Put aside all of the projects that use an Arduino to blink a few LEDs or drive one servo motor. [IngGaro]‘s latest project uses the full range of features available in this versatile microcontroller and has turned an Arduino Mega into a fully-functional home alarm system.

The alarm can read RFID cards for activation and control of the device. It communicates with the front panel via an I2C bus, and it can control the opening and closing of windows or blinds. There is also an integrated GSM antenna for communicating any emergencies over the cell network. The device also keeps track of temperature and humidity.

The entire system can be controlled via a web interface. The Arduino serves a web page that allows the user full control over the alarm. With all of that, it’s hard to think of any more functionality to get out of this tiny microcontroller, unless you wanted to add a frickin’ laser to REALLY trip up the burglars!

Read more on MAKE

Read more on MAKE

Read more on MAKE

Still trying to solidify that reputation as the office Grinch? This project will let everyone know you’re a complete jerk in no time. It’s called the 8-bit Annoying Person Remover. It detects when someone enters your office at which point it starts to play the Super Mario Bros. theme song while the display counts down 400 seconds. Just like in the game the music gets faster at the end and when it stops they know it’s time to get the heck out.

The hardware inside isn’t too complicated. An Arduino and a Wave shield do most of the work. The song played is stored on an SD card and can easily be changed. There’s a speaker mounted under the top heat vent of the enclosure. The device defaults to displaying the time of day, but monitors a motion sensor on one side to detect when someone comes through the door. This also works when someone leaves, cutting off the music and resetting the display. Don’t miss a video of it in action after the break.

It’s as if this was made specifically for the Comic Book Guy

[via Technabob]

A while ago, I got hold of a car alarm unit and its two remote control fobs. When i hooked it up to 12V I realized that it didn’t  work, not responding to any of the commands from the two fobs even though their batteries were OK. Naturally, I opened up the unit to start harvesting parts and noticed the RF module within (the one that sticks out perpendicularly) and I figured it shouldn’t be too hard to use the module with an Arduino.

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This is an original way to hack a dvd-player and integrate it with an allarm-clock. Well, building up a new Digital Alarm Clock with Arduino is the real project, the integration with the DVD-Player is the Hack. Thanks [razrbhr] to send us your project.

Arduino led clock driven directly using an Arduino Mega 2560 board.. Has an in built alarm function and triggers a DVD player via optocouplers to start playing songs when alarm time is reached so you wake up with a smile…

You will find more and the full description of the project, included pictures on his [blog]

Read the full article on MAKE

Comunikino is a box, connected to a PC which runs a script in Python.  When receiving a mail, the subject will be printed to its LCD. You can then use one of three Comunikino’s buttons to send a mail back to say “Yes”,  “No” or “Readed”  (this button can also to be used to say: “Hey! I’m thinking of you”).

The project has been developed by Eraticlux, check here the full project.

Make your own DIY motion alarm using an Arduino, a motion sensor, a few wires and headers.

The code can be obtained here.

Oh also, its been featured on Hacker News, so you can read the thread for pleasure!

Via:[Lifehacker]