The advent of affordable computing over the last few decades has certainly been a boon for many people with disabilities, making it easier to access things like text-to-speech technology, automation, or mobility devices, and even going as far as making it easier to work in general by making remote work possible. Some things still lag behind, though, like user interfaces that don’t take the colorblind into account, or appliances that only use an audio cue to signal to their users. This doorbell, for example, is one such device and [ydiaeresis] is adding features to it to help their mother with some hearing issues.
The first thing up for this off-the-shelf remote doorbell is a “brain transplant” since the built-in microcontroller couldn’t be identified. There are only a few signals on this board though so an ATtiny412 made for a suitable replacement. A logic analyzer was able to decode the signals being fed to the original microcontroller, and with that the push of the doorbell can be programmed to do whatever one likes, including integrating it with home automation systems or other assistive technology. In [ydiaeresis]’s case there’s an existing LED lighting system that illuminates whenever the phone rings.
Although it would be nice if these inexpensive electronics came with the adaptive features everyone might need from them, it’s often not too hard to add it in as was the case with this set of digital calipers. To go even further, some other common technology can be used to help those with disabilities like this hoverboard modified to help those with mobility issues.
Thanks to [buttim] for the tip!
Started going down that rabbithole witch resulted in https:://gitlab.com//olliver/ochime which close to getting finished. Keep on having space-claim issues though :(
https://gitlab.com//olliver/ochime
Forgive me
I went down this route too. Specifically for integration with my home and to have a second ringer as the range was terrible. I took apart the ringer and found that the ones I had (I bought a second make for comparison) all used 433mhz receivers. Got myself a 433mhz receiver (one of those dirt cheap ones and one transceiver) and did the whole sound card recording trick and mapped out the sent signal. Replayed it with the transceiver and instead of the same ring noise the bell barked at me (literally played a dog barking noise). After some playing around I got it to work and stop barking, but I figure the bell had different ringers which you could select with a button, for some reason it was set up to play the barking noise with this particular signal, I reckon for some other device as the barking was not available with the ringer selection. Anyway I replaced the original bell with an Arduino and a speaker with a slow flashing led (for night mode when the kids were in bed) and the transceiver to repeat the signal to the original bell which was moved to the shed (out of range of the button on the front door).
Both of the bells even with different makes played the same “header” or first few signals and changed the last few so I reckon I could have gotten it to work for any bell but wasn’t sure without buying more and wasn’t that bothered.
other than being homebrew my camera doorbell is obnoxiously loud + wifi connected, and had a RGB lightshow behind it, while its 16 years old …
and just to egg on my previous dumbell, I wired in a 555 timer so its crappy bulb would pulse in and out once being pressed for a good 8 seconds, letting the user know that yes they pressed it, and yes they totally ignored the “no soliciting” sign, in which I point to the sign, and say “there’s a sign right there” and slam the door in their face.
Might seem a little harsh but if you have a baby who is sleeping at random thoughout the night, while never agreeing to be on call for 3 shifts, 6 days a week …the last thing you want to see at 9AM is some douche in a polo shirt, trying to sell you new windows while carrying an IPad in a mitten