Published December 7, 2020

Long Distance Couple Communication Device

A communication device that allows couples to communicate with each other over long distances using LEDs.

BeginnerFull instructions provided2 hours491

Long Distance Couple Communication Device

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Particle Argon

Breadboard (generic)

LED (generic)

DFRobot Gravity:Digital Push Button (Yellow)

Resistor 221 ohm

Software apps and online services

Particle Build Web IDE

Story

This project follows the requirements for MEGR 3171 Intro to Measurement and Instrumentation at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The devices function with Bi-Directional, 2-way communication between Particle Argon devices. This is the IOT Project for group 47.

Motivation:

It has been over four years since I started dating my girlfriend. We were always very close, but when college started it was clear that we would be going in different directions in life. I was off to pursue engineering while she pursued public health and global studies. It seemed that even our plans after college would keep us distant. However, I didn’t believe that the distance should keep us from being together.

From here I would always try and come up with ideas of feeling close even when we were far from one another. I became motivated to use what I learned from my engineering classes to create a dim light lamp that would light up when the other person was around. This project is the start of that fruition.

The Project:

This project allows people to communicate presence with one another over vast distances with the press of a button. As long as the device is connected to WiFi, pressing the button sends a signal to the other person’s device, lighting up their sequence of LEDs. This sequence is easily customizable in both the number and layout of LEDs present, and the sequence of lighting created by the device.

Image 1: Long Distance Couple Communication Device

“Image 1” shows how the final product will look for both devices. Each device will have bi-directional communication between devices being able to send and receive the signal at any time. The design allows simple movement of the device with an external battery pack.

Image 2: Internal Components of IOT Device

“Image 2” shows the internal components of the project and how the LEDs can be easily attached to the device allowing customizability. Both devices will have almost identical, yet customizable, internal components for effective bi-directional communication between them.

Moving Forward:

The development of this project has provided a deeper understanding of how devices, such as the particle argon, openly communicate with each other through WiFi. Moving forward, I believe this idea could be expanded on. Using the particle argon I believe it could be used to activate a relay that powers a more extensive series of LEDs. The device could resemble more of a lamp than a small communication device. This could also allow more customizability and power to the device that the Particle Argon can not provide alone.

IOTProject Video:

IOT Project in Action Video

ThinkSpeak:

IOT Project Graphed Communication Data

Code

int led1 = A5; 
int led2 = A4;
int led3 = A3;
int led7 = D7;
int button = D6;
int digitalValue;
void setup() {
    Particle.subscribe("on3", function);
  pinMode(led1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led7, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(button, INPUT);
  delay(1000);
}
void loop() {
 
 digitalValue = digitalRead(button);
 
 if (digitalValue == 1) {
    Particle.publish("on4");
    delay(5000);
  }  else{
    analogWrite(led1, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led2, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led3, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led7, LOW);
    delay(500);
 }
 
}
int function(const char *on, const char *data){
    analogWrite(led1, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led1, LOW);
    analogWrite(led2, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led2, LOW);
    analogWrite(led3, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led3, LOW);
    analogWrite(led7, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led7, LOW);
    delay(500);

}

int led1 = A5; 
int led2 = A4;
int led3 = A3;
int led7 = D7;
int button = D6;
int digitalValue;
void setup() {
    Particle.subscribe("on4", function);
  pinMode(led1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(led7, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(button, INPUT);
  delay(1000);
}

void loop() {
 
 digitalValue = digitalRead(button);
 
 if (digitalValue == 1) {
    Particle.publish("on3");
    delay(5000);
  }  else{
    analogWrite(led1, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led2, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led3, LOW);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led7, LOW);
    delay(500);
 }
 
}
int function(const char *on, const char *data){
    analogWrite(led1, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led1, LOW);
    analogWrite(led2, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led2, LOW);
    analogWrite(led3, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led3, LOW);
    analogWrite(led7, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    analogWrite(led7, LOW);
    delay(500);

}

Credits

David Conlin

1 project • 1 follower

UNCC Mechanical Engineering MEGR 3171

Long Distance Couple Communication Device

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

Motivation:

The Project:

Moving Forward:

ThinkSpeak:

Schematics

IOT Project Circuit Diagram

Code

First IOT Lamp code

Second IOT Lamp Code

Credits

David Conlin

Comments

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Long Distance Couple Communication Device

Long Distance Couple Communication Device

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

Motivation:

The Project:

Moving Forward:

ThinkSpeak:

Schematics

IOT Project Circuit Diagram

Code

First IOT Lamp code

Second IOT Lamp Code

Credits

David Conlin

Comments

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