Description

This tutorial will show you how to take over the controls of the OWI Robotic Arm with the help of an Arduino compatible, open-source PLC called the Controllino MAXI, together with Cayenne (my go-to iOT application for remote connection to my Arduino projects). The Controllino MAXI will provide the physical connections to the OWI robotic arm, and Cayenne will allow me to control the arm via my web browser or via the Cayenne app on my phone.

Parts Required:

• OWI Robotic Arm
• Controllino MAXI - Arduino Compatible, open-source PLC
• Free Cayenne Account
• 2.1mm DC Socket with Screw Terminals
• Female to Male Jumper Wires
• Solid Core wire

Arduino Libraries and IDE

1. The Arduino IDE can be used to program the Controllino. You can dowload the Arduino IDE from here: https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software.
2. You will also need to read the Cayenne Ethernet library installation instructions in order to install the Cayenne Ethernet Library.
3. The Controllino will connect to the internet via the Ethernet port onboard.
4. You do not need the Controllino library for this project, however, if you have a Controllino, you might as well install the library. You can read the Controllino library installation instructions from their GitHub webpage here: https://github.com/CONTROLLINO-PLC/CONTROLLINO_Library.
5. You will need to notify the Arduino IDE of the Controllino MAXI board by pasting the supplied URL into the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" in the Arduino IDE.
6. This is located under: FILE - PREFERENCES - Additional Boards Manager URLs.
7. The URL that you need to paste is in STEP 3 of the Controllino Library installation instructions on their GitHub page.
8. The video at the top of this tutorial may help clarify the process.

ARDUINO CODE:

The code above is very simple, however you will need to create a dashboard of widgets from within your Cayenne account in order to control the OWI robotic Arm from your phone or via the Dashboard webpage.

Setting up Cayenne Dashboard

Once you have created your Cayenne account, you will be presented with a webpage to choose a board to connect to. Controllino is an Arduino compatible PLC, so make sure to follow these instructions for setting up the Controllino in your Cayenne Account.

1. Select Arduino from the available list of boards.
2. Make sure to install the necessary libraries if your have not done so already.
3. Select Arduino MEGA from the avaliable list of Arduino boards
4. Select Ethernet Shield W5100
5. Copy and paste the Arduino code that pops up on screen into your Arduino IDE and upload to the Controllino.
6. Alternatively, copy and paste the code from above, however you will need to insert your Authentication token to get it to work

After you upload the code to the Controllino, and providing it has an ethernet cable connected to the internet router (and has access to the internet), and is powered on, it will connect to your Cayenne Dashboard. You can now add widgets to the dashboard in real time to interact with the Controllino, and without uploading any more code to the open source PLC.

Adding Widgets

We need to add a number of widgets in order to activate the relays on the Controllino. The relavent digital pins that we will need to know about can be found on the Controllino website here: https://controllino.biz/downloads/.

Here is the direct link to the PINOUT file for the Controllino MAXI.

"Armed" with that knowledge, we can now create the widgets which are necessary to control the relays on the Controllino. From within the Cayenne dashboard, please follow these instructions to create a widget:

1. Select - ADD NEW
2. Select - DEVICE/WIDGET
3. Select - ACTUATORS
4. Then - RELAY from the dropdown box
5. Select - RELAY SWITCH
6. Give the widget a descriptive name to differentiate it from the other widgets and a name that is somewhat informative (eg. R0 - Pos)
7. I gave the first widget the name "R0 - Pos", because it will connect to Relay R0, and that relay will be connected to the Positive (POS) terminal of the OWI robotic arm.
8. Select the device you would like to connect to. Be aware that you can change the name of the device in the settings. If you followed this tutorial, it should have the name "Arduino MEGA", but I changed the name of the device to "Controllino" to be more accurate.
9. We will be using a digital pin to control the relay, therefore select "Digital" as the Connectivity option
10. For this specific widget, we will be controlling R0, which is activated by digital pin D22 on the Controllino. Therefore select "D22" from the "Pin" dropdown box.
11. Choose a "Button" as the widget type
12. Choose an icon from the dropdown box that makes sense to you
13. Skip Step 1
14. Select Step 2: Add actuator

You should now see your new widget on the dashboard. Select the widget to enable or activate that relay. If you do this, and if everything goes to plan, you will see the LED for R0 illuminate on the Controllino. You now have to add the rest of the widgets to the dashboard in order to control the rest of the relays on the Controllino.

Widget Dashboard

Here is a table to show you how I setup my dashboard.

Fritzing diagram

OWI Robotic Arm Pins

Normal OWI Robotic Arm Circuit

The following circuit diagram will show you how the wired control box is normally connected to the OWI Robotic arm. This is the circuit diagram of the OWI robotic arm under normal operating contidtions.

OWI Robotic Arm Circuit when connected to Controllino

The following circuit diagram will show you how the OWI Robotic Arm will be controlled by the relays of the Controllino. This is the circuit diagram of the OWI robotic arm when it is connected to the Controllino.

Summary

Now that you have all the physical connections made, uploaded the code to the Controllino, and have created your dashboard in Cayenne, you should be able to control your OWI Robotic arm from anywhere in the world. As demonstrated in the video at the start of this tutorial, the robotic arm has quite a bit of give on each of the joints, which makes it difficult to achieve certain tasks that require an element of precision. There goes that idea of being able to perform surgery with this thing !!! At least you can get it to make you a cup of tea, and if you are patient enough, you might even get a grape once in a while.

Thank you to Controllino and Cayenne for making this tutorial possible. If you would like your product featured in my tutorials, please contact me on my contact page.

Description

This tutorial will show you how to take over the controls of the OWI Robotic Arm with the help of an Arduino compatible, open-source PLC called the Controllino MAXI, together with Cayenne (my go-to iOT application for remote connection to my Arduino projects). The Controllino MAXI will provide the physical connections to the OWI robotic arm, and Cayenne will allow me to control the arm via my web browser or via the Cayenne app on my phone.

Parts Required:

• OWI Robotic Arm
• Controllino MAXI - Arduino Compatible, open-source PLC
• Free Cayenne Account
• 2.1mm DC Socket with Screw Terminals
• Female to Male Jumper Wires
• Solid Core wire

Arduino Libraries and IDE

1. The Arduino IDE can be used to program the Controllino. You can dowload the Arduino IDE from here: https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software.
2. You will also need to read the Cayenne Ethernet library installation instructions in order to install the Cayenne Ethernet Library.
3. The Controllino will connect to the internet via the Ethernet port onboard.
4. You do not need the Controllino library for this project, however, if you have a Controllino, you might as well install the library. You can read the Controllino library installation instructions from their GitHub webpage here: https://github.com/CONTROLLINO-PLC/CONTROLLINO_Library.
5. You will need to notify the Arduino IDE of the Controllino MAXI board by pasting the supplied URL into the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" in the Arduino IDE.
6. This is located under: FILE - PREFERENCES - Additional Boards Manager URLs.
7. The URL that you need to paste is in STEP 3 of the Controllino Library installation instructions on their GitHub page.
8. The video at the top of this tutorial may help clarify the process.

ARDUINO CODE:

The code above is very simple, however you will need to create a dashboard of widgets from within your Cayenne account in order to control the OWI robotic Arm from your phone or via the Dashboard webpage.

Setting up Cayenne Dashboard

Once you have created your Cayenne account, you will be presented with a webpage to choose a board to connect to. Controllino is an Arduino compatible PLC, so make sure to follow these instructions for setting up the Controllino in your Cayenne Account.

1. Select Arduino from the available list of boards.
2. Make sure to install the necessary libraries if your have not done so already.
3. Select Arduino MEGA from the avaliable list of Arduino boards
4. Select Ethernet Shield W5100
5. Copy and paste the Arduino code that pops up on screen into your Arduino IDE and upload to the Controllino.
6. Alternatively, copy and paste the code from above, however you will need to insert your Authentication token to get it to work

After you upload the code to the Controllino, and providing it has an ethernet cable connected to the internet router (and has access to the internet), and is powered on, it will connect to your Cayenne Dashboard. You can now add widgets to the dashboard in real time to interact with the Controllino, and without uploading any more code to the open source PLC.

Adding Widgets

We need to add a number of widgets in order to activate the relays on the Controllino. The relavent digital pins that we will need to know about can be found on the Controllino website here: https://controllino.biz/downloads/.

Here is the direct link to the PINOUT file for the Controllino MAXI.

"Armed" with that knowledge, we can now create the widgets which are necessary to control the relays on the Controllino. From within the Cayenne dashboard, please follow these instructions to create a widget:

1. Select - ADD NEW
2. Select - DEVICE/WIDGET
3. Select - ACTUATORS
4. Then - RELAY from the dropdown box
5. Select - RELAY SWITCH
6. Give the widget a descriptive name to differentiate it from the other widgets and a name that is somewhat informative (eg. R0 - Pos)
7. I gave the first widget the name "R0 - Pos", because it will connect to Relay R0, and that relay will be connected to the Positive (POS) terminal of the OWI robotic arm.
8. Select the device you would like to connect to. Be aware that you can change the name of the device in the settings. If you followed this tutorial, it should have the name "Arduino MEGA", but I changed the name of the device to "Controllino" to be more accurate.
9. We will be using a digital pin to control the relay, therefore select "Digital" as the Connectivity option
10. For this specific widget, we will be controlling R0, which is activated by digital pin D22 on the Controllino. Therefore select "D22" from the "Pin" dropdown box.
11. Choose a "Button" as the widget type
12. Choose an icon from the dropdown box that makes sense to you
13. Skip Step 1
14. Select Step 2: Add actuator

You should now see your new widget on the dashboard. Select the widget to enable or activate that relay. If you do this, and if everything goes to plan, you will see the LED for R0 illuminate on the Controllino. You now have to add the rest of the widgets to the dashboard in order to control the rest of the relays on the Controllino.

Widget Dashboard

Here is a table to show you how I setup my dashboard.

Fritzing diagram

OWI Robotic Arm Pins

Normal OWI Robotic Arm Circuit

The following circuit diagram will show you how the wired control box is normally connected to the OWI Robotic arm. This is the circuit diagram of the OWI robotic arm under normal operating contidtions.

OWI Robotic Arm Circuit when connected to Controllino

The following circuit diagram will show you how the OWI Robotic Arm will be controlled by the relays of the Controllino. This is the circuit diagram of the OWI robotic arm when it is connected to the Controllino.

Summary

Now that you have all the physical connections made, uploaded the code to the Controllino, and have created your dashboard in Cayenne, you should be able to control your OWI Robotic arm from anywhere in the world. As demonstrated in the video at the start of this tutorial, the robotic arm has quite a bit of give on each of the joints, which makes it difficult to achieve certain tasks that require an element of precision. There goes that idea of being able to perform surgery with this thing !!! At least you can get it to make you a cup of tea, and if you are patient enough, you might even get a grape once in a while.

Thank you to Controllino and Cayenne for making this tutorial possible. If you would like your product featured in my tutorials, please contact me on my contact page.

Description

Using the HMC5883L magnetometer sensor of the GY-80 module from ICStation to monitor a garage door and notify when it has been opened or closed. The Cayenne service provides much of the monitoring and notifying functionality. A major feature of this project. Cayenne takes care of all of the complicated work behind the scenes, making it easy to connect your Arduino to the cloud and allow you to monitor your garage from virtually anywhere.
 
This project was created specifically to monitor a garage, but you will soon discover that this project could be used to monitor a whole host of other things. Monitor your front door, your back door, your bag, your chair, your cookie jar.
 
Monitor for peace of mind, or catch someone in the act of stealing your stuff. This project has got you covered. Let's see how:

Parts Required:

• Cayenne IoT for Arduino - free Account
• Seeeduino Cloud (or Arduino Yun)
• GY-80 sensor module
• Protoboard
• Mini-Breadboard 4.5cm x 3.5cm
• Jumper Wires
• Power bank (11000mAh)

HMC5883L DataSheet:

You can find the datasheet for the HMC5883L pretty easily by searching on the internet.
HMC5883L datasheet - Sparkfun

Arduino Libraries and IDE

Here is a link to the Arduino IDE download. The IDE is required to upload code to the Seeeduino Cloud.

You need the Cayenne Library installed in your Arduino IDE.
You can find the Cayenne library here:
Cayenne Libarary
 
There are libraries on the internet for the GY-80 module, however, it is relatively easy to use the magnetometer on this module. And therefore no libraries are required for the sensor. If you would like some more information about using the magnetometer sensor, and how to get the most out of it, then please have a look at my previous tutorial which goes into much more detail.

ARDUINO CODE:

You need to make sure to insert your OWN Cayenne token into the sketch above. You will get this token when connecting your Arduino to the Cayenne service. Watch the video for further explanation.

Fritzing diagram

Cayenne Widgets

Please make sure to watch the video to see how to connect the Seeeduino Cloud to Cayenne and how to create the Cayenne widgets. Cayenne widgets are necessary to create the dashboard on your phone or browser. They will also interact with the Arduino sketch, and will also be involved in creating the notification system. The following links will take you to the relevant part of the video:

• Master Switch Button
• Request Calibration Button
• x, y, and z Axis display
• Door Status
• Creating a notification trigger

The Master switch button is used to switch monitoring from OFF to ON (and vice versa). Therefore you can choose when to monitor the garage and when to stop monitoring. When first installing the project onto your garage door, and turning the Seeeduino Cloud on, it will automatically calibrate each sensor to a value of 1000.
 
If you experience any drift away from 1000 for whatever reason, simply press the Request calibration button, and each sensor will be recalibrated back to 1000. The x,y and z axis widgets are there so that you can see the readings coming from the magnetometer sensor. And when any of the axis variables breach the threshold away from 1000, it will trigger the Door Status widget. This is how we can tell if the door is open or closed.
 
We also use the Door Status widget to help with the notification system. When the Door status changes from "Closed" to "Open", a notification trigger will be activated, and a message will be sent via email or SMS. This notification is useful for monitoring when the door was opened. If you happen to recalibrate when the door is open. You will get a notification when the garage door closes.

Concluding comments

This project is relatively simple, and quite easy to set up. What I liked about this project was the versatility and alternate uses. You can use the same setup to monitor many different things. It is not just limited to monitoring a garage door. But being able to tell whether my garage door is opened or closed, especially after I have driven away from my house , is really cool. Now I don't have to drive all the way back home to check. Let me know if you have replicated this project, and also what kinds of things you decided to monitor with this project.

Description

Using the HMC5883L magnetometer sensor of the GY-80 module from ICStation to monitor a garage door and notify when it has been opened or closed. The Cayenne service provides much of the monitoring and notifying functionality. A major feature of this project. Cayenne takes care of all of the complicated work behind the scenes, making it easy to connect your Arduino to the cloud and allow you to monitor your garage from virtually anywhere.
 
This project was created specifically to monitor a garage, but you will soon discover that this project could be used to monitor a whole host of other things. Monitor your front door, your back door, your bag, your chair, your cookie jar.
 
Monitor for peace of mind, or catch someone in the act of stealing your stuff. This project has got you covered. Let's see how:

Parts Required:

• Cayenne IoT for Arduino - free Account
• Seeeduino Cloud (or Arduino Yun)
• GY-80 sensor module
• Protoboard
• Mini-Breadboard 4.5cm x 3.5cm
• Jumper Wires
• Power bank (11000mAh)

HMC5883L DataSheet:

You can find the datasheet for the HMC5883L pretty easily by searching on the internet.
HMC5883L datasheet - Sparkfun

Arduino Libraries and IDE

Here is a link to the Arduino IDE download. The IDE is required to upload code to the Seeeduino Cloud.

You need the Cayenne Library installed in your Arduino IDE.
You can find the Cayenne library here:
Cayenne Libarary
 
There are libraries on the internet for the GY-80 module, however, it is relatively easy to use the magnetometer on this module. And therefore no libraries are required for the sensor. If you would like some more information about using the magnetometer sensor, and how to get the most out of it, then please have a look at my previous tutorial which goes into much more detail.

ARDUINO CODE:

You need to make sure to insert your OWN Cayenne token into the sketch above. You will get this token when connecting your Arduino to the Cayenne service. Watch the video for further explanation.

Fritzing diagram

Cayenne Widgets

Please make sure to watch the video to see how to connect the Seeeduino Cloud to Cayenne and how to create the Cayenne widgets. Cayenne widgets are necessary to create the dashboard on your phone or browser. They will also interact with the Arduino sketch, and will also be involved in creating the notification system. The following links will take you to the relevant part of the video:

• Master Switch Button
• Request Calibration Button
• x, y, and z Axis display
• Door Status
• Creating a notification trigger

The Master switch button is used to switch monitoring from OFF to ON (and vice versa). Therefore you can choose when to monitor the garage and when to stop monitoring. When first installing the project onto your garage door, and turning the Seeeduino Cloud on, it will automatically calibrate each sensor to a value of 1000.
 
If you experience any drift away from 1000 for whatever reason, simply press the Request calibration button, and each sensor will be recalibrated back to 1000. The x,y and z axis widgets are there so that you can see the readings coming from the magnetometer sensor. And when any of the axis variables breach the threshold away from 1000, it will trigger the Door Status widget. This is how we can tell if the door is open or closed.
 
We also use the Door Status widget to help with the notification system. When the Door status changes from "Closed" to "Open", a notification trigger will be activated, and a message will be sent via email or SMS. This notification is useful for monitoring when the door was opened. If you happen to recalibrate when the door is open. You will get a notification when the garage door closes.

Concluding comments

This project is relatively simple, and quite easy to set up. What I liked about this project was the versatility and alternate uses. You can use the same setup to monitor many different things. It is not just limited to monitoring a garage door. But being able to tell whether my garage door is opened or closed, especially after I have driven away from my house , is really cool. Now I don't have to drive all the way back home to check. Let me know if you have replicated this project, and also what kinds of things you decided to monitor with this project.

Description

This is an Arduino based home security project that uses the power of "Cayenne" for extraordinary capabilities.

Cayenne Beta

Cayenne is a new IoT drag and drop platform originally released for the Raspberry Pi, but now available for Arduino. Cayenne makes the task of connecting your Arduino to the internet as simple as possible. All of the complexity of internet connectivity is hidden within the Cayenne library.

You can easily create a Network of Arduinos and build an IoT system which can be managed and operated within the Cayenne dashboard. This dashboard is accessible through your browser or via the Cayenne smart phone app (on IOS or Android).

The feature I liked the most, was the ability to change the position of sensors or actuators on the Arduino without having to re-upload Arduino code. I could manage the changed position from within the Cayenne platform. The other feature that I liked was the ability to setup actions based on custom triggers. You can use Cayenne to trigger a whole range of functions, for example: play a sound, move a motor, light up an LED, or to send alert notifications via email or SMS.

Cayenne is in Beta at the moment, so there are a few minor bugs here and there, but overall - I give it a thumbs up - it is definitely worth checking out.
 

Home Security Project Summary

In order to fully experience this new IoT platform, I decided to create a project to really put it through its paces. This is what my Security Project will need:

1. It will use two Arduinos, one connected to the internet via an Ethernet shield, and the other via WIFI.
2. Two detectors - a PIR sensor and a laser trip wire.
3. If the sensors are tripped, the person has 10 seconds to present an RFID tag to the Grove RFID reader:
   • If a valid RFID tag is SUCCESSFULLY presented within the time limit, a nice personalised greeting will be played to that person using a Grove - Serial MP3 player
   • If a valid RFID FAILS to be presented within the time limit, an Alarm will sound, and I will be notified of the intrusion via an SMS alert.
4. The Cayenne dashboard will show the status of the sensors, and I will have full control over my security system via the web interface (or smartphone app).
5. The sensors will be attached to a different Arduino to that of the Grove MP3 player and the RFID tag reader, which means that there will have to be some level of communication between the two Arduinos. In fact, the cross communication will be vital to the success of this project.

Project Video

Parts Required:

• Cayenne IoT for Arduino - free account
• Arduino UNO (or compatible board)
• Seeeduino Cloud (or compatible board - eg. Arduino Yun)
• Grove Base Shield v1.2
• Grove - Serial MP3 Player
• Grove - 125KHz RFID Reader
• 5mW Laser Module emitter - Red Line
• Light Dependent Resistor(LDR) 5MM
• PIR Motion sensor (HC-SR501)
• LED and 330ohm resistor
• Mini Breadboard 4.5cm x 3.5cm
• Breadboard jumper Wire

Flow Diagrams:

Main Flow Diagram

Triggers Flow Diagram

Arduino IDE and Library Downloads

You will need an Arduino IDE to upload code to the Arduino and the Seeeduino Cloud.
Here is the link to the Arduino IDE: Arduino IDE - download location

The Cayenne service requires that you download and install the Cayenne Library into your Arduino IDE.
You can get the Cayenne Library from here: Cayenne Library File - Download

Cayenne Connectivity Setup

The Seeeduino Cloud needs to be prepared for use with Cayenne.
Normal operating/setup instructions can be found here: Seeeduino Cloud WIKI page
 
Once you have successfully connected Seeeduino Cloud to your WIFI network, you can add it to the Cayenne Dashboard by making the following selections from within the Cayenne Web application:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Microcontrollers
4. Arduino
5. Ensure Seeeduino Cloud is connected to WIFI network - the select the NEXT button
6. Select - Arduino Yun: Built-in Ethernet - ticked
7. Providing you have already installed the Cayenne library as described above - you should be able to copy and paste the code to the Arduino IDE and upload to the Seeeduino Cloud.
8. If successful, you should see the Arduino Yun board appear within the Cayenne Dashboard. If not, then seek help within the Cayenne forum.

The Arduino UNO with WIZNET 5100 - Ethernet Shield
also needs to be prepared with Cayenne

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Microcontrollers
4. Arduino
5. Ensure Arduino is powered, and Ethernet shield is connected to your internet router via an Ethernet cable
6. Select - Arduino Uno: Ethernet Shield W5100 - ticked
7. Copy and paste the code to the Arduino IDE and upload to the Arduino UNO.
8. If successful, you should see the Arduino Uno board appear within the Cayenne Dashboard. If not, then seek help within the Cayenne forum.

ARDUINO CODE (1)

Code for Arduino UNO with Ethernet Shield:

ARDUINO CODE (2)

Code for Seeeduino Cloud:

Fritzing diagram (1)

Fritzing diagram for Arduino UNO with Ethernet

Please click on the picture below for an enlarged version of this fritzing diagram

Fritzing diagram (2)

Fritzing diagram for Seeeduino Cloud

Please click on the picture below for an enlarged version of this fritzing diagram

Cayenne Dashboard Setup - GUI

Arduino Ethernet - Master Switch

The master switch allows me to turn the security system on and off. When I turn the MASTER SWITCH ON, the laser beam will turn on, and the sensors will start monitoring the area for intruders. This widget is NOT associated with a physical switch/sensor on the Arduino - it uses virtual channel 0. We need to add the Master switch to the dashboard:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Master On Off Switch
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V0
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Valve
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Arduino Ethernet - PIR Sensor

This sensor will be used to detect movement in the room. If a person walks into the room, this sensor will detect movement, and will trigger a message to be played on the Grove Serial MP3 player. The message will aim to get the person to identify themselves. They identify themselves by placing their RFID tag in close proximity to the Grove RFID reader. If the tag is valid, a "Welcome home" message is played on the Grove MP3 player. If a valid tag is not presented to the reader within 10 seconds, an Alarm will go off ("Alarm sound" played on Grove MP3 player.)

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Sensors
4. Motion
5. Digital Motion Sensor - Motion Detector
6. Widget Name: PIR sensor
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V1
10. Choose Widget: 2-State Display
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Sensor
13. Select Settings from the PhotoResistor
14. Choose Display: Value
15. Save

Arduino Ethernet - Photoresistor

This sensor will be used with the laser beam to create a laser tripwire. If the sensor detects a change in light levels (drops below the threshold), it will activate the laser trigger button on the dashboard. The person will then be required to identify themselves etc etc (similar to the motion detection by the PIR sensor). The photoresistor widget will display the raw analog reading from the sensor (connected to A2), but is associated with virtual channel 2. I used a virtual channel for more control over this sensor. To add the Photoresistor to the dashboard:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Sensors
4. Luminosity
5. Photoresistor - Luminosity sensor
6. Widget Name: PhotoResistor
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V2
10. Choose Widget: Value
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Sensor

Arduino Ethernet - Laser Trigger

The laser trigger is just an indicator that someone tripped the laser beam. The state of this widget is used to notify the Seeeduino that a presence has been detected. This widget is associated with virtual pin 4 on the Arduino UNO with Ethernet.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Trigger
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V4
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Lock
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Arduino Ethernet - Laser Threshold

The laser threshold is used to manually configure the light level at which the laser trigger will trip. When the photoresistor value drops below the threshold value, the laser trigger icon will activate. This allows the threshold value to be updated from the Cayenne dashboard, rather than having to manually adjust the value in the Arduino code. Also, this threshold can be set remotely, in that you don't have to be near the Arduino to change this value. A very useful feature of this Security system. This widget is associated with virtual pin 5 on the Arduino UNO with Ethernet.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. PWM Output - Control a PWM Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Threshold
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V5
10. Choose Widget: Slider
11. Slider Min Value: 0
12. Slider Max Value: 10
13. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Presence Detected

The presence detected widget is there to notify the Seeeduino Cloud that a presence has been detected on the Arduino Uno with Ethernet shield. When the PIR sensor detects movement or if the laser tripwire is tripped, Cayenne will change the state of the Presence Detected widget from LOW to HIGH. This is used within the Seeeduino Cloud to trigger the message "Place your keys on the Mat"
. If a valid RFID tag is read by the Grove RFID reader, then this widget's state will change back from HIGH to LOW, and the MasterSwitch will be deactivated - turning the Security system off. This widget is associated with Virtual pin 6 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Presence Detected
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V6
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Lock
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Intruder Alert

If a valid RFID tag is not read by the Grove RFID reader within 10 seconds of a presence detection event, an alarm will sound, and this widget will be activated. This will trigger a notification event - to notify me of the unauthorised intrusion - via SMS or email. I will also have a visual indicator on the Cayenne dashboard that an intrusion has taken place. This widget is associated with Virtual pin 7 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Trigger
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V7
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Thermometer
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Laser Beam

The laser beam widget was created to allow for full control over the laser beam. The laser beam can be turned on or off from the Cayenne dashboard, and a connected to digital pin 7 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Light
5. Light Switch - Turn On/Off a Light
6. Widget Name: xLaser Beam
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Digital
9. Pin: D7
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Cayenne Triggers

Concluding comments

I used many different elements to put this home/office security project together - Multiple Arduinos were connected to the internet, both controlled by a web/smart phone app, cross-communication/synchronisation between the Arduinos, and the use of multiple sensors and modules including a laser beam !
 
This was way more than just a simple PIR sense and alarm project. I now have a personalised greeting and reminder system when I walk in the door. Everyone else has their own personalised greeting. I can enable my Security System remotely, from two blocks away, and if I wanted to - I could enable it from the other side of the world. I know instantly when someone has entered my house/office.... with an SMS alert straight to my phone.
 
This project could easily be extended:

1. Press a button on my phone to manually trigger/play a specific message/sound/song
2. Take a picture of the intruder
3. Introduce fire or leak detection aswell
4. Add other environmental sensors - Temperature / Humidity
5. Connect it to lamp/light - creating a security light

Description

This is an Arduino based home security project that uses the power of "Cayenne" for extraordinary capabilities.

Cayenne Beta

Cayenne is a new IoT drag and drop platform originally released for the Raspberry Pi, but now available for Arduino. Cayenne makes the task of connecting your Arduino to the internet as simple as possible. All of the complexity of internet connectivity is hidden within the Cayenne library.

You can easily create a Network of Arduinos and build an IoT system which can be managed and operated within the Cayenne dashboard. This dashboard is accessible through your browser or via the Cayenne smart phone app (on IOS or Android).

The feature I liked the most, was the ability to change the position of sensors or actuators on the Arduino without having to re-upload Arduino code. I could manage the changed position from within the Cayenne platform. The other feature that I liked was the ability to setup actions based on custom triggers. You can use Cayenne to trigger a whole range of functions, for example: play a sound, move a motor, light up an LED, or to send alert notifications via email or SMS.

Cayenne is in Beta at the moment, so there are a few minor bugs here and there, but overall - I give it a thumbs up - it is definitely worth checking out.
 

Home Security Project Summary

In order to fully experience this new IoT platform, I decided to create a project to really put it through its paces. This is what my Security Project will need:

1. It will use two Arduinos, one connected to the internet via an Ethernet shield, and the other via WIFI.
2. Two detectors - a PIR sensor and a laser trip wire.
3. If the sensors are tripped, the person has 10 seconds to present an RFID tag to the Grove RFID reader:
   • If a valid RFID tag is SUCCESSFULLY presented within the time limit, a nice personalised greeting will be played to that person using a Grove - Serial MP3 player
   • If a valid RFID FAILS to be presented within the time limit, an Alarm will sound, and I will be notified of the intrusion via an SMS alert.
4. The Cayenne dashboard will show the status of the sensors, and I will have full control over my security system via the web interface (or smartphone app).
5. The sensors will be attached to a different Arduino to that of the Grove MP3 player and the RFID tag reader, which means that there will have to be some level of communication between the two Arduinos. In fact, the cross communication will be vital to the success of this project.

Project Video

Parts Required:

• Cayenne IoT for Arduino - free account
• Arduino UNO (or compatible board)
• Seeeduino Cloud (or compatible board - eg. Arduino Yun)
• Grove Base Shield v1.2
• Grove - Serial MP3 Player
• Grove - 125KHz RFID Reader
• 5mW Laser Module emitter - Red Line
• Light Dependent Resistor(LDR) 5MM
• PIR Motion sensor (HC-SR501)
• LED and 330ohm resistor
• Mini Breadboard 4.5cm x 3.5cm
• Breadboard jumper Wire

Flow Diagrams:

Main Flow Diagram

Triggers Flow Diagram

Arduino IDE and Library Downloads

You will need an Arduino IDE to upload code to the Arduino and the Seeeduino Cloud.
Here is the link to the Arduino IDE: Arduino IDE - download location

The Cayenne service requires that you download and install the Cayenne Library into your Arduino IDE.
You can get the Cayenne Library from here: Cayenne Library File - Download

Cayenne Connectivity Setup

The Seeeduino Cloud needs to be prepared for use with Cayenne.
Normal operating/setup instructions can be found here: Seeeduino Cloud WIKI page
 
Once you have successfully connected Seeeduino Cloud to your WIFI network, you can add it to the Cayenne Dashboard by making the following selections from within the Cayenne Web application:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Microcontrollers
4. Arduino
5. Ensure Seeeduino Cloud is connected to WIFI network - the select the NEXT button
6. Select - Arduino Yun: Built-in Ethernet - ticked
7. Providing you have already installed the Cayenne library as described above - you should be able to copy and paste the code to the Arduino IDE and upload to the Seeeduino Cloud.
8. If successful, you should see the Arduino Yun board appear within the Cayenne Dashboard. If not, then seek help within the Cayenne forum.

The Arduino UNO with WIZNET 5100 - Ethernet Shield
also needs to be prepared with Cayenne

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Microcontrollers
4. Arduino
5. Ensure Arduino is powered, and Ethernet shield is connected to your internet router via an Ethernet cable
6. Select - Arduino Uno: Ethernet Shield W5100 - ticked
7. Copy and paste the code to the Arduino IDE and upload to the Arduino UNO.
8. If successful, you should see the Arduino Uno board appear within the Cayenne Dashboard. If not, then seek help within the Cayenne forum.

ARDUINO CODE (1)

Code for Arduino UNO with Ethernet Shield:

ARDUINO CODE (2)

Code for Seeeduino Cloud:

Fritzing diagram (1)

Fritzing diagram for Arduino UNO with Ethernet

Please click on the picture below for an enlarged version of this fritzing diagram

Fritzing diagram (2)

Fritzing diagram for Seeeduino Cloud

Please click on the picture below for an enlarged version of this fritzing diagram

Cayenne Dashboard Setup - GUI

Arduino Ethernet - Master Switch

The master switch allows me to turn the security system on and off. When I turn the MASTER SWITCH ON, the laser beam will turn on, and the sensors will start monitoring the area for intruders. This widget is NOT associated with a physical switch/sensor on the Arduino - it uses virtual channel 0. We need to add the Master switch to the dashboard:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Master On Off Switch
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V0
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Valve
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Arduino Ethernet - PIR Sensor

This sensor will be used to detect movement in the room. If a person walks into the room, this sensor will detect movement, and will trigger a message to be played on the Grove Serial MP3 player. The message will aim to get the person to identify themselves. They identify themselves by placing their RFID tag in close proximity to the Grove RFID reader. If the tag is valid, a "Welcome home" message is played on the Grove MP3 player. If a valid tag is not presented to the reader within 10 seconds, an Alarm will go off ("Alarm sound" played on Grove MP3 player.)

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Sensors
4. Motion
5. Digital Motion Sensor - Motion Detector
6. Widget Name: PIR sensor
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V1
10. Choose Widget: 2-State Display
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Sensor
13. Select Settings from the PhotoResistor
14. Choose Display: Value
15. Save

Arduino Ethernet - Photoresistor

This sensor will be used with the laser beam to create a laser tripwire. If the sensor detects a change in light levels (drops below the threshold), it will activate the laser trigger button on the dashboard. The person will then be required to identify themselves etc etc (similar to the motion detection by the PIR sensor). The photoresistor widget will display the raw analog reading from the sensor (connected to A2), but is associated with virtual channel 2. I used a virtual channel for more control over this sensor. To add the Photoresistor to the dashboard:

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Sensors
4. Luminosity
5. Photoresistor - Luminosity sensor
6. Widget Name: PhotoResistor
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V2
10. Choose Widget: Value
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Sensor

Arduino Ethernet - Laser Trigger

The laser trigger is just an indicator that someone tripped the laser beam. The state of this widget is used to notify the Seeeduino that a presence has been detected. This widget is associated with virtual pin 4 on the Arduino UNO with Ethernet.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Trigger
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V4
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Lock
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Arduino Ethernet - Laser Threshold

The laser threshold is used to manually configure the light level at which the laser trigger will trip. When the photoresistor value drops below the threshold value, the laser trigger icon will activate. This allows the threshold value to be updated from the Cayenne dashboard, rather than having to manually adjust the value in the Arduino code. Also, this threshold can be set remotely, in that you don't have to be near the Arduino to change this value. A very useful feature of this Security system. This widget is associated with virtual pin 5 on the Arduino UNO with Ethernet.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. PWM Output - Control a PWM Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Threshold
7. Select Device: Arduino Ethernet
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V5
10. Choose Widget: Slider
11. Slider Min Value: 0
12. Slider Max Value: 10
13. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Presence Detected

The presence detected widget is there to notify the Seeeduino Cloud that a presence has been detected on the Arduino Uno with Ethernet shield. When the PIR sensor detects movement or if the laser tripwire is tripped, Cayenne will change the state of the Presence Detected widget from LOW to HIGH. This is used within the Seeeduino Cloud to trigger the message "Place your keys on the Mat"
. If a valid RFID tag is read by the Grove RFID reader, then this widget's state will change back from HIGH to LOW, and the MasterSwitch will be deactivated - turning the Security system off. This widget is associated with Virtual pin 6 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Presence Detected
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V6
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Lock
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Intruder Alert

If a valid RFID tag is not read by the Grove RFID reader within 10 seconds of a presence detection event, an alarm will sound, and this widget will be activated. This will trigger a notification event - to notify me of the unauthorised intrusion - via SMS or email. I will also have a visual indicator on the Cayenne dashboard that an intrusion has taken place. This widget is associated with Virtual pin 7 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Generic
5. Digital Output - Control a Digital Output
6. Widget Name: Laser Trigger
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Virtual
9. Pin: V7
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Thermometer
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Seeeduino Cloud - Laser Beam

The laser beam widget was created to allow for full control over the laser beam. The laser beam can be turned on or off from the Cayenne dashboard, and a connected to digital pin 7 on the Seeeduino Cloud.

1. Add New
2. Device/Widget
3. Actuators
4. Light
5. Light Switch - Turn On/Off a Light
6. Widget Name: xLaser Beam
7. Select Device: Seeeduino Cloud
8. Connectivity: Digital
9. Pin: D7
10. Choose Widget: Button
11. Choose Icon: Light
12. Step2: Add Actuator

Cayenne Triggers

Concluding comments

I used many different elements to put this home/office security project together - Multiple Arduinos were connected to the internet, both controlled by a web/smart phone app, cross-communication/synchronisation between the Arduinos, and the use of multiple sensors and modules including a laser beam !
 
This was way more than just a simple PIR sense and alarm project. I now have a personalised greeting and reminder system when I walk in the door. Everyone else has their own personalised greeting. I can enable my Security System remotely, from two blocks away, and if I wanted to - I could enable it from the other side of the world. I know instantly when someone has entered my house/office.... with an SMS alert straight to my phone.
 
This project could easily be extended:

1. Press a button on my phone to manually trigger/play a specific message/sound/song
2. Take a picture of the intruder
3. Introduce fire or leak detection aswell
4. Add other environmental sensors - Temperature / Humidity
5. Connect it to lamp/light - creating a security light