Hand Gesture LED Control System

A computer vision project that uses hand gestures to control LED sequences through YOLOv8 detection and Arduino. When a hand is detected, it triggers a sequential LED animation pattern.

📋 Table of Contents

• Requirements
• Setup
• Installation
• Usage
• Troubleshooting
• Development

🔧 Requirements

Hardware

• Arduino Uno board
• 10 LEDs (any color)
• 10 resistors (220Ω)
• Breadboard
• Jumper wires
• Webcam
• USB cable for Arduino

Software

• Python 3.8+
• Arduino IDE
• Required Python packages:

  pip install -r requirements.txt

🔌 Setup

Circuit Connection

1. LED Setup (Connect in this order):

   Arduino Pin -> 220Ω Resistor -> LED -> GND
   

   • Pins used: 2 through 11 (10 LEDs total)
   • LED longer leg (anode) → resistor → Arduino pin
   • LED shorter leg (cathode) → GND

2. Breadboard Layout:

   + Rail: Connect to Arduino pins (2-11)
   - Rail: Connect to Arduino GND
   

Software Configuration

1. Arduino:

   • Open Arduino IDE
   • Select board: Tools → Board → Arduino Uno
   • Select port: Tools → Port → COMx (Windows) or /dev/ttyUSBx (Linux)
   • Upload hand_gesture_arduino.ino

2. Python:

   • Install dependencies:

     pip install -r requirements.txt

   • Configure port in hand_gesture_led_control.py:

     arduino = serial.Serial('YOUR_PORT', 9600, timeout=1)

🚀 Usage

1. Start the System:

   python hand_gesture_led_control.py

2. LED Patterns:

   • Startup: All LEDs blink in sequence
   • Hand Detected: Forward sequence (2→11)
   • No Hand: Reverse sequence (11→2)

3. Controls:

   • Show hand to camera to activate LEDs
   • Press 'Q' to quit program
   • Status shown on video feed

❗ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Port Error:

   Serial port 'COMx' not found
   

   • Solution: Check Arduino Manager for correct port
   • Try unplugging and reconnecting Arduino

2. Camera Error:

   Camera index out of range
   

   • Solution: Try different indices (0,1,2)
   • Check if webcam is recognized by system

3. LED Issues:

   • Check polarity (longer leg to Arduino)
   • Verify resistor connections
   • Test each LED individually

💻 Development

Project Structure

hand-gesture-led/
├── hand_gesture_arduino.ino   # Arduino LED control
├── hand_gesture_led_control.py # Main Python script
├── requirements.txt          # Python dependencies
├── .gitignore               # Git ignore rules
└── README.md                # Documentation

Contributing

1. Fork repository
2. Create feature branch
3. Commit changes
4. Push to branch
5. Open pull request

🔒 Safety Guidelines

• Never exceed 40mA per Arduino pin
• Always use current-limiting resistors
• Disconnect power before circuit changes
• Keep connections insulated
• Handle components with care

📝 License

MIT License - See LICENSE file

🙏 Acknowledgments

• YOLOv8 by Ultralytics
• OpenCV community
• Arduino community
• All contributors