). Also, when the soil is dry and the plant is watered, the system will turn the red LED off and the green LED on. [...]
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Electronics Lab

I successfully connected a DC power source using an AC-to-DC power adapter and a voltage regulator. Then I experimented with the multimeter to measure both amperage and volts through individual components and full circuits. As well as how voltage and amperage differs when components are in a series vs in parallel.
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Fantasy Device

Language Learning Glasses I’m simultaneously fascinated and frustrated with the rate at which a child can learn new languages. As we grow older, our ability to easily learn other languages dramatically decreases. Rosetta Stone has developed a system where you learn a foreign language based on word/picture associations. The idea is that when you see [...]
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Physical Computing – Week 2 Lab

This week we studied analog inputs. In lab, I created a circuit using the Arduino to translate analog reads from a potentiometer (switch) into the brightness of an LED. int potPin = 0; // Analog input pin that the potentiometer is attached to int potValue = 0; // Value read from the pot int led [...]
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Physical Computing – Week 1

The purpose of our first assignment in physical computing was to become familiar with circuits, the arduino microcontroller and building circuits on a breadboard. To begin I translated the circuit to the breadboard. Afterward I compiled and uploaded the program to the arduino microcontroller. End result: When the switch is off, the red led is [...]
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