Step 1: Check the materials you need.
Below is the list of stuff you need to make it:
1. Arduino
I used an Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V. You also need USB-Serial tether to program it.
2. A battery box
I used a AA x 4 battery box with power line wires.
3. Breadborad
I used a mini breadboard by Sparkfun.
4. ECM (Electet Microphone) Module
I used an ECM module by Sparkfun.
5. RC Servo motor
I used a mini servo motor EK2-0508 by E-Sky.
6. Jumper wires
7. An Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor
I used a 100uF capacitor.
8. A knocker hammer parts
I used a small wooden ball toy.
9. A flexible metal wire
It is for connecting the servo horn and the knocker hammer.
A steel wire 2mm in diameter will be suitable.
10. Double-stick tape
It is for making the parts bond, and for mounting the device on the door.
Step 2: Make the knocker hammer.
Make two holes in to servo horn.
Make the wire to be in hole and bend it to fix on the servo horn.
Bond the ball (or whatever you choose for hammer) to the wire.
Drill the hammer if you need.
Step 3: Mount the breadboard and the servo on the battery box.
Mount the breadboard to battery box with double-stick tape.
And make the RC servo fix on the battery box to move the servo horn can move.
Step 4: Wire the circuit on the bread board.
Wire the circuit on the borad. It is a quite simple circuit. Check the circuit diagram.
Analog input is for the microphone, and Digital Output(PWM) for the servo motor.
The mic module needs the power at Vcc(3.3V) from arduino’s Vcc pin.
The servo motor requires 5 to 6V to be driven, so you connect the battery power to it.
What is the capacitor into VCC and GND? Because I have been suffered from the noise of microphone. The combination of the ECM module by Sparkfun and Arduino seems to be unstable. For instance, when I wrote serial communication code to monitor A/D value, it cause enormous noise and the A/D value keeps high. So the capacitor is to ease my mind.
Step 5: Download the program.
Download the arduino program.
Program code for arduino:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pzgic4f039ps8m5/GhostKnocker.ino
It recognizes the knocking sound and counts them, and move the servo to mimic the knocks.
For more detail: How to make a Ghost Knocker
