Published May 8, 2017 © GPL3+

Arduino Mystery Box - Beginners

Learn how to create your own Mystery Box, that will open only by interacting with the three inputs.

BeginnerFull instructions provided1 hour4,040

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino UNO

Ultrasonic Sensor - HC-SR04 (Generic)

Photo resistor

NTC Thermistor 10kohm

Breadboard (generic)

LED (generic)

Resistor 221 ohm

Resistor 10k ohm

Resistor 4.75k ohm

Jumper wires (generic)

Servos (Tower Pro MG996R)

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Story

Hello!

This is a tutorial for beginners, that will help you create a "Mystery Box" that will only open after using all three inputs (HC-SR04 Ultrasound sensor, Photoresistor, and an NTC Thermistor).

All steps completed, servo opened the lock.

I bought this box and drilled some holes into the sides of it for the inputs, and two more holes for the board, so I can supply power to it.

After gathering all needed items, you can wire them like I did in this Fritzing Diagram:

Fritzing Diagram for Mystery Box

For the NTC Thermistor I used a 10k resistor.

For the Photoresistor I used a 5k resistor.

You can use regular 220 ohm resistors for the LEDs.

--------

You can position the "sensors" how you'd like it the most in the box, but for me, this was the most easy and effective way.

Left side of the box, with 3 holes, 2 for Arduino board, and one for Photoresistor.

Right side of the box, with the Ultrasound sensor and Thermistor.

Top view of the Mystery box, with all 6 LED's mounted.

Messy inside of the Mystery Box, where you can see how the Servo was mounted.

I used a simple nail to lock the Mystery Box.

After completely wiring your Mystery Box and setting it up, you can now proceed to uploading the code to your Arduino Board.

The box will need this 4 steps in order for the servo to open and let you take a look inside.

Step 1: You will need to place something or your palm at 8 CM distance to the Ultrasonic Sensor.

Step 2: You will need to cover the Photoresistor so the value will be less than 7.

Step 3: You will need to heat the Thermistor a bit, so the value will increase.

Step 4: You will have to go back to step 2, but this time add light to it so the value increases to more than 75.

*Do not forget to adjust the values in the code, as for what you want it to do. (Change distance, temperature, or light values).

You can also improve the box, and add more sensors to make it more difficult.

I used this box to give my girlfriend a gift that could fit into the box, after she opened it. It took her about 2 hours and it said it was very challenging.

Have fun making this Mystery Box, and let me know what other features you'd add or already added to it.

Code

Mystery Box

const int blitzled1 = 9;
const int blitzled2 = 8;
const int redled = 7;
const int orangeled = 6;
const int yellowled = 5;
const int blueled = 4;
const int fotor = A0;
const int temp = A1;
int valu = 0;
int fot = 0;
int trigPin = 11;
int echoPin = 12;
long duration, cm, inches;
int ledState = LOW;
int steps = 1;
unsigned long previousMillis = 0;
const long interval = 100;

unsigned long currentTime  = 0; 
unsigned long pastTime     = 0;
int           currentState = 0;
unsigned long seconds = 0;
#include <Servo.h>
Servo myservo;
void setup() {
pinMode(blitzled1,OUTPUT);
pinMode(blitzled2,OUTPUT);
pinMode(redled,OUTPUT);
pinMode(orangeled,OUTPUT);
pinMode(yellowled, OUTPUT);
pinMode(blueled, OUTPUT);
pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
pinMode(fotor, INPUT);
pinMode(temp, INPUT);
myservo.attach(10);
Serial.begin(9600);
myservo.write(100);
startup();

}

void loop() {
  if (steps == 1) {
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
  delayMicroseconds(5);
  digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
  delayMicroseconds(10);
  digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
  duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
  cm = (duration / 2) / 29.1;
  if (cm > 7 && cm < 9)
  {
    pastTime    = currentTime;
    currentTime = millis();
    unsigned long timePassed = currentTime - pastTime;
    if (timePassed >= 1000);
            {
            seconds ++;
               pastTime = currentTime;
               blitz();
            }
   if ( seconds == 20 ) {
    Serial.print("Done!");
    Serial.println();
    seconds = 0; 
    steps = 2;
    Serial.print("Step 2");
    digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  }
  Serial.print(cm);
  Serial.println();
  delay(50);

}
}
  if (steps == 2) {
  int plm = 0;
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
 valu = analogRead(fotor);
 plm = map(valu, 0, 1023, 0, 100);
 Serial.print(plm);
 Serial.println();
 if (plm > 0 && plm < 6)
{
    pastTime    = currentTime;
    currentTime = millis();
    unsigned long timePassed = currentTime - pastTime;
    if (timePassed >= 1000);
            {
            seconds ++;
               pastTime = currentTime;
               blitz();
            }
   if ( seconds == 20 ) {
    Serial.print("Done!");
    Serial.println();
    seconds = 0; 
    steps = 3;
    Serial.print("Step 3");
    digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
    
  }
    
  Serial.println();
  delay(50);
  
}
}
  if (steps == 3) {
    digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
int temps = analogRead(temp);
int tempsp = map(temps, 0, 1023, 0, 100);
 Serial.print(tempsp);
 Serial.println();
if (tempsp >= 53)
{
    pastTime    = currentTime;
    currentTime = millis();
    unsigned long timePassed = currentTime - pastTime;
    if (timePassed >= 1000);
            {
               seconds ++;
               pastTime = currentTime;
               blitz();
            }
   if ( seconds == 10 ) {
    Serial.print("Done!");
    Serial.println();
    seconds = 0; 
    steps = 4;
    Serial.print("Step 4");
    digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
    
  }
    
  Serial.println();
  delay(50);
  
}
}


  if (steps == 4) {
  int plmz;
  int valuz;
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
 valuz = analogRead(fotor);
 plmz = map(valuz, 0, 1023, 0, 100);
 Serial.print(plmz);
 Serial.println();
 if (plmz >= 75)
{
    pastTime    = currentTime;
    currentTime = millis();
    unsigned long timePassed = currentTime - pastTime;
    if (timePassed >= 1000);
            {
            seconds ++;
               pastTime = currentTime;
               blitz();
            }
   if ( seconds == 20 ) {
    Serial.print("Done!");
    Serial.println();
    seconds = 0; 
    steps = 5;
    Serial.print("All done!");
    digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
    myservo.write(0);
    
  }
    
  Serial.println();
  delay(50);
  
}
}

}
void blitz() {
  unsigned long currentMillis = millis();
    if (currentMillis - previousMillis >= interval) {
    previousMillis = currentMillis;
unsigned long previousMillis = 0;
const long interval = 100;
    if (ledState == LOW) {
      ledState = HIGH;
    } else {
      ledState = LOW;
    }
    digitalWrite(blitzled1, ledState);
    delay(100);
    digitalWrite(blitzled2, ledState);
  }
}

void startup() {
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(3000);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(blueled, HIGH);
  delay(150);
  digitalWrite(blitzled1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blitzled2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(orangeled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(yellowled, LOW);
  digitalWrite(blueled, LOW);
}

Credits

Dragos

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Arduino Mystery Box - Beginners

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Mystery Box - Fritzing

Code

Mystery Box

Credits

Dragos

Comments

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Arduino Mystery Box - Beginners

Arduino Mystery Box - Beginners

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Mystery Box - Fritzing

Code

Mystery Box

Credits

Dragos

Comments

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