Visible Light Communications - Lumia 920 Windows Phone + Galaxy S5 Android

While i wait for the components to arrive i am trying some new stuff using the existing setup. Here is how i implemented a VLC data transmitter using the Windows Phone 8.0 - A Nokia Lumia 920....

--- A few eons later ---

Well this just did not turn out to be good. I tried to modulate the flash of the camera on both the Lumia 920 Windows phone and Android Galaxy S5 with similar results - It Does Not Work !! The maximum modulation frequency i got was around 33 Hz for both the devices. I believe achieving higher data rates using onboard timer mechanisms of the OS just does not work. If you are reading this and are an expert on Android or Windows Phone Operating systems, i would be glad if you could give this a try or even sugesst me how to achieve high resolution timers that operate without giving any distortion / timing errors if i use them to modulate the camera flash. The image below shows the application. Turn On / Turn Off just switch the flash ON/OFF using the torch mode. Timed button activates a timer based on the DispatchTimer class. The time duration is taken from the Textbox. Similarly the Pool Timer button activates a timer created using the ThreadPoolTimer class.

As an example here is the code from my windows phone program. P.S - This code was adapted from several examples i found on the internet and after doing a brief study on the WP8 How Tos. I do not major in WP8 programming ;) So if you spot something wierd please let me know...

Darn Rats

My friend got a new seat location, so before leaving, he added this small message on his whiteboard for any unsuspecting soul who might get re-located to his seat. Clearly the rats here at SISO are a menace and seem unstoppable. As a picture is worth a thousand words i added an artistic critter to the warning message as i personally believe that the rats here have been to Hogwarts...

[Click To Maximize]

With the exception of the image, this entire post was edited and uploaded from my Nokia N8 (whose review i'll be posting soon)

Breaking the Rules...

I’ve always assumed that the requirement to turn off all electronic devices prior to takeoff (and landing), and not to transmit signals inflight, was silly and not based in science. That perhaps if you could pick up cell signals it would be problematic for your providers, hopping around as you are. But that the median electronic device carried by the average business traveler couldn’t possibly interfere with an aircraft’s navigation systems. But as with so many rules, once implemented they’re hard to dislodge. Ok, cell phones - Yes, these do interfere with the comm systems on board. But i bet Cameras DO NOT. I've heard this in 5 different languages:

Please turn off all electronic devices during take-off and landing. Photography is prohibited by law at certain airports.

请关闭在起飞和降落的所有电子设备。摄影是法律禁止在某些机场。

이륙과 착륙 동안 모든 전자 장치를 해제하십시오. 사진은 특정 공항에서 법률에 의해 금지되어 있습니다.


take-kalkış ve iniş sırasında tüm elektronik cihazlar kapatınız. Fotoğrafçılık bazı havaalanlarında yasa ile yasaklanmıştır.

Proszę wyłączyć wszystkie urządzenia elektroniczne podczas startu i lądowania. Fotografia jest zakazane przez prawo w niektórych portach lotniczych.


Such are the rules. But its a pity that rules are meant to be broken. Without me breaking the rules this post would not exist :-P

Hong Kong International

 

 

Hong Kong Bay area

 

 

 

 Hong Kong city

 

 

 

 Ataturk International Airport

 

 

 

 City of Istanbul

 

 

 

 

Missed a few good shots at times because of getting caught while flashing....a camera while take-off.

Hong Kong pics - taken from my Nokia 3250

Istanbul pics - taken from my Sony TX-1