Giving blogging another go

After being reminded that this blog exists after a previous post that I had post-dated years in the future posted, I thought I give blogging another go.

A few months ago, I picked up an Arduino kit since I needed an Arduino microcontroller as a bootloader in order to upgrade the firmware on my 3d printer.  Anyways, during the COVID-19 lockdown, looked at my Arduino kit, and thought to myself that I could use the ultrasonic distance sensor and integrate that into an electronic sentry for a future game...

So I took out the Arduino and created a simple circuit with an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor and an   RGB LED light for output, and adapted the code from Sparkfun such that a measured distance of less than 20cm would light up the LED as red, more than 20cm but less than 40cm as yellow, and more than 40cm as green.

So the Light Tank, M3 that I had hanging around after 3d printing successfully tripped the sensor at 15cm.

The Light Tank, M3 reliably tripped the sensor when full on, and broadside aspect, but did so unreliably when angled 45 degrees to the sensor.

Success

Next, I tried with a kneeling GI with M1 Carbine (I believe that the model is Old Glory 28).   At first it looked like I had success since the light was green... but as soon as I removed my hand, it was for naught and the light went green.

The green light of failure.

 Nonetheless, I think this is a valid proof of concept for a sentry in a pillbox for a raid scenario.  Net step will be adapting a pillbox from thingivers to handle the wiring, or failing that, sketch one out on tinkercad.   It's slightly disapointing that a single 28mm model won't reliably trip the sensor, the fact that 28mm models don't move by themselves and need a hand to move is sufficient by itself to make a useful gaming peice.  

As for why use an Arduino and an ultrasonic sensor when a measuring tape will give the same information?  1) It's possible,  2) it looks cool, and 3) I think this makes the tabletop game more immersive for the player.

 Hopefully the next blogpost won't be written multiple years and a degree ago.