I agree Simon, there are definitely parallels between the traffic light
control and train club. I thought of that too.
I attended train club a few times, and those guys are actually making a lot
of progress with their train track. They are basically trying to do exactly
what you described. They still have a lot of work left, but they are
definitely making progress from what I seen last time!
I think there is a train club meeting tomorrow. You should definitely check
it out, its cool stuff!
-Geno
On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:44 PM, Simon Heath <icefoxen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I know we have people talking about a model railroad club but don't
actually know if anyone's doing anything in it...
...But it seems like a neat task might also be to make a similar
controller for a model railroad? For instance, if we could make a little
setup with two trains going in opposite directions on the same track, with
a little switching station with photo sensors to let them pass by each
other automatically? (Though that might be the advanced class.)
Simon
On 02/17/2016 10:50 AM, Robert Berger wrote:
1) An IR LED and photodiode to sense beam breaking. This could be tested
with this from RadioShack, although we can get better quantity pricing
elsewhere:
https://www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-infrared-led-emitter-and-detector?variant=5717550213
2) a CdS photocell the car passes over. Like 1), but using room light as
the source.
- Bob
On Feb 17, 2016, at 10:20 AM, Yevgeniy Soroka <ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:ukranians2@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
That would be awesome Ryan! Thanks a lot! Maybe they would look better in
yellow?
-Geno
On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 10:11 AM, Ryan Priore <ryan.priore@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:ryan.priore@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Geno,
I like your application idea a lot! I would be happy to assist in
printing the traffic light enclosures on my printers at home as well.
Ryan
*From:*hackpgh-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:hackpgh-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:hackpgh-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:hackpgh-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] *On Behalf Of
*Geno Soroka
*Sent:* Wednesday, February 17, 2016 6:53 AM
*To:* hackpgh-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:hackpgh-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Subject:* [hackpgh-discuss] Basic Arduino Programming Class
I looked at the previous Basic Arduino class HackPGH did in the
past, and I would like to cover all the topics from the class we
did in the past, but to keep things interesting every year,
present them in a different way.
My idea is this. We 3d print 2 of these for all the students.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:14646
The student brings their own arduino (which they got and soldered
together at the soldering class), or just one they already have.
The object of the class will be to control two traffic lights at
an intersection. First just with timing, and then to introduce
the ADC input and map() function to have a small sensor which
would make the light green if a car just arrived at an
intersection (like many real traffic lights at quiet
intersections do)
This will teach the student about basic arduino concepts such as
I/O and timing functions such as delay(). In the advanced course
we can introduce how to use interrupts for timing. And it will
teach the students the basics of ADC and very very basics of
sensors, which they can learn more about in the sensors class.
This can actually be a cool practical toy for your kid's RC cars
or hotwheels. They could even build real intersections for a
small toy city. I really wish I had this when I was 9. ;-)
If anyone has suggestions on how to make this class better, ideas
to make the traffic lights more cool, or even better 3d printed
traffic lights we could download, that would be awesome!
This class will most likely take place in April (definitely after
learn to solder)
-Geno
Secretary | HackPGH
Pittsburgh’s First Makerspace
1936 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
/http://www.hackpittsburgh.org/
