The Problem

At Adafruit, we have a tester for virtually every product we manufacture. With hundreds of fab-made products in our catalog, that’s a lot of testers! When a tester has finished its job and there are no more boards to test, for the time being, it needs to go back home to the tester library. When the bin gets too full, I empty it and return the testers home after their long adventure. Sometimes, I forget to check the bin, and all of the sudden, the bin is brimming with testers.

The Solution

What if I could have someone else (like a robot) keep track of the testers and tell me when the bin is full? That’s exactly what this project will do. Using a FunHouse and an IR (infra-red) sensor, The project will track each time a tester gets placed in the bin with WipperSnapper and AdafruitIO. From there, a service called IFTTT will count the testers and send me an email when the bin has nearly reached its capacity.

While this is a specific project from the Adafruit factory, the method used to count actions is applicable to many aspects of everyday life such as filling a laundry bin.

Prerequisite Guide:

WipperSnapper is an interface for Adafruit IO, Adafruit's incredibly easy-to-use IoT platform, designed to turn any WiFi-capable board into an IoT device without programming a single line of code.

If you've never used WipperSnapper, click below to read through the Quickstart WipperSnapper guide before continuing.

Project Materials

Adafruit Parts:

Top-down video of Adafruit Funhouse PCB. The TFT display shows a data readout, and the NeoPixel LEDs glow rainbow colors.
Home is where the heart is...it's also where we keep all our electronic bits. So why not wire it up with sensors and actuators to turn our house into an electronic wonderland....
$34.95
In Stock
Two wired modules with LEDs and mounting holes
Infrared (IR) break-beam sensors are a simple way to detect motion. They work by having an emitter side that sends out a beam of human-invisible IR light, then a receiver across the...
Out of Stock
Premium Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires - 20 x 12 folded over
These Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires are handy for making wire harnesses or jumpering between headers on PCB's. These premium jumper wires are 12" (300mm) long...
$3.95
In Stock
Angled shot of four magnet feet.
Got a glorious RGB Matrix project you want to mount and display in your workspace or home? If you have one of the matrix panels listed below, you'll need a pack of these...
$2.50
In Stock
USB Type A to Type C Cable - approx 1 meter / 3 ft long
As technology changes and adapts, so does Adafruit. This  USB Type A to Type C cable will help you with the transition to USB C, even if you're still...
$4.95
In Stock
5V 2A Switching Power Supply with  USB-A Connector
Our 5V 2A USB power adapter is the perfect choice for powering single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or anything else that's power-hungry!This adapter was...
Out of Stock

X2 Stemma JST cables

Angled shot of STEMMA JST PH 3-Pin to Female Header Cable - 200mm.
This cable will let you turn a JST PH 3-pin cable port into 3 individual wires with high-quality 0.1" female header sockets on the end. We're carrying these to match up with...
$1.25
In Stock

Other materials:

  • Scotch tape or similar
  • Power extension cable
  • Zip ties
  • Wooden skewer(s) (found at the dollar store)

This guide was first published on Nov 10, 2021. It was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

This page (Overview) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

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