I have a project based upon an Arduino UNO. It is a counter. The project works fine, stand alone. It uses two analog pins A4, A5 (I2C) and three digital pins: pin 7 and two interrupts pins 2, 3.
If I had multiple counters, what would be an efficient way to send the counts to a desktop computer? Assume the counters and the desktop are in the same building and could communicate by WIFI. The count could be taken once a day or more but doesn't have to be updated continuously.
I am looking for help to research:
Is the UNO a good choice or would another arduino model make more sense?
Would blue tooth be a better option? Or something else?
How would this data appear on the desktop? An email?
Look at this demo for communicating between a PC and an Arduino using Python. The demo uses the USB connection but it would be easy to adapt it to use Bluetooth. You just need to change the serial port on the PC and on the Arduino and get a cheap Bluetooth device for the Arduino - such as a HC05.
The Python code should work on Windows if you put in the correct serial port reference.
Bluetooth will be much cheaper than Wifi but the limited range of Bluetooth could be a problem.
Since you have the Uno doing the job now, it is clearly as good a choice as any, and cheaper than most. What you propose appears to be a static operation but only you would know about the operating environment. Maybe establishing a wireless network, perhaps using NRF24s, with a base station connected to a PC.
You should check the bluetooth connection to the PC first if you are thinking about that. PC implies desktop. I have never seen a desktop with bluetooth and, while I use Bluetooth all the time, I have never succeeded in doing it with a desktop.
I thought blue tooth was fairly common because of blue tooth keyboards and mice. Do I have either? No...
:o
Did some google research on NRF24 and it also is appealing because of the 300' range.
Getting either one of them inside my little plastic box and actually having meaningful exchange of information with a desktop is not as simple as I had hoped for.
Bluetooth IS common. It just isn't common on desktops - to the point where I have never seen one with bluetooth installed, whereas all phones and laptops have it. I only raise this because you might have the same grief that I did. The problem was probably fixable but, for me, it wasn't worth the effort. Bluetooth mice are common with laptops, and keyboards with phones. That is where they are most needed, and make the most sense. Wireless mouse/keyboard setups are common with desktops but usually have their own base station (I think) and I'm sure mine wasn't bluetooth. I guess this is because it had to deal with two devices simultaneously.
Note that the cheapo NRF24s only have a range of about 10m, but I understand that you only need one high power module to have a longer range in both directions.
You have a really neat little package there. The bluetooth and NRF24s are both about the size of a postage stamp and should go in OK.
Nick_Pyner:
you might have the same grief that I did.
You haven't said what that was. And it is years since I had a desktop PC so I have no comparable experience. At the moment I assume a bluetooth dongle works as easily with a desptop as with a laptop.
Yes I did, I said I have never succeeded in communicating with my desktop PC via Bluetooth. PC can sniff all devices but that is as far as it goes, and there is no need anyway. I can't really comment on how easy it is to use a dongle with a laptop as laptops typically have bluetooth built in, and it would be a very old or a very mean one that doesn't.
