Gadget Freak Case #126: Talking to Your Gadgets Remotely

Design News Staff -- Design News, September 22, 2008

Want to turn on your home's heating system before you arrive? Would you like to double check your home alarm from your car — or your car alarm from your home? Alvaro Mautone created a gadget that allows you to use your cell phone to control appliances and alarms from a distance up to 500m. Mautone uses the serial port in his cell phone to create SMS (short message service) messages to electronic devices to turn them on, turn them off or simply check their status. And he's able to create this handy device while spending less than $50 in components.

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Gadget Freak Case 126 Talk to Gadgets Remotely


Amt	Part Description	Allied Part #
1	Microchip 16F628A	383-0400
1	Crystal Oscillator	895-0604
4	Resistor R1, R4, R6, R11	296-4663
1	Resistor R2	296-4675
1	Resistor R3	296-2182
2	Resistor R5, R8	296-2124
1	Resistor R7	296-2181
2	Resistor R9, R10	296-4682
1	Resistor R12	648-0093
3	Transistor Q1, Q2, Q3	431-0470
1	Relay K1 SPDT	788-1096
1	JP1 Jumper Connector	518-0071
4	Diode D1, D2, D6, D8	950-0212
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Talkback

I send electric diagram and code source, I don't know what happend with all informations.
Alvaro Mautone - 2008-09-24 11:23:33
Maybe the 500m meant 500 miles, rather than 500 metres?You don't use the phones walkie talkie...
Hiro Protagonist - 2008-09-23 16:19:08
The implication is that the phones us RF to communicate directly to each other, thus the 500...
doug younker - 2008-09-23 14:18:16

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