Pachube + Arduino from Morgellon on Vimeo.

STEP ONE: GET A PACHUBE ACCOUNT!

Head over to the Pachube website and see various sensors from all over the world and view their status.  Be sure to view the ABOUT page, this describes INPUTs and OUTPUTs, along with ways to interface with Pachube and your sensors.  The QUICKSTART page has the details to get started and how to use your API.  Pachube is still in beta, so you’ll need to get an invite code… but no worries, Pachube has an email address on the QUICKSTART page.  Just send them and email asking for an invite and what you would like to do.  If they let me in… they will let anyone in!

STEP TWO: PREPARE ARDUINO!

The Arduino can be interfaced with Pachube two ways: 1. With an Ethernet shield OR 2. Via USB connected to a PC running Processing… which is the way used in this tutorial… as I feel it is an easy and inexpensive way.  You can learn more about each way at the Pachube Arduino page.

To prep the Arduino, you need to connect the sensors you will be using and verify that they are working correctly! Once the sensors are good, then upload the “Standard Firmata” to the Arduino.  Now the Arduino is prepped for Pachube!  Leave the Arduino connected to the PC.

STEP THREE: PREPARE PROCESSING!

To have Processing communicate easily with Pachube, you will need to add a few libraries.  They are the Pachuino, Arduino and EEML libraries, they are available and there is more info at the PACHUINO page.  Download, unzip and move them to the libraries folder, in your sketchbook folder.  Now Processing is ready!

STEP FOUR: PREPARE INPUT FEED!

Once you have a Pachube account and your API key, go ahead and set up a new feed for your sensors.  Since I have light sensors, I started a new INPUT FEED.  I chose to make my feed “manual” (as this is easier for me) which means Pachube gets updates only when I send them.  Instead of Pachube connecting directly to my PC to pull the info.

STEP FIVE: PREPARE CODE FOR PROCESSING!

Once you have the libraries in the folder, you are ready to start Processing and start coding.  Below is the code I used for my light sensor.  This was taken from the sample code and stripped to make it more simple. I added a LED on pin 11 to light up (to let me know when my Arduino was running) and a delay(1500).

Be sure to add you API Key, and the URL of your INPUT FEED!

import processing.serial.*;
import cc.arduino.*;
import eeml.*;
import pachuino.*;

Pachuino p;
Arduino arduino;
int ledPin = 11;

void setup(){
p = new Pachuino(this, Arduino.list()[0], 115200);
p.manualUpdate(“http://www.pachube.com/api/2145.xml”); // change URL — this is the feed you want to update
p.setKey(“—YOUR API KEY HERE—”);

// local sensors
p.addLocalSensor(“analog”, 0,”Light Sensor Inside”);
p.addLocalSensor(“analog”, 1,”Light Sensor Outside”);
}

void draw(){
//p.debug();
p.digitalWrite(ledPin, Arduino.HIGH);
delay(1500);
}

// you don’t need to change any of these

void onReceiveEEML(DataIn d){
p.updateRemoteSensors(d);
}

STEP SIX: LAUNCH CODE AND COLLECT DATA!

Make sure that:

• Sensors are *working* and connected to Arduino
• Arduino is running “Standard Firmata” and connected to computer
• Processing is collecting sensor data from Arduino
• Computer has Internet connection

Now run your program and begin collecting data and sharing it on the web!!  Check your feed to make sure you data is being transmitted.  Have fun and happy tinkering!

–Morgellon OUT!

When I entered the world of the *duinos, I remember the question “Can I hook up my Arduino to my phone?” entering somewhere in the back of my mind.  There it sat, in the deep recesses of the mind…. until recently.

Ideally, I would like the ability to plug in or sync an Arduino and run the Arduino IDE on a mobile phone.  I have little desire to replace my computer and keyboard for a phone as my main environment.  Although, I would like the ability to use the phone as a “field unit”. Perhaps using it to edit, tweak, or update versions of a sketch without the need of a PC or laptop.

I have no idea if this is at all possible… but in the course of searching the internet for answers I have found some interesting projects with *duino’s and mobile phones!

• Here is an example of a BT Arduino communicating with a mobile phone over Blue-Tooth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgZiBl7Uzdo

This example is neat, but… the blue-tooth Arduino can be pricey and I’m really looking for a way to physical connect the arduino over USB… so we keep searching…

• This example has serial output from an Arduino being displayed on an iPod Touch or iPhone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEM-VHZTqhk

This example caught my eye and interest! (Possibly due to the nature of owning an iPhone…) So, I decided to poke around and see if I could find more info on the process. Most of what I found was in Japanese or broken links.

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/tabletlet/20080328/ The site where the video originated and the Google translation http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fd.hatena.ne.jp%2Ftabletlet%2F20080328%2F&sl=ja&tl=en&history_state0=

http://novi.10.dtiblog.com/blog-entry-213.html Another site in Japanese with a bit more info on establishing the serial communications and the Google translation http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnovi.10.dtiblog.com%2Fblog-entry-213.html&sl=ja&tl=en&history_state0=

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1207058161 A post in the Arduino.cc forums about connecting Arduino to iPod/iPhone serial.

http://devdot.wikispaces.com/Iphone+Serial+Port+Tutorial Info about iPod/iPhone serial communications.

http://pinouts.ru/Devices/ipod_pinout.shtml iPod/iPhone connector pin-out.

And of course, a few sources for iPod connectors and breakout boards:

• http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/ipodext-assembled-version-breakout-for-ipod-p-148.html
• http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=633
• http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8295