Personal Progress
This week I was able to test our light detection circuit in actual sunlight and was able to extract the threshold for sunlight as shown below in figure 1. I was also able to get the stepper motor working. It can rotate in both direction and at different speeds and duration. I also set up the initial serial interface to receive some basic commands from the serial monitor (currently just adjusting the direction of the rotation. I also learned how to use Cura for 3D printing slicing for the 3D printing request for the gear to turn the blind. I submitted a request for a quote to make sure it fits in our budget as shown in figure 2.
figure 1: Left is direct sunlight, Right is ambient light
I am current still on schedule and no need for adjustment.
Plans for Next Week
The motor currently turns very slowly and I’ve been researching how to make it turn faster. I found a few solutions and plan on implementing them and testing it next week. I also hope the gear gets printed by next week so I can attach it to the motor and begin testing on the actual blinds.