Part 10 (Week 10)

Assalamualaikum w. b.t

On the previous entry (The Components) I had mentioned that I will use Roboduino Romeo. But after discussed with my advisor and Sir Zul, we found that the Roboduino Romeo not compatible to my project cause of the output produced. Robuino Romeo is suitable to projects that have more output such as robot. As for my project just perfect to do it with arduino uno. So I have to exchange the part of components.

Description of Arduino Uno:

This is the new Arduino Uno R3. In addition to all the features of the previous board, the Uno now uses an ATmega16U2 instead of the 8U2 found on the Uno (or the FTDI found on previous generations). This allows for faster transfer rates and more memory. No drivers needed for Linux or Mac (inf file for Windows is needed and included in the Arduino IDE), and the ability to have the Uno show up as a keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc.

The Uno R3 also adds SDA and SCL pins next to the AREF. In addition, there are two new pins placed near the RESET pin. One is the IOREF that allow the shields to adapt to the voltage provided from the board. The other is a not connected and is reserved for future purposes. The Uno R3 works with all existing shields but can adapt to new shields which use these additional pins.

Arduino is an open-source physical computing platform based on a simple i/o board and a development environment that implements the Processing/Wiring language. Arduino can be used to develop stand-alone interactive objects or can be connected to software on your computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP). The open-source IDE can be downloaded for free (currently for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux).

Features:

• ATmega328 microcontroller
• Input voltage - 7-12V
• 14 Digital I/O Pins (6 PWM outputs)
• 6 Analog Inputs
• 32k Flash Memory
• 16Mhz Clock Speed

Arduino Workshop

Assalamualaikum w.b.t

On the 23^rd Feb 2012, Medical Electronics Club was held “Let’s Talk Arduino” by Sir Zulkifli Mahmoodin. The talk was held to introduce the Arduino as microcontroller. Before this, we just hear PIC, but now we have the Arduino as microcontroller which very easy compared PIC. I had joined that talk.

After got highly demand to extend the talk, Sir Zulkifli Mahmoodin elate to extend the talk became "Arduino Workshop". After discussing with the Medical Electronics Club committees, Sir Zul agreed to held Arduino Workshop on 17th March 2012.

In this workshop, Sir Zul had teach us manually, technically step by step how to use arduino. Set up the programming and applied the arduino program.

A month

Assalamualaikum w.b.t

It’s been a month already I didn't update my blog. Sorry for the late update. I had been busy with my phase test on week 7, assignments and mini project. I had to sit 5 papers for the phase test. Alhamdulilah, I can go through the phase test successfully.

So for week 6 until week 8, my advisor asks me to do more research about my project. Search the old research by others. Read and understand how they done and how I can improve the project much better and more efficient. I get the information from surfing the internet and some journals. Here the examples:

• Ø Sensing cane can help blind people avoid obstacle at eye level.

Associate professor Mitsuhiro Okayasu at the Akita Prefectural University in Japan has designed an electronic cane that will help blind people sense obstacles in their path at the level of their eyes.

The device features two ultrasonic sensors situated inside the cane where the person holds it and helps the user identify objects both in front and above him.The grip will vibrate when the cane encounters obstacles in front, while a wristband worn by the user will vibrate when the obstacle lies above him. Both sensors can detect obstacle from 1 ½ meters away. The cane is light, weighing about 300 grams.

• Ø A cane for the bind improves social interactions, Sunday Strolls.

Design student Selena Chew has a more modest technological breakthrough to help 285 million people who are blind or partially blind. The BlindSpot cane a clever and empathetic technological attempt to create new opportunities for social interaction for the visually impaired by harnessing GPS technology and non-visual interface design.

“I took the approach to serve their emotional needs more than just their physical needs,” she says. So, for her design program at the National University of Singapore, she built a prototype white cane that doubles as a GPS-enabled Smartphone with a tactile and audio interface that lets a blind user walk more confidently while navigating social settings a little more easily than usual.

“Their social life is dependent on the people around them. They cannot say hi to a friend without the friend say hi first,” Chew explains. A blind person could be standing right next someone they know it. The BindSpot cane will alert the blind friend that someone they know is nearby, and direct them to initiate a hello. That’s an empowering new ability. It’s not a pressing health issue that a blind person won’t ever see a classmate across the quad and be able to go up to them to ask about sharing notes, or that a blind child wouldn’t know his mother arrived at school to pick him up until she comes over to tap him on the shoulder. But each step toward fuller autonomy is an important one for the sensory impaired.