Introduction: Smart Highway

By www.technomentis.com
About: Technomentis is a venture to foster innovation and hands on learning for youngsters at formative ages. We explore, create, design, tinker and innovate at Explorato - our makers space.

Abstract:

In recent years, a lot of highways have been lit up with street lamps. Although it provides good visibility for commuters during the night time, it has been observed that the street lamps stays on for few hours even when no car is on the road. In another scenario, the street lamps are not turned off consistently during the day time. All of them contribute to the wastage of electricity. In this project, the highway is equipped with some IR Sensors on the divider of the road so that whenever car crosses the IR Sensor, it detects and turns on the next few lamps so that the car does not have visibility issues. Once the sensor does not detect any car on road for some time, the lights are turned off in a sequence. The street lamps at the beginning of the highway will always be turned on during the night time as there may be cars coming from the city. Also, the system will automatically turn off when there is enough ambient light and will turn on when ambient light is less. This will be done with the help of a Light Dependent Resistor.

Step 1: Components Required

  1. Intel Galileo Gen 1 Board x 1
  2. Power cord x 1
  3. USB cable x 1
  4. IR Sensors x 5
  5. LED x 6
  6. 470Ω Resistor x 1
  7. LDR x 1
  8. 8.2kΩ Resistor x 1
  9. Breadboard x 1
  10. Connecting Wires (Male to Male) x 40
  11. Connecting Wires (Male to Female) x 40

Step 2: Infrared Sensor Interfacing With Intel Galileo

Infrared Sensor

An infrared Sensor has two IR LED’s. One is IR Transmitter and the other one is IR Receiver. IR Transmitter transmits the IR rays. If there is some object in front of it, then the IR Rays are reflected from the object and is received by the IR Receiver. If there is black object or no object in front of it, then no rays will be reflected. As black colour absorbs light, the IR Rays are absorbed by the Black colour.

The IR Sensor can be directly connected to the Intel Galileo Board using Male to Female Connecting wire. There are 3 pins in an IR Sensor.

NOTE: We will be using Multiple IR Sensors in our Project. That is why we are connecting the GND And VCC Pins of the IR Sensor via Breadboard.

VCC – It is connected to the 5V Pin of the Intel Galileo

GND – It is connected to the GND Pin of the Intel Galileo

OUT – It is connected to any digital Pin. The input will be taken using this Pin.

Circuit Connections:

  1. Take one Male to Female connecting wire and connect the Female Header of the wire to the male VCC Pin of the IR Sensors.
  2. Connect the male end of the connecting wire on the Breadboard.
  3. Take one Male to Male wire and connect one male end of the wire on the breadboard where the VCC is connected and other terminal to the 5V pin of the Intel Galileo Board.
  4. Take another Male to Female connecting wire and connect the Female Header of the wire to the male GND Pin of the IR Sensors.
  5. Connect the male end of the Connecting wire on the Breadboard.
  6. Take one Male to Male wire and connect one male end of the wire on the breadboard where the GND is connected and other terminal to the GND pin of the Intel Galileo Board.
  7. Take another Female to Male wire and connect the OUT Pin of the IR sensor 1 to Digital Pin 2 of the Intel Galileo Board.
  8. Take another Female to Male wire and connect the OUT Pin of the IR sensor 2 to Digital Pin 3 of the Intel Galileo Board.
  9. Take another Female to Male wire and connect the OUT Pin of the IR sensor 3 to Digital Pin 4 of the Intel Galileo Board.
  10. Take another Female to Male wire and connect the OUT Pin of the IR sensor 4 to Digital Pin 5 of the Intel Galileo Board.

  11. Take another Female to Male wire and connect the OUT Pin of the IR sensor 5 to Digital Pin 6 of the Intel Galileo Board.

Step 3: LED Interfacing With Intel Galileo:

LED:

LED is Light emitting diode. The main function of Diode is that it allows the current to flow in one direction only.

The LED has two terminals:

1. Positive Terminal: The longer leg of the LED is positive

2. Negative Terminal: The shorter leg of the LED is negative

Circuit Connections:

  1. Take Male to Female Connecting wires and connect the Female Header of the wires to the Negative terminal of the LEDs.
  2. Connect the male end of the Connecting wire on the Breadboard.
  3. Take 470Ω resistors and connect one terminal of the resistor to the breadboard where the Negative terminal of the LEDs are connected.
  4. Connect the other terminal of the resistor anywhere on the breadboard.
  5. Take one Male to Male wire and connect one male end of the wire on the breadboard where the 2nd terminal of the resistor is connected and other terminal to the GND pin of the Intel Galileo Board.
  6. Connect the positive terminal of LED 1 to the 5V line with a Male to Male to connecting wire.
  7. Connect the positive terminal of LED 2 to the Digital Pin 7 with a Male to Male to connecting wire.
  8. Connect the positive terminal of LED 3 to the Digital Pin 8 with a Male to Male to connecting wire.
  9. Connect the positive terminal of LED 4 to the Digital Pin 9 with a Male to Male to connecting wire.
  10. Connect the positive terminal of LED 5 to the Digital Pin 10 with a Male to Male to connecting wire.
  11. Connect the positive terminal of LED 6 to the Digital Pin 11 with a Male to Male to connecting wire.

Step 4: LDR Interfacing With Intel Galileo:

LDR:

LDR is expanded as Light Dependent Resistor. Depending upon the intensity of light projected to the surface of an LDR, it changes its resistance value. The value of resistance changes from few ohms under sufficient light condition to few Mega Ohms under dark conditions.

8.2KΩ resistor:

This fixed resistor is used to build a voltage divider circuit. Using the correct resistor aids in obtaining the required sensitivity needed for this project.

Circuit Connections:

  1. Take one LDR and connect its one terminal anywhere of the breadboard and the other terminal to +5v pin available on the breadboard.
  2. Take one 8.2KΩ Resistor and connect one terminal of the resistor to the breadboard where the free terminal of the LDR is connected on the breadboard.
  3. Connect the other terminal of the resistor anywhere on the breadboard.
  4. Take one Male to Male wire and connect one male end of the wire on the breadboard where the 2nd terminal of the resistor is connected and other terminal to the GND pin of the Intel Galileo Board.

Step 5: Upload the Arduino Sketch

Attachments

Step 6: Reference Images for Construction