Hi,
I'm new here, and don't understand all the technical details ...
I have this requirements for a project and I don't know witch boards and shields to choose
Can be done ? With what component ?
I would ask, do you need an Arduino for this? Given all of the stuff you want to put into the device, and the size constraints (particularly the 1" height, but also note traditional Arduino Unos and shields are a little wider than 2"), I would think a simpler approach would be to find an Android phone that has all of the components you want (micro-sd card, light sensor, an accelerometer, and does GSM), and learn how to do Android programming. An iphone might be a possibility, but I don't know if you have to pay to be a developer to write your own iphone software.
Or you can marry a smartphone and Arduino via bluetooth, if there are things that are needed to be done with an Arduino, such as: http://www.amarino-toolkit.net
I also noticed this DIY cellphone, which might do what you want (the Arduino + GSM shield does the phone parts): http://hlt.media.mit.edu/?p=2182
Hi, thanks for reply. I need an arduino because I will have 12-25 external sensors connected to arduino board.
For iphone developing is 100$ a year, but android free. Anyway I don't have any idea how to connect 25 sensors to a android phone :).... maybe wireless 
The box can be 1.2" thick or 2.4" wide, the initial size is just an estimate on how I want it to look like (like a pack of cigarettes)
So ... what you think ? I have any chance to find some components ?
Hi, thanks Michael for the amarino link, is ok for me with an wireless arduino, but just for makeing a variation (cheapper) of the base product.
The base product will be a stand alone product that reads some sensors and writes the values on an microsd. When I plug into the computer I will have an application to read the data on microsd and process it. Another function will be sending a sms or a voice call with a recorded mesaje to some numbers, but this function will be triggered by the sensors in various conditions.
You will not do this in that size with existing shields and Arduinos, you could with a custom PCB.
Rob
madhes:
Hi, thanks for reply. I need an arduino because I will have 12-25 external sensors connected to arduino board.
For iphone developing is 100$ a year, but android free. Anyway I don't have any idea how to connect 25 sensors to a android phone :).... maybe wireless
The box can be 1.2" thick or 2.4" wide, the initial size is just an estimate on how I want it to look like (like a pack of cigarettes)
So ... what you think ? I have any chance to find some components ?
Of course if you had mentioned needing 25 sensors in your original post, I wouldn't have recommended a cell phone, you just mentioned two that are now commonly found in modern phones, so it is simpler than trying to cram it into your size requirements.
Out of curiousity, do all 25 sensors have to fit in the 4x2x1 box as well? Are these digital or analog? If analog, I presume you need shift registers to be able to read so many sensor. At 25 sensors, you are past the UNO's limit for direct connection, which either means something like shift registers, or you go up to a Mega to get more pins.
If you are connecting to a phone, you can use a bluetooth connection, put the sensors on one or more Arduinos, and have them talk to the phone. You could also use bluetooth on the PC, and eliminate the USB requirement. Remember, bluetooth is not made for sending massive amounts of data.
Of course if you had mentioned needing 25 sensors in your original post, I wouldn't have recommended a cell phone, you just mentioned two that are now commonly found in modern phones, so it is simpler than trying to cram it into your size requirements.
Out of curiousity, do all 25 sensors have to fit in the 4x2x1 box as well? Are these digital or analog? If analog, I presume you need shift registers to be able to read so many sensor. At 25 sensors, you are past the UNO's limit for direct connection, which either means something like shift registers, or you go up to a Mega to get more pins.
If you are connecting to a phone, you can use a bluetooth connection, put the sensors on one or more Arduinos, and have them talk to the phone. You could also use bluetooth on the PC, and eliminate the USB requirement. Remember, bluetooth is not made for sending massive amounts of data.
One variation of the project will be, as you mentioned, for smartphones, for that I think that an arduino mega + arduino wifi / wireless / proto shield will be ok. Al data from sensors will be sent to an application on the smartphone. And the smartphone will interpret, store the sensors data and display minimal reports, and sens sms's if needed.
But the project consists in an independent device that can store data from sensors, in some cases send sms's, and connectivity with a computer application trough an USB connection. I thought that an arduino mega + wifi or wireless shield + gsm shield will be ok, but where I can mount an TFT LCD ? and the internal sensors like light, movement ?
The size is very important, but can be a little bigger than mentioned above.
Thank you again for the reply.
The Teensy 2.0 is a very small (1.2" x 0.7" x thin) Arduino compatible with USB-native AVR chip that allows serial at USB 1.1 speed and easy to code HID (keyboard/mouse/joystick) capability. And they are $16. They also see micro-SD adapter about pinky-nail size.
All the site pictures are bigger on my 19" monitor than the real Teensy.
http://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy.html
The Teensy 2.0 also has 512 bytes more RAM than UNO, 25% more!
The Teensy++ is 2" long but closer to MEGA resources; pins, memory, etc.
Smaller, you have to get real custom with surface mount to get smaller.
There are also the Nano's and Mini's to check out.
GoForSmoke:
The Teensy 2.0 is a very small (1.2" x 0.7" x thin) Arduino compatible with USB-native AVR chip that allows serial at USB 1.1 speed and easy to code HID (keyboard/mouse/joystick) capability. And they are $16. They also see micro-SD adapter about pinky-nail size.All the site pictures are bigger on my 19" monitor than the real Teensy.
Teensy® 2.0The Teensy 2.0 also has 512 bytes more RAM than UNO, 25% more!
The Teensy++ is 2" long but closer to MEGA resources; pins, memory, etc.Smaller, you have to get real custom with surface mount to get smaller.
There are also the Nano's and Mini's to check out.
Teensy++ + sd adaptor, are perfect, but can I connect an arduino gsm shield to it ?
128x64 Graphical LCD how big is it ? is more than 4" x 2" ?
You would have to run wires between the wee little Teensy and big big shield. That for me is the scary part because I am not that good at soldering which is why I get the "with pins". But for you, those pins increase the height greatly so you'd have to bend em or leave them out.
madhes:
can I connect an arduino gsm shield to it ?
You could consider using a GSM board rather than a shield. That's designed to be connected via wires so no packaging problems, likely to be smaller than a full size Arduino shield, and since it's not Arduino-specific you have a larger pool of suppliers which might make it cheaper.