I hope someone here can help me. I've looked around for solutions, but can't find a simple tutorial to do what I want. I am a long time hardware designer, but my programming experience is limited and has mostly been simple embedded code.
I am looking for examples and/or tutorials for using an Arduino or other embedded system to set up a WiFi network and host a webpage. There would be no connection to the internet; it would all be local to the Arduino (or ?). The system would have to be small, lightweight and battery powered. I envision something like a Pro-Mini, WiFly and SD card. It would not be practical to have a PC and WiFi router.
Anyone with a smart phone could connect to the WiFi network, open a web page and control the system. There would be no app to install. Just a web page and Arduino sketch. The web page would be very simple but, it would need to stream an audio file which would be sync'ed to the control actions (2 LEDs and 1 Servo).
The distance would be up to 75 feet in open space which seems possible with WiFi. It would still be worth doing if limited to 50 feet.
The purpose is to control a turning target for practicing pistol shooting. When the user clicks on a link they would hear an audio file of range commands and at the appropriate time the target turns to face the shooter (or the light turns green). After the prescribed length of time, it turns away (or light turns red). Ideally the entire system will be light enough to hang from a large binder clip which most ranges have to hang targets. Yes, I know the electronics might get shot. My classification is master and I rarely miss by that much; if I offer this system for sale to others they will have to take that risk.
If someone wants to create this and offer it on Kickstarter, Tindie etc. I would be happy to discuss it with you; send me a PM. I believe there is a market for a hundred, perhaps a few hundred in the US and perhaps that many in the rest of the world if the cost is not too dear. For reference there is a much more capable and robust, but much larger and heavier turning target system that sells for about $1000. I think the BOM cost for this system would be under $100.
What you describe is an Intranet site which is not al all uncommon, but you still need a network. I don't think WiFi was created for peer to peer communications without any kind of network - that means there has to be a router.
Arduino has pretty darn good support of IR remotes. Why not just use an IR module and a cheap programmable remote control or just a really cheap standard one? The remote idea above won't help with the audio requirement. But I question the utility of sending audio to someone in a shooting range over a cell phone anyway. I would be thinking of some way to get that into a headset with radio patch in capability (e.g. http://www.botachtactical.com/pelcomtac.html)
Bluetooth is a peer to peer network. Class 1 Bluetooth has a range of 100 meters. Anyone know if you can run IP and a web server over Bluetooth?
Thanks for the ideas. I know RF or IR would work, but then I would need a control unit at the firing line with a display, switches and audio capability which would more than double the complexity and size of the overall system. I want it to be as small and simple as possible. I figured the smart phone already has that capability.
I don't think I want peer-to-peer, but I don't really know; I envision the phone sees an open WiFi network, connects to it and navigates to a website. I guess I am trying to find out if an Arduino (or Teensey3 or mbed or STM32 or ???) and a WiFi shield can act like a network controller and web host (not sure if my nomenclature is correct).
I had to look up Class 1 Bluetooth. I am not sure my phone (which is probably only class 2) would be able to reach that far. With my (probably) class 3 headset it can barely reach 10 feet, but it's worth looking at. I have considered connecting to a box with bluetooth and then to the target with RF, but it would still be another box and battery.
I regularly use my phone to play MP3's of the range commands. There are ear-muffs with audio input, but mine are now broken, so I snake the ear-buds under the ear-muffs. It works fine.
JoeN:
What you describe is an Intranet site which is not al all uncommon, but you still need a network. I don't think WiFi was created for peer to peer communications without any kind of network - that means there has to be a router.
WiFi supports direct connections between access points in ad-hoc mode, but I don't know whether the conventional Arduino WiFi implementation does.
If you're envisaging the web site hosting complex web pages with embedded controls that play audio streams, you might find Arduino struggles to cope with that. A simpler and more robust solution would be to have a PC or laptop hosting the web site with any bells and whistles you may want, and then have that communicate wirelessly with the Arduino to deal with turning the target and so on. You could either chuck a WiFi hub in the same bag or use ad-hoc mode, although I think a wireless hub would work better. There are various ways for Arduino to connect wirelessly to a PC but you could use WiFi for this as well if you wanted - there are various other cheap radio data links available if security and range are not a concern..