A little Windows system tray icon that lets the user select to set a traffic ligt to green, yellow, or red. Uses X-10 to control the devices. Each light (red,green,yellow) should be connected to a separate X-10 lamp control.
This project came about as a need to inform my kids when they could come into "Daddy's Office". I work from home in a room with glass doors so they needed to know when it was okay to come in or not. I bought my traffic light off ebay.
- Red = daddy's focusing, don't go in
- Yellow = it's okay to give daddy a quick hug
- Green = daddy's off work, play time!
I've also used it in the past to automate indication of build status, green = build is good, yellow = building, red = build break. The uses are endless.
- Get yourself a set of three lights, like a traffic light or lamp post w colored bulbs
- Wire it up for X-10 home automation control. One X-10 controller per light (or bulb screw controller).
- You'll need a way to get an X-10 signal from the PC onto the powerline. Get a wireless receiver and Firecracker transmitting module, you'll probably need a USB to RS232 cable as well. I'd recommend a manual controller for testing. This USB unit may work, but haven't tested it myself.
- Get this app
- Run once, close, then edit the user settings .config file to set your X-10 comport, house code, and unit codes for each light
- Put a shortcut to the app in Start Menu > All Programs > Startup folder if ya want it always running
This was done totally for entertainment in just an couple hours. Don't use it for any actual traffic. :)