Another day, another project to dip in to. In day nine’s box was a ball tilt switch which, as the name implies, has a ball bearing in it that when rolled to the botton completes the circuit sending a notification to the Pico. You can imagine using this in a number of scenarios such as detecting when an object has been lifted.
Watch today’s video to see how it works:
This one was incredibly simple to wire up and in use which is what we like.… Read the rest
Today’s component was a bit of an anticlimax after the excitement of a temperature sensor yesterday. Want to see what you get in box nine? Watch the video below.
It’s tiny but mighty and I hope it is slightly more successful than some of the projects have been for me. Tune in next time to find out!
Day nine included the following:
Time for another quick look at the project using the components I was so excited about yesterday – the temperature sensor. As I said I’ve considered getting a weather station so this might help put my own together.
Watch today’s video to see how it works:
The sensor showed the temperature in the room to be about 22 degrees. I suspect that this is reading a bit high and so I need to calibrate it in some way (if that’s even possible) or at least validate the readings. However, it is close enough for now.
Thinking more longer term there … Read the rest
I was genuinely excited when I opened the box and saw what today’s component was as I can see me making much use of it. Take a look at the video to see what it is that has got me so excited (even if I don’t sound it!) and no, it’s not more jumper cables!
I have been looking recently at possibly asking Santa for a weather station but now maybe I can save myself some cash by building my own!
Day eight included the following:
This was a very enjoyable project that made use of four of the days of components: LEDs, buzzer, PIR sensor and, of course, the Pico, board and numerous jumper cables.
Watch today’s video as everything seamlessly comes together:
This project was simplicity itself and you could really see the practical use for this kind of set-up.… Read the rest
Help! I’m drowning in jumper wires! Every single box has yet more of the things and my desk is literally covered in them. Take a look at the video below to see what was included in the day seven box along with the wires.
I have to admit that even when I looked this up on the PiHut page for the advent calendar I still had no idea what a PIR was so I had to do a search. Turns out that PIR stands for Passive Infared Sensor basically a motion detector sensor to you and me. More soon on … Read the rest
UPDATED! See at the bottom for a video showing the project working and why it wasn’t previous. [SPOLIER I was a numpty].
You’d have thought that by half way through I’d have been able to get the projects to work but apparently not.
Today’s project was to take the light sensor and use it to detect ambient light levels and turn on different coloured LEDs depending on the light level. As you will see from the video only one light ever comes on:
The instructions are very clear that you need to be careful with the sensor to make sure … Read the rest
We’re at the half way stage now as we open up box six. Watch the unboxing video below and then have a look at the notes underneath.
I said in the video that the contents included an LED. In my head I was thinking “well that’s a bit boring as we’ve had three of those already”. Turns out that I was wrong and it is actually a phototransistor which is just a fancy name for a light sensor. I’m going to have to be careful as the sensor looks identical to an LED!
Having the sensor will allow us to … Read the rest
Having struggled with the day three project I was a bit concerned that I may similarly come unstuck with these projects too. This was partly becuase no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the switches to work and I wondered if these projects would need the switches to be working. I needn’t have worried.
These projects make use of the potentiometer from day four and the buzzer from day five and I am glad to say that it was a lot more successful than day three. That said, as you will see in the video, I may have inadvertently … Read the rest
We seem to be racing through these boxes now! And after yesterday’s (unsuccessful) attempt at getting the supplied buttons I am more hopeful for what lies ahead. Here’s the latest unboxing video and below that some more notes.
Firstly, apologies for the state of my fingers which I clearly didn’t wash throughly after pumping up the tyres on my car!
This box is the first time that I have been genuinely perplexed about what was in the box. Even though I now know what it is I still have no idea what it does so todays project will be enlightening … Read the rest