To activate it, just walk by
Posted 06.10.2009 at 7:29 pm
9 Comments
You're late for work. As you hustle out the front door, the furthest thing from your mind is the afternoon's dentist appointment that you'd scheduled last week. You'd have probably forgotten all about it — if you hadn't thought ahead by programming a home-built device to give you a voice reminder as you pass it on your way out.
Give Voice to Your To Do List: Peter Pachoumis
Just record your reminder on the device ("Dentist at 3 o'clock," or "Pick up the kids at baseball practice"), set the timer for when you'll need to hear it — up to a week in advance — and from the set time forward, it will play whenever you walk near the attached motion sensor. Sure beats having to remember everything yourself.
DIY Voice Reminder
PARTS
| Part | Part # | Source | Price |
| PIR Sensor Module | 276-033 | Radioshack.com | $9.99 |
| Recording Module | 276-1323 | Radioshack.com | $10.79 |
| NPN transistor | 276-2016 | Radioshack.com | $0.79 |
| .1 uF cap, 50 V | 272-1069 | Radioshack.com | $1.49 |
| SPST pushbutton sw red | 26623 | Jameco.com | $0.66 |
| SPST pushbutton sw blk | 26649 | Jameco.com | $0.7 |
| Perforated board | 276-1395 | Radioshack.com | $2.79 |
| Wire wrap socket | 37411 | Jameco.com | $1.19 |
| LM555 Integrated Cct. | 27422 | Jameco.com | $0.29 |
| 1 farad capacitor | 142957 | Jameco.com | $4.49 |
| Knob | 162481 | Jameco.com | $1.49 |
| Pot 500K with switch | 263848 | Jameco.com | $1.59 |
| 4 AAA battery holder | 216339 | Jameco.com | $1.55 |
| Acrylic butter dish | 104461 | Clearlyacrylic.com | $7.95 |
| 1 K resistor | 30BJ250-1.0K | Mouser.com | $0.22 |
| 470 K resistor | 30bj250-470K | Mouser.com | $0.22 |
| 4.7 M resistor | 66-RCO7GF475J | Mouser.com | $0.25 |
STEPS
1. Drill holes in your chosen enclosure, following the drilling template. Glue the speaker [A], microphone [B] and motion sensor [C] to the enclosure. Mount the buttons [D] on the outside.
Sound Circuit: Luis Bruno
2. Build the timer circuit board, which lets you specify a time delay after which the message will be enabled. Calibrate the timer.
3. Connect the timer circuit board to the "play" wire from the record module, the "play" button, the power wires from the battery, and the sensor and record modules.
4. Move the switch on the battery holder [E] to the "on" position. Hold the red button to record a message, and press the black button to hear it. Turn the rotary dial [F] counterclockwise to the "off" position. Turn the dial clockwise to set the time delay, after which any movement in front of the sensor will trigger the message.
A schematic diagram can be downloaded here.
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I might be missing something, but I can't find a circuit diagram that I can use to build this project.
I could guess from the picture, but that probably would not work.
Please tell me if I am overlooking something.
Thanks
I agree - there should be a diagram somewhere and I can't find it either.
That's three of us who can't find the circuit. Come on guys where's the circiut or is this a belated April Fool's trick??????????????????
make that four. how do u make circuit ?????
Please, Popsci, notify me and the preceding commenters when the schematic is available.
I got a schematic by writing the magazine. It's in PDF format and i have posted it at:
www.geezertek.com/popsci/voicereminderschematic.pdf
It's hand drwan and the first page is blank.
LEB
Thank you, the diagram is very helpful
Are you serious. You guys can't tell how the circuit works, it's simple you just connect the, with the... oh wait no it's take the resitor, and connect that to the... hmmm. Okay I got it you grab all the parts in your hand and spread them all over the floor, and then think of what you want to remember. That way each time you step on an individual part by accident you will will be reminded of what you need to remember.