Parts for Projects
Cars
Brick-and-Mortar Parts Stores
Project Construction
Soldering
Mechanical Construction
Electronic Modules
2 • GENERATING ELECTRICITY
Power and Energy
Flavors of Electricity
Low-Voltage DC
High-Voltage AC
Batteries
Single-Use Batteries
Rechargeable Batteries
Battery Charging
PROJECT 1: Solar Recharging
Solar Panels
Charge Controllers
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Solar Charger
PROJECT 2: Bicycle Generator
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Pedal Generator
3 • USING ELECTRICITY
Powering Devices from a Car Battery
Cigarette Lighter Sockets
USB Power
AC Inverters
PROJECT 3: LED Lighting
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Lighting
PROJECT 4: Battery Monitor
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Battery Monitor
4 • ZOMBIE ALARMS
PROJECT 5: Trip Wire Alarm
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Trip Wire Alarm
PROJECT 6: PIR Zombie Detector
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the PIR Zombie Detector
Scavenged PIR Sensors
5 • SURVEILLANCE AND RASPBERRY PI
The Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi System
What You Will Need
Powering the System
Installing Raspbian
PROJECT 7: Monitor Zombies with a USB Webcam
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Webcam
PROJECT 8: A Wireless Zombie Surveillance System
What You Will Need
Construction
Using the Wi-Fi Webcam
6 • ADD REMOTE ACCESS AND DETECT OPEN DOORS
PROJECT 9: Remote Door Lock
What You Will Need
Construction
Going Wireless to Open Doors Ahead of Time
PROJECT 10: Door Sensor
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Door Sensor
7 • ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
PROJECT 11: Quiet Fire Alarm
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Fire Alarm
PROJECT 12: Temperature Alarm
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Temperature Alarm
8 • BUILDING A CONTROL CENTER FOR YOUR BASE
PROJECT 13: A Raspberry Pi Control Center
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Control Center
PROJECT 14: Going Wireless with Bluetooth
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Bluetooth-Enabled Command Center
9 • ZOMBIE DISTRACTORS
PROJECT 15: Arduino Flash Distractor
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Flash Distractor
PROJECT 16: Arduino Movement and Sound Distractor
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Sound and Movement Distractor
10 • COMMUNICATING WITH OTHER SURVIVORS
PROJECT 17: A Raspberry Pi Radio Transmitter Beacon
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the FM Transmitter
PROJECT 18: Arduino FM Radio Frequency Hopper
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Radio Scanner
PROJECT 19: Arduino Morse Code Beacon
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Morse Beacon
11 • HAPTIC COMMUNICATION
PROJECT 20: Silent Haptic Communication with Arduino
What You Will Need
Construction
Software
Using the Haptic Communicator
A • PARTS
A Note on Brick-and-mortar Suppliers
Electronics Modules
Raspberry Pi and Related Parts
Leads and Connectors
Tools
Electronic Components
Other Hardware
Resistor Color Codes
B • BASIC SKILLS
Stripping Wires
Joining Wires by Twisting
Soldering Basics
Joining Wires with Solder
Soldering a PCB
Using Heatshrink
Using a Multimeter
Measuring DC Voltage
Measuring DC Current
Measuring Resistance
Continuity Testing
Bells and Whistles
C • ARDUINO PRIMER
What Is an Arduino?
Arduino Software
Installing the Arduino IDE
Uploading a Sketch
Installing the Antizombie Sketches
Arduino Programming Basics
Structure of an Arduino Sketch
Creating Variables and Constants
Configuring Digital Outputs
Configuring Digital Inputs
Stabilizing Digital Inputs with Pull-up Resistors
Reading Analog Inputs
Writing to Analog Outputs
Repeating Code in Control Loops
Setting Two Conditions with If/Else
Making Logical Comparisons
Grouping Code into Functions
Assembling a Screwshield
Further Resources
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to the enthusiastic and dedicated team at No Starch Press, especially to my thorough and patient editors Jennifer Griffith-Delgado and Serena Yang, who have guided this project from initial idea to finished book with skill and imagination.
I would especially like to thank Miran Lipovača for his wonderful illustrations that add so much to the book and Jeremy Blum for his technical review of the material. I am very honored to have two such noteworthy individuals involved in the project.
Finally I would like to thank Linda (see Figure 5-15) for her patience and understanding during the writing of this book.
INTRODUCTION
This is a book for people who like to make things but also enjoy the premise of a postapocalypse world where you cannot assume a limitless supply of electricity and other resources. As such, book starts with projects for generating electricity through solar and pedal-power (using a scavenged car alternator). Once you have power, you’ll move on to surveillance and monitoring projects that will help you protect your base. Finally, you’ll build communication projects that allow you to find other survivors and even send messages to members of your group via silent haptic communication.
KEY MAKER SURVIVAL SKILLS
Some projects in this book require no more technical skill than being able to attach a wire to a screw terminal, while others require you to be able to solder. The detailed primer in Appendix B will get you started on any technical skills that may be new to you. A few of the projects also require some basic wood-working skills and tools, but you won’t need anything more fancy than a saw, drill, and chisel.