a programmable musical doorbell

Hi.

Would you please tell me if I need a circuit board (such as one of ARDUINO’s), in addition to my laptop, to do what I am about to describe? (It would be better if I could just use my laptop, without having to buy another circuit board.) But, if I do need another circuit board, what is the easiest and least expensive one I can get (and, is that one an ARDUINO)? Finally, it has been a long time since I used Java, so I’m not sure if I’m using the word “class” correctly. But, would you please tell me where I can find what Java class(es) I need for the three devices I am about to describe?

I need to receive input from a device. I’m not sure what this device is called yet, but I know it can make a lot of other devices (such as public sinks, paper towel dispensers, and air hand dryers) touchless. It can make them touchless because it knows when something (such as a hand) is waved in front of them. Because I don’t know what this device is called, I’ll refer to it as the first device.

I need the sound of my voice to be played when something is waved in front of the first device. I also need the amount of time after something is waved in front of the first device to be kept track of. Please call that amount of time “x”. And, I need the sound of my voice to be played, with a changed volume, when something is waved again in front of the first device, AND when x is greater than one amount of time, AND when x is lesser than another amount of time.

In addition to a speaker that plays the sound of my voice, I also need another output device, a light (whose brightness I can change). I need these two output devices to be far away from the first device.

Would changing the code of a musical doorbell be a good shortcut?

How much is this going to cost?

Thank you!

Jason

I need to receive input from a device. I'm not sure what this device is called yet, but I know it can make a lot of other devices (such as public sinks, paper towel dispensers, and air hand dryers) touchless. It can make them touchless because it knows when something (such as a hand) is waved in front of them. Because I don't know what this device is called, I'll refer to it as the first device.

That "first device" is a ping sensor, which is driven by a microcontroller.

In addition to a speaker that plays the sound of my voice

That speaker is not going to magically do that. You need something pushing data to an amplifier that the speaker is connected to. The volume of data, and the speed that it needs to be pushed, pretty much rules out an Arduino, unless you are using a WAV shield or an MP3 shield.

I also need the amount of time after something is waved in front of the first device to be kept track of.

OK.

Please call that amount of time "x".

No. "x" tells us NOTHING about the data that is stored in the variable. You will use a much more descriptive name.

And, I need the sound of my voice to be played, with a changed volume, when something is waved again in front of the first device, AND when x is greater than one amount of time, AND when x is lesser than another amount of time.

The volume going out the speaker is a function of the amplifier gain. Unless you use a programmable variable resistor, and have the Arduino set the resistance, that is not going to happen.

I need these two output devices to be far away from the first device.

"far away" is useless information. Is 3 feet far away? 3 light years?

How much is this going to cost?

That depends. How much of the work are you going to do?