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Lesson 15: Raindrop Detection Module

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use the Raspberry Pi Pico W to detect raindrops using a raindrop sensor connected to pin 16. The script continuously monitors for any indication of raindrops and prints “Raindrop detected!” when one is detected; otherwise, it displays “Monitoring…” as it waits for raindrops. This session offers hands-on experience in handling digital inputs with the Raspberry Pi Pico W and understanding environmental sensing in MicroPython, making it ideal for beginners in electronics and programming.

Required Components

In this project, we need the following components.

It’s definitely convenient to buy a whole kit, here’s the link:

Name	ITEMS IN THIS KIT	LINK
Universal Maker Sensor Kit	94	Universal Maker Sensor Kit

You can also buy them separately from the links below.

Component Introduction	Purchase Link
Raspberry Pi Pico W	BUY
Raindrop Detection Module	BUY
Breadboard	BUY

Wiring

../_images/Lesson_15_raindrop_detection_module_bb.png

Code

from machine import Pin
import time

# Initialize raindrop sensor connected to pin 16 as input
raindrop_sensor = Pin(16, Pin.IN)

while True:
    # Check the Raindrop sensor value
    if raindrop_sensor.value() == 0:
        print("Raindrop detected!")  # Raindrop detected
    else:
        print("Monitoring...")  # No raindrop detected

    time.sleep(0.1)  # Short delay of 0.1 seconds to reduce CPU usage

Code Analysis

Initializing the Raindrop Sensor:

The raindrop sensor is initialized using the Pin class from the machine module, set to pin 16 in input mode. This allows the Raspberry Pi Pico W to read the sensor output.
```
from machine import Pin
raindrop_sensor = Pin(16, Pin.IN)
```
Continuous Monitoring Loop:

A continuous while loop is used to monitor the sensor. Inside the loop, the sensor value is checked. If the value is 0, it indicates raindrops are detected and prints “Raindrop detected!” Otherwise, it prints “Monitoring…” to indicate the absence of raindrops.
```
while True:
    if raindrop_sensor.value() == 0:
        print("Raindrop detected!")
    else:
        print("Monitoring...")
```
Introducing a Delay:

To reduce CPU usage, a delay of 0.1 seconds is introduced in each iteration of the loop using time.sleep(0.1). This prevents the loop from executing too rapidly.
```
time.sleep(0.1)
```