Hi, so we have a project which is a Lighting System...

To elaborate, this is an automatic system. A sensor senses the number of people inside a room and another sensor senses the "darkness" outside of the room. Based on the number of people and the darkness outside, the system will automatically adjust the lighting. The more the people and the darker the outside is, the brighter the light will be.

Our professor told us that this should be PC Based and must utilize the use of a micro controller.

We don't really know how to use a micro controller. Honestly, we don't have any background about it.

Can you help on what micro controller is appropriate for this project? Thanks!

 

A sensor senses the number of people inside a room

I buy one of these sensors!!!

Seriously, if you don't want it to become VERY complicated you can count the number of people with a light barrier at the doorways.

Have a look at this thread: http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=61853&highlight=room
And this: http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=56842&highlight=room

 

Nice professor..(a**hole). "Here kids I just want to go sit in the corner and drink my coffee so why don't you go make something with a microprocessor.. oh you don't know how to use one.. Tough crap.. I'm drinking my coffee. I'm not paid to teach you..oh wait..maybe I am"

First I would slash your teachers tires or go to his/her boss and complain.. Then I would get an "arduino" microprocessor, a Light dependant resistor (LDR), 2 PIR sensors and an LED.
The LDR is used to sense the amount of light outside the room, the 2 PIR sensors are used to count the people entering/leaving the room, the LED will represent your light source and the arduino micro is what you hook everything to and it does all the processing based on the data from those 3 sensors (2 x PIR and 1 LDR).

 

Thank you for your suggestions... We'll try those...