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Light Pollution Monitor

This project monitors light pollution with a photocell and will allow users to push data from their device to a website via Twitter.

caleb-hannemanCaleb Hanneman
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My project uses a photocell and a microcontroller to monitor light pollution. My project aims to minimize light pollution and to track areas of excessive light pollution. My goal is to also build a website so that users will be able to log data from their light pollution monitor through a twitter hashtag.
This project's source code is licensed under the MIT License.

This project aims to minimize and gather information about light pollution. Data can be collected by a user and posted with a pre-determined hashtag to twitter to be viewed on a website. On the site the user is given information about the data given. This project can also minimize energy consumption by showing where light pollution is high so that lights may be turned off in accordance.

All source code in this project is licensed under the MIT License in Github. The repository can be found in the project's links section.

This project is Arduino and web based and a link to the source code repository will be linked to in the project's link section.

Quarterfinals Video:

This video is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License through Youtube.

When a tact switch is pushed on the unit it gives power to the ATTINY. The ATTINY takes a reading from the photocell and displays the reading on one of three Leds. The user can collect this data then submit the data to a website where information is given about the data provided.

Users will also have the option to share their results to twitter on a specified page or under a predetermined hashtag.

  • 1 × Photocell Varies resistance based on amount of light.
  • 1 × ATTINY85 Microprocessors, Microcontrollers, DSPs / ARM, RISC-Based Microcontrollers
  • 1 × Protoboard A through hole PCB that is meant for prototyping circuits.
  • 1 × Jumper Wires For bridging connections on a breadboard or protoboard.
  • 1 × 2032 Battery Cell Holder The main power source of the project.

View all 8 components

  • I'm Not Dead!

    Caleb Hanneman • 12/06/2015 at 02:22 • 0 comments

    After a semester of school and a whole metric crap ton of procrastination, I am back. I will be pulling an all-nighter tonight and be getting this project finally done! The website will be the first thing I take care of, then I will post the code, update the schematics, build the device, update the description with new videos and information, and put up instructions on building the hardware. Stay tuned for updates!

    -Caleb

  • Update!!!

    Caleb Hanneman • 09/03/2015 at 18:28 • 0 comments

    Sorry about the lack of recent updates! I have been busy with my education and waiting for suppliers of components to deliver. However I have time off so expect the project to be finished by Labor Day!!

  • Gerber Files

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/27/2015 at 00:17 • 0 comments

    The gerber files have been linked to! Find them in the links section of the project!

  • PCBs Are Done!

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/26/2015 at 03:35 • 0 comments

    The PCBs have been finished and have been ordered! A download link to the gerber files will be coming soon to the links section on the project page

  • Update!

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/25/2015 at 19:30 • 0 comments

    Just an update:

    This project was rejected to continue in the competition, however this project will continue to be improved upon. Stay tuned for further updates.

  • Session 9

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/24/2015 at 03:59 • 0 comments

    Project Log 9:

    I have reconsidered the flow of the website and have been sprucing up my code and reconsidering my choice of hosting. I am also working on the esthetically refined flowchart and schematic.

    Things to finish at the moment:

    1. Push arduino code to the repo.
    2. Finish board layout and order pcbs.
    3. Finish the website and push all code of the website to the repo.

  • Session 8

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/24/2015 at 03:52 • 0 comments

    Project Log 8:

    I am now working on creating an arduino test setup for taking light values to be used to calibrate the prototype. Code for the arduino will be pushed to the github repo soon.


  • Session 7

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/21/2015 at 05:10 • 0 comments

    Project Log 7:

    I am currently working on taking readings of good and bad examples of light pollution by writing the data to the eeprom of the ATTINY and reading them on my computer with an FTDI chip, so that I can compare them to their Lux values.

  • Session 6

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/19/2015 at 17:02 • 0 comments

    Sorry about the absence of Arduino code on the Git repo. I have been researching methods of hosting and PHP for the website. The gerber files are nearly complete and will be added, along with an updated schematic, to the project page.

  • Session 5

    Caleb Hanneman • 08/17/2015 at 18:58 • 0 comments

    Project Log 5:

    I have now designed and uploaded the new schematic. The Git repo is setup and the refined Arduino code will be pushed to it soon.

View all 14 project logs

  • 1
    Step 1

    Download the gerber files from the links and order them from your board haus of choice!

  • 2
    Step 2

    Assemble the PCBs according to their respective parts.

View all instructions

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Discussions

Caleb Hanneman wrote 08/22/2015 at 19:07 • point

@michael thank you very much!!!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Michael Doody wrote 08/22/2015 at 17:43 • point

Suggest you add a diffuser over the photocell to eliminate directional effects. Put the whole ting is a translucent bottle maybe. Then you would have an average of the over the whole sky. Good goin', kid. Nice project.

  Are you sure? yes | no

DJ wrote 08/16/2015 at 00:22 • point

Intresting 

  Are you sure? yes | no

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