With this simple library you’ll be able to use a RCWL-0516 microwave radar to detect movements of humans(or animals) inside its detection range (4-7 meters all around and a few meters upward, depending on the module and VIN).
This sensor is an alternative to common PIR motion sensors that use infrared light to detect movements and that have their range limited by the reflective surfaces that surrounds them. The RCWL signal instead, can get through relatively thick surfaces made by non-metal materials (doors, windows, walls, etc…).
Hardware Details
All the information available for this mysterious module have been discovered by Joe Desbonnet and collected on GitHub. Check it out if you want to know more.
The module costs a few dollars and can work with a 5V VIN and has a 3.3V OUT output signal that allows us to connect it to a GPIO port of essentially any ARM board.
An additional 3.3V output to power external devices and a light sensor input CDS are also available. Most of the times you’ll just connect VIN, GND and then OUT to one of your GPIOs.
Each time the sensor detects movements, the OUT pin, that is normally at 0V when no motion is detected, is set to high (3.3V).
The radar does not give you information on the distance of the object that is moving and does not even give you an approximate location within its range, it just detect continuous motion or new objects entering its range.
Since the module uses a 3Ghz based signal, it will not cause any interference with other wireless devices.
Multiple modules can be used together in the same room.
Usage
The library revolves around the RCWL0516Radar object.
To create a RCWL0516Radar instance we just need to initialize the object with a GPIO instance obtained from SwiftyGPIO, that points to the board pin where OUT is connected (e.g. P18):
import SwiftyGPIO
import RCWL0516Radar
let gpios = SwiftyGPIO.GPIOs(for:.RaspberryPi2)
var gp = gpios[.P18]!
let r = RCWL0516Radar(gp)
// Check for motion every second
while(true){
print(r.getStatus())
sleep(1)
}
Calling getStatus we can know if the sensor is detecting movements or not (be aware that the sensor will need a second or so to understand that the motion has stopped).
To register handlers that will be called when some kind on motion starts or stops in the detection range, use onMotion(closure:) and onMotionStop(closure:).
r.onMotion{
print("Movement detected!")
}
r.onMotionStop{
print("No more movement...")
}
Handlers can be unregistered calling clearMotionHandlers().
Supported Boards
Every board supported by SwiftyGPIO: RaspberryPis, BeagleBones, C.H.I.P., etc…
To use this library, you’ll need a Linux ARM board with Swift 3.x/4.x.
The example below will use a RaspberryPi 2 board but you can easily modify the example to use one the other supported boards, a full working demo projects for the RaspberryPi2 is available in the Examples directory.
Installation
Please refer to the SwiftyGPIO readme for Swift installation instructions.
Once your board runs Swift, if your version support the Swift Package Manager, you can simply add this library as a dependency of your project and compile with swift build:
And once all the files have been downloaded, create an additional file that will contain the code of your application (e.g. main.swift). When your code is ready, compile it with:
RCWL-0516-Radar.swift
A Swift library for the RCWL-0516 Microwave Radar
Summary
With this simple library you’ll be able to use a RCWL-0516 microwave radar to detect movements of humans(or animals) inside its detection range (4-7 meters all around and a few meters upward, depending on the module and
VIN).This sensor is an alternative to common PIR motion sensors that use infrared light to detect movements and that have their range limited by the reflective surfaces that surrounds them. The RCWL signal instead, can get through relatively thick surfaces made by non-metal materials (doors, windows, walls, etc…).
Hardware Details
All the information available for this mysterious module have been discovered by Joe Desbonnet and collected on GitHub. Check it out if you want to know more.
The module costs a few dollars and can work with a 5V
VINand has a 3.3VOUToutput signal that allows us to connect it to a GPIO port of essentially any ARM board.An additional 3.3V output to power external devices and a light sensor input
CDSare also available. Most of the times you’ll just connectVIN,GNDand thenOUTto one of your GPIOs.Each time the sensor detects movements, the
OUTpin, that is normally at 0V when no motion is detected, is set to high (3.3V).The radar does not give you information on the distance of the object that is moving and does not even give you an approximate location within its range, it just detect continuous motion or new objects entering its range.
Since the module uses a 3Ghz based signal, it will not cause any interference with other wireless devices.
Multiple modules can be used together in the same room.
Usage
The library revolves around the
RCWL0516Radarobject.To create a
RCWL0516Radarinstance we just need to initialize the object with a GPIO instance obtained from SwiftyGPIO, that points to the board pin whereOUTis connected (e.g. P18):Calling
getStatuswe can know if the sensor is detecting movements or not (be aware that the sensor will need a second or so to understand that the motion has stopped).To register handlers that will be called when some kind on motion starts or stops in the detection range, use
onMotion(closure:)andonMotionStop(closure:).Handlers can be unregistered calling
clearMotionHandlers().Supported Boards
Every board supported by SwiftyGPIO: RaspberryPis, BeagleBones, C.H.I.P., etc…
To use this library, you’ll need a Linux ARM board with Swift 3.x/4.x.
The example below will use a RaspberryPi 2 board but you can easily modify the example to use one the other supported boards, a full working demo projects for the RaspberryPi2 is available in the
Examplesdirectory.Installation
Please refer to the SwiftyGPIO readme for Swift installation instructions.
Once your board runs Swift, if your version support the Swift Package Manager, you can simply add this library as a dependency of your project and compile with
swift build:The directory
Examplescontains sample projects that uses SPM, compile it and run the sample with./.build/debug/Test.If SPM is not supported, you’ll need to manually download the library and its dependencies:
And once all the files have been downloaded, create an additional file that will contain the code of your application (e.g. main.swift). When your code is ready, compile it with:
The compiler will create a main executable.