[Rohit] wrote in to tell us about a project he has created. Like most projects, his solves a problem. Sometimes while sleeping, a mosquito will infiltrate his room. He has a mosquito repellent machine but there are 2 problems, he has to get up to turn it on/off and it smells bad when in use. [Rohit] only needed a remote-controlled mosquito repelling machine but decided to make a 6 channel system he calls the RoomMote.
From the beginning, the plan was to use an old Sony TV remote to do the transmitting. The receiver unit was completely made from scratch. [Rohit] designed his own circuit around a surface mount MSP430 chip and made a really nice looking PCB to fit inside a project box he had kicking around. The MSP430 chip was programmed to turn relays on and off based on the signals received from the Sony remote. These relays are inside an electrical box and control AC outlets. Just plug in your light, radio or mosquito repellent into the appropriate outlet for wireless control. Code for the MSP430 is made available on [Rohit’s] project page for anyone wanting to make something similar.
In addition to the relays, there is an RGB LED strip attached to the custom circuit board. By using more of the Sony remote’s buttons, the LED strip can output 6 pre-programmed colors, some mood lighting for the mosquitoes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYXPqrXZ1eU
OMG that video isn’t using Google+ for it’s comments! How is that possible? Could it have been a bad database script when they moved to the new system? The older versions of YouTube might still exist buried under vast layers of server-side logic!
Why not cut out the middle man and detect the mosquito directly?
Now he only has to get up and wander about aimlessly for a few minutes trying to remember where he left the remote.
Progress!
Leaving a can of fly spray within reach is a ‘life hack’ I guess, not a ‘HAD hack’.
I have heard of mosquito attractant (CO2) but not repellant. Citronella oil? Obviously the repellant should always be on to keep the buggers out. Screens?
This thing looks like what we have here too. It’s not a repellant (which repels) but rather a powerful mosquito sedative vapourizer. It makes mosquitoes drowsy and they fall on the floor within about an hour of having this turned on so you can sleep. They often come back to senses the next day, hungover and angry. The kind that we have here does not smell much but it definitely has some effect on humans too so it’s better not to abuse this stuff. In [Rohit]’s place I would rather include a 1-hour auto-off timer specially for this thing.
Interesting idea to include the option to turn on the soldering iron while sleeping. I approve.