DIY home automation system brings back the lost art of flashlight control

ZigBee and other home automation technologies may be all well and good if you want to keep things practical and whatnot, but if you're the more adventuresome type, you may want to take after Instructables member leevonk, who's pieced together this slightly unwieldy contraption. At the heart of the system is a webcam, a flashlight, and some photoresistors that detect changes in brightness on the screen they're so elegantly affixed to. To change that brightness, you simply shine the flashlight at the area the webcam is pointed to, which relays the image back to the aforementioned PC via Yahoo Messenger which, in turn, activates a series of motors that can be used to perform a variety of tasks. Practical? Not exactly. But it is inexpensive, and it sure is more fun than a couple of mouse clicks. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

[tbone @ Dec 30th 2008 4:14PM]

windows xp i see. good choice

[rock99rock @ Dec 30th 2008 4:21PM]

If you had just said "Windows" i might have supported your effort.

But i laughed when you mentioned the OS from 7 years ago. You have a black and white TV too? One of those circular ones?

:) I keed. Maybe.

[Jinto @ Dec 30th 2008 4:40PM]

lol @ rock99rock

Wait. I lied. Xp is a good choice, because its stable. Ubuntu would have been another good choice, in my opinion.

[Graham @ Dec 30th 2008 5:45PM]

Your laughing at someone using xp because its seven years old? Then do tell what is so great about the latest one compared to xp?

[Cory @ Dec 31st 2008 12:52AM]

And vista isn't? Vista is a lot more stable than Xp.

[Wwhat @ Dec 31st 2008 10:35AM]

Vista == XP+DRM+Graphics to fool the naive+hidden/moved-around menus to hide the truth-user access to their own computer+more DRM to prevent them from getting access to it.
It's a bundle of joy.
You must be the target group they aim for when they add 'NEW!' on the package of old products everywhere.
My XP only crashes if I knowingly install crap that is so badly designed it crashes it, like the latest ATI drivers for instance, but that crap crashes vista too I'm told,

[AVG @ Dec 31st 2008 5:02PM]

@Wwhat

...DRM? You don't know how to dodge DRM?

Maybe you should just use Linpus.

[Arkenklo @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:36AM]

DRM? You have to know how to avoid DRM?

Maybe YOU should use Linux.

[Sentax @ Dec 30th 2008 4:14PM]

I could think of one industry that could make this practical... remote interactive porn.

Oh yah baby, you like the way I flash this light... you like that.. strobe it.. oh yeah strobe it.

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Dec 30th 2008 4:16PM]

Why do I find myself reminded of Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future?

[BlurMagic @ Dec 30th 2008 4:31PM]

Speaking of Captains,

Captain Planet was a badass.

But Captain Morgan is my favorite.

Captain America was pretty cool.

But Team America? Fuck Yeah.

This was random and had nothing to do with the article. I apologize. Just when people talk about Captains I can't resist.

[rock99rock @ Dec 30th 2008 4:37PM]

What of Captain Caveman? Captain Kirk? O'Captain my Captain?

[BlurMagic @ Dec 30th 2008 5:32PM]

I was born in the 1990. That's what.

[Patriks7 @ Dec 30th 2008 5:40PM]

Captain Underpants ftw! :p

[DeoWulf @ Dec 30th 2008 6:35PM]

Captain Falcon is extremely disappointed in you all. Expect to receive a flaming punch within 3-5 business days.

[rock99rock @ Dec 31st 2008 12:21AM]

I keep forgetting there are 15 year olds on here.

[Arkenklo @ Dec 30th 2008 4:26PM]

Nifty, tough easyer and cheaper to hook the motors to serial and control it that way. This is more a phun thing than something useful.

[az1324 @ Dec 30th 2008 4:36PM]

Your Boss: "What are you doing pointing that flashlight at a webcam?"
You: "Feeding my dog"

That's bound to go over handsomely.

[Jeff @ Dec 30th 2008 4:50PM]

@ Modder- "sorry, it's hard to aim the light, look at the screen and hold the camera at the same time." Could not have said it better myself- Can't this be done via instant messaging with even more ease?

@Rock99Rock- I smell a leopard :)

@Az1324- LOL!... Only to have your boss point one back at you..."Now what are YOU doing?" "Firing you." Doh

[rock99rock @ Dec 30th 2008 4:59PM]

Negative! I'm truly thinking of using W7 Beta 1 for a primary os once all the Core I7 parts arrive. Just need a 64bit version..

[Sentax @ Dec 30th 2008 5:13PM]

@ rock99rock -- I would advise otherwise, I have tried Win7 Beta, and it is great, boots to desktop in like 30 seconds on an old computer, but I had a lot of problems with software installing. I'd wait until more people tweak their software to run/install on it before committing to is as a primary OS. Just my 2 cents..

[rock99rock @ Dec 31st 2008 12:28AM]

@Sentax

Beta 1 has only been out for 2-3 days, and is MUCH more stable than the other versions released about a month ago. Ive had both installed on a d610, and installed every app I have on the lappy. It hasnt rejected one app yet. Adobe CS4, Office Enterprise, AVG, SpyBot, wireless drivers and video card drivers (seperate not integrated) installed automatically. Bootup is sooooo fast, Peek function is freaking sweet, shake is cool but i dont use it (might be good if you use gadgets), battery life has increased 20% easily, webpages in IE8 load faster than chrome on vista, or FF on XP.

Im stoked :) Thanks for youre input, but its ALL bueno over here.

[Joshua Walters @ Dec 30th 2008 5:01PM]

Could I aim the camera at the clouds and have it detect a batman signal?

[phanbouy fan fan @ Dec 30th 2008 5:15PM]

Who said Fleshlight was a lost art? Oh wait...

[gahahha @ Dec 30th 2008 9:19PM]

rock99rock, if you didnt notice, XP is the most stable, most common (and thus has the most support), and best performing Windows OS there is. Any maybe 7 performs nearly the same, but it most certainly does not have the first two qualities as well

[rock99rock @ Dec 31st 2008 12:40AM]

Yes, i know of xp. If you didnt notice my 800 comments, you'll see that I have mentioned it a couple times. It is truly dated, and can not match the performance of newer OS's in decent rigs.

"best performing Windows OS there is"

if you want to start making claims like that, provide some URL's for my enjoyment. Then ill show you how sbs2k3 will light your ass on fire. or 2k3 will give you highlights with frosted tips. Or heaven help me, Windows home server that does everything you wish xp could do for you.

[Takahashi @ Dec 30th 2008 9:39PM]

Ahh, yes the old flashlight control. I agree on how impractical it is, but who can argue with the fact its a sure fire way to impress your friends with useless gadgets.

[David Bell @ Dec 30th 2008 11:14PM]

I love making things more complicated with technology!

[Sometime @ Dec 31st 2008 12:58AM]

Better idea; connect the stuff to the serial or parallel port of home PC, write small application to send control signal to desired ports, connect to home PC via RDC and voila.

- Thank you and come again!

[Blastar @ Dec 31st 2008 4:51AM]

-No Cory no.. XP aren't more stable.
-IT companies still use XP and they don't have black and while screens.
-Linux is not as easy to use as windows no matter... example.. try to setup wifi or dial up in Linux.. not that easy right ?
-Vista stll fancy but not as good as XP.. Just better graphics(DX10) and SideBar all other are worst.
By the way... the windows 7 reminds me very much the Mac OS.. the even have this Stay in Doc thing now.
Still I think that Microsoft is just Using Other People's Ideas for their OS.

PS: I have windows Vista Ultimate.. :-P

[Wwhat @ Dec 31st 2008 10:37AM]

It's useful for when you have fallen and can't get up.. I guess.

[GBeatzRecrds @ Dec 31st 2008 12:38PM]

okay rockr, d-bag

your'e saying my brother's 500MHz P3 with 128MB (max) machine will run 7, Vista, and Home Server as well as it does XP? (which isn't even that good, but it runs)

[Ordeith @ Dec 31st 2008 2:11PM]

I have thrown away computers newer than that.

[rock99rock @ Dec 31st 2008 4:14PM]

"can not match the performance of newer OS's in decent rigs"

youre brothers p3 is not considered a decent rig. But you are in luck with W7.

http://geekpi.com/?p=38

Your brothers p3 will Run W7, and nicely at that.

[spinoza @ Dec 31st 2008 6:33PM]

Nice. The rube goldberg machine of home automation. Last I checked a Zigbee module was under $30.

[Casey @ Jan 1st 2009 1:59AM]

Someone should introduce these guys to a new invention called "scissors".