Introduction: Find Home Detector
The Find home detector is a device to show me the way home by indicating the direction with a light. It uses a LilyPad, GPS, compass and some LEDs. Using the GPS to get a position and then calculate the direction to the location of my home. The compass is then used to get my heading so it is possible to indicate the direction I should travel.
Step 1: Parts Needed
Hardware:
LilyPad Arduino
GPS Micro-Mini
Compass Module with Tilt Compensation
7 x LEDs to indicate direction
Conductive thread
Fabric
Battery holder (4 x AAA)
Battery
Optional Hardware
2 x Magnetic Snap or similar to attach the battery holder for easy removable
4 x Magnetic Snap or buttons
Tools:
Needle
Soldering iron
Step 2: Software Needed
Software
Arduino IDE
Software librarys:
TinyGPS by Mikal Hart
NewSoftSerial by Mikal Hart
Wire for I2C communication with the compass
Sketch
http://github.com/evilmachina/Find-home-detector
Attachments
Step 3: Layout
Step 4: Sewing the Circuit
Start with the Lilipad and then the component closest GPS, compas and last the leds
TIP: Use glue to insulate and protect conductive thread knots.
Step 5: Batery Holder
Attach the Magnetic Snap to the bottom of the battery holder and to the fabric.
Step 6: Make It Wearable
Attach the Magnetic Snap or buttons alongside the side of the cloth.
Step 7: Uploade the Software
Download the sketch from http://github.com/evilmachina/Find-home-detector or use the attached pde file.
Update destinationLat and destinationLon to the location you want to find and upload it to your Lilypad.
Attachments
Step 8: Find Your Way Home
Have fun!
/Marcus
http://www.slickstreamer.info/

Participated in the
Microcontroller Contest

Participated in the
LED Contest
9 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
I'm pretty new to all of this and I'm wondering, is it possible to make something like this but with many, many more LEDs? I'm looking to make one about the circumference of a softball.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
The lilypad arduino itself only has 20 pins of which you need several to check the compass/GPS. You could choose an arduino Mega though, which has 54 IO-pins, and/or use cheap shiftregisters/IO-expanders to increase the number of leds to a few thousand.
The mega board is a bit larger, using extra ICs will also increase the size and you'll need to adapt the code to drive the extra leds.
9 years ago on Introduction
Is it possible to program more than one waypoint? Like say instead of just 1 "home" location/destination, you can input 2 different ones and choose between the two. That way you can get to your destination and once there select your second home/waypoint to go back.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
You would have to write your own program/adapt the code, but in theory you could have people travel to loads of different places.
10 years ago on Introduction
Now all you need is to build a steampunk style case for it. It would be sooooo cool. Although it already is amazing.
10 years ago on Introduction
you should enter it into the led contest, be quick it ends soon (11:59 PTD) today
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
It is in the LED contest =D
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Its got my vote
10 years ago on Introduction
That's awesome. There have been nights when I could have used one of those.