Serial Pressure Floor Mat (Halloween Project)

[nlgma]

Hello,

I picked up an older Pressure Floor Mat that use to be connected to a Wyse device and functioned as a auto logon / logoff switch for a kiosk. I have been working with the CommMG UDF's, with no luck. I installed a serial monitor program and still can't seem to communicate with the floor pad. A serial port was a bit difficult to locate, I currently have the floor mat connected to the docking station of the laptop.

Project: Play short video when the Pressure Floor Mat is stepped on.

 

[Bert]

can you go from Serial to USB?

 

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-TU-S9-USB-Serial-Converter/dp/B0007T27H8

Edited October 15, 2015 by Bert
added site

[nlgma]

OK, So I picked up a Sabrent USB 2.0 to serial adapter. I am assuming that I will need to be listening on Com4 with default settings 9600 ect... I have never scripted anything for this type of project, My thought was to monitor the com4 port and jump on the pad and see what information I can gather, then script something to listen on the port and play video when someone steps on the mat. If someone could point me in the right direction of what I am trying to do, I can write the code, please help!

[nlgma]

SOLVED (ONLY WORKS ON 32 BIT WINDOWS)

Arduino Section

I bought an Arduino UNO with some jumper wires off Amazon for $15. I downloaded and installed the Arduino software. I tried using the  built in Digital Button example included with the Arduino software. I didn't have the proper resistor, however I connected jumper wires to PIN 5 to ground and PIN 2 to digital 2. When I tested the mat, the on-board LED would light up and it would light up randomly as well. After doing some research I found the following link that explained I was getting noise interference causing the code to randomly trigger http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Button-Tutorial/

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//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Arduino button tutorial 1.
//
// Demonstrates:
// - detection of pressing state
//
// Push-button must be connected as follows:
//              __,__
//   Pin2 ------o   o------ GND
//
// (C) 2011 By P. Bauermeister
// This example code is in the public domain.
//
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

// Adapt these to your board and application timings:

#define BUTTON_PIN        2  // Button
#define DELAY            20  // Delay per loop in ms

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void setup()
{
  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(BUTTON_PIN, HIGH); // pull-up
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

boolean handle_button()
{
  int button_pressed = !digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN); // pin low -> pressed
  return button_pressed;
}

void loop()
{
  // handle button
  boolean button_pressed = handle_button();

  // do other things
  Serial.print(button_pressed ? "1" : "0");

  // add newline sometimes
  static int counter = 0;
  if ((++counter & 0x3f) == 0)
    Serial.println();

  delay(DELAY);
}

I loaded the above (slightly modified) code to the Arduino, connected jumper wires to PIN 5 to ground and PIN 2 to digital 2, stepped on the pad and magic happened.

Autoit Section

I downloaded the CommMG.au3 UDF and the commg.dll, however I couldn't get anything working, Why?!?!?! cause I was running a 64 bit version of windows. I installed Virtual Box and created a 32 bit VB and tested the again and magic happened.

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#include <arduino.au3>
#include <GUIConstants.au3>
#include <array.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <EditConstants.au3>
#include <CommMG.au3>

Local $convar = False

_CommSetDllPath(@ScriptDir & "\commg.dll")

$gui = GUICreate ("Arduino serial connections",500)
$inut = GUICtrlCreateEdit("",10,60,200,300)
$output = GUICtrlCreateEdit("",270,60,200,300,$ES_READONLY)
$send = GUICtrlCreateButton("Send to Arduino",20,20)
$ports = GUICtrlCreateCombo("",155,22)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Ports:" ,120,24)
GUICtrlSetData($ports,_CommListports(1),_CommListports(0))
$connect = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Connect COM ",260,20)
$disconnect = GUICtrlCreateButton (" Disconnect COM ",370,20)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Send edit",50,370)
GUICtrlCreateLabel("Recieve edit",330,370)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

While 1
Switch GUIGetMsg()
    Case $connect
       $ported = GUICtrlRead($ports)
       conecta(StringReplace($ported,"COM",""),9600)
       MsgBox ("","","Connected to :" &$ported)
       $convar = True

    Case $disconnect
        _CommCloseport()
        MsgBox ("","","COM Disconnected")
        $convar = False

    Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
        _CommCloseport()
         Exit

     Case $send
         If $convar Then
         $sended = GUICtrlRead($inut)
         _CommSendString($sended,1)
         MsgBox ("","","String Send")
         else
         MsgBox ("","","Please connect to COM before sending data to it")
         EndIf

EndSwitch
$inpcom = _CommGetstring()

If Not @error And StringLen($inpcom) > 0 And $inpcom <> 0 Then SplashTextOn("YOUR STANDING ON THE MAT","PLAY VIDEO","-1","-1","-1","-1",32,"Impact","36","700")
If Not @error And StringLen($inpcom) > 0 And $inpcom <> 1 Then SplashOff()
WEnd

The above code is slightly modified and was used for testing to make sure everything was working.

Edited October 25, 2015 by nlgma

[BrewManNH]

have you tried running the 32 bit version of AutoIt on your 64 bit Windows? By default, you're probably running AutoIt_64.exe.