Assignment 3 - Arduino

The brief calls for a lighting unit that:

• Is capable of displaying colours using Red, Blue and Green
• High user interaction:
• Allows user selectable colours via touch screen
• This is what Moss will expect in her house, touch panels to control the mood lighting
• "Party Mode" setting that syncs the lights with the music

Arduino, being an open platform will be best suited to this application.
As I am still somewhat of an amateur (I prefer Enthusiast), I will be running Arduino simulations through 123d Circuits to save time and probably my life!
http://123d.circuits.io/

Material/Equipment:

• Arduino Board + Drivers and associated cables
• LED Light Strip (12v)
• 12v Power Supply up to 5amps
• 1K ohm resistors
• TIP31 mosfets
• Android device
• USB OTG Host mode cable
• Breadboard
• Hook Up Wire

Notes:

• Power Supply:
• There are two power supplies in this circuit
1. The 12v Power Supply powers the LED strip lighting. It is therefore supplying all power along the rails of the breadboard
2. The Android device powers the Arduino board. The device therefore is required to provide an uninterrupted electrical supply to keep it running.
• The reason why we need two power supplies is because of two reasons:
• Safety: I did not want to push too much through the breadboard to get to the the Arduino board. Breadboards aren't rated for this sort of use. 
• Troubleshooting: I will be able to more quickly isolate the problem as power can be easily ruled out.
• The Arduino board is able to accept its own power however it would be doubling up on the power supply when the Android can provide the same through the one cable with data.
• By minimising the number of power sources, the project is able to limit itself to just one wall socket connection. I am not in any position to play with the power supply and have the Arduino board take its power from the supply instead of through the breadboard as it is just too dangerous.
• By keeping them on two separate circuits, should anything go wrong I am able to troubleshoot easier/narrow it down to where the problem is.

Circuit Diagram: (idealisation of how it should be hooked up)