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https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/simple-robot-knows-its-bounds/ | Simple Robot Knows Its Bounds | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"ATiny",
"robot",
"sensing"
] | The [Dallas Personal Robotics Group] recently put together a set of tutorials for their members, including the build process of a table-top robot, they call
the Tiny Wanderer
. The bot can be constructed pretty easily, and is meant as an introduction to robot building.
The small servo-driven bot uses simple edge sensors to ensure that it doesn’t fall off a raised surface. The sensors were built using a small IR LED and photo transistor, which is partially isolated from the LED by a piece of shrink tubing. An ATiny micro-controller takes two measurements of the amount of IR light entering the photo transistor – one with the LED on, the other with the LED off. The difference of these measurements is compared to determine if the edge sensors are hanging off the side of the table. The logic used here is pretty simple – the difference will be high if the sensors are hovering over a surface, due to reflected light, and low if the sensors are hanging over open space.
The writeup contains templates for building the bot’s structure, as well as source code and schematics for all of the electronic bits.
Be sure to stick around to see a video of the robot in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_nPAFHxOYY&2=470] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "364094",
"author": "jimbles",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T15:37:44",
"content": "OK, this is taking a sledgehammer to a walnut!Why would you use a microcontroller for something you can do with an opamp!?!?!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"commen... | 1,760,377,239.914223 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/people-tracking-orb-demo-makes-us-want-to-build-our-own/ | People-tracking Orb Demo Makes Us Want To Build Our Own | Mike Nathan | [
"Kinect hacks"
] | [
"Kinect",
"orb",
"tracking"
] | Earlier this week, we came across a video of an orb-based eyeball that would follow you throughout the room, based on data gathered from a Kinect sensor. Try as we might, we couldn’t find much more than the video, but it seems that the guys behind the project
have spoken up in a recent blog post
.
[Jon George] of The Design Studio UK explained that the person-tracking eyeball visualization was built using a PC, a Kinect, and a product called the Puffersphere, which projects a 360 degree image on the inside of a glass orb. A panoramic image is converted for use by the special lens inside the sphere by applying a filter which warps the image into a circular shape.
After the image has been created, a simple Windows app is used in conjunction with the OpenNI framework that allows the image to follow you around the room.
The only problem with this fun little project is the price of the sphere – we’re not sure what it is exactly, but rest assured it is more than we are willing to pay for such a toy. We’re thinking there has to be a way to simulate the orb’s effect to some degree using cheaper hardware. It’s possible that it could be done using a small-scale DIY version of this
spherical mirror projection build
, though it consists of
concave half-spheres
rather than full orbs.
In the meantime, take a look at these two videos of the orb in action. Don’t worry – we know you were totally thinking about the Eye of Sauron, so the second video should not disappoint.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIjc7DuVo5I&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxr-4z5iWk0&w=470] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "364072",
"author": "Mike Bradley",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T15:08:40",
"content": "Since the kinect features a depth camera, what about making the iris of the eye open based on how close you get, that would give more of a freaky feel :)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"... | 1,760,377,240.157833 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/converting-a-scanner-into-a-touchscreen/ | Converting A Scanner Into A Touchscreen | Mike Szczys | [
"Multitouch Hacks"
] | [
"CCD",
"led",
"scanner",
"touchscreen"
] | [Sprite_TM] was cleaning up his hacking workbench when he came across an all-in-one device that had seen better days. After a bit of consideration he decided to tear down the scanner portion of the device and ended up
turning it into a multi-touch display
.
The scanner relies on a long PCB with a line CCD sensor. This sensor is read in a similar way that information is passed along a shift register. Tell it to take a reading, and then start a clock signal to pulse out each analog value from the pixels of the sensor. In order to scan color images it uses multicolored LEDs to take different readings under different illumination.
[Sprite_TM] takes advantage of this functionality to turn it into a multitouch sensor. The sensor board itself is mounted below an LCD display along with a shield with a slit in it to help filter out ambient light. Above the screen a series of LEDs shine down on the sensor. When you break the beams with your finger it casts a series of shadows which are picked up by the sensor and processed in software. Watch the clip after the break to see it for yourself. It has no problem detecting and tracking multiple contact points.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avb23FWcEeU&w=470] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "364038",
"author": "Jay",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T14:23:55",
"content": "Not bad at all! :D",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "364058",
"author": "r_d",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T14:35:25",
"content": "I have one of th... | 1,760,377,240.331539 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/dont-buy-an-amp-build-one-to-suit/ | Don’t Buy An Amp, Build One To Suit | Mike Szczys | [
"home entertainment hacks"
] | [
"amp",
"amplifier",
"lm4780",
"speakers"
] | In need of an amplifier for his home entertainment system [Afroman] decided to
build an amp
rather than buying one. If nothing else, doing it himself allowed for a form factor that can’t just go out and buy.
He designed the project on two separate boards, one for the power supply and the other for the amplifier circuit. Both are of his own design, and although he doesn’t share the schematic, we know he’s based his work on a National Semiconductor reference design for the LM4780 audio amplifier chip. There’s a few other clues, like his mention of the toroidal transformer seen at the left in the image above and hi-res photos of the unpopulated board that has component values printed in the silk screen.
The final design allows him to get great performance out of his speakers with a very clean look. You’ll need to be logged to the forum linked above to view all of the images, but we’ve embedded three more of them after the break to whet your appetite.
Oh, and cost? This gets up there, just sneaking past the $500 mark.
[Thanks AB] | 22 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "363997",
"author": "Gaspard de Coligny",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T13:27:41",
"content": "No offense… but if there is no BOM or schematics, it should go in the “and we don’t give a frack” category…That’s just some unverified showing off… great, but he can keep it TOTALLY for himself…... | 1,760,377,240.107078 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/tricycle-robot-using-omni-wheels/ | Tricycle Robot Using Omni-wheels | Mike Szczys | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"mechanum",
"omni-wheel",
"RF",
"servo",
"Teensy"
] | [Markus Gritsch] built this
six-wheeled robot using omni-wheels
. Two wheels are used on each axis in order to ensure perpendicular rotation is possible no matter where the axis rotation stops. The wheels have also been improved by dipping the elliptical components to give them a rubbery coating.
The robot gets its commands wirelessly from a separate controller unit. That controller, as well as the bot seen above, uses a Teensy microcontroller board. Two analog sticks take input from the operator and transmit commands using an inexpensive RF pair. The wheel movement is facilitated by three servo motors which may seem like an odd choice. But we think that it simplifies the electronic side of the build because you do not need an H-bridge to control a servo motors. It’s a bit loud, as you can hear in the video after the break, but it certainly works quite well.
One of the commenters on the thread above asks why [Markus] didn’t use
mechanum wheels
. These would have allowed him to use just one wheel on each axis but the omni-wheels were so inexpensive that he went this route instead.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3SJlshwl6k&w=470] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "363978",
"author": "Brian.Holiday",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T12:38:19",
"content": "I would lay odds he didn’t ‘dip’ the wheels (He doesn’t say how it is applied). I have tried dipping and it doesn’t give acceptable results for rubberizing wheels. Plastidip has a spray on version of... | 1,760,377,240.001883 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/21/kinect-mouse-and-nerf-gun-combine-for-house-of-the-dead/ | Kinect, Mouse, And Nerf Gun Combine For House Of The Dead | Mike Szczys | [
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"controller",
"faast",
"house of the dead",
"Kinect",
"mouse",
"nerf"
] | [Tony Blanch] built his own
motion controller for playing House of the Dead
. It should work with any shooter that follows the ‘rail’ type of game play (your character is not free walking, but moves along a set path beyond your control).
Two parts come together to make this happen. The first is the Nerf dart gun that you see above. The circuit board fitted into the top portion of the plastic housing is from a five-button wireless mouse. The buttons are used to sense trigger pulls from the player. The second portion of the controller is a Kinect. It has been set up to work with a Windows 7 machine. [Tony] used the Flexible Action and Articulated Skeleton Toolkit (
FAAST
) to bind and track the gun controller, moving the mouse cursor on the screen to match the movements of the weapon. Check out the video after the break to see how responsive this system is.
This is a very interesting departure from the
gun controllers we’ve seen before
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXT1i9qapw&w=470]
[Thanks Jared via
Kinect Hacks
] | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "363930",
"author": "pod",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T11:13:32",
"content": "nice idea, too bad for the nerf gun squeaky trigger!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "364190",
"author": "Kaz",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T17:13:18",... | 1,760,377,239.954152 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/hackaday-links-march-20-2011/ | Hackaday Links: March 20, 2011 | Mike Nathan | [
"Hackaday links"
] | [
"clock",
"gaming",
"projectors",
"science",
"water"
] | SNES Arcade Cabinet
[Daniel] let us know that he finished up a
SNES arcade cabinet
he has been
working on for awhile
. It looks so good, he says that his wife has even agreed to let him keep it in the house!
DIY Overhead projector beamer
[Liquider] sent us some information about a
DIY beamer he built
using an overhead projector and an old LCD panel. It looks like a great way to get a big-screen wall display set up in no time.
WordClock gets a makeover
[Doug] wrote in to share with us some progress he has made on his
WordClock
. You might
remember our coverage
of this creative timepiece a little while back. This time around, he has built a new control board, and is using vinyl stencils for a much cleaner look.
Interactive water fountain
[Gerry Chu] is well known for his water-based imagery and projects. His most recent project is a
water fountain that interacts with passers by
. There are no real build details as of yet, but we hope to see some soon.
Sixty Symbols explains why glass is transparent
Do you think you know why glass is transparent, but a brick is not? If you looked it up via Google, you are likely mistaken. A professor from the University of Nottingham
explains why the Internet is so, so wrong about this
, as well as how energy gap determines if photons of light can make it through a piece of glass. [via
i09
] | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "363543",
"author": "roy",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T20:23:20",
"content": "first lol but i liked the links",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "363547",
"author": "pod",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T20:29:51",
"content": "miss... | 1,760,377,240.277711 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/gps-enabled-bag-allows-for-carefree-city-roaming/ | GPS-enabled Bag Allows For Carefree City Roaming | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"gps hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"gps",
"navigation"
] | [Josh] was looking for a way to enjoy exploring the city of Chicago safely, and
hacked together a messenger bag
navigation system to ensure he always knew where he was going.
While riding, he wanted to embrace the
idea of Dérive
, but he felt that he was being too overly conscious of time as well as his location, which took all the fun out of his unplanned excursions. Having recently been “doored” by a car, he was also looking for a way to help him navigate the city streets without being overly distracted with finding his way around.
His “Map Bag” solves both of these problems for him, without being obtrusive. He fit a messenger bag with a LilyPad Arduino and a GPS receiver for keeping track of his location. The Arduino can constantly monitor speed, heading, and location, directing [Josh] to his destination by vibrating one of 8 shaftless motors that are installed throughout the bag’s chest strap. Now while he rides, he can take in the city’s atmosphere while also knowing that he will get exactly where he needs to – on time.
He does not have any source code or schematics on his site as of yet, but we hope to see some in the near future. If you are interested, check out the videos of the bag’s construction embedded below.
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/21213159
w=470]
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/21213190
w=470] | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "363636",
"author": "HaDAk",
"timestamp": "2011-03-21T00:21:53",
"content": "I love this concept. I would love to see more projects that enhance your every day life, without getting in the way, just like this. Bravo.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
... | 1,760,377,240.045206 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/third-times-a-charm-512-led-cube-kicks-it-up-a-notch-with-rgb-leds/ | Third Time’s A Charm – 512 LED Cube Kicks It Up A Notch With RGB LEDs | Mike Nathan | [
"LED Hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"leds",
"pic32",
"pwm"
] | In the comments section of our 512-LED cube post from the other day, several people suggested that to take the project up a notch, building a similar cube using RGB LEDS was the next logical step. It seems that Hack-a-Day reader [vespine]
was way ahead of the curve
, as he sent us the build details of his 8x8x8 RGB cube shortly after
the other story
was published.
His cube, which was finished earlier this year, uses 512 10mm RGB LEDs, arranged on top of a simple elevated stand. The stand conceals all of the circuitry he uses to control the cube, the centerpiece of which is a PIC32 MCU. A dozen TLC5940 16-channel PWM drivers are used alongside the PIC in order to adjust the color output of the LEDs, each of which can be addressed and colored individually.
The end result is just about as amazing as you would imagine. He has created several quick demonstration animations, which you can view in the video below. Be sure to stop by his site to see all of his build details – there’s quite a lot there.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nO3STwoFjY&w=470] | 25 | 25 | [
{
"comment_id": "363479",
"author": "bogdan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T18:09:09",
"content": "Splendid!I’ve always wanted to see something like this done!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "363480",
"author": "Dino",
"timestamp": "2011-03-2... | 1,760,377,240.394385 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/gameboy-rom-backups-using-an-arduino/ | Gameboy ROM Backups Using An Arduino | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Nintendo Game Boy Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"gameboy",
"rom"
] | [Alex] collects retro gaming consoles. One day while playing a SNES title, his save games got wiped when he powered off the system. It turned out that the battery inside the game cartridge got disconnected somehow, and it got him thinking. He decided he wanted to find a way to back up his save games from the cartridges for safe keeping.
While cart readers exist, he says that they are hard to find nowadays, so he decided to construct his own using an Arduino. SNES cartridges are relatively complex, so he opted to focus on Gameboy cartridges for the time being. Before attempting to back up save games, he first chose to learn how to communicate with the cartridges in general,
by reading the ROM
.
He breaks the cartridges down in detail, discussing how they are constructed as well as how they can be addressed and read using the Arduino. He was ultimately successful, and offers up code as well as schematics on his site for any of you interested in doing the same. We imagine that save game reading (and perhaps editing) will likely happen in the near future.
Check out the video below to see his cart reader in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u8_dlGbvoA&w=470] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "363456",
"author": "CutThroughStuffGuy",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T17:07:24",
"content": "Two comments.First of all – this is an awesome hack.Secondly – ROM emulators work much better and support far more features, are less prone to hardware failures (such as a dead or disconnected b... | 1,760,377,240.218792 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/rfid-based-htpc-controller-gets-a-wireless-refresh/ | RFID-based HTPC Controller Gets A Wireless Refresh | Mike Nathan | [
"digital audio hacks",
"home entertainment hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"followup",
"music",
"rfid",
"wireless"
] | [roteno] recently wrote in to let us know that he has completed work on the
RFiDJ Refresh
, a follow up to his 2009 project,
the RFiDJ
.
The concept is pretty simple – he has a set of RFID enabled tiles, which contain references to particular online streaming audio stations. He uses these tiles to tune into audio feeds on his HTPC by placing them on a block containing an RFID reader.
His previous implementation had the RFID reader tethered to his HTPC, which didn’t make it all that convenient to use. The newer version utilizes a 433 MHz transmitter/receiver pair in order to communicate with the PC, so it can be used anywhere through out his house. The reader and transmitter were placed in a shadow box picture frame, along with a rechargeable Li-poly battery that powers the whole setup. He also mentions that he has added a tactile interface that allows him to initiate mobile phone calls from the RFiDJ as well.
It’s a nice update to an already great project. We imagine it’s a bit more fun for [roteno] and his guests to tap a coaster on the transmitter box than fumble with a remote to change radio stations on the HTPC, but that’s just us.
Check out the videos below to see his new setup in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QKfRvmLtYg&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeGls2F_Bgg&w=470] | 4 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "363448",
"author": "HaDAk",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T16:42:40",
"content": "I really think I might have to build one of these now. It would be a perfect addition to my HTPC! Think of it – hundreds of tiles, for any movie you could ever possibly want to watch. Some people have DVD o... | 1,760,377,240.586917 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/smartphone-operated-garage-door-is-beginning-of-arduino-home-automation-system/ | Smartphone Operated Garage Door Is Beginning Of Arduino Home Automation System | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"garage door",
"php",
"python",
"relay",
"smart phone"
] | [Tim] is showing off the first step in his home automation projected with
this smart-phone garage door interface
. In the video after the break you can see him open and close the garage door with the touch of a button. There’s also an open or closed indicator that he can check when away from home.
An Arduino takes care of a portion of the control for this project. Like
the post we saw yesterday
, he’s using PHP code on a webpage to manipulate the Arduino via its USB connection in order to open and close the door using a relay. The door status is also monitored by the Arduino and sent to the PC over the serial connection. The computer uses a Python script to monitor the incoming data and update a text file which is merged into the web interface using a PHP include. Future plans for the system include adding control for heating and air conditioning systems.
If you’re looking to do something like this but wirelessly here’s some advice on
ditching the Arduino and using an XBee module instead
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfjjA0Gudrg&w=470] | 15 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "363485",
"author": "Tom Hargrave",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T18:20:46",
"content": "Great project.But it would be even a better project if it were hosted on its own stand alone web server. This way he would not need to tie up a PC or depend on a running PC to operate the garage door.... | 1,760,377,240.742991 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/20/eeepc-touchscreen-retrofit/ | EeePC Touchscreen Retrofit | Mike Szczys | [
"laptops hacks",
"Multitouch Hacks"
] | [
"EeePc",
"touchscreen"
] | Adding touch screen capabilities to your computer is really not very expensive, but it’s a huge amount of work to get everything looking the way that it should. [Deadbird]
wrote up a step-by-step guide that will help you install touch screen hardware
and
get your netbook put back together just like new.
The hardware comes in two parts. There’s the transparent film that covers the screen and the driver board that reads the inputs. The film itself has an adhesive layer on the back that sticks to the LCD panel. But to install it you first must remove the panel from the bezel. You’re also going to need a place to house the driver board. [Deadbird] somehow found enough room inside the case for the controller, but he had to remove the keyboard and motherboard to set it in place. This translates to a complete disassembly of your eeePC. But if you’re used to touch-sensitive devices, and have ever found yourself touching an LCD monitor and wondering why the computer is not following the link, this may be worth it to you. You can see the final product in a clip after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K8Q_fybGP4&w=470] | 24 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "363395",
"author": "Pix3l the B1t",
"timestamp": "2011-03-20T14:16:46",
"content": "Cool, my parents love the idea of a touch-screen pc so I wonder if I could make one like this for them :)Also, if this could be hooked up to an uC it could make for some wicked projects!",
"paren... | 1,760,377,240.80848 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/test-your-etching-chops-with-pcb-map-making/ | Test Your Etching Chops With PCB Map Making | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"etching",
"pcb",
"toner transfer"
] | [Martin] had been using standard perf board for most of his electronics projects, but as he was starting to utilize more surface mount ICs, he quickly realized that it was time to start making his own PCBs. Having never etched any PCBs using the toner transfer method, he figured it was as good a time as any to
give it a try
.
Rather than make a board for a particular project, he decided to try his hand at etching a very detailed map of the Paris Metro as a test pattern instead. He grabbed a large image of the subway map, then printed it out on the back of a supermarket flyer. He attached it to his PCB and ran it through a lamination machine to transfer the toner. He figured that the laminator would be easier than an iron to use, and was right for the most part. The only issue he had was that the laminator did not generate enough heat, so he supplemented the its heat output with a hair dryer.
When everything was said and done, he had a pretty good looking PCB on his hands. Most of the Metro tracks and text came out just fine, though he admits there is a bit of room for improvement. It looks nice when mounted in a frame, though we would love to see a functional circuit made out of a PCB map like that. Heck, we’d even settle for a double-sided PCB with a street-level map on one side an the Metro on the other! | 17 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "362949",
"author": "Avaviel",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T19:34:07",
"content": "Hm. I think this could be used for printmaking…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362968",
"author": "Koberg",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T20:07:04... | 1,760,377,240.689992 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/building-a-home-automation-mesh-network/ | Building A Home Automation Mesh Network | Mike Szczys | [
"home hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"16f88",
"home automation",
"mesh network",
"nrf2401a",
"pic",
"x10"
] | [Ian Harris] designed a bunch of home automation for his parents using X10 hardware. He was a bit disappointed by the failure rate of the modules and the overall performance of the system so he set out to replace it with his own hardware. Lucky for use he’s documented the journey in
a four-part series about mesh networks
.
The hardware seen above is his test rig. He’s using a couple of Sparkfun breakout boards to develop for nrf2401a RF transceiver chips. These could be used as slave modules, with a central command device, but due to the home’s architecture wireless signals don’t propagate well from one end of the house to the other. The solution is to build a mesh network that will allow each module to act as a network node, receiving and passing on messages until they arrive at the target device. He’s trying to do this with cheap hardware, selecting the PIC 16F88 which boasts 7 KB or program memory and 368 bytes of ram. In the end it doesn’t take much code to get this running, it’s the concepts that take some time and research before you’ll be comfortable working with them.
[Thanks Oakkar7] | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "362931",
"author": "echodelta",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T18:42:34",
"content": "Failure as in small bricks or failure as in ignored commands? Either way the X10 system is a joke.Good luck and hacking.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_i... | 1,760,377,240.865408 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/hardware-based-security-keypad-keeps-it-simple/ | Hardware-based Security Keypad Keeps It Simple | Mike Nathan | [
"hardware",
"Security Hacks"
] | [
"555 timer",
"hardware",
"lock",
"nand"
] | Instructables user [trumpkin] recently built an
all-hardware based keypad lock
for a contest he was entering, and we thought it was pretty neat. The lock uses mostly NAND gates and 555 timers to get the job done, which makes it a nice alternative to similar software-based projects we have seen in the past.
The lock has 6 keys on the keypad, which is connected to the main logic board. The keycode is set using a series of headers at the bottom of the board, and you get 10 chances to enter the proper code before the board locks up completely. If this occurs, a “manual” reset via a button built into the main board is required before any more attempts can be made.
As you can see in the video below, the lock works quite well, but suffers from one shortcoming. Any permutation of the key code can be used to deactivate the lock, which is something [trumpkin] says he would like to improve in the future.
If you are looking for some more security-related reading, be sure to check out
these
other
hacks
we have
featured
in the past.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqqhb-3okMg&w=470] | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "363025",
"author": "biozz",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T21:48:45",
"content": "simple and huge XDand probably easier to tamper XD",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "363081",
"author": "Jak_o_Shadows",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T... | 1,760,377,241.051134 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/more-radiation-test-gear/ | More Radiation Test Gear | Mike Szczys | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"Dosimeter",
"geiger counter",
"radiation",
"radiometer"
] | This is
a multifunction too for measuring radiation
(
translated
). The measurements center around gas discharge tubes that react when ionizing particles pass through them. After reading about the counting circuit for the pair of tubes used in this handheld it’s easy to understand why these are tricky to calibrate. The handheld features a real-time clock as well as a GPS module. This way, it can not only give a readout of the radiation currently measured, but can record how much radiation exposure has accumulated over time (making this a dosimeter). An accompanying dataset records the location of the exposure. An ATmega128 drives the device, which is composed of two separate boards, a series of five navigation buttons, and a salvaged cellphone LCD for the readout. The translated page can be a bit hard to read at times, but there’s plenty of information including an abundance of schematic breakdowns with accompanying explanations of each.
This is certainly feature-rich and we think it goes way beyond
the type of device that Seeed is trying to develop
.
[Thanks Andrew] | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "362897",
"author": "Knuckleball",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T17:23:58",
"content": "Does this have to do with Seeeds request? That was fast! Well done. *applause*",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362903",
"author": "noonv",
... | 1,760,377,241.149025 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/add-a-shutoff-timer-to-your-bathroom-fan/ | Add A Shutoff Timer To Your Bathroom Fan | Mike Szczys | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"attiny13",
"bathroom",
"fan",
"led",
"light sensor",
"TRIAC"
] | Adding
this board
(
translated
) to your bathroom fan will turn it into a smart device. It’s designed to automatically shut off the fan after it’s had some time to clear humidity from the room. It replaces the wall switch which normally controls these fans by converting the fan connection to always be connected to mains. The board draws constant power to keep the ATtiny13 running via a half-wave rectification circuit. A single LED that rises from the center of the PCB lights up to signal that the fan is in operation, but it is also used as a light sensor, similar to
the LED communications hack
from a couple of days ago. When the lights go on in the bathroom the microcontroller will turn on the exhaust fan via a Triac. It will remain on until the light level in the bathroom drops.
There’s an interesting timing algorithm that delays the fan startup, and varies the amount of time it will stay on in the dark depending on how long the bathroom lights were on. This way, a longer shower (which will build up more humidity) will cause the fan to remain on for the base of five minutes, plus one minute longer for every two minutes the bathroom was in use. Pretty smart, and quite useful if your bathroom sees high traffic from several family members. | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "362854",
"author": "Pedro",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T15:16:53",
"content": "Pretty inter sting but a little overpowered for me I think. My extractor fan has an off the shelf (B&Q, not exactly speciality) timer.I wouldn’t have gone down the microcontroller route, but instead connect ... | 1,760,377,240.91817 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/19/building-a-zoetrope-using-kinect-processing-and-a-laser-cutter/ | Building A Zoetrope Using Kinect, Processing, And A Laser Cutter | Mike Szczys | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"Kinect",
"laser cutter",
"processing",
"zoetrope"
] | A zoetrope is a device that contains a disk full with a series of images that make up and animation. A couple of different methods can be used to trick the eye into seeing a single animated image. In the past this was done by placing the images inside of a cylinder with slits at regular distances. When spun quickly, the slits appear to be stationary, with the images creating the animation. But the same effect can be accomplished using a strobe light.
The disk you see above uses the strobe method, but it’s design and construction is what caught our eye. The animated shapes were
captured with a Kinect and isolated using Processing
. [Greg Borenstein] takes a depth movie recorded while someone danced in front of a Kinect. He ran it through a Processing sketch and was able to isolate a set of slides that where then turned into the objects seen above using a laser cutter.
You can watch a video of this particular zoetrope after the break. But we’ve also embedded the Pixal 3D zoetrope clip which, although unrelated to this hack, is extremely interesting. Don’t have a laser cutter to try this out yourself? You could always build
a zoetrope that uses a printed disk
.
Kinect recorded, laser-cut zoetrope:
[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/20542749 w=470]
Pixal 3D sculpture zoetrope:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5khDGKGv088&w=470] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "362802",
"author": "Stevie",
"timestamp": "2011-03-19T13:45:27",
"content": "Very cool and this is actually something I was thinking of building myself, to compliment my image projector projects. So i’ll definitely be checking out the documentation.For those interested in seeing mor... | 1,760,377,241.095497 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/512-led-cube-again/ | 512 LED Cube (again) | Brian Benchoff | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"cube"
] | We’ve seen LED cubes before, but [nick] upped the ante with his
8x8x8 LED cube
that uses only three pins on his microcontroller.
Previous LED cubes
we’ve covered drove the LEDs with shift registers and latches, but [nick] used STP16CP LED sink drivers to reduce the component count. The STP16CP can control 16 LEDs each, can be cascaded off of each other, and can operate up to 30Mhz. With a component like this, you’re limited by your microcontroller and not your patience or soldering skills.
While he was waiting for his LEDs to arrive in the mail, [nick] decided he would get a head start on the animation code by plunging into MATLAB. After getting an idea of what would look good on the cube, [nick] wrote the code on his PC to send commands to the arduino controlling the sink drivers. To wrap up the project, [nick] put the cube on a very attractive wooden box stuffed with the electronics. All tolled, a very efficient and elegant build.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0R9AdIxCq0&w=470] | 37 | 37 | [
{
"comment_id": "362261",
"author": "Magnet18",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T21:08:48",
"content": "Someone seriously needs to program 3D game of snake for one of these!!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362284",
"author": "CutThroughStuffGuy",
... | 1,760,377,241.222822 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/automatic-dog-dish-filler-never-goes-dry/ | Automatic Dog Dish Filler Never Goes Dry | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"automatic",
"dog",
"water"
] | [Avatar-X] has a Siberian Husky that gets a lot of exercise throughout the day, and as you would imagine, drinks a ton of water as well. We all suffer from memory lapses at one time or another, and while he is normally good about keeping the bowl filled, he occasionally forgets. He has tried a handful of various auto-filling dog dishes, but none of them seemed to work all that well, and they often rapidly built up healthy bacterial colonies.
With the help of some friends, he rigged up an
automatic water dish filler
, that ensures his pup always has a sufficient supply of water. He tapped into his kitchen water supply with a standard refrigerator hookup kit, and ran some tubing up into his cabinets, where he placed a garden irrigation valve. The valve is controlled using an Arduino which senses the bowl’s water level using a pair of wires.
The system looks like it works pretty well if the video embedded below is any indicator. [Avatar-X] provides code and schematics for the water control circuit on his site, free to anyone looking to build a similar system for their pets.
If you are interested in learning more about automating some of your pet’s care, be sure to check out
these
hacks
we
featured
in the past.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0KnQjQzAF0&w=470] | 37 | 37 | [
{
"comment_id": "362205",
"author": "bemis",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T20:20:55",
"content": "Nice setup.I’m paranoid about water leaks, so I think I would consider a “water alarm” type of feature–put the dishes into a larger but shallow container which contains a water sensor, if water is detected o... | 1,760,377,241.355007 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/reviving-a-broken-hsdpa-modem-with-a-bit-of-clever-investigation/ | Reviving A Broken HSDPA Modem With A Bit Of Clever Investigation | Mike Nathan | [
"Repair Hacks"
] | [
"modem",
"repair"
] | Hack-a-Day forum member [Necromant] was recently working on a router
when he made a terrible mistake
. He connected the wrong power brick to the router, causing a 2.5v over-voltage. The router itself was just fine, as it contained a good stepdown converter, but the HSDPA modem connected to the router’s USB port was not so lucky. It seems that the USB host is powered directly from the router’s power supply without any conversion – this meant his modem got a nice 7.5v zap when he used the wrong plug.
He assumed the modem was dead, so he figured there was no harm in disassembling it. He examined the modem’s circuit board and found that when plugged in, the onboard stepdown converter supplied 0 volts to the rest of the PCB. He couldn’t find any documentation for the converter online, so he employed a little bit of
trial and error
clever investigation to determine what sort of voltage the stepdown provided before being cooked.
After a bit of testing with his home-built low dropout regulator, he determined that the damaged stepdown provided 3.3v to the rest of the modem (that’s a 4.2v over-voltage for those of you who are keeping track). He added a linear voltage regulator to the board in place of the old stepdown, which worked for about 15 seconds before overheating.
In the end, he decided to add a pretty hefty 3.3v stepdown converter to the modem, throwing aesthetics to the curb. The result is one ugly, but quite functional HSDPA modem. | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "362171",
"author": "aqua_scummm",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T19:24:46",
"content": "Be angry. While the USB spec states that bus power should not exceed 5 volts, it also states that devices should be able to survive over 20 volts of power applied to the power rails.",
"parent_id"... | 1,760,377,241.282714 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/speech-recognition-geocache-se-habla-espanol/ | Speech Recognition Geocache: Se Habla Español | Jason Komp | [
"gps hacks"
] | [
"geocache",
"voice"
] | Instructables user [jorgegunn] has put a unique spin on
a recent geocache build
by incorporating speech recognition and requiring that the “finder” knows the secret password to access the loot contained within. Although we won’t spoil the fun here, the techie spirit of the build was further bolstered by choosing a password fitting for any trekkie.
Despite utilizing an off-the-shelf speech recognition circuit kit, the majority of this hack was accomplished using parts available at local electronics and hardware stores. [jorgegunn] went to great lengths to make this hack accessible to any amateur hobbyist and even includes links to relevant tutorials, schematics, and online parts vendors where applicable.
The actual speech recognition is accomplished with an
Images Scientific Instruments model SR-06 circuit kit
, capable of recognizing up to 40 different predefined words across multiple languages. Any time a correct match occurs, a value corresponding to the memory slot for that word is displayed on a pair of 7-segment displays. A separate decoder circuit based on a 74LS373 D-Type Latch and 4028 IC Decoder CMOS determines if the value being displayed constitutes a valid response and then drives a solenoid via a Darlington transistor in order to release the latching mechanism. Once opened, the device is simply pushed closed again to await its next finder- we are guessing that finding it might actually be the easiest part as judged by its size!
Although the real-world battery life has not yet been determined, a single coin cell for memory retention and a 9V battery used to drive the circuit and for latch release lasted through a full month of testing without any issues. Battery life could be extended almost indefinitely with a simple solar cell and rechargeable battery setup, but this would also obviously increase the likelihood of vandalism and/or theft.
We can imagine many different applications for such a device as-is including automated door lock mechanisms and even access control to things such as the controls on a computer case. It should also be fairly easy to increase the security by stringing multiple words together into a password or by instituting a “time out” period after a certain number of incorrect guesses.
Let us know of any other applications or build variations in the comments below and make sure to see how it all came together in the short videos after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqPVJqzKb3E&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvRFG1-tQHY&w=470] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "362141",
"author": "Tristan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T18:29:34",
"content": "Thats friggen awesome…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362163",
"author": "Devin",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T19:08:00",
"content": "Wonder ... | 1,760,377,242.212546 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/direct-to-pcb-resist-printing-requires-minimal-additional-components/ | Direct To PCB Resist Printing Requires Minimal Additional Components | Mike Nathan | [
"Peripherals Hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"etch",
"inkjet",
"mispro",
"pcb",
"printer"
] | Printing PCBs using the toner transfer method works pretty well, but there are some downsides, such as incomplete trace transfers and the like. HackHut user [rucalgary]
decided to go the inkjet route instead
, and picked up an Epson printer on clearance at his local electronics shop.
This method is not new
by any means, but his printer conversion is one of the simplest we’ve seen as it does not rely on any
additional sensors to function
.
Once he got home, he tore the printer down immediately, removing the paper input and output trays as well as the scanner bed. After all of the extraneous parts were removed, he got to work raising up the printer head, as well as the printer head rest mechanism. He mentions that the latter component is absolutely crucial to proper functionality down the line. Once the print head and its associated components were relocated, he added a pair of aluminum rails for feeding his print tray into the machine.
With everything complete, he filled up a spare cartridge with ink (he says that MISPRO yellow works best) and ran some test boards through. He is quite pleased with how things turned out, and is more than happy to give you a quick tour of his completed printer via the video below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y58AIUAJlj0&w=470] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "362108",
"author": "denim",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T17:54:33",
"content": "“This is a fake demo of my PCB printer setup.”",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362115",
"author": "FightCube.com",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T18:0... | 1,760,377,241.402608 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/diy-camera-dolly-frees-up-your-hands-to-take-care-of-the-important-stuff/ | DIY Camera Dolly Frees Up Your Hands To Take Care Of The Important Stuff | Mike Nathan | [
"digital cameras hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"camera",
"dolly",
"hands free"
] | Documenting your build process can sometimes be an incredible pain, as it’s quite difficult to take pictures or video while you are in the middle of soldering. Professionals who demonstrate things on TV for a living have the benefit of a camera crew and special rigs to catch the action from every angle – the rest of us don’t have that luxury.
[Steve] felt the same frustrations as many of us do, and decided to do something about it. He built a
movable camera dolly
that can be suspended from the ceiling above his work surface for less than $30. The bulk of his camera dolly is built from PVC piping, with assorted bolts and washers holding things together. Skateboard bearings were used as rollers to provide smooth 2-axis motion for the entire rig, then he hung the entire apparatus from the ceiling joists over his workspace.
According to [Steve], the build process seems relatively easy and should take no more than an hour or so, and it can support pretty much any full-size DSLR camera you can find.
Stick around for a quick video tour of his camera dolly build.
[via
Make
]
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/21104683 w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "361991",
"author": "random_jandom",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T16:24:57",
"content": "Nice, I definitely need something like this but dont have the space to permanently set one up.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "362143",
"aut... | 1,760,377,241.640304 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/seeed-looks-for-help-developing-an-open-source-radiation-detector/ | Seeed Looks For Help Developing An Open Source Radiation Detector | Mike Szczys | [
"HackIt"
] | [
"gieger counter",
"radiation",
"seeed studios"
] | Seeed Studios, makers of the Seeeduino and fabricators of small-run PCB orders have put out a call to
help develop an open source radiation detector
. Will it be of any help to people in the area of Japan that is at risk? We really can’t say. But if you can lend some expertise with this, it can’t hurt. We’ve already seen
a simple dosimeter project
but this one sounds like it’s more on the level of a DIY Geiger counter. We know it’s possible, but
the hacked together unit
we saw back in 2007 had very little documentation and used parts that may be hard to come by.
The specific information needed is what type of sensor to use, what supporting circuits should be included, and what method is best to calibrate each unit. There’s a discussion going in the comment thread of that post which should be interesting to read even if you think you don’t have anything to add.
[Thanks Michael] | 68 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "361910",
"author": "cfox",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T15:19:38",
"content": "Wish I could be of some help.Solid idea though, good luck with finishing it. Hope it turns out to be useful.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361913",
... | 1,760,377,241.59036 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/junkyard-jumbotron-is-begging-to-for-an-open-source-project-clone/ | Junkyard Jumbotron Is Begging To For An Open Source Project Clone | Mike Szczys | [
"HackIt",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"display",
"jumbtron",
"smart phone",
"web browser"
] | Idle developers of the world take inspiration from this project and unite to create your own version. It’s called the Junkyard Jumbotron because
it takes many different displays and allows them to be used as one big interactive display
. The image above shows a collection of smartphones displaying a test pattern. The pattern is unique for each device and is used to calibrate the display. Using a digital camera, a picture of these test patterns is snapped, then sent to the server. The server calculates the position of each of the screens, then sends the correct slice of a large image back to each phone.
It’s funny that they use the word Junkyard in the name of the software. Each display needs to be able to run a web browser so you can’t just use junk displays. But one nice side effect of the hardware requirements is that you can still do things like panning and zooming as seen in the video after the break. Here’s the real question: can you make this work as an open source project? How about something that can be easily set up to work with a LAMP server?
[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/20962561 w=470]
[via
Reddit
] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "361870",
"author": "CutThroughStuffGuy",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T14:06:11",
"content": "Try Synergy.Open source. Cross platform.http://synergy-foss.org/Lets you control your cursor across multiple displays. Not exactly the same functionality but in someways better.",
"parent_i... | 1,760,377,242.263063 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/free-home-phone-method-uses-parts-were-familiar-with/ | Free Home Phone Method Uses Parts We’re Familiar With | Mike Szczys | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"analog telephone adapter",
"asterisk",
"ata",
"google voice",
"linux",
"pbx",
"telephone"
] | [Headsheez] found
a way to get his home phone service for free
. He’s using a set of tools that we’re familiar with to route service from a typical analog phone system (which involves the extensions wired into your home) through a server to the Internet. On the hardware side of things this starts out with an Analog Telephone Adapter which translates the analog signal for use in a PBX system. He uses a copy of the open source PBX project called Asterisk which we’ve also seen
used on devices like routers
and the
SheevaPlug
. The actual telephone number comes from a Google voice account which for now is a free service but there’s no guarantee that it will remain that way in the future.
This should provide seamless service just like you’re used to with a traditional home phone line. There’s even caller ID for the number – but not the name – for incoming calls. The one big feature that is missing from this setup is the ability to call 911 for emergencies.
[via
Reddit
] | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "361845",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T13:19:25",
"content": "that’s a pretty big flaw if you can’t dial 911. yet again i’m sure he has a cellphone.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361846",
"author": "Chris Munc... | 1,760,377,242.16345 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/robot-gets-around-on-lopsided-wheels/ | Robot Gets Around On Lopsided Wheels | Mike Szczys | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"angular momentum",
"motor",
"vibration"
] | This
concept robot uses angular momentum to roll around
. You can see that on either end of the robot there are two discs which have been cut on one side to make them off-balance. For locomotion, two DC motors spin the outer discs which are not in contact with the floor. This spinning action exerts a force in the opposite direction on the body of the vehicle, causing it to move.
It’s not a perfect system and there is one major flaw with using this system. When the forces have equalized acceleration will stop and it will eventually come to a standstill. You can’t just stop spinning the motors because that will act as a braking mechanism. But still, it’s a concept we haven’t seen before and we love the experimentation that’s happening here. Take a look at the test footage after the break and don’t hesitate to let us know if this starts causing light bulbs to flip on above your head.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4MFSzklKzA&w=470]
[via
Comment
and
Hacked Gadgets
] | 16 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "361774",
"author": "Stevie",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T12:03:36",
"content": "I can’t really see any point to it. But interesting to see/know, I guess.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361780",
"author": "guffguff",
"times... | 1,760,377,241.72771 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/18/audiophile-quality-headphones-at-a-fraction-of-the-price/ | Audiophile Quality Headphones At A Fraction Of The Price | Mike Nathan | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"headphones",
"orthodynamic"
] | If you are in the market for a nice pair of Hi-Fi headphones, it is not uncommon to to find price tags in the range of $300-$500. [Stacy] loves her music, but she had no desire to pay that high a price for a pair of good portable cans. Instead, she upgraded a set of cheap, knock-off headphones to near-audiophile quality
for less than $50
.
She starts off by explaining the technology behind the expensive headphones you see in stores, and why the sound quality is so much better. She says the orthodynamic drivers used in these products produce far better sound due to the placement of the voice coils, and their lack of delay when producing sound.
She found a pair of orthodynamic drivers for $30 and fit them into her knock-off headphones with a reasonable amount of effort. A bit of insulation and supporting plastic was added to ensure proper mounting of the drivers, then the headset was painted and reassembled.
[Stacy] claims that the end result is easily comparable to far more expensive headsets, especially when connected to a proper amplifier. If you are looking to step up your audio game on the cheap, here’s your chance. | 30 | 30 | [
{
"comment_id": "361770",
"author": "}{itch",
"timestamp": "2011-03-18T11:54:27",
"content": "Those drivers would be pretty sweet for some jackhammer headphones:http://www.instructables.com/id/Jackhammer-Headphones/@Stevie, we need to talk. You’re probably not a stupid guy, I mean, you read pretty t... | 1,760,377,241.848359 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/free-energy-is-for-fools/ | Free Energy Is For Fools? | Kevin Dady | [
"HackIt"
] | [
"free energy",
"jeri ellsworth"
] | In her new element-14 video [Jeri Ellsworth]
explains some concepts about “free to you” energy
and features the LTC3109EUF, an Auto-polarity, Ultra low Voltage Step-Up Converter and Power Manager, along with the LTC3588EMSE a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Power Supply.
Using the LTC3109EUF she is able to power a modified Nintendo Entertainment System, and LCD using a small generator and an exercise bike. The LTC3588EMSE is wired up to piezo’s in different applications including being squashed, vibrated, and temperature difference to power low current devices.
All this and a totally 80’s theme, so poof up your hair, get your spiked dog collar, and find those neon green shades because this is a fun and informative video available on element-14. | 27 | 26 | [
{
"comment_id": "361386",
"author": "Dino",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T22:04:04",
"content": "I hope this video gets people really thinking about harvesting energy from the many sources out there. Good hacker inspiration here. I’ve got a project in mind…Also a cool flash back to the 80s. You maniac Je... | 1,760,377,241.927159 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/lcd-twofer/ | LCD Twofer | Kevin Dady | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"lcd"
] | Inexpensive character LCDs are a popular choice for outputting data on many projects. Easily controlled , often back lit, and compact. If you have not found a reason to get one yet, here are a couple.
First up is a P
rogrammable digital timer switch
. Based around a PIC15f628A micro controller this handy little device allows you to set both on and off times to switch (light duty) devices through its relay. A standard 16×2 LCD , piezo buzzer, and 4 push buttons offer the device’s I / O. The four buttons are assigned to on / off time, select, enter, and start / stop making it easy for anyone to use. All this and sporting a clean perf-board layout which often goes out the window when using jumper wire.
Next for the AVR crowd is a
LCD Name badge
. Powered by a Attiny 2313 and using another 16×2 LCD, this time in blue this large, but functional name badge is ready to give out all the information people need on you while boasting your nerd credit.
Source and schematics are available for both, and yes we know these little gadgets are not exactly earth shattering so that is why we invite you to share your LCD projects on quite possibly the most awesome forum ever, the
Hack A Day forums,
we even have a little spot setup just for project logs.
But first join us after the break for a couple quick videos.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sqcIDupEhg&w=450]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHc7IbYLTcM&w=450] | 13 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "360985",
"author": "Fallen",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T14:23:48",
"content": "I found it was a nightmare to get those LCDs to work with my PIC…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361000",
"author": "Dave",
"timestamp": "2011... | 1,760,377,241.977379 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/writing-python-drivers-for-input-devices/ | Writing Python Drivers For Input Devices | Mike Szczys | [
"Linux Hacks",
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"driver",
"Joystick",
"python",
"usb"
] | [Stealth] put together a post explaining
how he writes drivers for input peripherals
. He’s using Python which makes the process fairly painless (we’ll get to that in a minute) but the value of his post is in the explanation surrounding how to interpret the data. Once you know how the communications are coming in from a device you can write the driver using any language you want. [Stealth] wrote in to let us know about this post after reading the
PlayStation 3 Sixaxis controller sniffing hack
. He’s pretty much doing the same thing but the background information is much more bountiful.
There are a couple of prerequisites to the process. First, [Stealth] is working in a Linux environment. That’s not to say you couldn’t do this on another OS, but you’re going to need to do some research to find out how to tap into the data stream from the device. Secondly, the input you are working with must already be set up and working on the machine. That means if there isn’t any support at all for the peripheral (in this case a USB joystick) you’re not going to be able to sniff the commands. That being said, a short Python snippet is all you need to dump the raw data coming in from the device. With data in hand it’s time to do some pattern hunting. As you start to figure out the size and scope of the incoming packets you can try out your own code to make sure you’ve got it right. Check out the demo video after the break which features a joystick button mapper written in Python.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYaSHPWjU_E&w=470] | 9 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "360941",
"author": "icebrain",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T13:12:30",
"content": "If you want to develop Python drivers for peripherals which are not support at all, try PyUSB:http://pyusb.sourceforge.net/docs/1.0/tutorial.html",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []... | 1,760,377,242.021221 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/researchers-discover-that-cars-can-be-hacked-with-music/ | Researchers Discover That Cars Can Be Hacked With Music | Mike Nathan | [
"Security Hacks",
"Transportation Hacks"
] | [
"automotive",
"mp3",
"security"
] | In 2009, [Dr. Stefan Savage] and his fellow researchers published a paper describing how they were able to take control of a car’s computer system by tapping into the CAN Bus via the OBD port. Not satisfied with having to posses physical access to a car in order to hack the computer system, they continued probing away, and found
quite a few more attack vectors
.
Some of the vulnerabilities seem to be pretty obvious candidates for hacking. The researchers found a way to attack the Bluetooth system in certain vechicles, as well as cellular network systems in others. Injecting malicious software into the diagnostic tools used at automotive repair shops was quite effective as well. The most interesting vulnerability they located however, was pretty unexpected.
The researchers found that some car entertainment systems were susceptible to specially-crafted MP3 files. The infected songs allowed them to inject malicious code into the system when burned to a CD and played. While this sort of virus could spread fairly easily with the popularity of P2P file sharing, it would likely be pretty useless at present.
The researchers say that while they found lots of ways in which it was possible to break into a car’s computer system, the attacks are difficult to pull off, and the likelihood that they would occur in the near future is pretty slim.
It does give food for thought however. As disparate vehicle systems become more integrated and cars become more connected via wireless technologies, who knows what will be possible? We just hope to never see the day where we are offered an anti-malware subscription with a new car purchase – at that point, we’ll just ride our bike, thanks.
[Picture courtesy of
Autoblog
] | 32 | 31 | [
{
"comment_id": "360909",
"author": "wosser",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T12:14:29",
"content": "So that’s why my Veyron always stalls out when Justin Beiber is on the radio.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "959998",
"author": "Shelly Dono... | 1,760,377,242.330278 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/the-basics-of-controlling-an-arduino-with-php/ | The Basics Of Controlling An Arduino With PHP | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Linux Hacks"
] | [
"apache",
"php",
"serial",
"ubuntu",
"usb"
] | You can easily add Internet-based control for your Arduino if it is close enough to your server to be connected via USB.
This tutorial will give the basics you need
to get it working.
The gist of this method involves a webpage that includes PHP elements. When one of those elements is manipulated, a command is sent via serial connection to the Arduino which then reacts based on what it received. This example uses an Ubuntu box that is running an Apache server. The Arduino sketch sets up the serial connection and then listens for incoming traffic. Whenever it receives a non-zero character an LED will blink. On the server side of things you’ll need to make sure that the system user that runs Apache (www-data) has permission to write to a serial port.
This base example may seem extremely simple, but there’s no end to what you can build on top of it. Different PHP events can be added to push new commands over the serial connection with matching test conditions added to the sketch.
[Thanks Jarryd] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "360878",
"author": "Michael",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T11:06:43",
"content": "Yeah i used this for a project, but abandoned it, because PHP -> Arduino works great, but Arduino -> PHP works really bad. And there’s not really anything else out there that can. Basically, you want Ardui... | 1,760,377,242.44058 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/laser-light-show-features-full-xy-control-via-homemade-galvanometers/ | Laser Light Show Features Full XY Control Via Homemade Galvanometers | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Laser Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"galvanometer",
"laser"
] | [Rich] over at NothingLabs has put together
a really cool laser light show
that you really must see in an effort to win a laser cutter from Instructables.
His walkthrough discusses the mechanics of laser light shows – specifically how galvanometers are typically used to precisely aim mirrors in order to draw images and write text. Commercial galvanometers tend to be pretty expensive, so he opted to build his own, using relatively cheap and easy to find parts.
The galvanometers were constructed using a pair of old speaker woofers, a few Lego bricks, and some acrylic mirror squares. The mirrors were mounted on the speakers, which were then wired to an Arduino. He removed the batteries from a cheap red laser pointer and permanently wired it to the Arduino, which it now uses as a pulsed power source. Once he had everything built, he positioned the laser using a fog machine for guidance.
As you can see in the video below, the laser show is quite impressive. His homemade galvos provide a somewhat rough quality to the final projected image, and we like that a lot. It looks almost as if all of the text and images were hand drawn, which is a pretty cool effect.
Just as [Rich] mentions, we hope to see some cool hacks based off his work in the future.
If you are interested in some of our previous laser features,
check
these
out
. | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "360404",
"author": "ferdie",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T22:42:38",
"content": "cool but can be fakeyou see the laser setupthan it cuts to the wall and you see neverthe setup and the laser the same timemake a video that shows the the laser and projection the same time",
"parent_id... | 1,760,377,242.379721 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/ladyada-to-be-featured-in-wired-magazine/ | Ladyada To Be Featured In WIRED Magazine | Mike Nathan | [
"News"
] | [
"ladyada",
"Makers"
] | If you haven’t seen the news already, prolific maker [Limor Fried/Ladyada] is
set to grace the cover of WIRED magazine
in the upcoming April edition.
Not only is it a great day for the hacking/maker community as it puts a bright spotlight on the things we do every day, it’s a big day for female engineers as well. While WIRED has been around for 18 years as of this past January, this is the first time a female engineer has been featured on the cover. [Phillip Torrone] put it pretty well when he said, “She’s one of the most talented people in the world, she works harder than anyone else I know, she puts more value in the world than she takes.” – We couldn’t agree more, nor can we think of a better spokesperson to represent the community and inspire budding hackers around the world.
We would like to congratulate [Limor] on her accomplishment, and we encourage everyone to pick up a copy (or at least leaf through it at the bookstore) when it comes out.
If you’re still unconvinced as to how awesome she is, take a gander at some of her work we have featured in the past:
Kinect Open Source driver bounty
Non-lethal weaponry
The Wave Bubble
Minty Boost | 51 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "360354",
"author": "NatureTM",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T22:00:25",
"content": "Wow! Congrats to her! I wonder if Jeri Ellisworth is jealous ;-)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "360365",
"author": "Jeremy Blum",
"timesta... | 1,760,377,242.525985 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/robotouch-adds-physical-game-controls-to-the-ipad/ | RoboTouch Adds Physical Game Controls To The IPad | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks",
"Tablet Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"ipad",
"nes",
"servo"
] | [ProtoDojo] wanted to play a racing game on his iPad, but he was not a big fan of using the touch interface for this particular title. Instead, he put together a
pretty neat little hack
that allows him to play games on his iPad using an old NES controller.
He built a set of custom conductive arms which he mounted on three micro servos. The servos were attached to the iPad screen using small suction cups in the locations where it expects to receive button presses. They are also wired to an Arduino that interprets button presses from the attached NES controller. When the Arduino senses that the D-pad or buttons have been pressed, it triggers the servos, which in turn press the virtual buttons on the screen.
In the video below, you can see that after adjusting the servo positions, the setup seems to work pretty well. You might expect to see some sort of lag with a setup like this, but we didn’t notice any. The [ProtoDojo] web site is currently down due to heavy traffic, but you should be able to find some more build details there, once it becomes functional again.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9u87WPhVK8&w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "360306",
"author": "first",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T21:14:58",
"content": "Brilliant idea. Limited usefulness but still very well set out.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "360333",
"author": "Christian",
"timestamp": "20... | 1,760,377,242.574487 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/bill-hammack-explains-how-led-backlit-lcd-monitors-work/ | Bill Hammack Explains How LED Backlit LCD Monitors Work | Mike Szczys | [
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"lcd",
"led"
] | We had a basic understanding of how LCD monitors worked, and you may too. But the thing is, [Bill Hammack] doesn’t just explain the basics. Since he’s the Engineer Guy he explains
the engineering principles behind how LED backlit LCD screens operate
. But he does it in a way that everyone can understand.
After the break we’ve embedded his five-minute video. In it you’ll see him strip down a monitor to the back plate and then build it up piece-by-piece. We enjoyed his discussion of how the diffuser panels work together to even out and distribute the light. Theses are made of several layers and, although we knew they were there from
working with salvaged LCD screens
, we never knew quite what they were doing. He also covers how each liquid crystal cell works along with polarizing sheets to either block or allow light passage. And he’ll bring it on home by show how thin-film transistors in each subpixel of the screen work to multiplex the display,
just like we did with that pumpkin
back in October.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiejNAUwcQ8&w=470] | 14 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "361343",
"author": "Tony",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T21:26:21",
"content": "Excellent explanation, tear down, build up and animations. Before I thought that liquid crystal just magically changed between light and dark. The truth that it actually goes from twisting the polarization li... | 1,760,377,242.683081 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/pitch-shifter-makes-your-band-sing-higher/ | Pitch Shifter Makes Your Band Sing Higher | Mike Szczys | [
"digital audio hacks"
] | [
"24fj",
"ipod",
"lm386",
"modulate",
"pic"
] | [Markus Gritsch] tipped us off about this little
module he built to shift the pitch of audio
playback. It uses a PIC 24FJ along with a couple of LM386 amplifier chips to manage the input and output signals. At the push of a button, audio being fed through the device can be modulated to a different key without changing the playback rate. Here it’s being used with a iPod but because this device just sits between an audio source and a signal input we wonder if you can have some fun on the cellphone with this circuit?
Check out the video after the break to hear it in action. We must compliment [Markus] on his layout. We haven’t seen the underside of that protoboard but he’s done a great job of fitting everything into a small area. You can find the schematic for the circuit by following the link at the top of this feature. He took a picture of his hand-drawn plans which saves him time from laying it out with something like
KiCAD
but still gives us the details that we love to see with your projects.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KwS2qCCGzs&w=470] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "361296",
"author": "lgroon",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T20:07:40",
"content": "this is sooo damn great. i have been searching for a very long time for a diy “whammy” footpedal substitute for my bass guitar. i think this is the solution. have i understood right, that it simply fills a ... | 1,760,377,242.630325 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/recycled-sound-an-art-instillation-not-lacking-arduinos/ | Recycled Sound – An Art Installation Not Lacking Arduinos | Jesse Congdon | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"art",
"RfRemoteControl",
"sculpture"
] | [oakkar7] wrote in to show us [Ben Johansen] and [Jonathan Snow]’s interactive art installation, Recycled Sound(Website has a virus). The exhibit will premiere in the
TWU Arts Triangle Walking Tour
March 25th from 5-7pm.
Currently a work in progress, the final plan is for the outdoor installation to feature a podium in the center with a rotating top, and various islands surrounding. As the podium’s top is rotated the surrounding islands come to life with a variety of light and sound displays which vary depending on how the podium is turned. While the electronics are not recycled, the actual sculptures and music making elements themselves consist of scrap yard parts and factory waste.
The whole display runs off of 12.. yes TWELVE Atmel 328s with Arduino boot loaders! The center podium houses a transmitting circuit consisting of
two
atmega 328s with Arduino boot loaders sharing a crystal, an hmc 6532 magnetometer
breakout board
and
two
RF transmitters. The Islands each contain a receiving module with, obviously, an Arduino and RF receiver. The receiving Arduinos connect to opto isolated switching modules for motors and lighting. Check out [Ben]’s
blog
for in progress shots, code, and build information.
If you are looking to control some 12V motors/lights with your 5V Arduino be sure to check out the pictures in the blog. While we here at Hackaday may be quick to jump into soldering [Ben] follows the proper development progression to the letter. Each aspect is bread boarded, then refined, then transferred to a soldered perf board.
update:
His site has some kind of malware going on. None of us noticed it in Firefox, but after complaints we fired up ol IE. Yup, nastyness there. You can go there at the following link
if you dare
.
More after the jump:
Here is a shot of all the hardware, sans microcontrollers:
They have also devised clever way to mount motors in plywood, using an angle iron to anchor the motor and attaching it with a hose clamp. The motors either swing chains to strike recycled xylophone keys or flick cardboard against tuned PVC pipes.
Each of those noise makers (and we assume the lighting) gets one of these switching circuits:
RF communication is achieved using Sparkfun’s
RF Link Transmitter
, and
RF Link Receiver
(which is currently out of stock) in 315 MHz and 434 MHz flavors. We are interested to know where the transmitters are going to be located in the all metal base, as it has the potential to act as a giant RF cage. The pictures seem to indicate that they are using 1/2 wave wire antennas, but are winding it into a coil. After many an RF module headache we would suggest cutting the wire antennae in half (1/4 wave), straightening them out and sneaking them outside the rotating drum to get better reception.
We cant wait to see how the final installation turns out! | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "361240",
"author": "Faelenor",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T19:20:10",
"content": "I think you mean an art instAllation.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361250",
"author": "Jesse Congdon",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T19:25:45",... | 1,760,377,242.860068 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/av-test-box-meets-the-incredible-shrink-ray/ | AV Test Box Meets The Incredible Shrink Ray | Mike Nathan | [
"Tool Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"av",
"pic",
"vga"
] | [Chris] recently finished building a
miniscule AV Test Box
, capable of fitting inside a standard Altoids tin. It is a revision of a
project he constructed a few years ago
. His previous test box worked well, but was large and cumbersome – definitely not something you would want to carry around from place to place with any frequency.
The new test box does everything its predecessor is capable of, which includes displaying an 800×600 VGA test pattern as well as generating sound signals for testing audio systems. He updated the circuit design a bit, employing a newer PIC processor to run the show, otherwise most of the design details have remained the same, form factor aside.
His build log is full to the brim with details as usual. You will find thorough descriptions of all the components he used, schematics, source code, as well as the theory behind the build.
Be sure to check out the video embedded below of his new AV tester in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLpqeAnONc8&w=470] | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "361208",
"author": "Sean Gay",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T18:55:57",
"content": "Neat, except for the porn music.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "361242",
"author": "chango",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T19:21:08",
"conten... | 1,760,377,242.90288 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/lego-minifig-multimeter-makes-resistor-sorting-a-lot-more-fun/ | Lego Minifig Multimeter Makes Resistor Sorting A Lot More Fun | Mike Nathan | [
"Tool Hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"atmega",
"lego",
"multimeter"
] | While there’s typically not much room on our work bench for toys, [David] over at Robot Room has
put together a pretty cool multimeter
for which we would make an exception.
His Lego Minifig multimeter is constructed using mostly standard off-the-shelf Legos, and a pair of Minifigs he modified to suit his needs. Translucent Minifig heads were sourced online to allow the neck-mounted LEDs to shine through, and each of the bodies were drilled out in several places to accommodate the wires he uses to take measurements.
The multimeter will display the resistance of any item from 10 – 10,000,000 Ω, as well as measure the voltage of any battery you can manage to fit under the Minifig’s metal wrench. The multimeter takes measurements using an ATmega168, and relays that data through a serial to USB converter connected to a nearby computer. The computer is host to a .NET application he wrote which displays and speaks both the resistance and voltage values.
Keep reading to see a quick video walkthrough and a demonstration of the multimeter at work.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-Oc3YLc7GM&w=470] | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "361128",
"author": "Olivier",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T17:21:43",
"content": "Brilliant project!I’ve never understood why resistances are color coded. Why the value isn’t clearly written on them like every others components?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []... | 1,760,377,242.960736 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/n64boy-advance/ | N64Boy Advance | Brian Benchoff | [
"handhelds hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks"
] | [
"nintendo",
"portable"
] | [Hailrazer] found a Game Boy Advance carrying case in his closet and thought he could pull off an
N64Boy Advance
in a few weekends. Despite the fast build time, [Hailrazer] built something that wouldn’t look out of place sitting on a shelf at a toy store.
This isn’t the first time we have covered an
N64 Advance portable gaming system
that uses a GBA carrying case, but this hack keeps the original styling of the Game Boy Advance without all the epoxy, bondo and sanding. Inside is a 4.3″ screen, GameCube joystick, N64 expansion pack, and enough Li-ion to get 5-6 hours of play time. The build doesn’t include a D-pad because [Hailrazer] doesn’t use that while playing. It also doesn’t have controller or A/V ports, because he doesn’t, “want to sit around with friends playing N64 on a 4.3″ screen.” A very pragmatic build, indeed.
We love seeing people re-purpose odd bits of plastic they have lying around, so we’re wondering when someone with an
Original Game Boy Carrying Case
will build an NESBoy. Video after the jump.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgyzuFMfJ4Q&w=470#t=40s] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "361053",
"author": "nitori",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T16:08:23",
"content": "I wish somebody would start manufacturing these things. (Any of the portable N64 systems) I’d buy one in a heartbeat. (My building skills are much too low to pull something like this off)",
"parent_id":... | 1,760,377,243.008439 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/17/quick-and-dirty-film-dosimeter/ | Quick And Dirty Film Dosimeter | Kevin Dady | [
"Medical Hacks"
] | [
"Dosimeter",
"film"
] | With all the talk of radiation in the media today [freddysam] posted a quick Instructable about using standard
camera film as a radiation dosimeter
. Film is sensitive to other forms of radiation other than visible light, and high speed films are even more susceptible due to their chemistry, which has caused all sorts of headaches to travelers before most people went digital. This uses that headache as a simple way to see if you have been exposed to abnormal amounts of radiation in a 3 step process.
Get some film. Yes they still sell it, it can still be found just about anywhere.
In a dark room unroll a little out of the metal can and put it back in its black plastic container.
Develop it if you think you have been exposed.
The idea is to let a few frames of film to be exposed to normal background radiation and develop it so you have something to compare with in the future, then you can unroll a bit more, and if you think your going into a hot area you can develop that newly exposed film to see roughly how much more radiation there was, maybe helping you sleep better at night. | 22 | 22 | [
{
"comment_id": "361027",
"author": "Cameron",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T15:32:58",
"content": "This is a terrible idea. Millions of dollars go into developing accurate dosimeters because the dose response of something simple like camera film is not linear. This means differentiating between dose sli... | 1,760,377,243.249212 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/toothpaste-diode/ | Toothpaste Diode | Kevin Dady | [
"chemistry hacks"
] | [
"toothpaste"
] | While reading the back of a tube a toothpaste [Underling] noticed that one of the ingredients was hydrated silica, gears turned, sparks flew and he wondered if he could possibly make a transistor out of the stuff. After thinking about it he decided that making a
diode out of toothpaste
would be easier and still prove the idea.
The quick n dirty explanation of this is he smeared some toothpaste on a bit of chrome and set it on fire with a propane torch. When set on fire the result is silica and sodium, heat causes the sodium to bond with the silica and since sodium is negatively charged this forms an n-type semiconductor or half of the diode. Chrome is used for the second half of the diode, for a few reasons, he had some lying around, its positivity charged, and the toothpaste contains a little bit of lye which oxidizes the chrome and burns off, bonding the silica to the metal.
What is left is a thin layer of chrome doped silicon under a layer of sodium doped silicon, which in spots where everything is perfect, acts like a diode, blocking current in one direction but not the other. | 39 | 39 | [
{
"comment_id": "359849",
"author": "IJ Dee-Vo",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T13:18:12",
"content": "best use for toothpaste I ever seen!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359859",
"author": "SRV",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T13:43:12",
"cont... | 1,760,377,243.42263 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/motorcycle-sound-effects/ | Motorcycle Sound Effects | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks"
] | [
"boot",
"motorcycle"
] | [Winfred] was thinking one day, of how the world would be a different place if everything we owned had little start up and shut down sounds like our computers. Historically computers would just beep after passing their power on self test, and many PC’s still do, but in the 1980’s as machines became more powerful and home users wanted more flexibility in their hardware, startup chimes started to creep into our lives. And why not extend that little moment of joy to other objects, like adding
Windows XP startup and shutdown sounds to your motorcycle
.
Electronically the bill of materials looks like hobby shop catalog, featuring a Freeduino (Arduino variant), Adafruit wave shield, marine speakers, and a cheap-o mp3 amplifier from ebay. While admittedly not the cheapest way to play an audio clip [Winfred] offers a few suggestions to help drop the 100$ price tag, including just skipping it all together and mimicking the sounds with your voice.
Its a fun idea, its sure to earn some odd looks from his neighbors, and it will probably make you chuckle a little too. | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "359826",
"author": "sd",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T12:35:18",
"content": "bracing for an onslaught of bad puns about crashing…the video made me lol :)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359833",
"author": "Delirium",
"timest... | 1,760,377,243.099874 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/pwm-controlled-led-display-is-truly-a-gift-from-the-heart/ | PWM-controlled LED Display Is Truly A Gift From The Heart | Mike Nathan | [
"LED Hacks",
"Microcontrollers",
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"led",
"pic",
"pwm"
] | Instructables user [Simon] admits he addicted to electronics. Lucky for him, his wife of 15 years is pretty cool with, or at least tolerant of his need to fiddle with anything that plugs in. As a gift for their wedding anniversary, he decided it would be neat to combine his love for his wife with his love for electronics. The result is the the
RGB LED “Love Heart”
you see above. He built an RGB LED circuit controlled by a PIC12F683 microcontroller, which shines into a hand-etched plexi-glass panel.
The LED color is controlled using PWM, as you would expect. What you might not expect however, is the lengths [Simon] would travel to ensure nearly perfect color and brightness matching across the 5 LEDs he used in his project. Since RGB LEDs do not have a uniform output brightness, he used a Lux meter to precisely measure the white balance of each LED. He then plotted the results in Excel before coding the PWM driver. Now that’s devotion! Once the LEDs were settled, he went about constructing the rest of the LED panel.
If you are interested in building one for your sweetheart, [Simon] has you covered – he provides all of the schematics, templates, and source code required to get the job done.
Continue reading to see a video of his heart panel in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgqvyfl-Fv4&w=470] | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "359791",
"author": "Dirk",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T11:10:46",
"content": "This is sweet. Hm, I wonder if my girlfriend would like this as a present…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359795",
"author": "addidis",
"timesta... | 1,760,377,243.350286 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/cooking-up-piezo-crystals-at-home/ | Cooking Up Piezo Crystals At Home | Mike Nathan | [
"chemistry hacks",
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"crystals",
"piezoelecricity"
] | [Collin] loves piezos – and why not?
According to him, they are about as close to magic as you can find in the world. We can’t really disagree on that one – there’s something
oddly enchanting about piezoelectric materials
.
Most commercially used piezoelectric devices that you find today are constructed out of man-made ceramic materials such as Lead zirconate titanate, and can be found in grill starters, gas-powered water heaters, etc. While they are common, it’s not exactly easy to synthesize these sorts of ceramic materials at home.
You can however, create piezoelectric crystals in your kitchen, using just a few simple ingredients. In his video, [Collin] shows us how to create Rochelle Salt, one of the first known materials found to exhibit piezoelectricity. The recipe calls for three ingredients, cream of tartar, sodium carbonate (soda ash), and water – that’s it. The procedure is quite simple, requiring you to heat a solution of water and cream of tartar, adding the soda ash a little at a time once it reaches the proper temperature. The solution is filtered after it turns clear and then left to sit overnight while the crystals form.
Take a look at the video embedded below to see how his Rochelle Crystals turned out, and be sure to try this out with your kids if they are interested in electronics. Making crystals that generate electricity when tapped is far cooler than making rock candy any day, trust us on this.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3G2QM5a-9U&w=470] | 56 | 49 | [
{
"comment_id": "359353",
"author": "Dunky",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T22:11:00",
"content": "Nice crystals :)prob going to make one myself",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359356",
"author": "Spork",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T22:16:37",
... | 1,760,377,243.512271 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/the-evil-genius-simulator-kinect-controlled-tesla-coils/ | The Evil Genius Simulator: Kinect Controlled Tesla Coils | Jesse Congdon | [
"Hackerspaces",
"home entertainment hacks",
"Kinect hacks"
] | [
"Kinect",
"openframeworks",
"tesla coil"
] | The London Hackspace crew was having a tough time getting their Kinect demos running at Makefair 2011. While at the pub they had the idea of combining forces with Brightarcs Tesla coils and produced
The Evil Genius Simulator
!
After getting the go ahead from Brightarcs and the input specs of the coils they came up with an application in Openframeworks which uses skeletal tracking data to determine hand position. The hand position is scaled between two manually set calibration bars (seen in the video, below). The scaled positions then speeds or slows down a 50Hz WAV file to produce the 50-200Hz sin wave required by each coil. It only took an hour but the results are brilliant, video after the jump.
There are
all
these
previously
featured
stories
on the Kinect and we’ve seen Tesla coils that
respond
to music, coils that
make
music, and even MIDI controlled
coils
, nice to see it all combined.
Thanks to [Matt Lloyd] for the tip!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNN4Oo0KhZo&w=470] | 18 | 18 | [
{
"comment_id": "359319",
"author": "Tech B.",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T21:17:56",
"content": "“… While at at pub…”",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359324",
"author": "wosser",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T21:32:22",
"content": "Kinect c... | 1,760,377,243.308492 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/automated-harmonica-plays-simple-tunes/ | Automated Harmonica Plays Simple Tunes | Mike Nathan | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"harmonica. automation",
"pic"
] | It seems that nearly everything is automated these days. Everywhere you look, people are being removed from processes in order to make them more efficient and less prone to mistakes. [Jon] however, saw one process that automation has yet to touch in a significant way –
playing the harmonica
.
He constructed a harmonica-playing machine that can play a handful of simple songs with a few button presses. The machine was constructed using three PIC controllers, an air compressor, and a pair of harmonicas. A master PIC controller manages the whole operation, taking input from the PIC driving LCD, then handing off playing instructions to the PIC that manages the harmonicas.
Once the machine is started and a song is selected, the machine plays away, prompting for a new song once it has finished. The machine doesn’t quite play the harmonica like a human does, however. The reeds of one harmonica were reversed so that the player only needs to blow air, rather than require a vacuum to provide suction for the drawing motion typically used in harmonica playing.
As you can see
in this video
, the rig works decently, though it probably needs a bit more work to achieve that “human” feel.
[Thanks, Ben] | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "359264",
"author": "wosser",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T20:05:15",
"content": "Needs more advertisements.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359265",
"author": "The ThunderBird",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T20:11:35",
"conte... | 1,760,377,245.666243 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/electronic-diaper-bag-reminds-you-to-pack-everything-but-the-baby/ | Electronic Diaper Bag Reminds You To Pack Everything But The Baby | Mike Nathan | [
"home hacks",
"Lifehacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"led",
"lilypad"
] | [jnorby] knows what it’s like to leave the house with her baby in tow, only to realize that she has left something she needs at home. Instead of relying on a paper checklist, she decided to
craft her own diaper bag
that alerted her if she had forgotten to pack a particular item.
She built her bag from scratch, wiring small circuits into each of the pockets she created on the inside of the bag. Wires were run to each half of a snap fastener, so that they would complete the circuit when the snaps touch. The LEDs and snaps were then connected to a LilyPad Arduino, which checks the status of the snap circuits, lighting the appropriate LED once the proper item has been packed.
While we like the idea of a bag that uses functional indicators that remind you to pack items, we do think that the use of the Arduino, or any microprocessor for that matter, is massive overkill. We would ditch the LilyPad and snap fasteners for reed switches or perhaps normally closed micro leaf switches that turn the LEDs off once the proper item has been packed, rather than the other way around. | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "359211",
"author": "razor",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T19:23:11",
"content": "Actually I would think using a LilyPad with some sort of RFID combination would extend this capability pretty well. Overkill perhaps, certainly for a diaper bag, I agree. But to use a similar approach with... | 1,760,377,245.263978 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/picaxe-using-leds-to-communicate/ | PICAXE Using LEDs To Communicate | Mike Szczys | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"bidirectional",
"pic-08",
"PICAXE"
] | [Relwin] has being working on
using LEDs as bi-directional devices
. The setup above allows him to use each LED as an input, looking for a bright light source and then syncing up with the activity it receives. It is the most basic of communications using the components. The hardware at the heart of the system is a PICAXE development board on the left. The blinking light to the right causes the LED on the left of the picture to blink, but moving the blinking source over to that side will reverse the effect. The chip is programmed to play a tune on a piezo buzzer whenever a connection is lost. What is interesting to us is that these green LEDs will not detect a red LED flashing because the voltage threshold is different on the detector side of things.
He’s got some code available, but we’re really looking for the ideas of what to do with this concept. Maybe something along the lines of
LED matrix video puzzles
, or a variation on
this laser-pointer LED game
. Watch the demo video after the break and then let us know what you would use it for by leaving a comment.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXNebej_zlg&w=470] | 16 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "359189",
"author": "fotoflojoe",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T18:55:20",
"content": "I was going to say: Didn’t the “Le Dominoux” guy already do this very thing? Then the video finished loading, and I see that it’s him!Ha!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
... | 1,760,377,245.157404 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/tilt-and-pivot-camera-base-uses-just-two-servos/ | Tilt And Pivot Camera Base Uses Just Two Servos | Mike Szczys | [
"cnc hacks",
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"panorama",
"servo"
] | [Caled] shows us
how to build a tilt and pivot camera base
. One of these can be quite handy for taking precisely aligned images that can later be stitched together into panoramic, or even spherical images. We have grand visions of being able to produce something along the lines of
these stunning interactive images
with hardware that is cheaper and easier to build than
this other motorized rig
.
The design utilizes just two servo motors. In the image above you can just make out a pair of discs that serve as the base for the rig. In the center of the upper disc is the first servo, pointing downward, which rotates the camera. Two upright supports on either side of the point-and-shoot provide the framework for the tilt feature. The camera is mounted in a frame whose center is a threaded rod on the near side, and the second servo motor on the far side. An Arduino with a servo shield controls the movements along with a button pad and LCD screen as a user interface. The last step in the project log points to
software options for combining the captured photos
. | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "359149",
"author": "dave",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T18:01:30",
"content": "Of course it uses just two servos.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359157",
"author": "Pete Prodoehl",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T18:11:42",
"c... | 1,760,377,245.101072 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/pic-based-frequency-counter/ | PIC Based Frequency Counter | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"16F628",
"frequency counter",
"pic",
"rs232"
] | Here’s
a PIC based frequency counter
that outputs the count via an RS232 serial connection. [Oakkar7] tipped us off about it after seeing
the AVR based counter
we featured yesterday. This project is a bit older and a bit dirtier.
Inside the metal DB9 housing you’ll find just seven parts. The most important is a PIC 16F628 which handles both the counting and the serial communications. We’re not quite sure how it’s managing to talk to that USB-to-Serial converter without some type of level conversion. Since this microcontroller is not a dedicated counter chip a little bit of trimming must be done to bring the accuracy into spec. There’s also some physical trimming involved. In order to get everything to fit into the small enclosure the circuit was free-formed without a PCB or protoboard and the case of the DIP chip had to be ground down just a bit. As for the readout, a simple script can grab the data and display it in a terminal.
[via
Piclist
] | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "359130",
"author": "arfink",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T17:18:26",
"content": "Heh, probably he doesn’t have any level conversion for the RS-232. You’d be surprised how many serial ports are not picky at all about levels, especially USB to Serial adapters. I have found that alot USB t... | 1,760,377,245.410085 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/co2-powered-pinewood-derby-car-is-definitely-cheating/ | CO2 Powered Pinewood Derby Car Is Definitely Cheating | Mike Szczys | [
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"carbon dioxide",
"co2",
"cub scouts",
"pinewood derby"
] | The Pinewood Derby is a classic Cub Scout competition where dads and sons come together to build a small-scale race car. You start with a kit that includes a block of wood for the body, as well as four plastic wheels and four nails to act as axles. Most innovations in the ‘sport’ center around reducing friction between the wheels and the axles, and making the body as aerodynamic as possible.
This year [Sliptronic] grabbed an extra kit and threw the rules out the window by
powering the car with compressed carbon dioxide
. He used a 3D printer to make a housing for two CO2 cartridges that mounts on the center of the chassis. An official Pinewood Derby race track is on an incline and has a wooden gate that keeps each car in place until it is dropped to start the race. [Sliptronic] is using this gate as the triggering mechanism. Springs on either side of the car pull against an arm at the back of the vehicle. This arm is held in place by a rod protruding out the front of the vehicle. When the start gate is dropped that rod releases the trigger, which is pulled up by the springs to pierce the CO2 cartridges. You can see an overview of how that mechanism works in the video after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emn66TDCSoc&w=470] | 37 | 35 | [
{
"comment_id": "359058",
"author": "brad",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T16:04:17",
"content": "our setup was never quite so elegant, but we used to do that to our derby cars. one guy i know mounted a model rocket engine to his…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"co... | 1,760,377,245.527973 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/animated-paper/ | Animated Paper | Kevin Dady | [
"HackIt",
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"duct tape",
"memory wire"
] | What if you could make paper react on physical input. Maybe you want it to shy away and close up if someone reaches for it too fast, or maybe you want some realistic paper flowers? Moving on to that great first step is
Animated Paper
, which is simply nitinol memory wire bonded to paper via our favorite tool, duct tape.
Memory wire is first bent to its desired shape, and in order for it to hold that shape it needs to be heated to about 540 degrees Celsius, which is a easy task for a propane torch. Once it has its memory shape the wire can be bent into any shape desired, and when heated to about 70 degrees Celsius will return to its original set shape.
Taped down to a sheet of paper and letting some current from a battery run though it the wire quickly warms up and animates the paper, which could be exactly what one needs in a more artsy robot or electronic display. Join us after the break for a short video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWi74bct81I&w=450] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "359017",
"author": "Grovenstien",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T15:24:54",
"content": "How about automated Origami? Flapping Bird here i come!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "359019",
"author": "nate",
"timestamp": "2011-03-1... | 1,760,377,245.455651 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/no-pcieslot-just-add-one/ | No PCIE Slot? Just Add One | Kevin Dady | [
"Netbook Hacks"
] | [
"pci express"
] | [Leslie] likes his little Samsung N150 Plus netbook. While it packs enough punch for almost everything, it lacks in High Definition video power. That is where a Broadcom Crystal HD mini PCI express card comes in, as these little video decoders are made just for netbooks needing some HD love, but the problem is, his netbook only has one PCI express slot in it, and its occupied by the 802.11N card.
Not being bummed out by this, and not wanting to use a USB dongle device he just ripped open his netbook and
added a second pci express connector
to the pads on the motherboard. Sourcing the header from mouser, the install seems quick n easy, especially since Samsung was nice enough to have the pad’s tinned already, so just a little flux and a steady hand you’re good to go.
Unfortunately, there are some hidden gotcha’s as the newly installed slot is not “full featured” that both the Broadcom card and the stock wireless N card require, but he had a wireless G card that ran just fine in the newly added slot, so now its time to rock some full screen HD Hulu. | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "358974",
"author": "sp00nix",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T14:10:21",
"content": "Reminds me of the pass through MPEG cards of the past",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358985",
"author": "Tony",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T14:2... | 1,760,377,245.369268 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/weather-station-turned-data-logger/ | Weather Station Turned Data Logger | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Beer Hacks"
] | [
"homebrew"
] | Home brewing the perfect beer (or root beer in this case) requires a watchful eye and stable temperature, but [Gregory] has a house that is 120 years old. While we are sure it is a beautiful home, it does have its usual historical issues including temperature fluctuations.
[Gregory] suspects this to be the reason why his root beer is not carbonating, but to be 100% sure he grabbed a weather station (and atomic clock) with a
wireless remote thermometer and got hacking
. After popping the station apart he was able to quickly isolate the radio receiver and figure out the signaling, a few connections to an arduino, and now he can keep track of the temperature as its logged on to his PC.
Hopefully he can find out if this is his issue or not. Join us after the break for a quick video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzqY5HxrZyM&w450] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "358984",
"author": "1337",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T14:28:12",
"content": "decodeTime(int time) //millis?0-3 seconds is a 03-5 seconds is a 111111111 – 255 = 24 seconds to send?this can’t be right.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id":... | 1,760,377,245.311767 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/adding-digital-storage-to-an-analog-scope/ | Adding Digital Storage To An Analog Scope | Mike Szczys | [
"digital cameras hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"analog",
"digital",
"oscilloscope"
] | This is a hack in the finest sense of the term. It not only allows you to capture data from an analog oscilloscope for later analysis, but provides you with a great tool if you’re posting on the Internet about your projects. [J8g8j] used an empty cashew container to
add a camera mount to the front of his scope
. This is possible because the bezel around the display has a groove in it. A bit of careful measuring helped him make an opening that was just right.
You can see that the red cap for the jar holds the camera and gave him a bit of trouble in the original prototype. This version has a tray where camera sits, which replaces the Velcro with didn’t hold the camera level the first time around. He’s also painted the inside of the clear plastic to reduce glare on the oscilloscope readout. Black and white images seem to come out the clearest, but it can be difficult to make out the grid lines. The addition of LEDs to help them stand out is one of the improvements we might see in the future. | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "360265",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T20:18:52",
"content": "you have got to be kidding me…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "360272",
"author": "Bob Spafford",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T20:28:47",
"conten... | 1,760,377,245.214807 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/beginner-project-super-cheap-magnetic-mixer/ | Beginner Project: Super Cheap Magnetic Mixer | Jesse Congdon | [
"home hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"magnets",
"mixer",
"stir"
] | [wesdoestuff]’s mother needed a clean way to mix together fragrance oils. Being the stand up kinda guy he is, [Wes] threw together a few spare parts to make this
Magnetic Stir Plate
.
The whole setup is amazingly simple. Pry the fins off of an old computer fan, glue a couple magnets to the fan’s hub. Drill a hole for a DC connector, find some sort of cover and.. Bob’s your uncle! [Wes] advises that you test the spacing of the magnets on the hub before gluing them permanently, as they can be a bit tricky to align.
The stir bar for non food items is a magnet bar from one of those crazy magnet and ball bearing
toys
, it is basically just a solid magnet covered in plastic. Food safe bars can be
acquired
, though they are not as cheap. With all that room under the hood we would love to see him throw in some kind of a
PWM
speed
control
but that could be a
bit
complicated
. Most of us could throw this together from spare parts. Video after the jump!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ13tkgoAHg&w=470] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "360194",
"author": "Dan Kinsley",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T19:23:13",
"content": "A lot of folks in the homebrewing community do something similar to make stir plates to make yeast starters for their beers:http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-stirplate-cheap-easy-build-86252/",
"p... | 1,760,377,245.724112 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/giving-sight-to-the-visually-impaired-with-kinect/ | Giving “sight” To The Visually Impaired With Kinect | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Kinect hacks",
"Wearable Hacks",
"Xbox Hacks"
] | [
"accessibility",
"arduino",
"Kinect"
] | We have seen Kinect used in a variety of clever ways over the last few months, but some students at the [University of Konstanz] have taken Kinect hacking to
a whole new level of usefulness
. Rather than use it to
control lightning
or to
kick around some boxes
using Garry’s Mod, they are using it to develop Navigational Aids for the Visually Impaired, or NAVI for short.
A helmet-mounted Kinect sensor is placed on the subject’s head and connected to a laptop, which is stored in the user’s backpack. The Kinect is interfaced using custom software that utilizes depth information to generate a virtual map of the environment. The computer sends information to an Arduino board, which then relays those signals to one of three waist-belt mounted LilyPad Arduinos. The LilyPads control three motors, which vibrate in order to alert the user to obstacles. The group even added voice notifications via specialized markers, allowing them to prompt the user to the presence of doors and other specific items of note.
It really is a great use of the Kinect sensor, we can’t wait to see more projects like this in the future.
Stick around to see a quick video of NAVI in use.
[via
Kinect-Hacks
– thanks, Jared]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6QY-eb6NoQ&w=470] | 27 | 27 | [
{
"comment_id": "360158",
"author": "fluidic",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T18:55:43",
"content": "Good show. I would have gone for belt-mounted myself to get more of the camera’s FOV across the space the person will be passing through – it looks like you lose a lot of near-field vision as a result whic... | 1,760,377,246.497351 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/cellphone-charger-has-a-usb-port-forced-upon-it/ | Cellphone Charger Has A USB Port Forced Upon It | Mike Szczys | [
"Cellphone Hacks",
"ipod hacks"
] | [
"7805",
"charger",
"ipod",
"linear regulator",
"usb"
] | We still can’t figure out why a standard charging scheme hasn’t been developed for handheld devices (other than greed). Certainly we understand that many devices have different electrical needs as far as voltage and current are concerned, but we still long for the ability to use one charger for many different doodads. [Rupin] is trying to narrow down the number of dedicated chargers he uses by
adding a USB charging port to his Nokia cellphone charger
. Since the USB standard calls for regulated 5V a hack like this can often be done just by patching into the power output coming off of the voltage regulator in the plug housing of the device. [Rupin’s] charger had 5V printed on the case, but when he probed the output he found well over 8 volts. He added a 7805 linear regulator to get the stable output he needed, then cut a hole in the case to house the connector.
Since [Rupin] wants to use this as an iPod charger he couldn’t just let the two data lines float. Apple uses
a specific charger verification scheme
which requires some voltage dividers to get the device to start charging. | 21 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "360142",
"author": "Brian",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T18:38:54",
"content": "I think I would just buy a USB 5V wall adapter for 1 dollar off amazon…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "360145",
"author": "fred",
"timestamp": ... | 1,760,377,246.109866 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/usb-man-in-the-middle-adapter/ | USB Man-in-the-middle Adapter | Mike Szczys | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"man-in-the-middle",
"prototyping",
"stm32",
"usb"
] | The module works as a pass through, providing
access to data and power lines for a USB device
. [BadWolf] built it in order to sniff out communications between peripherals and the Universal Serial Bus. For now it just provides access to the different signals, but we think there’s quite a bit of usefulness in that. First off, the power rail is mapped out to a jumper, making it dead simple to monitor the voltage stability or patch in a multimeter to get feedback on current consumption. But you can also see in the foreground that a pin socket makes it easy to tap into the board using jumper wires. We think it would be a great breadboard adapter for USB work that would continue being useful after you’ve populated your first PCB for the prototype.
[BadWolf] has other plans in store for it though. He wants to intercept and decipher the communications happening on the data lines. In the video after the break he mentions the possibility of using a Bus Pirate for this (we have our doubts about that) but plans to start his testing with an
STM32 discovery kit
. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with. | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "359985",
"author": "Kyle",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T16:05:24",
"content": "This is good for USB 1.1 at the very best. Have you heard of impedance mismatch? Signal reflections? You will not be reliably pushing data through this.No offense, but there are a ton of actual USB breakout a... | 1,760,377,246.168718 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/tokyo-hackerspace-helping-disaster-victims/ | Tokyo Hackerspace Helping Disaster Victims | Mike Szczys | [
"Hackerspaces",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"disaster",
"earthquake",
"japan",
"light",
"solar"
] | We, like the rest of the world, have watched in horror as footage of the recent earthquake-caused disaster has been reported from northern Japan. It’s easy to watch video and see nothing but distruction, however, life goes on and [Akiba] is looking for a way to help the recovery efforts. He mentions that one of the big needs in the disaster area right now is for light, as the power infrastructure has been heavily damaged. The mason jar seen above is a Kimono Lantern that was meant to accent a garden at night. It has a solar cell – one NiMH rechargeable battery – and one bright LED along with a charging circuit. It was designed in the Tokyo Hackerspace and
they released the build files in hopes that a large number can be donated to those in need
. With a reasonable amount of daylight, the single cell battery can be charged enough to provide 10 hours of light from the little device.
How can our hacks help others? That question has been on our minds for the last few days. Light is a great first step. But we’ve also wondered about information networks to help coordinate rescue and cleanup workers. There are hacks that bring WiFi using
wind power
or
solar power
. What other hacks do you think would be useful to aid in the recovery process? | 36 | 36 | [
{
"comment_id": "359918",
"author": "dan fruzzetti",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T15:07:26",
"content": "Fantastic cause. Who’s going to coordinate the shipping over there and will they arrive BEFORE infrastructure starts being restored?I could make at least sixty of these with my buddies over the week... | 1,760,377,246.051476 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/16/dspic-based-spectrum-analyzer/ | DsPIC-based Spectrum Analyzer | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"dsPic",
"frequency analyzer"
] | [Debraj] wrote to us describing a project he recently completed – a simple, compact
spectrum analyzer using a 16-bit dsPIC microcontroller
.
The analyzer is fed an analog signal, which is passed through a large resistor followed by an opamp. A DC offset is then applied to the signal, after which it is passed through a software-programmable gain amplifier before being fed into the dsPIC’s analog input. A Fast Fourier Transform calculation is done using code provided by the PIC’s manufacturer once 128 samples have been collected. The results are then displayed on the attached LCD in real-time.
If you get a chance, take a look at the video embedded below for a walkthrough and demonstration of his analyzer. [Debraj] says that the analyzer was built to measure harmonics in his home power lines, but for demonstration purposes, he has used a simple function generator instead.
If you’re interested in seeing some other spectrum analyzers, be sure to check out
these items
we featured
in the past
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PXJZYuQ6eE&w=470] | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "360022",
"author": "joe hosman",
"timestamp": "2011-03-16T16:48:51",
"content": "very cool!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "360508",
"author": "hekilledmywire",
"timestamp": "2011-03-17T01:03:40",
"content": "I need ... | 1,760,377,246.437778 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/automatic-ball-launcher-is-for-the-dogs/ | Automatic Ball Launcher Is For The Dogs | Mike Nathan | [
"home hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"automatic",
"dog",
"launcher",
"toy"
] | A while back, [Dino] built an automatic ball launcher for his dogs, but he wanted to revise it to make it smaller and a bit more user-friendly. While watching an episode of “Prototype This”, he came across a great idea to improve his launcher,
so off to the workshop he went
.
He repurposed a power window motor from a car, and mounted it to some wood-reinforced aluminum sheeting in his garage. He added a piece of aluminum tubing to serve as a spring-loaded launch arm, which is drawn back by a small lever attached to the window motor.
When a ball is dropped onto a switch at the bottom of the launcher, the window motor starts turning, which pulls the launch arm back into place. Once the arm reaches the tipping point, the spring snaps it forward, launching the ball across the yard. The lever attached to the window motor eventually makes its way back under the launch arm, and is stopped by a switch that is also attached to the motor.
After the prototype was finished, he added some more wood to protect the mechanism from his dogs and vice versa. A hopper was added to the top of the structure to allow the dogs to load the launcher themselves, after a bit of training.
Now, some of you might wonder what is wrong with [Dino’s] arm. Truth be told, it works just fine. If you are a frequent Hack-a-Day visitor, you know that he spends plenty of time in the workshop, so this is an easy way to let the dogs entertain themselves until their owner is ready to play.
Check out the video embedded below for a demonstration of the launcher, as well as a detailed walkthrough of how the mechanism works.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgyK0C_oHPI&w=470] | 24 | 24 | [
{
"comment_id": "358923",
"author": "Erik J",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T12:28:15",
"content": "I love springs, there are too few of them in hacks..The 2nd part of the video was amusing and full of suspense.. :-)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "35... | 1,760,377,246.228423 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/15/wireless-weather-station-obsessively-reports-the-temperature/ | Wireless Weather Station Obsessively Reports The Temperature | Mike Nathan | [
"home hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"weather station",
"wireless"
] | [nuumio] has been hard at work
building a Tweeting weather station
, which he recently got up and running. The weather station is built from three major components, a Linux PC for data storage and Tweeting, a main weather sensor unit, and a remote unit.
The remote unit sits outside and includes includes both a pressure and humidity/temperature sensor. The sensors are polled every 20 seconds, reporting the data back to the main unit via a 434 MHz RF transceiver. The remote sensor also records the ambient light level and the remaining battery voltage, sending that data to the main unit for good measure.
The main unit sits inside his house and records the same temperature and humidity data as the external unit. The main unit adds its data to the packets sent by the remote unit and transmits them to the PC via USB. The PC calculates the minimum and maximum temperatures for the last 12-hour and 24 -hour periods before sending that data back to the main unit to be displayed on its LCD panel. Every 10 minutes, the computer also posts the weather data on Twitter.
If you are looking to build your own weather station, [nuumio] has provided all of the source code for his project on his web page. However, he does admit that he was too lazy to draw up a schematic, so you are on your own in that department. | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "358928",
"author": "Olivier",
"timestamp": "2011-03-15T12:35:04",
"content": "Why does he have a pressure sensor inside and outside?AFAIK, only one is needed.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358933",
"author": "Olivier",
... | 1,760,377,246.273779 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/pi-phone-lulls-you-to-sleep-with-the-digits-of-pi/ | Pi Phone Lulls You To Sleep With The Digits Of Pi | Mike Nathan | [
"News",
"Phone Hacks"
] | [
"asterisk",
"pbx",
"Pi",
"SIP"
] | As you well know, today is March 14th – aka “Pi Day”.
Celebrated in math classrooms around the country, this truly is a celebration that belongs to the geeks. Here at Hack-a-Day, we too love Pi day, though we might not outwardly celebrate it with as much gusto as expressed by some of our readers.
[Chris Poole] is one Hack-a-Day fan who
knows how to make the most of this mathematical holiday
. He has put together a neat SIP-based phone service that reads Pi aloud to anyone who calls. He is running Asterisk in combination with Perl to read off the numbers, and is using a free SIP DID number to accept the calls. We gave it a shot earlier today, and were greeted by a gentle synthesized voice reading off the numbers of Pi. We’re not sure how many digits it is programmed to handle, as we stopped after about 20, so give him a call and let us know how many digits you make it through.
As a parting note, no Pi Day would be complete without a few obligatory Pi-related (albeit old) web comics and pastry concoctions, so here you go!
XKCD – Pi Equals…
XKCD – e to the Pi Times i
XKCD – E to the Pi Minus Pi
Spherical Pi Pie | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "358378",
"author": "yapel",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T22:08:29",
"content": "tagged: asterisk, pbx, Pi, SIP – WHAT?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358389",
"author": "l0l",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T22:17:30",
"conten... | 1,760,377,246.394544 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/battery-capacity-tester-lifts-the-veil-on-manufacturer-capacity-claims/ | Battery Capacity Tester Lifts The Veil On Manufacturer Capacity Claims | Mike Nathan | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"battery capacity",
"discharge",
"Teensy"
] | [Nick] was tasked with building a
battery capacity tester
by one of his teachers in order to test some aftermarket batteries that were purchased for their Vex robotics lab. The batteries were cheaper than the official version, but boasted more than twice the capacity. Fairly skeptical of the rating, he got to work designing his circuit.
He originally planned on discharging the battery through a resistor and measuring the voltage with a PIC microcontroller. After prototyping the circuit, he found that the PIC did not have enough storage space for the data he was collecting, and that there were issues with fluctuating current as the voltage decreased.
Undeterred, he built a new tester using a Teensy microcontroller and a different discharging circuit using a LM317T. This second version not only included an LCD screen to track the discharging process in real-time, but it also dumps all of the data and calculations to a spreadsheet on the computer connected to the Teensy.
The capacity tester works pretty well, according to [Nick]. He says that most batteries overestimate their capacity, and that his meter is getting readings within an acceptable variance when testing known good batteries. What about those knock-off batteries from China? He discovered that they can hold about half the charge that they claim – it’s a good thing he decided to test them out!
While he provides the software he used for the tester, there are no schematics to be found. Check out
some
of the
other
battery capacity testers we have featured in the past for tips on building one yourself. | 24 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "358306",
"author": "bogdan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T21:11:13",
"content": "The project is great, just shows what you are buying for less money is not always as advertised.Still, I found some flaws: the LM317 does not work well as a constant voltage source of 2.5V from a single lit... | 1,760,377,246.336908 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/guide-for-working-with-avr-microcontrollers/ | Guide For Working With AVR Microcontrollers | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers",
"News"
] | [
"AVR",
"guide"
] | [Q] wrote in to let us know about
the AVR-Guide he’s been working on
. It looks like he’s finished posting about 80% of the content he planned for in his initial draft outline. We read through several of the sections and found them to be concise, yet able to present information in a way that’s easy to grasp. The screenshot above shows the most basic block of information to get started with AVR microcontrollers. We’ve covered the same information in
our AVR tutorial series
and think that reading through both will give you a strong understanding of the knowledge needed to work with 8-bit microcontrollers with confidence. But this resource doesn’t stop after the basics. If you’re looking to bolster your knowledge of all the features the AVR line has to offer there’s also sections explaining Digital I/O, Interrupts, Timers, Analog I/O, Communications, and Miscellaneous topics.
The site is called QEEWiki. We logged in using a Google account (this is hosted as a Google site) but didn’t see a way to edit the information. If this truly is a Wiki and you know how to edit pages please leave a comment about it after the break. | 8 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "358258",
"author": "Apexys",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T20:28:12",
"content": "Hmm.Cool.But I think, some people are just working on translating this german tutorial:http://www.mikrocontroller.net/articles/AVR-GCC-Tutorial(Google-Translated Version:http://translate.google.de/translate... | 1,760,377,246.545241 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/diy-digital-pinball-console-plays-hundreds-of-games/ | DIY Digital Pinball Console Plays Hundreds Of Games | Mike Nathan | [
"computer hacks",
"home entertainment hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"lcd",
"pinball"
] | Pinball machines, while likely considered pretty retro technology by most, are still a fun and engaging way to waste a little time. The problem with pinball machines is that they take up a lot of space, making the hobby of collecting them pretty prohibitive unless you have tons of spare room in your house.
[tbarklay] loves pinball machines but doesn’t have to room for an elaborate collection. Rather than purchase one machine, he opted to
build his own pinball table
that can be used to play any number of games. He repurposed an old PC to power his table, connecting it to a 24″ LCD panel for the main display board. A custom cabinet was built to contain the large LCD panel as well as the computer. A 19″ LCD screen was mounted on top of the cabinet to serve as the backglass display. A set of arcade buttons were also added to the console to provide realistic paddle control.
While we don’t have a video of his particular table in action, check out this video we found of a pinball machine that uses the same setup.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUBTwUSFFJ0&w=470] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "358216",
"author": "mikey",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T19:44:10",
"content": "Ekaj: i hear ya. kudos to the designer, but nothing will ever replace the old mechanical pinball machines. want digital pachinko? plinko? pinball?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": ... | 1,760,377,247.293531 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/beginner-concepts-595-shift-register-simulator/ | Beginner Concepts: 595 Shift Register Simulator | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"595",
"shift register",
"simulator"
] | [Aaron] just finished building
an online 595 shift register simulator
. These inexpensive chips let you extend the number of devices that can be controlled by a single microcontroller. You see them in quite a few LED multiplexing projects, included the
Ping Pong Clock
that we recently built. But they can be a bit tricky to fully grasp if you’re not familiar with the hardware.
This simulator gives you a point-and-click interface for the five possible control lines on a 595 shift register. There are three pins that must be manipulated to use the device; the serial in, clock, and latch pins. The other two are for clearing the register, and enabling output and can be considered optional. You can choose to control these with a microcontroller in your own projects for more flexibility, but often they are tied to either VCC or GND (depending on the chip) when these features are unnecessary. Give this simulator a try and then take what you learned over to a solderless breadboard and see if you can write some firmware to produce the same results. If you’re still having trouble you can take a
look at this 595 tutorial
for further information. | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "358168",
"author": "Gregory Strike",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T19:02:00",
"content": "Very nice. Just learned something!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358189",
"author": "CalcProgrammer1",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T19:2... | 1,760,377,247.602748 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/commandeering-public-video-screens-real-or-fake/ | Commandeering Public Video Screens: Real Or Fake? | Mike Szczys | [
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"iphone",
"real or fake",
"repeater",
"times square",
"transmitter",
"video"
] | It’s time for everyone’s favorite comment thread game: Real or Fake? This week’s edition comes in from a tip that [Phil] sent about a way to
take over video screens in Times Square
. Watch the video after the break to see the hackers using a two-part solution to rebroadcast video from an iPhone onto a screen in the busy urban setting. The first part is a transmitter that plugs into the iPhone, the second is a signal repeater that, when held close to a video screen, overrides the clip currently being displayed with the video from the handheld. The image above shows the repeater being floated up to the big screen using a giant red balloon which you can make out in the black bar to the left of the replayed video.
Our first thought is that someone just watched Tron: Legacy and wanted to have a little Sci-Fi fun with the Internets. We can’t imagine a hardware solution that would actually make this work, but please do share your thoughts about that in the comments. We’d suspect this is more of a video hack that uses After Effects, similar to how
the stopped motion candle video
of the
eyelid shutter glasses
videos were faked. But apparently there is a follow-up video on the way that will show how the prototype was made so we could be wrong.
update:
[Phil Burgess] points out that the “repeater” looks awfully familiar.
Fake for a variety of already-stated reasons (e.g. video out the headphone jack?). But the smoking gun, watching the 720P video on YouTube, is that I plainly recognize the hardware they’re using as the “repeater”: it’s simply the internals from a Digipower JS1-V3 cell phone USB boost charger (having torn apart a few myself):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_HUYi9aVvI&w=470] | 66 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "358117",
"author": "bencoder",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T18:03:33",
"content": "Clearly fake. It doesn’t work like that.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358119",
"author": "AnonymousCoward",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T18:05... | 1,760,377,246.998121 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/frequency-counter-for-10-worth-of-parts/ | Frequency Counter For $10 Worth Of Parts | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"7 segment",
"74lv8154",
"atmega16",
"frequency counter"
] | [Scott]
built this frequency counter
using less than $10 in parts. It’s set up to meter frequencies in megahertz which is fitting since he’s planning to use it with
his radio hardware experimentation
. But we would find it useful too because our cheap multimeter only reads up to around 4 MHz.
He’s using an ATmega16 that he had on hand but it has features way beyond the specs for the device. He speculates that an ATtiny2313 would easily work in its place. The microcontroller is mostly used to drive the multiplexed 7-segment display after reading the frequency values from the 74LV8154 counter chip that he is using. He doesn’t have a full schematic for the device, but there is a hand drawn diagram for using the frequency counter; the rest should be easy to piece together. Looking at that circuit we don’t think it would be too hard to make this a manual-ranging frequency counter to give you more use out of the dedicated device. Check out [Scott’s] demonstration video which is embedded below the fold.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KduEGjvXaeY&w=470] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "358066",
"author": "Chris Muncy",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T17:12:36",
"content": "Very nice!This would be perfect for using as a readout on a VFO, re like my Kenwood TS-520.Thanks for sharing.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "358... | 1,760,377,246.866744 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/cnc-etch-a-sketch-draws-on-itself/ | CNC Etch-a-Sketch Draws On Itself | Mike Nathan | [
"cnc hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"cnc",
"etch a sketch",
"reprap"
] | Having never been any good with an Etch-a-Sketch, [Ben] decided it was time to
tame the children’s toy
that had taunted him for so long. He received one in a gift exchange a few years back and hung onto it, recently digging it out again to fit it with some CNC components.
Using his RepRap, he printed a set of mounting plates and gears to drive the Etch-a-Sketch’s dials. He installed a pair of Airpax steppers to the gears and wired them up to an ATmega AT90 USB board he had sitting around. He installed RepRap firmware on the microcontroller, since it has a built-in gcode interpreter, making it easy for him to upload any gcode file to the Etch-a-Sketch for drawing.
You can see a quick demonstration of the device in action below. He converted a spiral image to gcode, then uploaded it to the Etch-a-Sketch – the machine does the rest. It draws pretty quickly as well – [Ben] even suggests that he could probably get it moving fast enough to melt the stylus!
It would be great to see the Etch-a-Sketch configured to support an online interface. That way he could allow people to upload images to the device, later showing off the artwork in a web gallery not unlike the
LOL Shield Theatre
we featured last week.
[via
Make
]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UV05jmrK7k&w=470] | 9 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "357936",
"author": "Phil",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T15:08:51",
"content": "Finally you´ve got a vector display :).",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "357943",
"author": "Karl",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T15:14:57",
"conte... | 1,760,377,246.911553 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/3d-modeling-out-of-thin-air/ | 3D Modeling Out Of Thin Air | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Kinect hacks",
"Multitouch Hacks"
] | [
"3d modeling",
"Kinect",
"open source"
] | It seems that with each passing day, the Kinect hacks that we see become exponentially more impressive. Take for instance
this little number
that was sent to us today.
[sonsofsol] has combined several open source software packages and a little electronics know-how to create one of the more useful Kinect hacks we have seen lately. His project enables him to manipulate 3D models in GEM simply by moving his hands about in front of his Kinect sensor. Using OpenNI and Ubuntu, all of his actions are tracked by the computer and translated into actions within the GEM 3D engine.
To make things easier on himself, he also constructed a pair of electronic gloves that interface with the system. Using an Arduino, the gloves send different complex commands to the 3D modeling software, just by touching different pairs of fingers together.
You really need to take a look at the video embedded below to get a feel for how complex [sonsofsol’s] “simple” mesh modeler really is.
Looking for more Kinect fun? Check out
these
previously
featured
stories
.
[Thanks, Jared]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBpfYuVN0bI&w=470] | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "357879",
"author": "Grovenstien",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T13:48:18",
"content": "add Bluetooth or other wireless connection to the gloves for more awesomeness,Perhaps use two wiimotes instead of gloves for even more control.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": ... | 1,760,377,247.919429 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/control-your-home-theater-from-anywhere-in-the-world/ | Control Your Home Theater From Anywhere In The World | Mike Nathan | [
"home entertainment hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"ethernet",
"home theater",
"ir"
] | Using IR repeaters for larger home theater setups is not uncommon, but they usually are quite simple. A series of IR receivers are placed throughout a home, all wired to repeat the signals in a central closet where all of the AV equipment is located. [Bill] constructed a solution that works much like a standard IR repeater setup, however his requires no receivers, and it can be used anywhere in the world, provided you have Internet access.
His project, called
Ether IR
, is an Internet-enabled IR repeater. It consists of an Ethernet-connected module with an IR LED mounted on it, capable of controlling your AV equipment. The board is hooked up to your LAN, and relays commands to your home theater via a simple web page. The equipment can then be controlled from any Internet-connected device, such as a mobile phone or tablet PC.
The entire project is open-source, so [Bill] has included schematics, instructions, and a bill of materials so that you can construct your own. The only issue at this point is the software portion of the project. The software is free, but the distribution method is in question – once things are sorted out, he will ensure that you can obtain the software for your Either-IR from him or directly from the Ethernet chip’s manufacturer. | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "357806",
"author": "Bernard Kerckenaere",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T12:11:16",
"content": "For people who’d rather buy than build:http://www.irtrans.de/en/",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "357828",
"author": "SelfSilent",
... | 1,760,377,247.150909 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/14/mini-sata-power-adapter-does-away-with-hdd-docking-stations/ | Mini SATA Power Adapter Does Away With HDD Docking Stations | Mike Nathan | [
"computer hacks",
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"docking",
"power",
"sata"
] | [Marc] is pretty unsatisfied with hard drive docking stations as a whole. He says they are typically slow and unreliable, causing him all sorts of grief while he is troubleshooting a questionable hard drive. He decided to take some of the mystery out of the troubleshooting equation and built a
standalone SATA power module
.
Aware that SATA drives require 5v and 12v for operation, he disassembled one of his docking stations to see how it provided both voltages. He discovered that it used a simple PWM buck converter and decided to replicate it in the smallest space possible. His plan was to use a standard 12v wall wart to power the circuit, passing that 12v straight to the drive. A simple voltage step-down circuit would be built to provide the required 5v.
[Marc] reports that the power adapter is performing nicely, and he is quite happy with the size as well. He says that one major benefit of this sort of adapter is that it can be used to power any SATA drive, not just hard drives. He does mention that if he built another one, he might consider regulating the 12v output as well, so that he can power the adapter with a laptop power supply instead of a separate dedicated wall wart. | 30 | 30 | [
{
"comment_id": "357792",
"author": "Michael Nielsen",
"timestamp": "2011-03-14T11:27:42",
"content": "A wall adapter directly to a hard drive’s 12V line? Sounds more unstable than the dock to me – what about noise and is the power supply regulated or switched?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": ... | 1,760,377,247.985875 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/cd-phonograph-brings-old-time-charm-to-modern-music/ | CD Phonograph Brings Old-time Charm To Modern Music | Mike Nathan | [
"classic hacks",
"digital audio hacks"
] | [
"cd player",
"phonograph"
] | [Jozerworx] had always wanted to build a
CD player that looked like an old-time Victrola Phonograph
player, though he never seemed to be able to find the time to do it. With all of his other projects out of the way, he decided to finally get started on building his phonograph.
He went garage sale hunting and found the perfect base for his project – an old wooden box adorned with tarnished brass hardware. He started in on the project immediately, dismantling a cheap CD player and mounting the motor/laser assembly on the top of the box. The CD player internals were installed inside the wooden box, along with a small audio amplifier stripped from a portable iPod speaker.
A brass horn was fashioned out of an ornament, in order to complete the phonograph feel, but also to act as a passive amplifier. He then mounted a series of switches on the top of the box to allow him to control the CD player’s basic functions.
[Jozerworx] says that it sounds decent, though there are some things he would change. He plans on switching out the audio amplifier and possibly the speakers at some point in the future. He is also still keeping his eye out for a larger, and more effective horn. | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "357324",
"author": "vasskk",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T21:58:15",
"content": "this was totally one of my goals too, awesome work man.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "357330",
"author": "Per Jensen",
"timestamp": "2011-03-... | 1,760,377,247.798197 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/diy-laser-light-show-is-sure-to-please/ | DIY Laser Light Show Is Sure To Please | Mike Nathan | [
"Laser Hacks"
] | [
"laser",
"light show"
] | [Pete] had some spare time on his hands over his spring break, and he was itching to build something. He settled on
a laser light show
since, after all it was spring break, and what says “Party” better than a laser light show?
He glued three hobby mirrors to three small motors, mounting the motor assemblies on the lid of a wooden cigar box he bought for next to nothing. When the laser is pointed at the mirrors, they reflect the beam off one another, and finally against a projection surface, creating interesting shapes and motion. He programmed an Atmega328 to control the laser light show when in automatic mode, and added 4 pots to control the mirrors’ spin rate when set in manual mode.
The visuals are pretty cool, as you can see in the videos below. We love the laser light show concept, and [Pete] definitely gets extra points for his cigar-box casing as well.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7U4SZhPL3I&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTItwBvmH-Y&w=470] | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "357164",
"author": "Tim",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T19:43:14",
"content": "A while ago i built something similar, but i glued mirrors to two speakers and played music through them, the vibration from the speakers moved the mirrors and made cool patterns with the laser.",
"parent_... | 1,760,377,247.201725 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/reverse-engineering-the-playstation-move/ | Reverse Engineering The Playstation Move | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Playstation Hacks"
] | [
"move",
"playstation 3",
"ps3",
"reverse engineering"
] | [Kenn] is working on building a quadrocopter from the ground up for a university project. Currently, his main focus is building an Inertial Measurement Unit, or rather
re-purposing a PS3 Move
controller as the IMU for his copter. He previously considered using a Wiimote Motion Plus, but the Move has a three-axis magnetometer, which the Wii controller does not.
The ultimate goal for this portion of his project is building custom firmware to run on the Move’s STM32-Cortex microcontroller, allowing him to obtain data from each of the controller’s sensors. Through the course of his research, he has thoroughly documented each sensor on his site, and dumped a full working firmware image from the Cortex chip as well. Recently, he was even able to run arbitrary code on the controller itself, which is a huge step forward.
[Kenn’s] project is coming along very nicely, and will undoubtedly be a great resource to others as he continues to dig through the inner workings of the Move. Be sure to swing by his site if you are looking for information, or if you have something to contribute. | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "357123",
"author": "h_2_o",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T18:05:10",
"content": "insert comment about sony coming after you if you do this now. Sounds silly but i wonder how many will scrap the idea of working on sony content considering their current actions.All that said hopefully he ... | 1,760,377,247.391351 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/reverse-engineering-the-psp/ | Reverse Engineering The PSP | Chris Nelson | [
"PSP Hacks"
] | [
"bga",
"psp",
"reverse engineering"
] | The original PSP may be old news but there is an
interesting relic of a website
(
translated
) dedicated to the reverse engineering of a PSP (and exploring Saturn?). To determine the true capabilities of the PSP they desoldered most of the ball grid array chips and then hand soldered 157 jumper wires to allow for direct memory access. In later pictures it shows the PSP hooked up to external hardware for on the fly memory modification. Unfortunately the details are sparse and it doesn’t appear as if they will be updated anytime soon because the website has been “deleted and freezed because of spam. may ineffaceable curse prevail on the spammers.” Still this doesn’t detract too much some very impressive soldering. | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "357078",
"author": "iToast",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T15:40:22",
"content": "Even thought im sick of the horrible administration here, ima say this. This is kinda pointles… Since we can read and write to all hardware throught a kernel exploit.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1... | 1,760,377,247.696066 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/bristlebot-mod-never-rubs-you-the-wrong-way/ | Bristlebot Mod Never Rubs You The Wrong Way | Mike Nathan | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"bristlebot",
"steering"
] | [Underling] sent in his bristlebot project that aims to put a
new spin on controlling bristlebot movement
. We have seen
several
attempts
at bristlebot directional control in the past, but none of these methods really fit what he wanted to do. His goal was to use a single brush rather than two, and be able to aim the bot in any direction at will.
He tried several different designs, but settled on what you see in the picture above. The large brush head is fitted with a vibrating motor on the front as well as a cell phone battery near the midsection. These pieces are placed in the center plane of the brush as to not influence the direction of movement. A separate servo-like motor is placed on the back of the brush, and each side of the motor’s arm is attached to a paddle that extends down the sides of the brush. When the motor is activated, one paddle is pressed in towards the bristles, while the other paddle is pulled away. This causes an immediate shift in direction, and should provide for a relatively tight turn radius. It should be noted that he also took the time to remove bristles from the center of the brush where the steering paddles are located in order to improve turning performance.
Unfortunately [Underling] does not currently have a video camera with which to show off his work, but we hope to see some action footage in the near future. | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "357059",
"author": "derwin",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T15:03:46",
"content": "i wonder how he controls the robot.do both the drive and steer motors run at the same time causing the robot to move in a sine wave-like pattern?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
... | 1,760,377,247.644845 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/13/sleek-numitron-clock-tells-the-time-and-temperature/ | Sleek Numitron Clock Tells The Time And Temperature | Mike Nathan | [
"clock hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"atmega",
"clock",
"numitron"
] | Instructables user [janw] is a big fan of nixie clocks, but he had never built one before. He decided he would rather start small and
build a clock using numitron tubes
first, before moving to nixies. He preferred the simpler tubes due to their much lower voltage requirements and the fact that he would not have to use any specialized power supply for his project.
His clock serves double-duty, functioning as a thermometer as well. Timekeeping is regulated with a DS12307, and temperature is monitored using a DS18B20 single wire sensor – both of which are pretty common in these sorts of projects. Both are wired to an Atmega48 MCU which serves as the brain of the clock.
The numitrons were mounted in a handsome 5-layer milled acrylate stand with a pair of buttons mounted on the bottom which allow him to set the time. It really is a spectacular looking timepiece, and a great first effort on [janw’s] part.
Be sure to stick around to see a video of the clock in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZesR6_ZZ9pA&w=470] | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "357049",
"author": "wouter",
"timestamp": "2011-03-13T13:55:21",
"content": "very nice build.. I like it. Also I understand why he chooses numitron tubes instead of nixies. Without a doubt nixie are nicer but their requirements are corresponding..",
"parent_id": null,
"depth... | 1,760,377,247.741864 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/12/usb-dongle-hack-tethers-dsr-cameras-at-a-fraction-of-the-price/ | USB Dongle Hack Tethers DSLR Cameras At A Fraction Of The Price | Mike Nathan | [
"digital cameras hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"remote",
"usb",
"wireless"
] | [Neal] wanted to tether his DSLR to his computer, but he wasn’t about to fork out the $1,000 Nikon was asking for their wireless adapter. Instead, he opted to
construct his own solution
using two separate camera accessories which cost him less than $200 when finished.
The two components he purchased were a wireless USB transmitter/receiver pair and an external battery grip. The battery grip allows him to use a pair of batteries to power his camera, while providing just enough space to wedge in the USB transmitter. He stripped the casing off the transmitter and connected it to a mini USB plug that he wired into the battery grip. He then added a small voltage regulator to step down the Nikon battery voltage from 7.2v to the 5v required by the USB transmitter.
The battery grip and transmitter were then hooked directly into his camera using the weatherproof plug built into the grip. Once he powered on his camera, it was connected to the PC immediately.
It’s amazing how the simplest hacks can save incredible amounts of money. Nice job!
Be sure to check out the video embedded below to see the wireless adapter in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7urjotFElo&w=470] | 33 | 32 | [
{
"comment_id": "356513",
"author": "strider_mt2k",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T21:07:15",
"content": "DUDE!WELL DONE!Agreed. Sometimes the simple hacks bring it home.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "356533",
"author": "Lenny",
"timestamp":... | 1,760,377,247.86861 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/12/protei-articulated-backward-sailing-robots-clean-oil-spills/ | Protei: Articulated, Backward Sailing Robots Clean Oil Spills | Mike Szczys | [
"green hacks",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"boat",
"boom",
"oil spill",
"sail"
] | The Protei project aims to develop
a robotic solution for oil-spill cleanup
. [Cesar Harada] quit what he calls his dream job at MIT to work toward a solution to the ecological disasters that are oil spills. He had previously been working on Seaswarm,
a swarm of robots that use conveyor belts of absorbent material
to leech oil from seawater. But Protei doesn’t use legions of drones. It aims to use better design to improve the effectiveness of a small number of units.
The whole idea is well described in the video after the break. If a long trailing boom of absorbent material is towed in a serpentine pattern perpendicular to the flow, starting down current and moving upward, it can be quite effective at halting the spread of crude. Initial experiments have shown that a robotic vessel can do this efficiently with just a few improvements. First, to counteract the drag of the tail the rudder of the boat was moved to the bow. Secondly, the hull has been articulated as you can see above. This allows the robot to better utilize wind power to sail, making turns without losing the push of the wind.
The project is raising money through Kickstart as an open hardware project. Let’s hope this becomes a cheap and effective way to fix our costly drilling mishaps.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmZ_uy2Ehi4&w=470] | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "356440",
"author": "M4CGYV3R",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T20:06:21",
"content": "They had me at open source…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "356442",
"author": "caleb",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T20:07:08",
"content": "n... | 1,760,377,248.03829 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/lol-shield-theatre-brings-online-video-to-the-pixelated-screen/ | Lol Shield Theatre Brings Online Video To The Pixelated Screen | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"charlieplexing",
"lol shield"
] | [FallDeaf] bought a Lol Shield, and after making all sorts of blinky displays, he thought to himself, “What in the world can I use this thing for?”
In a really slick fusion of hardware, software, and the power of the Internet, he has created what he calls, “
Lol Shield Theatre
”.
The idea goes something like this:
You visit his site, and create your own “movie” by drawing on his
virtual Lol Shield
. Add as many frames as you would like, set the frame rate, then submit your creation. From there, you can download an Arduino sketch that contains your entire animation so you can play it on your own Lol Shield. You can also visit his Lol Shield gallery, where you have the ability to watch, download, and vote on movie submissions from other visitors.
He has also provided the source code to drive your Lol Shield, as well as created an API through which you can stream the various animation feeds from his Lol Shield gallery directly to your Arduino via a USB cable.
Be sure to check out the video demo we have embedded below, and show off your pixel cinematography skills over in the theatre.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l6iCcLerbs&w=470] | 4 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "355729",
"author": "falldeaf",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T00:11:12",
"content": "Hi Hackaday!Thank you for the post and the cool write-up. There’s already been a bunch of great animations! And the signal/penis ratio is really good, must be a good crowd around here. :)",
"parent_id... | 1,760,377,248.080199 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/the-traveling-terabyte-project-helping-those-who-protect-us/ | The Traveling Terabyte Project – Helping Those Who Protect Us | Mike Nathan | [
"News"
] | [
"armed forces",
"multimedia",
"soldiers"
] | Though some people differ on what exactly a “hacker” is, there is one thing that can be said for certain – this global community of tinkerers, experimenters, and hobbyists we belong to is one of big hearts. Through our various projects and tutorials, we lead by example – sharing knowledge and offering help whenever we can. You would be hard pressed to find something that could exemplify this more than the
Traveling Terabyte Project
.
Started in the summer of 2006 by [Deviant Ollam], the goal of the project was to provide informational content from DefCon 14 to those friends and acquaintances who were deployed overseas in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces and their associates. This was originally done by outfitting durable cases with large portable hard drives stuffed with movies, music, and publications in order help those stationed far from their friends and family enjoy their down time a little bit more.
The project has grown by leaps and bounds while the storage mediums have shrunk accordingly. The project has recently entered a new phase, where they are migrating over to flash drives instead of hard drives, which should help spread the distribution of media immensely.
The Traveling Terabyte Project did not approach us soliciting money or publicity in any way, so by no means should you feel obligated to support the project. Regardless of our individual political leanings and views on war, we believe that helping out people who are subject to extreme amounts of stress while stationed far away from their home, friends, and family is a noble cause.
[Thanks, RenderMan] | 75 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "355479",
"author": "Whatnot",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T19:19:51",
"content": "All good and well, but count me as one that does NOT support US troops.I’m not sure it’s appropriate to come with political crap let alone war and murder and kidnapping and torture and such nastiness on th... | 1,760,377,248.212889 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/microsoft-points-algorithm-cracked-theyre-out-1m/ | Microsoft Points Algorithm Cracked… They’re Out $1M | Mike Szczys | [
"Security Hacks",
"Xbox Hacks"
] | [
"algorithm",
"microsoft",
"points"
] | Looks like
someone figured out the algorithm that Microsoft uses
to generate unique codes for their alternative currency: Microsoft Points. We were always a bit baffled by the need to do this sort of thing (Disney dollars, tokens at arcades, etc.) but figured it’s just a grift to get you to spend more dough. Looks like this time it may have come back to bite them in the ass with early loss projections somewhere in the $1-$1.2 million range.
But as most of you know, it’s not just an algorithm that can cause this kind of havoc. Whomever figured out how to crunch the numbers apparently packaged the method into a nice GUI and distributed it over the Internet. Check out the video after the break to see that not only will it give you a code, but you can verify that it works at the click of a button. Microsoft is taking steps to invalidate all of the ill-gotten redemption codes, but we wonder how effective they can be at it. Surely they already had contingency plans for this and we wonder if the company didn’t also carry insurance against this kind of loss.
Try as we might, we couldn’t turn up a
press release
on the subject. If you know of any, please be kind and leave a link in the comments.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U7Pw4DsGdY&w=470]
[
Reddit
via
Geek
] | 44 | 43 | [
{
"comment_id": "355430",
"author": "Nick McClanahan",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T18:19:56",
"content": "I’m not sure if they’re ‘out’ $1M – that’s kinda like music industry math. Unless you can buy physical things with Microsoft points…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},... | 1,760,377,248.538699 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/bitbang-ir-remote/ | Bitbang IR Remote | Kevin Dady | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"ftdi",
"lirc"
] | [Albert] has made a few PC IR transmitters and receivers using the traditional connection of RS232 serial, and that is fine, but as we are all aware, not every computer has serial ports standard. Searching though normal USB <> RS232 dongles didn’t meet his requirements. Deciding on making it himself, he whipped up this
FTDI bit-bang IR receiver / transmitter
.
While FTDI makes a range of chips most (if not all) support a bit-bang mode where you can manually control the IC’s pins. The FTDI chip handles the timing, and when paired up with
libFTDI
makes it pretty painless to control. The software is a work in progress, but [Albert] already has a driver that connects to
LIRC
, which lets you control a wide array of remote devices and a test program for carrier generation.
Schematics, source, and a few pages of good information are available on his site. | 4 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "355437",
"author": "Paul Potter",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T18:28:16",
"content": "Very neat.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "355451",
"author": "chango",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T18:45:25",
"content": "Nice. I love ... | 1,760,377,248.460241 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/phillip-torrone-makes-case-for-next-gen-public-libraries/ | Phillip Torrone Makes Case For Next-gen Public Libraries | Mike Szczys | [
"Hackerspaces"
] | [
"hackerspace",
"public library",
"techshop"
] | [Phillip Torrone] has started
a discussion about a possible upgrade to the public library system
in the US and wants to know what you think. His name should be familiar (Hackaday founder, Open Source hardware advocate, and
Tron costume model
) and he’s definitely got his finger on the pulse of today’s electronics enthusiasts. He poses the question, could we upgrade libraries to become public techshops?
As a frequenter user of my own library system here in Madison, Wisconsin I like to think that they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. I find it nice to be able to borrow books, as it seems wasteful to buy a book I will only read once. Sure, I do buy and sell books at the used book store, but that doesn’t diminish how I value the library system and often
suggest in posts that our readers should go check out books
they’re interested in.
But I must agree with [Mr. Torrone] that, a least to some extent, reserving large buildings to house collections of books may be an outdated concept. It’s not just the books that make the library. These buildings provide computer time and Internet access to the community. I’ve occasionally written posts from public libraries instead of paying the ‘coffee tax’ to get on WiFi in a coffee shop. Libraries also serve as community meeting spaces, and polling places. And what [Phillip] is talking about aims to offset some of the stacks in order to augment the functionality of the institution.
What if it were a repository of knowledge in the written form as well as a place to use tools and learn new skill? It’s an intriguing question and I’m glad he asked it. | 48 | 48 | [
{
"comment_id": "355338",
"author": "Roberto",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T16:56:38",
"content": "Enterprise strives where government fails.If government provides all the services it is able to provide, is private enterprise doomed?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
... | 1,760,377,248.798451 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/zigbee-powered-wireless-scale/ | Zigbee-powered Wireless Scale | Noah Dunker | [
"Medical Hacks",
"Microcontrollers",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"scale",
"weight",
"wireless",
"xbee"
] | [joe] wanted to make it easy to record his weight every day, and added a few bits to decode the weight and send it to his computer. The end result is a
ZigBee-powered wireless scale
. Additionally, his scale can track more than one person’s data simply by knowing whose previous weight the new measurement is closest to. Now [joe] and his family can spend more time working out, and less time messing with spreadsheets and data entry.
[joe]’s build is not only elegant, but well-documented, too. He walks through the reasons he chose this specific floor scale, reverse engineering it to decode the weight, then provides links to his schematics, source code, and pretty much everything else you would need to play along at home. | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "355343",
"author": "Gravis",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T16:59:16",
"content": "looks a little sloppy but if it works, that’s cool. i would have just put the wireless on the pcb (no zigbee module) and used a ribbon cable for the LCD connection but that’s just me.",
"parent_id": nu... | 1,760,377,248.581252 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/build-your-own-vertical-axis-wind-turbine/ | Build Your Own Vertical Axis Wind Turbine | Mike Szczys | [
"green hacks"
] | [
"generator",
"stator",
"turbine",
"wind"
] | You can build a copy of this vertical wind turbine in a weekend and it won’t cost you all that much. Applied Sciences developed the hardware and
they’re sharing all for the build details
. You will be taken through every part of the build starting with the fin assembly which is made from stove-pipe material. This is a perfect raw material because it is already curved and suited for aerodynamic use in much the same way that
PVC pipe is for making fins
and we would expect it to be a bit lighter in weight. You will also need to turn your own coils when assembling the stator. This particular build process uses nine coils embedded in fiberglass. They remain stationary while two different discs, each containing a dozen rare earth magnets, rotate in close proximity to induce a current. It outputs three-phase AC current which can be turned to DC using a bridge rectifier and then further regulated for storage in batteries.
[Thanks Miguel] | 26 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "355284",
"author": "Adam",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T15:20:34",
"content": "Looks like a nice project, and well presented. My gut reaction was “I want to build one!”However, they don’t even try to make an estimate of power output. No calculations, no empirical data. With all the work... | 1,760,377,248.857127 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/12/personal-soundboard-recounts-years-of-clever-one-liners/ | Personal Soundboard Recounts Years Of Clever One-liners | Mike Nathan | [
"digital audio hacks",
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"soundboard"
] | [Antibore’s] friend was just wrapping up his Ph.D. Degree and he wanted to build him something special to commemorate the accomplishment. After thinking about it awhile, he realized that his friend was quite gregarious and known to make off-the-wall comments at parties and such. A ton of these one-liners were documented on video over a span of 10 years, so [Antibore] got the idea to make his friend
a soundboard featuring his own witticisms
.
He found a breakout board capable of playing back OGG files and got to work loading it up with his friend’s random sayings. The board was connected to a small amplifier and speaker, then everything was installed into a black plastic case. Four arcade-style buttons were mounted on the front of the case, along with a picture of his friend. Up to 16 different sayings can be played, depending on which combination of buttons are being held at a particular time.
It’s sounds like a really cool project, and certainly makes for a one of a kind gift. Currently there is no video or audio of the box in action, but here’s hoping we’ll see some soon. | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "356368",
"author": "UserName",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T17:38:36",
"content": "4 buttons? so 2^4 = 16. But how can you press the combination of pressing no buttons at all?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "356374",
"author": "... | 1,760,377,248.663599 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/12/nba-hangtime-pinball-display/ | NBA Hangtime Pinball Display | Mike Szczys | [
"home entertainment hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"i2c",
"led",
"pinball",
"scoreboard",
"shift register"
] | [Ed Zarick] continues work on his NBA Hangtime pinball machine with
the completion of the scoreboard and backglass
. You should remember this project as we already covered
the layer audio he developed for the system
. Now he’s proving to be a protoboard master, using point-to-point techniques to build a pair of two and a half digit LED displays for team scores, as well as a shot clock timer and other status indicators.
The lighting board that controls it all is commanded via the i2c protocol, just like the three audio modules. It uses shift registers along with MOSFETs and [Ed] has taken the time to add pin headers and sockets for board interconnects. As is true with the audio system, one Arduino Mega acts as the master on the i2c bus and you’ll notice in the video after the break that the display works in perfect harmony with the sound effects.
We can’t wait to see what he comes up with for the play field!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aa-4a376jE&w=470] | 1 | 1 | [
{
"comment_id": "356451",
"author": "Max",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T20:16:26",
"content": "It would be more cool if the playing field wasactually a gym floor or parking lot. Using Wiistrapped to the two players. Pinball games aresort of a dying breed … so it’s cool to seesomeone spend this much ti... | 1,760,377,248.618592 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/12/building-your-internet-radio-empire/ | Building Your Internet Radio Empire | Mike Szczys | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"radio",
"streaming"
] | It all starts with one station in your home office but who knows where it can go from there? If you’ve got dreams of being an Internet radio jockey you can
get some ideas about equipment startup
from this setup that [Viktor’s] built for a friend.
He started out with a plan to have a station that offers twenty-four hour streaming but also supports live broadcast. Two computers are used in the setup. The first handles automated music broadcast and live mixing. This box has two sound cards, one is used for the automated music by feeding the output into a sound mixer that is a separate piece of hardware. The output of that mixer feeds back into the second sound card on the box. This secondary card outputs the final mix to the computer speakers.
The second computer is where a lot of the live broadcast work is done. Any steaming guest (using VOIP or Skype, etc.) come in through this box as well as jingles and sound effects used during the feed. Its sound card is also connected through the external mixer and joins the final feed headed into one of the sound cards on the primary computer.
In the end the Internet connection for the system isn’t beefy enough to reliably support a streaming station. For this a dedicated streaming service is used. It receives the live feed and then uses its increase bandwidth to propagate the signal to listeners anywhere in the world.
Want to listen to this radio station? Build your own
streaming radio module
, or
outfit classic hardware
to work with your computer. | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "356291",
"author": "BoKu",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T15:28:14",
"content": "Steaming guest? Ooh lala",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "356307",
"author": "xorpunk",
"timestamp": "2011-03-12T16:02:50",
"content": "ITX+Mi... | 1,760,377,248.913604 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/passcode-protected-laser-tripwire-alarm-system/ | Passcode Protected Laser Tripwire Alarm System | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Laser Hacks",
"Security Hacks"
] | [
"alarm",
"arduino",
"laser",
"security",
"tripwire"
] | Sometimes security doesn’t need to be overly complex to be effective. Instructables user [1234itouch] recently built a
simple laser tripwire alarm
that can be mounted virtually anywhere, complete with a keypad for disarming the device.
He mounted a photo cell in a project box, along with an Arduino and a 12-button key pad. A laser pointer is aimed at the photo cell from across a gap, which results in a steady voltage being read by the Arduino. When the laser beam is broken, a drop in voltage is detected, and the alarm sounds until you enter the proper pre-configured passcode. Entering the passcode triggers a 15 second grace period during which the the alarm cannot be tripped again.
It might not be built with triple-thick steel doors and thermo-sensors, but it’s a simple device for simple needs. In its current form it could be pretty useful, and with a little reworking, there are a wide range of things it could be used for.
Continue reading to see a demo video of the tripwire alarm, and be sure to check out these other
tripwire-based
security systems
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIzUUX8hrEI&w=470] | 13 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "355688",
"author": "andar_b",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T23:30:22",
"content": "I remember playing with ‘security’ devices as a child, using one of those ‘100 in 1’ Radio Shack boxes. The only thing I thought of right off for this project is: Why not mount a mirror opposite the laser... | 1,760,377,248.714905 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/bench-top-laser-engraver-does-some-cutting-too/ | Bench-top Laser Engraver Does Some Cutting Too | Mike Szczys | [
"cnc hacks",
"Laser Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"cutter",
"dvd-r",
"engraver",
"laser",
"optical drive"
] | Grab that stack of old optical drives you have in the corner and
get to work building this laser engraver
. [Groover] is taking a no-nonsense approach to the build and we think it is just simple enough to be accessible to a very wide audience.
The physical assembly uses sleds from two optical drives. These are mounted some angle bracket. Since lasers cut at one specific focal length, there is not need for a Z axis (simplifying the build greatly). In fact, we think the hardest part of the assembly is retrieving the laser diode from a DVD-R drive and packaging it for use with this setup.
The electronics are a combination of a couple of consumer products. Two pre-fab motor drivers are used to command the stepper motors on the optical sleds. These receive their commands from an Arduino. A package called
GRBL
reads in G-code ([Groover] shows how to generate this from Inkscape) and in turn sends commands to the Arduino.
The results are quite remarkable. It can engrave wood with great resolution and contrast. The video after the break even shows it cutting out shapes from construction paper. Now we still want our own
full-size laser cutter
, but this project is much more fiscally possible for us.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLAEMLuRJSo&w=470] | 25 | 25 | [
{
"comment_id": "355631",
"author": "CutThroughStuffGuy",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T22:10:32",
"content": "“Since lasers cut at one specific focal length, there is not need for a Z axis (simplifying the build greatly).”So you have to cut the exact same thickness then with this machine? Or put in shim... | 1,760,377,248.974295 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/03/11/async-firefly/ | ASync-Firefly | Noah Dunker | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"555",
"fireflies",
"firefly",
"led",
"phototransistor",
"synchronized"
] | [dev_dsp] wanted to try his hand at creating a purely
analog implementation of multiple synchronizing fireflies
powered by a single battery and built from off-the shelf, through-hole components on inexpensive protoboard. In theory, even your local Radio Shack should still carry all of this stuff. He was obviously inspired by
[alex]’s fireflies
that we’ve covered in the past, but he wanted to see how far it could be taken without the use of a microprocessor.
In the end, [dev_dsp] relied on one crucial piece of digital ware, the ever-popular 555 timer IC, but he’s using analog discrete components to do the grunt work of adjusting the phase of each firefly by feeding a little extra current to the trigger capacitor whenever the flash of a nearby firefly is detected. After the jump, you’ll find schematics and a video demo of three ASync-Firefly modules in various stages of assembly playing with one another while [dev_dsp] discusses their operation. | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "355616",
"author": "jeremiah",
"timestamp": "2011-03-11T21:29:58",
"content": "I don’t see a video after the jump… not trying to nitpick, I just wanna see it. :)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "355622",
"author": "HARaaM",
... | 1,760,377,249.127804 |
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