Introduction: The Light Sensor

    This project is a light sensor has the objective to play the Mario song when any kind of light hit the top of the arduino box.

    The video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQL9tyPUkjgit is not exactly like the arduino that we want to make but is a little bit similar. That one from the video it is not a light sensor it only plays the music, but i think you already got the idea of the project.

    In the project the main objective is to be an alarm and when the sun come up the music starts playing and you wake up and turn off the sensor.

    Step 1: STEP 1. the Materials

    For the creation of this light sensor we need:

    • a light sensor
    • battery
    • computer
    • arduino
    • buzzer
    • wire
    • PSB
    • male heaters
    • USB cable

    Step 2: STEP 2: the Construction

    Firs, you need to get a arduino, the PSB and the male heaters. You can get a example of a light sensor from the internet just search: light sensor arduino. Then you need the wires to connect one information to the other, and copy from the image.

    Then you need to get or make the code:

    Step 3: STEP 3: the Code

    #define NOTE_C1  33
    #define NOTE_CS1 35
    #define NOTE_D1  37
    #define NOTE_DS1 39
    #define NOTE_E1  41
    #define NOTE_F1  44
    #define NOTE_FS1 46
    #define NOTE_G1  49
    #define NOTE_GS1 52  
    #define NOTE_A1  55
    #define NOTE_AS1 58
    #define NOTE_B1  62
    #define NOTE_C2  65
    #define NOTE_CS2 69
    #define NOTE_D2  73
    #define NOTE_DS2 78
    #define NOTE_E2  82
    #define NOTE_F2  87
    #define NOTE_FS2 93
    #define NOTE_G2  98
    #define NOTE_GS2 104
    #define NOTE_A2  110
    #define NOTE_AS2 117
    #define NOTE_B2  123
    #define NOTE_C3  131
    #define NOTE_CS3 139
    #define NOTE_D3  147
    #define NOTE_DS3 156
    #define NOTE_E3  165
    #define NOTE_F3  175
    #define NOTE_FS3 185
    #define NOTE_G3  196
    #define NOTE_GS3 208
    #define NOTE_A3  220
    #define NOTE_AS3 233
    #define NOTE_B3  247
    #define NOTE_C4  262
    #define NOTE_CS4 277
    #define NOTE_D4  294
    #define NOTE_DS4 311
    #define NOTE_E4  330
    #define NOTE_F4  349
    #define NOTE_FS4 370
    #define NOTE_G4  392
    #define NOTE_GS4 415
    #define NOTE_A4  440
    #define NOTE_AS4 466
    #define NOTE_B4  494
    #define NOTE_C5  523
    #define NOTE_CS5 554
    #define NOTE_D5  587
    #define NOTE_DS5 622
    #define NOTE_E5  659
    #define NOTE_F5  698
    #define NOTE_FS5 740
    #define NOTE_G5  784
    #define NOTE_GS5 831
    #define NOTE_A5  880
    #define NOTE_AS5 932
    #define NOTE_B5  988
    #define NOTE_C6  1047
    #define NOTE_CS6 1109
    #define NOTE_D6  1175
    #define NOTE_DS6 1245
    #define NOTE_E6  1319
    #define NOTE_F6  1397
    #define NOTE_FS6 1480
    #define NOTE_G6  1568
    #define NOTE_GS6 1661
    #define NOTE_A6  1760
    #define NOTE_AS6 1865
    #define NOTE_B6  1976
    #define NOTE_C7  2093
    #define NOTE_CS7 2217
    #define NOTE_D7  2349
    #define NOTE_DS7 2489
    #define NOTE_E7  2637
    #define NOTE_F7  2794
    #define NOTE_FS7 2960
    #define NOTE_G7  3136
    #define NOTE_GS7 3322
    #define NOTE_A7  3520
    #define NOTE_AS7 3729
    #define NOTE_B7  3951
    #define NOTE_C8  4186
    #define NOTE_CS8 4435
    #define NOTE_D8  4699
    #define NOTE_DS8 4978
    #define melodyPin 3
    //Mario main theme melody
    int melody[] = {
      NOTE_E7, NOTE_E7, 0, NOTE_E7, 
      0, NOTE_C7, NOTE_E7, 0,
      NOTE_G7, 0, 0,  0,
      NOTE_G6, 0, 0, 0, 
     
      NOTE_C7, 0, 0, NOTE_G6, 
      0, 0, NOTE_E6, 0, 
      0, NOTE_A6, 0, NOTE_B6, 
      0, NOTE_AS6, NOTE_A6, 0, 
      NOTE_G6, NOTE_E7, NOTE_G7, 
      NOTE_A7, 0, NOTE_F7, NOTE_G7, 
      0, NOTE_E7, 0,NOTE_C7, 
      NOTE_D7, NOTE_B6, 0, 0,
      NOTE_C7, 0, 0, NOTE_G6, 
      0, 0, NOTE_E6, 0, 
      0, NOTE_A6, 0, NOTE_B6, 
      0, NOTE_AS6, NOTE_A6, 0, 
      NOTE_G6, NOTE_E7, NOTE_G7, 
      NOTE_A7, 0, NOTE_F7, NOTE_G7, 
      0, NOTE_E7, 0,NOTE_C7, 
      NOTE_D7, NOTE_B6, 0, 0
    };
    //Mario main them tempo
    int tempo[] = {
      12, 12, 12, 12, 
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12, 
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12, 
      12, 12, 12, 12, 
      12, 12, 12, 12, 
      9, 9, 9,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      9, 9, 9,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
      12, 12, 12, 12,
    };
    int LDR = 0;     //analog pin to which LDR is connected, here we set it to 0 so it means A0
    int LDRValue = 0;      //that’s a variable to store LDR values
    int light_sensitivity = 330;    //This is the approx value of light surrounding your LDR
    void sing() {
      // iterate over the notes of the melody:
        Serial.println(" 'Mario Theme'");
        int size = sizeof(melody) / sizeof(int);
        for (int thisNote = 0; thisNote < size; thisNote++) {
     
          // to calculate the note duration, take one second
          // divided by the note type.
          //e.g. quarter note = 1000 / 4, eighth note = 1000/8, etc.
          int noteDuration = 1000 / tempo[thisNote];
     
          buzz(melodyPin, melody[thisNote], noteDuration);
     
          // to distinguish the notes, set a minimum time between them.
          // the note's duration + 30% seems to work well:
          int pauseBetweenNotes = noteDuration * 1.30;
          delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
     
          // stop the tone playing:
          buzz(melodyPin, 0, noteDuration);
     
        }
      }
      void buzz(int targetPin, long frequency, long length) {
      digitalWrite(13,HIGH);
      long delayValue = 1 000000/frequency/2; // calculate the delay value between transitions
      //// 1 second's worth of microseconds, divided by the frequency, then split in half since
      //// there are two phases to each cycle
      long numCycles = frequency * length/ 1000; // calculate the number of cycles for proper timing
      //// multiply frequency, which is really cycles per second, by the number of seconds to 
      //// get the total number of cycles to produce
      for (long i=0; i < numCycles; i++){ // for the calculated length of time...
        digitalWrite(targetPin,HIGH); // write the buzzer pin high to push out the diaphram
        delayMicroseconds(delayValue); // wait for the calculated delay value
        digitalWrite(targetPin,LOW); // write the buzzer pin low to pull back the diaphram
        delayMicroseconds(delayValue); // wait again or the calculated delay value
      }
      digitalWrite(13,LOW);
    }
    void setup()
      {
        Serial.begin(9600);          //start the serial monitor with 9600 buad
        pinMode(3, OUTPUT);     //we mostly use 13 because there is already a built in yellow LED in arduino which shows output when 13 pin is enabled
      }
     
    void loop()
      {
        LDRValue = analogRead(LDR);      //reads the ldr’s value through LDR 
        Serial.println(LDRValue);       //prints the LDR values to serial monitor
        delay(50);        //This is the speed by which LDR sends value to arduino
     
        if (LDRValue > light_sensitivity) 
          {
            //digitalWrite(3, HIGH);
            sing();
            
          }
        else
          {
            digitalWrite(13, LOW);
          }
      } 

    Step 4: STEP 4: What Is the Code?

    The code is the information that we want us to pass the arduino. So in the code we have the information that we want to transmit. For this we need to install the arduino in the computer and write the code on it.

    • This "#define NOTE" is the note for the Mario theme song that we want to play.
    • Then we have the"//Mario main them tempo int tempo[] = {" this is the time for each note and the frequency.
    • And all the rest of the code is how the song is going to play and when, in our case is when the light hit the top of the box.

    Step 5: STEP 5. Making Simple

    In our project we wish they were used every day as an alarm so we made it a smaller and simple version that don't need the USB cable. Instead of use the cable we put a battery so you don't need to stay with day computer open all night. You need to sold the male heaters to the arduino. You also need to take out some of those if necessary. In this step you need to be VERY carefully because is to hot, and also you can't connect two male heaters together.

    We also crate a box that the light can pass, so when the sun rises it starts ringing the alarm. We create the box in: http://www.makercase.com/ .

    Step 6: The Result

    Finally when the whole box is glued, you can put next to you when you go to sleep, let the curtain open for the light to pass, remember to see if is working at night with you cellphone light and if necessary change the battery. And you're done!