Greenthumb Prototype 2
I want to spend a little time going over the design and functions of the first real GreenThumb Prototype. What it is, how it works, etc. Parts 1 Arduino Microcontroller 1 DFRobot LCD Keypad shield 1 DS1307 RTC clock module with battery 1 Relay module 1 Arduino Protoshield 1 small prototyping board 2 3.5mm jacks 1 Six pin header. 1 Optoisolator Resistors Wire DESIGN The basic architecture is pretty easy. For simplicity sake I decided to use the DFRobot Keypad LCD shield as an interface. Im not really a big fan of the little buttons, I prefer knobs and dials, but just to make my life easier this off the shelf solution was a good fit. The Arduino is a micro-controller. If you have never used one, it is basically a small computer that uses a variant of C programming language encased in a friendly wrapper. It has various Input/Output pins that can be used as triggers to turn things on or off, or sense weather a signal has gone high or low, or various stages in between. The RTC Clock module is just a small clock that uses a battery to keep it on keeping track of time. It uses i2c protocol to communicate to the Arduino so the Arduino is capable of tracking time, even after being reset or a loss of power. The Protoshield sits sandwiched between the Arduino and the DFRobot LCD keypad shield. This gives you solder connection points and access to the pins not used by the LCD shield. The Prototyping board is soldered onto the protoshield and extends out to the side, providing a convenient spot to solder on the optoisolator, the 3.5mm jacks, and the pins for the relay. The optoisolator is used to keep keep the 5V provided by the cameras shutter port separated from the circuitry in the GreenThumb Prototype. The 3.5mm Jacks provide an input and output used to sync up with the ChronoTimer for motion. The Program and Functions. The first step was to add the proper libraries so I could use the DFRobot LCD shield, and the DS1307 RTC module. These libraries are basically a small set of routines, functions, and program that you can load onto the arduino which can save you a ton of time trying to set them all up yourself. Next I wrote out a basic script to understand the buttons, and to build out a basic menu system, and some functions to translate milliseconds to a readable time, as well as RUN routine mode to start the program The controller will fetch the time automatically anytime it is connected to a computer via USB. The adjustable parameters include 1) Day time (turns on the grow lights for day cycle) 2) Night time (turns off the grow lights for night cycle) 3) Pre-shot delay (shuts off the lights before the camera is triggered during day cycle) 4) Post-shot delay (turns the lights back on after camera is triggered during day cycle) 5) Interval (amount of time between frames) A basic routine would be as such. Triggers camera every 10 minutes (with 10 min interval) At 7am the grow lights turn on for the day cycle. 9 min and 58 seconds later the lights shut off (1 second preshot delay) 1 second later the camera triggers 1 second later the lights turn back on (1 second postshot delay) 9 min and 58 seconds later the lights shut off (1 second preshot delay) 1 second later the camera triggers 1 second later the lights turn back on (1 second postshot delay) —REPEAT until 8PM– at 8PM the grow lights shut off. The camera is triggered every 10 minutes. This means every time the camera takes an image, the room is pitch black. The camera uses a Hot shot PC adapter to connect to (and trigger) the Elinchrom strobe and to illuminate the subject. There is a secondary Elinchrom strobe that triggers when it sees a flash, which is aimed up at the back wall to illuminate the backdrop. An alternate way would be to trigger the grow-light to turn on during the Day Cycle, and off at the night cycle, but to turn ON before the camera triggers during the night cycle. I have not tried this though. This is just the first Prototype, and I have already ordered parts for a more robust system that offers more functionality, but for what it is, it works pretty darn well.

  • Home

  • My Equipment

  • Showcase

  • Bio-Lapse Blog

    • Getting Started. 2013

      • Introduction

      • Hyancinth First Biolapse

      • Getting back on the horse

      • Greenthumb Prototype

      • Playing in the Dirt

      • Moving on to Moss

      • Flicker is getting worse

      • DIY Humidifier

    • Up and Running, 2014

      • Building the BMC

      • Illuminating unexpected friends

    • PaperWhites

      • Days 1-5

      • Days 5 through 10

    • From the Womb to the Tomb

  • Who am I?