(http://67.media.tumblr.com/fdb9e031cd60b82a66cf3338ab3aa6ae/tumblr_o8equpOXvU1roo64to1_500.jpg)(http://65.media.tumblr.com/85c5befedc95afdbc67921b887192c37/tumblr_o8equpOXvU1roo64to3_1280.jpg)
The plants in my apartment kept dying, mainly because my girlfriend and I kept assuming the other one had watered them. So I invented a little gadget that tells us when the plants need to be watered. It's super simple.
The gadget has 3 buttons and 3 LEDs. Each pair is linked to one of the plants in my apartment.
It's only a timer, it doesn't detect soil moisture or anything crazy like that. When a light turns on, it signifies that one of the plants needs to be watered. When somebody waters it, we'll press the button, and it'll reset the counter.
This fun little gadget only cost about $20 to make. It was a lot of fun to build!
Raspberry Pi?
Arduino Uno + 3 LEDs + 3 buttons + 6 resistors
That's neat! I used to work in electronic hand assembly and repair, years back. I never understood the science of design or the finer points of electronic theory. I just performed minor miracles of construction and repair. The craft of it is great fun if you have some patience and a steady hand. I used to think of it as "Zen gardening with hot lead."
I like your device idea. I'm uncertain that it's accurate, but I heard that if you flip the polarity on certain types of LED you can improvise a photo sensor. If the device won't sound without a certain light threshold it could help to prevent the thing from waking folks if the plant happens to get dry overnight. Then the plants become a sort of alarm clock and they get the water right when they need it to make food.
You know what we do to people who build clocks at home, right? This was widely broadcast in every media.
Yeah, but Cram's white.
Quote from: LMNO on June 08, 2016, 07:19:58 PM
Yeah, but Cram's white.
How long do you suppose that will matter?
*looks at news*
Never mind.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on June 08, 2016, 07:16:33 PM
You know what we do to people who build clocks at home, right? This was widely broadcast in every media.
That's why there is a sticker inside the lid of my PirateBox labeled "NOT A BOMB" (http://bwansen.tumblr.com/post/131580631052). :roll:
I built this thing at my desk at work. No less than four people asked me if what I was building was "dangerous".
-Two of them were asking tongue-in-cheek
-The other two seemed weirdly hopeful that it was
The only correct answer is "no" followed by maniacal laughter.
Quote from: Cramulus on June 09, 2016, 03:09:55 PM
I built this thing at my desk at work. No less than four people asked me if what I was building was "dangerous".
-Two of them were asking tongue-in-cheek
-The other two seemed weirdly hopeful that it was
Tell them if someone doesn't press the button once a day it will result in botanical desiccation with a scared look on your face.