the hedgehogs are back in our garden:

Welcome back!

This is a combination of the PiNoIR camera (v.1) along with this IR motion detector (the sensor is expensive because it’s digital), and some near-IR LEDs.  Below is a picture of the older model – the newer one runs on an A+ (for size and power reasons) and has been updated to Jessie, and now the LEDs are switchable by GPIO via a mosfet to provide lighting for the camera only when needed.  The upgrade to Jessie means she boots without WiFi at night, and the next morning, I can add the WiFi dongle to connect and check the results.

HogCam

Code

#!/usr/bin/env python
# NiteLite - a python daemon process started at system boot, and stopped on shutdown
#          - the default LED pattern is twinkling but if motion is detected, one of 4
#            different patterns are chosen and these are used for 10s after motion detection
#
# Please see our GitHub repository for more information: https://github.com/pistuffing/nitelite/piglow
#

import signal
import time
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import os
from datetime import datetime
import subprocess

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Set up the PIR movement detection
#------------------------------------------------------------
GPIO_PIR = 18
GPIO_IR_LED = 12
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD)
GPIO.setup(GPIO_PIR, GPIO.IN, GPIO.PUD_DOWN)
GPIO.setup(GPIO_IR_LED, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.output(GPIO_IR_LED, GPIO.LOW)

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Final steps of setup
#------------------------------------------------------------
keep_looping = True

def Daemonize():
	os.setpgrp()

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Once booted, give the user a couple of minutes to place the camera
#------------------------------------------------------------
time.sleep(2 * 60.0)

try:
    while keep_looping:
        #----------------------------------------------------
        # Block waiting for motion detection
        #----------------------------------------------------
        GPIO.wait_for_edge(GPIO_PIR, GPIO.RISING)

        #----------------------------------------------------
        # Turn on the IR LED
        #----------------------------------------------------
        GPIO.output(GPIO_IR_LED, GPIO.HIGH)

        #----------------------------------------------------
        # Take a snap
        #----------------------------------------------------
	now = datetime.now()
	now_string = now.strftime("%y%m%d-%H%M%S")
	camera = subprocess.Popen(["raspistill", "-rot", "180", "-o", "/home/pi/Pictures/img_" + now_string + ".jpg", "-n", "-ISO", "800", "-ex", "night", "-ifx", "none"], preexec_fn =  Daemonize)

        #----------------------------------------------------
        # Turn off the IR LED after 5s
        #----------------------------------------------------
        time.sleep(5)
        GPIO.output(GPIO_IR_LED, GPIO.LOW)

        #----------------------------------------------------
        # Wait 30s before checking for motion again
        #----------------------------------------------------
        time.sleep(30.0)
except KeyboardInterrupt, e:
        pass

GPIO.cleanup()

Save it as /home/pi/hogcam.py and make it executable:

chmod 775 /home/pi/hogcam.py

Load on boot

Raspian uses systemd for running on boot.  In /etc/systemd/system, create a new file called hogcam.service:

[Unit]
Description=HogCam

[Service]
ExecStart=/home/pi/hogcam.py

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save it off.  You can then enable, start and stop it thus.  It will also start on boot.

sudo systemctl enable hogcam.service
sudo systemctl start hogcam.service
sudo systemctl stop hogcam.service