A complete photobooth system with Arduino-controlled LED countdown, Python backend, and web applications.

photobooth/
├── arduino/                    # Arduino LED countdown controller
│   ├── photobooth/
│   │   └── photobooth.ino
│   └── README.md
├── python/                     # Python serial communication backend
│   ├── photobooth.py
│   ├── Pipfile
│   └── README.md
├── laravel/                    # Laravel image gallery with real-time updates
│   ├── app/
│   ├── resources/views/        # Gallery interface
│   ├── routes/                 # API endpoints
│   ├── database/               # Migrations
│   └── README.md
└── README.md                   # This file

This photobooth system consists of three integrated components:

• Controls a button and 4 LEDs for a visual countdown
• Sends "START" command via serial when button is pressed
• Receives countdown commands ("3", "2", "1", "GO") to control LEDs
• Hardware countdown provides visual feedback

• Long-running script that listens for "START" from Arduino
• Sends countdown sequence to Arduino: "3" → "2" → "1" → "GO"
• Can trigger photo capture and upload to Laravel API
• Uses pyserial for serial communication

• Image Upload - PNG and GIF support (up to 10MB)
• REST API - Upload, list, and delete endpoints
• Real-time Updates - Server-Sent Events (SSE) for live gallery updates
• Simple Frontend - Responsive gallery with automatic updates
• Local Storage - Images stored in filesystem with database tracking

• Arduino IDE - for uploading Arduino sketch
• Python 3.x - for running the backend
• PHP 8.2+ - for Laravel application
• Composer - PHP dependency manager
• pipenv - Python dependency management (pip install pipenv)

# Navigate to Arduino project
cd arduino

# Open photobooth/photobooth.ino in Arduino IDE
# Connect your Arduino via USB
# Select board and port in Arduino IDE
# Upload the sketch

Wiring:

• Button: Pin 2 → GND (uses internal pull-up)
• LED 1 (Red): Pin 8 → GND (with 220Ω resistor)
• LED 2 (Yellow): Pin 9 → GND (with 220Ω resistor)
• LED 3 (Yellow): Pin 10 → GND (with 220Ω resistor)
• LED 4 (Green): Pin 11 → GND (with 220Ω resistor)

See arduino/README.md for detailed wiring diagram.

# Navigate to Python project
cd python

# Install dependencies
pipenv install

# Activate virtual environment
pipenv shell

# List available serial ports to find your Arduino
python photobooth.py --list-ports

# Run the controller (auto-detects port)
python photobooth.py

# OR specify port manually
python photobooth.py --port /dev/cu.usbmodem14101

See python/README.md for more options and troubleshooting.

# Navigate to Laravel app
cd laravel

# Install dependencies
composer install

# Start the development server
php artisan serve

# Open http://localhost:8000

The application is pre-configured with SQLite database and ready to use. See laravel/README.md for API documentation and advanced configuration.

1. User presses button on the Arduino
2. Arduino sends "START" command via serial to Python
3. Python script receives START and begins countdown sequence
4. Python sends countdown commands back to Arduino:
   • "3" → LED 1 turns on (red)
   • "2" → LEDs 1-2 turn on (red + yellow)
   • "1" → LEDs 1-3 turn on (red + 2 yellows)
   • "GO" → LED 4 turns on (green), then all LEDs turn off
5. System resets and waits for next button press

Arduino → Python:

• START - Button pressed, begin countdown

Python → Arduino:

• 3 - Display countdown "3" (LED 1 on)
• 2 - Display countdown "2" (LEDs 1-2 on)
• 1 - Display countdown "1" (LEDs 1-3 on)
• GO - Display GO signal (LED 4 on, then all off)
• RESET - Turn off all LEDs and reset

Settings:

• Baud Rate: 9600
• Line Ending: Newline (\n)

• POST /api/images - Upload image (PNG/GIF)
• GET /api/images - List last 50 images
• DELETE /api/images/{id} - Delete image by ID
• GET /api/events - Server-Sent Events stream for real-time updates

• Real-time gallery updates via SSE
• Drag-and-drop image upload
• Responsive grid layout
• Connection status indicator
• Smooth animations

See laravel/README.md for complete API documentation and usage examples.

1. Upload Arduino sketch and open Serial Monitor (9600 baud) to verify it's working
2. Run Python controller - it should connect and print "Connected to Arduino"
3. Press the button - you should see:
   • Arduino Serial Monitor: START
   • Python terminal: Countdown sequence
   • LEDs: Sequential countdown pattern
4. Start Laravel app - visit http://localhost:8000 to view the gallery

Each project has its own README with detailed instructions:

• Arduino: See arduino/README.md
• Python: See python/README.md
• Laravel: See laravel/README.md

The Laravel application can be deployed to various platforms:

• Laravel Forge - Automated Laravel deployment
• Ploi - Modern hosting platform
• DigitalOcean App Platform - Easy deployment
• AWS/Heroku - Traditional cloud platforms

Build for production:

cd laravel
php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

See laravel/README.md for detailed deployment configuration.

• Laravel image gallery with real-time updates
• REST API for image management
• Server-Sent Events for live updates
• Python integration to upload photos after countdown
• Camera capture triggered by Arduino countdown
• Live countdown display synchronized with LEDs
• Photo filters and effects
• Print queue management
• Social media sharing
• Multiple language support

• Check USB connection
• Verify correct port in Arduino IDE
• Ensure no other program is using the serial port
• Try unplugging and reconnecting

# List ports
python photobooth.py --list-ports

# Use the correct port
python photobooth.py --port /dev/cu.usbmodem14101

• Check wiring connections
• Verify LED polarity (longer leg = anode/+)
• Test LEDs with a simple Arduino blink sketch
• Check resistor values (220Ω recommended)

• Ensure PHP 8.2+ is installed: php -v
• Check storage permissions: chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache
• Clear cache: php artisan cache:clear
• Re-create storage link: php artisan storage:link

This project is open source. Feel free to use and modify as needed.

Built with:

• Arduino
• Python & PySerial
• Laravel
• PHP