For this recitation the goal was to successfully use a sensor and have the values displayed on the Arduino’s Serial Monitor. Working with Ruben, we decided to use an infrared sensor (to detect the distance between the sensor and the first object it senses in its path).
The code was relatively simple: all that was needed was to make sure Arduino what pin the sensor was connected to. We then mapped its values to a smaller interval for ease of reading the values. Since we were able to finish this part relatively quickly, we decided to hook it up to a buzzer and have it activate if someone was close enough to the sensor!
Our code:
The values displayed:
The sensor turning on the buzzer (image, so no sound):
Question 1:
It was interesting to work with this type of sensor, because it can be quite useful in every day life. The goal was to make the sensor activate something once the distance requirements were meant, which is just like how some automatic doors work. These doors, in every Family Mart, allow for the consumer to walk in and feel welcomed (since once the sensor is activated it not only activates the doors, but the lovely Family Mart sound that I am sure we all know at this point).
Question 2:
I think code is compared to a recipe or tutorial because you have to follow the steps exactly the first time you use it to understand why it’s this way, and what each line of code actually does. Once you understand that, you can start to make your own recipes from previous experiences!
Question 3:
Computers are now used every single day, by most humans on the planet. A smartphone is basically just a tiny computer. Phones influence our human behavior in a drastic way: people are always glued to them and looking at other peoples’ social media, updating their own, or just doing random distracting things (with no real purpose). I would say computers have changed the way we communicate with each other drastically. Instead of talking face to face, we talk through FaceTime; instead of a lively debate over serious matters, we debate on who has the most likes. I am not saying that computers are necessarily bad, however, I do believe that the overuse of them leads to a sort of ‘dumbing’ (I use this word for the lack of a better term, however, I use it sparingly) of the general population.