A fun song, “You spin my head right round, right round…” was the inspiration for this Halloween creation that relies on a person coming within 60 centimeters of the “dummy” to trigger the ultrasonic sensor causing the music, lights and stepper motor to kick into action. Many trick-or-treaters enjoyed this creation.

You spin my head round.....

#include <Stepper.h>
int stepsPerRevolution = 2048;
int rpm = 10;
//pin order IN1, IN3, IN2, IN4
Stepper myStepper (stepsPerRevolution, 8, 10, 9, 12);
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>
#ifdef __AVR__
  #include <avr/power.h>
#endif

#define PIN 4

Adafruit_NeoPixel strip = Adafruit_NeoPixel(24, PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
// mp3 player commands
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#define ARDUINO_RX 5//should connect to TX of the Serial MP3 Player module
#define ARDUINO_TX 6//connect to RX of the module
SoftwareSerial mySerial(ARDUINO_RX, ARDUINO_TX);//init the serial protocol, tell to myserial wich pins are TX and RX

static int8_t Send_buf[8] = {0} ;//The MP3 player undestands orders in a 8 int string
#define NEXT_SONG 0X01 
#define CMD_PLAY_WITHVOLUME 0X22 //data is needed  0x7E 06 22 00 xx yy EF;(xx volume)(yy number of song)
#define CMD_SEL_DEV 0X09 //SELECT STORAGE DEVICE, DATA IS REQUIRED
#define DEV_TF 0X02 //HELLO,IM THE DATA REQUIRED
#define CMD_RESET 0x0C//chip reset 
#define STOP_PLAY 0X16
int WHITE = (250, 250, 250);


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  mySerial.begin(9600);//Start our Serial coms for THE MP3
  delay(500);//Wait chip initialization is complete
  sendCommand(CMD_SEL_DEV, DEV_TF);//select the TF card  
  pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
  myStepper.setSpeed(rpm);
  strip.begin();
  strip.setBrightness(50);
  strip.show(); // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
  delay(200);//wait for 200ms
  }

void loop() {
  int sensorValue = analogRead(A4);
  Serial.println(sensorValue);
  delay(100);
  if (sensorValue < 60){
    sendCommand(CMD_PLAY_WITHVOLUME, 0X0F01);//play the first song with volume 15 class
    strip.fill(200, 0, 24);
    strip.show();
    delay(4000);//the programm will send the play option each 100 seconds to the catalex chip

    for (int i = 0; i < 1; i++){
      myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution);
      delay(20);
    }
    theaterChaseRainbow(20);
    myStepper.step(-stepsPerRevolution);
    delay(500);
    strip.clear();
    strip.show();
  }
  delay(4000);}

//Theatre-style crawling lights with rainbow effect
void theaterChaseRainbow(uint8_t wait) {
  for (int j=0; j < 50; j++) {     // cycle all 256 colors in the wheel
    for (int q=0; q < 3; q++) {
      for (uint16_t i=0; i < strip.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip.setPixelColor(i+q, Wheel( (i+j) % 255));    //turn every third pixel on
      }
      strip.show();

      delay(wait);

      for (uint16_t i=0; i < strip.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip.setPixelColor(i+q, 0);        //turn every third pixel off
      }
    }
  }
}

// Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value.
// The colours are a transition r - g - b - back to r.
uint32_t Wheel(byte WheelPos) {
  WheelPos = 255 - WheelPos;
  if(WheelPos < 85) {
    return strip.Color(255 - WheelPos * 3, 0, WheelPos * 3);
  }
  if(WheelPos < 170) {
    WheelPos -= 85;
    return strip.Color(0, WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3);
  }
  WheelPos -= 170;
  return strip.Color(WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3, 0);
}

void sendCommand(int8_t command, int16_t dat)
{
 delay(20);
 Send_buf[0] = 0x7e; //starting byte
 Send_buf[1] = 0xff; //version
 Send_buf[2] = 0x06; //the number of bytes of the command without starting byte and ending byte
 Send_buf[3] = command; //
 Send_buf[4] = 0x00;//0x00 = no feedback, 0x01 = feedback
 Send_buf[5] = (int8_t)(dat >> 8);//datah
 Send_buf[6] = (int8_t)(dat); //datal
 Send_buf[7] = 0xef; //ending byte
 for(uint8_t i=0; i<8; i++)//
 {
   mySerial.write(Send_buf[i]) ;//send bit to serial mp3
   Serial.print(Send_buf[i],HEX);//send bit to serial monitor in pc
 }
 Serial.println();
}

• Maxbotix EZ ultrasonic sensor
• Arduino UNO
• stepper motor and driver
• Adafruit neopixel ring
• powered speakers
• dressmaker dummy
• styrofoam head
• tripod with wood shelf
• 3D printed attachment from stepper shaft to wheel to spin head