SunV2: a sunrise when you want one

We've made a better version of the sun, one that rises on command, does not disappear like the Boston sun, and can be custom tailored to any night-shifted college student's schedule. It is essentially a light dimmer that talks to your computer, and it determines the best time to rise based on your Google Calendar. SunV2 slowly dims a light on as to emulate sunrise.

Hardware

• Lutron IR Dimmer with IR Receiver [http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-MIR-600THW-WH-600-Watt-Infrared-Receiver/dp/B000JJYJMM/]
• MSP430 LaunchPad [https://estore.ti.com/Product3.aspx?ProductId=2031]
• IR LED Emitter 940nm [http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/LTE-5208A/160-1061-ND/153250]

Software

• mspdebug [https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/quantal/+source/mspdebug]
• Code Composer Studio 5 (if you want to change the firmware)
• Python 2.7.3
• Google APIs Client Library for Python [http://code.google.com/p/google-api-python-client/wiki/OAuth2Client]
• Commandline flags module for Python [http://code.google.com/p/python-gflags/]
• pip (optional, to help install the following)
• flask (optional, for the demo website)
• pyserial

Quick start

• Make sure you have the above hardware and have installed the above software
• Connect the positive end of the LED to Pin P1.0 (LED1) and the negative end of the LED to GND
• Make sure the IR LED is within a few feet and pointed at the IR reciever of the dimmer
• Plug in the LaunchPad via USB
• Flash the firmware: $ mspdebug rf2500 'prog Sun_firmware.txt'
• Make the Sun executable: $ chmod u+x web/interface.py
• Run the Sun regularly: $ crontab -e
  • Add the line: */5 * * * 1-5 python <PATH_TO_REPO>/web/interface.py >> <PATH_TO_REPO>/log.log
• Run the Sun script once, to authenticate your Google account: $ python web/Sun.py
• Make sure that the src/calendar.dat file is readable and writeable: $ chmod a+rw src/calendar.dat

Troubleshooting / Other features

• To check the log for errors: $ tail -f <PATH_TO_REPO>/log.log
• To manually remote control the dimmer: $ screen /dev/ttyACM0 9600
  • Use keys ASDW to control the dimmer
• To run the demo web interface: $ python web/demo.py
  • Then, navigate to localhost and click buttons to control the dimmer
• To just check your Google Calendar "sunrise" time without controlling any lights, just run: $ python web/Sun.py

Flashing the Launchpad via Code Composer Studio 5 (development setup)

Windows 7 or Ubuntu 12.04

• File > New > CCS Project
• Family: MSP430, Variant: MSP430G2553, Empty Project
• Right click on project > Properties
  • Build > Advanced Options > Language Options > Enable "Treat C files as C++ files"

Ubuntu (keeps CCS project and repository in sync)

• Right click on project > Properties
  • Build > Steps > Apply Predefined Step > TI-TXT
• $ cd <REPO_DIR>
• Add code: $ ln -s src/ <PATH_TO_PROJECT>/src
• Export binary: Project > Build All
• Link binary to repo: $ ln <PATH_TO_PROJECT>/Debug/<PROJECT_NAME>.txt bin/Sun_firmware.txt
• Load program via terminal: $ mspdebug rf2500 'prog bin/Sun_firmware.txt'

Windows 7 (will need to copy files back to repo)

• Add code: src/
• Load program: Run > Debug

References

• Pin reference for the Launchpad [https://github.com/energia/Energia/wiki/Hardware#wiki-LaunchPad_MSP430G2553]
• Software UART on the MSP430 [https://github.com/wendlers/msp430-softuart]
• PySerial [http://pyserial.sourceforge.net/shortintro.html]

Feature requests

• Rain dance: to make the sun go away (snooze)