Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers

by Igoe, Tom; O'Sullivan, Dan

• ISBN13: 9781592003464
• ISBN10: 159200346X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-28
• Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR

Summary

The computer revolution has made it easy for people with little to no technical training to use a computer for such everyday tasks as typing a letter, saving files, or recording data. But what about more imaginative purposes such as starting your car, opening a door, or tracking the contents of your refrigerator? "Physical Computing" will not only change the way you use your computer, it will change the way you think about your computer-how you view its capabilities, how you interact with it, and how you pu

Author Biography

Tom Igoe is a professor of physical computing at the Interactive Telecommunications Program in the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xvii
PART I The Basics	1	(178)
Chapter 1 Electricity	3	(6)
Transduction: Electrical Basics	3	(2)
Electricity versus Electronics	5	(1)
How Electricity Flows	6	(3)
Chapter 2 Shopping	9	(24)
Solderless Breadboard	9	(1)
Microcontrollers	10	(3)
Microcontroller Features (in Order of Priority)	10	(2)
High-Level Microcontroller Modules	12	(1)
Mid-Level Microcontroller Modules	12	(1)
Low-Level Solutions	13	(1)
Common Components	13	(6)
Switches	14	(1)
Resistors	15	(1)
Variable Resistors	15	(1)
Capacitors	16	(1)
Diodes	17	(1)
Transistors and Relays	18	(1)
Wires	19	(1)
Power Supply	20	(1)
Power Connector	21	(1)
Voltage Regulator	21	(1)
RC Servomotor	21	(1)
Serial Connector	22	(1)
Serial Cable	22	(1)
Project Box	23	(1)
Clock Crystals	23	(1)
Headers	23	(1)
Cable Ties	24	(1)
USB-to-Serial Adaptor	24	(1)
Tools	25	(3)
Shopping List	28	(4)
Bringing It All Back Home	32	(1)
Chapter 3 Building Circuits	33	(16)
Schematics	33	(1)
Connection Symbols	34	(1)
Power Symbols	34	(1)
Finding Schematics	35	(1)
Breadboards	35	(1)
Where Does the Microcontroller Fit In?	36	(1)
Translating Schematics into Circuits	37	(2)
Using a Multimeter	39	(2)
Soldering	41	(1)
Powering the Breadboard	42	(5)
Connecting the Quick and Dirty Way	42	(2)
Connecting the Professional Way	44	(1)
Voltage Regulators	44	(3)
Be Neat	47	(2)
Chapter 4 The Microcontroller	49	(16)
"Hello World!" Is the Hard Part	49	(1)
Where Does the Microcontroller Fit In?	49	(2)
Input	50	(1)
Output	50	(1)
Routing Inputs to Outputs	51	(1)
Identifying the Pins of the Microcontroller	51	(2)
Lower-Level Microcontrollers: External Clock	53	(1)
Your First Microcontroller-Based Circuit	53	(1)
Getting Your Program to the Chip	54	(1)
Programming Stamp-Like Modules	55	(4)
Stamp-Like Programming Hardware Connection	56	(1)
Stamp-Like Programming Software Environments	56	(3)
Programming Lower-Level Chips	59	(3)
The Hardware Programmer	59	(1)
Lower-Level Programming Software Environments	59	(3)
Debugging	62	(3)
Chapter 5 Programming	65	(22)
The Good News	65	(1)
Flow Control: How a Computer "Reads" a Program	65	(1)
Loops	66	(1)
If Statements	67	(1)
Variables	68	(4)
Built-In Routines: Subroutines and Functions	72	(3)
Homemade Routines	75	(1)
Advanced Loops: While-Wend and For-Next	76	(4)
While-Wend or Do-While	77	(1)
For-Next	78	(2)
Pseudocode	80	(1)
Comments	81	(1)
Debugging	82	(2)
Good Debugging Habits	84	(2)
The Bad News	86	(1)
Chapter 6 The "Big Four" Schematics, Programs, and Transducers	87	(50)
Digital Input	87	(9)
Transducers: Switches	87	(3)
Digital Input Circuit	90	(1)
Programming	91	(5)
Digital Output	96	(6)
Transducers	96	(3)
Circuit	99	(2)
Programming	101	(1)
Analog Input	102	(10)
Transducers	103	(1)
Circuit	104	(4)
Programming	108	(3)
Pulsewidth Modulation for Input	111	(1)
Analog Output	112	(15)
Pulsewidth Modulation for Output	112	(2)
LED Dimming	114	(1)
DC Motor Speed Control	114	(3)
Generating Tones	117	(4)
RC Servo Motors	121	(6)
From Analog In to Analog Out: Scaling Functions	127	(9)
Conclusion	136	(1)
Chapter 7 Communicating between Computers	137	(42)
Physical Agreement	138	(1)
Timing Agreement	139	(1)
Electrical Agreement	140	(1)
Package Size	140	(1)
Numbers or Letters: Using ASCII	141	(1)
Software for the Microcontroller	142	(1)
Serial Output from a Microcontroller	143	(6)
Testing with an LED	149	(1)
Testing with Terminal Software	149	(1)
Serial Input to a Microcontroller	150	(3)
Serial Freeze and Blocking Functions	153	(2)
Your Private Protocol	155	(5)
Punctuation	155	(2)
Call and Response	157	(3)
Sending Bigger Numbers	160	(2)
Send Your Numbers as Text	160	(1)
Scaling Your Numbers	160	(1)
Sending Big Numbers in Many Bytes	161	(1)
Serial Communication on a Multimedia Computer	162	(16)
Serial in Lingo	163	(6)
Serial in Processing	169	(2)
Serial in Java	171	(5)
Serial in Max/MSP	176	(2)
Conclusion	178	(1)
PART II Advanced Methods	179	(236)
Chapter 8 Physical Interaction Design, or Techniques for Polite Conversation	181	(36)
The Conversation: Listening, Speaking, and Thinking	181	(6)
Listening	181	(3)
Speaking	184	(3)
Complex Responses	187	(2)
Random Numbers	188	(1)
Thinking	189	(1)
Techniques for Effective Interaction	189	(27)
Multitasking	189	(6)
Edge Detection	195	(4)
Analog Sensors: Thresholds, Edges, and Peaks	199	(6)
Debouncing	205	(2)
Smoothing, Sampling, and Averaging	207	(9)
Conclusion	216	(1)
Chapter 9 Sensing Movement	217	(32)
Assessing the Problem	217	(2)
How Ranging Sensors Work	219	(1)
Detecting Presence	220	(3)
Foot Switches	220	(1)
Photoelectric Switches	220	(1)
Motion Detectors	221	(1)
Magnetic Switches	222	(1)
Determining Position	223	(5)
IR Sensors	223	(2)
Ultrasonic Sensors	225	(2)
Other Position Sensors	227	(1)
Determining Rotation	228	(6)
Potentiometers	228	(1)
Accelerometers	229	(4)
Compass	233	(1)
Encoders	233	(1)
Speed of Rotation	234	(1)
Gyroscopes	234	(1)
Video Tracking	234	(12)
Video Tracking in Director MX	237	(2)
Video Tracking in Max/MSP	239	(1)
Video Tracking in Processing	240	(2)
Video Tracking in Java	242	(3)
CMUcam	245	(1)
Identity	246	(2)
Conclusion	248	(1)
Chapter 10 Making Movement	249	(36)
Types of Motion, Types of Motors	249	(2)
Characteristics of Motors	251	(1)
Special Electrical Needs of Motors	252	(3)
Inductive Loads and Back Voltage	252	(2)
Smoothing Current Drops Using Decoupling Capacitors	254	(1)
Controlling Motors	255	(4)
Controlling DC Motors and Gearhead Motors	255	(4)
Controlling RC Servos	259	(1)
Controlling Stepper Motors	259	(10)
Unipolar Stepper Motors	260	(3)
Bipolar Stepper Motors	263	(6)
Controlling Solenoids	269	(2)
Basic Mechanics: Converting Motor Motion to Usable Motion	271	(10)
Simple Machines	272	(6)
Joints	278	(1)
Linkages	279	(2)
Construction	281	(2)
Foamcore	282	(1)
Tupperware	282	(1)
Wood	282	(1)
Plexiglas	282	(1)
Adhesives	282	(1)
Erector, Meccano, K'nex	283	(1)
Black Cloth	283	(1)
Conclusion	283	(2)
Chapter 11 Touch Me	285	(10)
Force-Sensitive Resistors	285	(2)
Homegrown FSRs	286	(1)
Flex Sensors	287	(1)
Pressure Sensors	287	(1)
Sensing Touch Using Capacitance Sensors	287	(2)
Off-the-Shelf Touch Interfaces	289	(1)
Sensing Vibrations Using Piezoelectric Sensors	289	(2)
Creating Vibrations	291	(1)
Taking Your Temperature	291	(1)
Cooling Things Off and Heating Them Up	292	(1)
Getting Under Your Skin	293	(1)
Force Feedback	294	(1)
Conclusion	294	(1)
Chapter 12 More Communication between Devices	295	(58)
Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication	296	(1)
Asynchronous Serial Protocols	296	(1)
Learning a Protocol	297	(1)
RS-232 Boxes	298	(1)
Global Positioning System Data	299	(3)
Finding a GPS Receiver	299	(1)
Learning the GPS Protocol	299	(3)
MIDI	302	(12)
MIDI Physical and Electrical Connections	303	(2)
Sending MIDI Messages	305	(9)
Connecting to the Internet	314	(18)
Network Connection Using the CoBox Micro	316	(11)
Network Connection in Lingo	327	(3)
Network Connection in Processing	330	(2)
Connecting over Telephone Lines Using Modems	332	(1)
Special-Function ICs and Modules	333	(3)
Synchronous Serial Protocols	336	(8)
Wireless Serial Communication	344	(1)
Infrared Serial Communication	345	(1)
RF Serial Communication	345	(7)
Bluetooth	349	(1)
Wireless Ethernet	350	(1)
Wireless Ethernet Security	351	(1)
Conclusion	352	(1)
Chapter 13 Controlling Sound and Light	353	(28)
Sound	353	(11)
Sound Input	354	(5)
Synthesizing Sound on a Microcontroller	359	(1)
Speech	360	(1)
Telephone Sounds	361	(3)
Light	364	(1)
BX-Basic	364	(6)
Light Sensors	365	(1)
DC Lighting Control	366	(1)
AC Lighting Control	367	(3)
Screen Graphics	370	(6)
Controlling Character Displays	370	(1)
Controlling Video Displays	370	(6)
Linear Media on a Multimedia Computer	376	(1)
Linear Media on a Microcontroller	376	(3)
Single-Board Computers	379	(1)
Conclusion	380	(1)
Chapter 14 Managing Multiple Inputs and Outputs	381	(34)
Setting Groups of Pins in Parallel	381	(4)
Bitwise Operations	385	(3)
Running Out of Pins	388	(1)
Resistor Ladders as Analog Input	388	(1)
Row-Column Scanning	389	(8)
Row-Column Scanning Analog Inputs	396	(1)
Row-Column Scanning Outputs	396	(1)
Shift Registers	397	(7)
Multiplexers	404	(5)
Latches	409	(5)
Conclusion	414	(1)
Appendix A Choosing a Microcontroller	415	(8)
Costs	415	(1)
Time	416	(1)
Expandability/Compatibility	416	(1)
Physical and Electrical Characteristics	416	(1)
The Microcontrollers Covered in This Book	417	(3)
Parallax Basic Stamp 2	417	(1)
NetMedia BX-24	418	(1)
Basic Micro Basic Atom Pro24	418	(1)
Microchip PIC	418	(2)
PIC Programmers	420	(3)
Appendix B Recommended Suppliers	423	(10)
The Staples	423	(2)
Microcontrollers	423	(1)
Electronics Parts	424	(1)
Software	424	(1)
The Extras	425	(8)
Hardware	425	(7)
Software	432	(1)
Appendix C Schematic Glossary	433	(10)
Common Schematic Terms and Abbreviations	441	(2)
Index	443