Tag Archives: Arduino

Python with Arduino LESSON 12: Approximating Changes in Height from Changes in Pressure

In LESSON 9 we learned how to hook up a BMP180 Pressure Sensor and make pressure and temperature readings. Then in LESSON 11 we learned how to stream that data to Matplotlib and create live graphs and charts of our data that update in real time. We could see that as we moved the pressure sensor up and down, we could see the pressure change, as the pressure decreases with increasing elevation.

This leads to the interesting question of whether we can use our circuit developed in LESSON 9 to create a Height-O-Meter . . . a simple device that will measure the height above the floor.

The math to calculate altitude vs. pressure turns out to be very complex. Particularly, if we wanted something for our high altitude balloon flights, or for model rocketry. It turns out that for the case of measuring height inside and for relatively small changes in height we can make simplifying assumptions that make things much easier. The assumption we will make is that temperature does not change much over the range of our experiment. With this assumption, we can create our own Height-O-Meter. To do this though, we do need to to through some math. I show my math below, and go through it step-by-step in the video. Remember, this simplified approach is only valid for playing around with small changes in height. We will have to do the more complicated math when we make our high altitude balloon probe. For now though, this math will work pretty well.

Height and Pressure
Calculate Changes in Height from Changes in Pressure

We can rearrange the equation to solve for height as a function of pressure.

Height Pressure
Calculating Height from Pressure Changes

Python with Arduino LESSON 9: Measuring Pressure and Temperature with the BMP180 Sensor

One of our goals with this series of lessons is to learn how to plot live data in Python. To do that, we need some interesting streaming data from the Arduino. In this lesson we will provide a live stream of temperature and pressure data. We will hook up the circuit, program the arduino, and stream the temperature and pressure data over the serial port. Then in the next lesson, we will read the data stream into Python, and provide a live plot of the incoming data. We will be using the Adafruit BMP180 Pressure Sensor.

BMP180
This is the most excellent BMP180 Pressure Sensor from adafruit.

This is a really simple sensor to get set up. To connect it up, use the following connections:

Connecting Up the BMP180 Pressure and Temperature Sensor
BMP180 PinArduino Pin
Vin5V
GNDGND
SCLA5
SDAA4

 

With the circuit hooked up, you are ready to start coding. The first thing you will need to do is to download and install the adafruit library for this component. I prefer the API V1 version of the library, so we will download that one. Do not worry that the documentation lists a different part number. This is an upgraded version of the sensor, and the documentation still references the old part number. You can download the library for this part here:

https://learn.adafruit.com/bmp085/using-the-bmp085

Click the “Download the Adafruit_BMP085 Arduino Library” large green box. This will download as a zip folder. Open the zip folder, and then drag and drop the contents on your desktop.  You want the contents of the zip folder, not the zip folder itself. Rename the folder you dropped to your desktop “adafruitBMP180”. Now you need to drag and drop this folder into your arduino library folder. To find your arduino library folder, in the arduino IDE window, look in file, preferences. A window should pop open, and it should show you where your arduino sketchbook folder is.  Drop your adafruitBMP180 folder into the Library folder of your arduino sketchbook folder. If this is not perfectly clear, watch the video above and you can watch me do it step-by-step. Once your adafruitBMP180 folder is in your arduino library folder, you are ready to start writing your code. You need to kill your arduino IDE window and reopen it for it to find your new library.

Now, to get this sensor to work, you just need a few lines of code. To begin with, you must load the Wire.h library and the Adafruit_BMP085.h library (again, do not worry that the library is named after an earlier model of this sensor).  After loading the libraries, you will need to create a sensor object. Then in void setup you will need to start the sensor, and then in void loop begin making measurements. The code below is a nice example of how to do this.

Now run the program and check your serial monitor and you should see measurements of temperature and pressure. Pressure in Pascals is a big number. To convert Pascals to inches of Mercury, or in Hg, which is what the weather sites usually report, take the Pascal reading, and divide by 3386.389. Then you should be in Inches of Mercury and you can check your reading against a weather report for your area. The numbers should be close.

Python with Arduino LESSON 5: Finishing our Virtual Reality Example

This Lesson finishes the work that was begun in Python with Arduino LESSON 4. In that lesson we built the circuit and programmed the arduino to measure the distance to a target and the color of the target. The program then output that data to the serial port. In today’s lesson we will use python to read that data stream, and use the data to dynamically update a virtual world we create.

You will need to start with the work in LESSON 4 to get your circuit working, and your arduino programmed up. Once you have done that, you are ready to use Python to program up your virtual world. Remember you will need to have the pyserial and the vPython libraries loaded. We showed how to install the software in Python with Arduino LESSON 2.

In the video we will go through the process step-by-step to create a virtual world. The code we end up with is posted below. You should not copy and paste the code, but just glance at it if you get stuck. In the end, you should develop your own virtual world and just use mine as a guide if you need more help.

 The video explains each line of the code.  Play around and tweak the values and see the effect on your virtual scene. Now your assignment is to take what you have learned here, and continue to expand your virtual world. Add objects to your virtual scene. Perhaps build an object for the breadboard, color sensor and arduino. I will give you several days to do this, and then when I come around for a project grade, I will want to see who has built the most impressive virtual scene. You should go well beyond the simple demonstration I have done here.

Python with Arduino LESSON 4: Expanding your Virtual World

In this lesson we will expand the virtual world we created in Python with Arduino LESSON 3. We will be creating a virtual world that will track a simple scene in the real world. In this project, the virtual world will track both the position and the color of a target in the real world. This lesson requires that you have the Python software and libraries installed, which we explained in LESSON 2.

Arduino Circuit
This is our circuit with the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor and the TCS230 Color Sensor

This Lesson will be a bit more involved, and I will take you through it step-by-step. I will need to break things into two parts. In today’s lesson we will cover the Arduino side. We will develop the software that will measure distance and color, and then send those numbers over the serial port. Then in tomorrows lesson, we will develop the Python software to create a really cool virtual graphic to display the data in a virtual world.

For this project you will need the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, the TCS230 Color Sensor, the Arduino Microcontroller, and some male/female jumper wires to connect to the color sensor.

The Ultrasonic Sensor can be attached per the schematic below:

Ultrasonic Sensor Circuit
Simple Circuit for Measuring Distance

Detailed tutorial on using this sensor was described in Arduino LESSON 18, so we will not go through all the details of using the sensor here. Review that lesson if you need more help. Key point here is to connect it as seen in diagram above.

You will also need to connect up the Color Sensor.

Connecting the Color Sensor to the Arduino

Color Sensor Pin
Arduino Pin
S0GND
S15V
S2pin 7
S3pin 8
OUTpin 4
VCC5V
GNDGND

Use of the color sensor was described in detail in Arduino LESSON 15.  You should be able to develop to write the software yourself based on earlier lessons to make measurements from both the Color Sensor, and Ultrasonic Sensor, but if you get stuck, you can glance at my code below. Again, it is important for you to write your own code and not copy and paste mine. Mine is just a reference if you get stuck.

The key point to notice with this code is the print statements, summarized below:

 Notice that we are printing  our color strengths and distance on one line separated by commas. It is important to note the order of the data. When we read this in Python, we will read it in as one line of text, and then we will parse it into its individual values. So, we must make note and remember the order the data is arranged in in this line.

Remember when you have your python program reading this data, you must have your serial monitor closed. For now though, run your program and look at the serial monitor to verify you are getting correct data in the expected format.

In the next Lesson, LESSON 5, we will build the Python program to create a virtual world from this data.

Python with Arduino LESSON 2: Installing the Software

There are some really incredible things we can do when we get our little Arduino to talk to the big bad Python programming language. To do that, we have to start by downloading some software. Never fear . . . it is all free and I will take you step by step through the installation. The video above shows you how to do it. If you are the impatient and technically adept type, you can download these three software packages:

1) Download and Install Python 2.7.8. Please note all my tutorials use this flavor of python. If you want to follow my tutorials, do not download a Python 3.x. Also download 32 bit version of the software, even if you have a 64 bit windows machine.

2) Download and Install Pyserial version 2.7. Again, download the 32 bit version of the software.

3) Download and install the Vpython library for 32 bit windows.

Now, lets get python and arduino talking together. First up, we need a simple program to get the Arduino sending data over the serial port. The following program is a simple program that will have the Arduino count and send the data to the serial port.

Now, open the VIDLE environment which you downloaded with the Vpython library. Once you have done that, you are ready to write a Python Program that will go out and read the data over the serial port. Full explanation is in the video. Do note, however, that the line:

This is for a windows machine. Also, the ‘com11’ has to be adjusted and set to whatever com port your arduino is talking on. You can figure that out by looking at Tools – Port on the Arduino. Set this parameter to whatever port your Arduino is talking on. Then, the baud rate needs to match as well. You can use whatever you want by Arduino and Python need to be on the same baud rate, which you set on this line of code. OK, the complete Python code to read the Arduino data from the serial port is here:

Simple as that! Welcome to the world of having the Power of Python now at your fingertips.