HOWTO

P-Wave-Detector HOWTO
Casey Halverson, copyright 2011
MIT License (see README)

In order to make this work, you will need the following hardware:

Ardiuno (any type with 5VDC)
QuakeAlarm (commodity home p-wave detector) http://www.quakealarm.com/
Some wires (to bootleg the quake detector to the ardiuno)
A 9V battery connector with two bare wires (to bootleg the quake detector to the ardiuno)
3M super mega wall tape (to secure the detector and the ardiuno to the wall)
A reasonably long USB cable that reaches from an exterior wall to your computer
Stud finder

Instructions

Follow installation instructions for the QuakeAlarm.  The provided mounting hardware
is complete garbage, so be sure to go to the store and get yourself some really nice
3M double sided wall mounting tape used for picture frames/etc.  Secure it to an 
exterior wall of your home, in a place normally not exposed to vibration, over a stud.
Use a stud finder if needed.

Secure the Ardiuno using the 3M tape to the wall, by anchoring the top of the USB 
connector to the wall.  Placement is not too critical, but securing the Ardiuno to the
wall ensures the QuakeAlarm is not disturbed.

Open the top battery compartment, and connect the 9V battery connector to the other 9V 
battery connector.  Note that this inverts the negative and positive lines.

Connect the black wire to digital pin 1, and the red wire to ground.  Since we have
a pull up configured, any connection of the inverse pendulum will produce a logic 0
on the ardiuno.

There is a calibration nob on the inverse pendulum.  I'd suggest making it more sensitive
than not, but its really hard to know what a good setting is...until that is..there's 
a quake.

After you power up the Ardiuno, go to the Ardiuno serial monitor.  it will spit a series 
of 1's on the serial port at an extremely high rate.  It should only print 0's on motion*

(* for some reason, every 400,000,000 reads, or perhaps at least once a week, it will read
a single zero for no particular reason.  I cannot figure out why this is, but we account
for it in software and ignore solo 0's within a few thousand samples)

To simulate an earthquake, carefully place both hands on the wall above the stud where
your sensor is secured.  Slowly use your body (similar to pushups against the wall) 1-2
times a second.  This will eventually oscillate the exterior wall to the point where
the Ardiuno will start printing 0's in a semi-related fashion.

Scripts

I have two scripts configured on my version.  The first sends a notification to a server
for iPhone notifcations (now defunct).  The second script triggers Twilio to SMS
every contact within my earthquake alarm database.  Do what you wish..play a sound..
send yourself a text..shut down your computer...its all up to you.