View source for Room Control project

Room Control is a Java desktop application that I've wanted to do for a long time. The essence of the project is to sense to environment via analog sensors and interact upon those values using logic and relays, i.e. controlling a heater using temperature sensor(s).

Download: Soon

* [http://beta.ivancover.com/room_control/ Live Video Streaming] (for demonstration)

== Controllers ==
Controllers are use to manage the different inputs and outputs. The applications talks to the USB controllers via an API (Application Programming Interface), or JAR-class in Java. 

Each controller has 8 analog inputs, 8 analog outputs, and 8 digital inputs. The digital inputs provides 5v power.

The sensors are connected to the digital inputs and the relays to the analog output.

[[Image:room_control_controller1.jpg|300px]] [[Image:room_control_controller2.jpg|300px]]

== Relays ==
Relays are used to control the power supply to external devices and essentially acts as a remote switch. A relay can do two operations, either open circuit or close circuit.

'''Two sockets:'''

[[Image:room_control_relay1.jpg|300px]] [[Image:room_control_relay2.jpg|300px]] [[Image:room_control_relay3.jpg|300px]]

'''Single socket:'''

[[Image:room_control_relaysingle1.jpg|300px]] [[Image:room_control_relaysingle2.jpg|300px]] [[Image:room_control_relaysingle3.jpg|300px]]

Picture below shows a fully connected relay: '''two relays''' (black squares), '''2x2 AC lines''' (blue/brown), '''two sockets''', <span style="color:#dddd00">'''two analog control inputs'''</span> (yellow), and <span style="color:#dd0000">'''5v'''</span> / '''ground''' (red/black) to hold the relay state.

[[Image:room_control_relay_installed.jpg|300px]]

== LCD Text Panel ==
The LCD panel is just a cool addition to the project. It can display 2 rows and 20 characters per row. The panel is mounted on the back of a controller but appears as a individual unit when programming to it.

Each time the light brightness or temperature changes, the display is updated.

[[Image:room_control_displaypanel1.jpg|300px]]

== Sensors ==
These sensors are pretty precise and accurate. There are numerous sensors available, but only the light, temperature, and touch sensors are currently being used in this project.

[[Image:room_control_sensors1.jpg|300px]]

== Computer ==
Everything is connected to and controlled via a Mac Mini.

[[Image:room_control_computer1.jpg|300px]]

== References ==
* [http://www.phidgets.com/ Phidgets] - The devices are made by Phidgets and also provides excellent documentation for programming