INTERFACE AND APPLICATION PROGRAMMING

This week is to work on an Interface that would take the output from your board and put it in graphics. Like building a virtual world.

I decided to use the ultrasonic sensor that I did in the input device week and have a display of the distance on my screen. I plan to work on Python.

 

First download python for Windows 8.1 from https://www.python.org/downloads/ choose python 2.7.9 cos the newer versions are still a little buggy so they say on the forum. Next is to get pyserial from https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyserial

choose the pyserial that is compatible to python 2.7

This pretty much settles all the software installation required before we start .

Ultrasonic Sensor Hooked Up and Ready!
   
Search for the VDLE for python and put it on the desktop for easy acces. The program is written from this platform and it has a tab that allows you to run the program and view your results. Its like writing a program again on the arduino IDE but with slightly less discipline as you need not declare variables or objects. Takes getting used to.

A simple rod that increases and decreases to reflect the distance detected.

This site helps teaching you how to create various shapes in python. http://vpython.org/contents/docs/VisualIntro.html
Having the rod was a nice qualitative way of view the distance. But as an engineer.... numbers always makes us feel a little more secure. So here goes.
   

The files can be found here

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g6do085v51wbpla/AADym3NTkxX0VhIDs5IaqQ0ta?dl=0

or local Archive