USB Controlled Traffic Light in the House

The project uses an Arduino to create a traffic light that is designed to be an ambient information device such as IM notification or weather alerts.

The traffic light utilizes a USB interface to accept commands that simply runs predefined sequence of light switching. A click noise can also be heard since the lamps are controlled through the use of electromechanical relays. The information can be collected by running programs and output it on the traffic light.

With USB control, it can provide email notifications, reporting sports scores, outcome of source doe compilation, and severe weather alerts. With autonomous application, it can be controlled remotely using infrared components, the weather prediction will require air pressure sensor, and the web interface will require Ethernet shield.

The lights can be cycled autonomously through any number of predefined patterns by the embedded AVT Atmega168 or use an Arduino MiniUSB adapter to directly control from a computer. A power source coming from the mainline is required by the circuit and thus requiring some checking before plugging in. A reversed-biased fast diodes can be used in parallel with the relay coils to prevent damage on microcontroller.

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