Arduino-based Wireless Mailbox Monitor Project
[Issue 55] You Have Mail - RF Wireless Mailbox Monitor
There are two main parts to this project - the detector and the receiver. The detector unit essentially sits in or near your mailbox and continually checks whether new mail has been inserted. If it detects that there is new mail, it goes ahead and uses a radio module to chat to the receiver.
The receiver unit, waiting patiently in the kitchen, bedroom or home office, perks up and hears the detector report a new item. We built the receiver in the shape of a mailbox, of course.
Because we couldn't resist over-engineering this project, when new mail arrives, the front mailbox ‘door’ automatically swings open thanks to a mini servo hidden inside, and a 7-segment display lights up with the number of items received. This is, of course, a purely aesthetic addition, but the noise of the servo will also alert anyone around that new mail has arrived.
Once the reset button is pressed on either the sender or receiver unit, the mini mailbox closes back up and the LED display turns off. Simple, but effective and useful - hopefully!
Read all about it on page 65 of Issue 55 or visit https://diyode.io/055jzcp