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https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/brain-car-interface/ | Brain Car Interface | Kevin Dady | [
"Transportation Hacks"
] | [
"autonomous vehicle",
"brain control",
"eeg"
] | The AutoNOMOS labs project has found a
new way to maneuver its vehicles
, your brain. We have looked at a previous version that uses a mostly computerized van under
remote control from an iPhone
. This one however, named “Brain Driver”, places the operator in the driver’s seat with an EEG strapped to their head.
Going for a more sporty look, the current vehicle is a drive-by-wire Volkswagen Passat wagon filled to the brim with fun toys like LIDAR/ RADAR sensor technology, cameras, and a specialized GPS. The EEG interface is a commercially available Emotiv model, and after a few rounds of training on safe ground, the driver is placed in control of the car.
In one demonstration the car approaches a 4 way intersection, the driver only has to think left or right and the car (intelligently) navigates the turn after coming to a proper stop, and checking for obstacles. In the second demo car and driver are let loose on an unused airport to test responsiveness.
If you like brains, cars, robots, and spinning lasers join us after the break for a video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDV_62QoHjY&w=450] | 9 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "336944",
"author": "exuvo",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T20:42:17",
"content": "Seems really interesting for the future, now if only I could get myself one of those.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336956",
"author": "syale",
... | 1,760,377,272.974242 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/simple-household-status-system/ | Simple Household Status System | Mike Nathan | [
"home hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"atmega",
"home",
"Monitoring"
] | [BrianH] decided that he no longer wanted to venture outside on cold or rainy days just to check if the mail had come, so he built himself a notification system that would alert him if the postman had stopped by. Additionally, he admits to being forgetful on occasion and wanted a way to monitor whether or not he forgot to close the garage door.
His Instructable
details how he accomplished both of these tasks with the household monitor he built around an ATmega168. His project uses a mailbox mounted photoresistor to determine when the mailbox has been opened, and a reed switch that is triggered when the garage door has been opened. If either of these things occur, a beep is emitted from his notifier, and the appropriate status LED is lit. Simply monitoring whether the garage door has been opened is not all that helpful, so he programmed his notifier to beep persistently at 10-minute intervals if the garage has been left open for more than an hour.
His hack is pretty useful, but he does mention that there is an inordinate amount of wiring that needs to be laid, citing his driveway repaving as a great opportunity to do so. | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "336828",
"author": "Alex",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T18:18:51",
"content": "I have done similar things, very useful in the long run!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336832",
"author": "tantris",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T1... | 1,760,377,273.196265 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/molded-parts-prusa-mendel-in-30-minutes/ | Molded Parts: Prusa Mendel In 30 Minutes | Mike Szczys | [
"cnc hacks"
] | [
"3d printer",
"mold",
"prusa mendel",
"reprap",
"rtv",
"stl"
] | This set of white
RepRap parts were created in molds
, instead of being printed by another RepRap. [Mark A. Ganter] of the University of Washington admits that this breaks the idea of a 3D printer that is self-replicating. But the molds – which were created by tweaking
Prusa Mendel
parts to be mold friendly – have the ability to produce every plastic part necessary to build your own RepRap and they can do it much faster. Once the molds were completed [Mark] and his students were able to produce a full set of parts in just 30 minutes, cutting as much as 14 hours off of the time it would have taken to print the parts. Still not convinced? How about this: the molds can be created by a 3D printer or by
using a high-resolution power printing method
like they have here.
The process starts by printing master parts, then creating a silicone RTV mold from them. Once the molds are ready, [Mark’s] team pours polyurethane into them and waits for it to harden. They plan to share the STL files in less than a week so that you can make your own molds to use to build your RepRap army. | 22 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "336776",
"author": "CutThroughStuffGuy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T17:09:16",
"content": "So you don’t have a 3d printer that prints itself, you have a printer that you use to make molds then you have to (very carefully) mix up RTV silicone (which is notoriously difficult to work wit... | 1,760,377,273.081762 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/8-bit-midi-synthesizer/ | 8-bit MIDI Synthesizer | Mike Szczys | [
"digital audio hacks",
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"8 bit",
"guitar hero",
"synthesizer"
] | [Derek Enos’] toils are starting to yield results. He’s been working on an
8-bit synthesizer that is MIDI controlled
which he calls the deMIDulator. As he demonstrates after the break, the device has sine and square wave functions that produce quite a pleasing sound. But it also offers the option to record your own samples which are then modified based on the MIDI commands coming in from your device of choice. In this case he’s using a Rock Band 3 keyboard (or
keytar
if you will) in a much more creative way than its originally intended purpose.
For now we’ll have to be content with the demo video and a list of features as there are no other details. But open sourcing the code and hardware information are on his to-do list.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KAkMjbrbgU&w=470] | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "336745",
"author": "walt",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T16:35:33",
"content": "1st!loooove synth hacks. :)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336763",
"author": "vespine",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T16:49:36",
"content": "the... | 1,760,377,272.80703 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/cyborg-camera-mask/ | Cyborg Camera Mask | Kevin Dady | [
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"cyborg"
] | [Ryan] whipped up this
robotic masquerade mask
to wear to his wife’s art opening / masquerade party, and its pretty wild. The prominent feature of this mask is a scavenged lens assembly from a typical point n shoot style camera, which is still connected to its electronics so it can go through its off and self check functions. You cant see through it, but with moving parts and a red LED inside, it does create an awesome cyborg type appearance,
The movement of the lens assembly is triggered by a thermistor inside of the mask’s nose piece, warm air exhaled onto to it for a given period of time changes the resistance and is monitored by a micro controller, which seems to act like a toggle style switch.
While there is not a build log, parts list, or many details, the schematic is provided for you to look over if you want to try and make your own.
[youtube =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ12qboKwTY&w=450] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "336691",
"author": "Velkro Smaak",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T14:24:24",
"content": "So, it doesn’t have a screen in it so that you can see through the lens? Is that for V2.0?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336713",
"author":... | 1,760,377,273.347181 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/nes-paul-game-controller/ | NES Paul Game Controller | Mike Nathan | [
"Musical Hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks"
] | [
"games",
"guitar",
"nes"
] | [NeoTechni] wrote in to share the
new game peripheral she built
, dubbed the NES Paul. The ultimate goal of the project was to build a NES-styled controller for an upcoming game she is working on, tentatively titled 8-bit Hero. The guitar is constructed primarily from wood, as well as some scrounged bits she had around the house. An Xbox 360 controller was dismantled and wired to provide input for the guitar’s buttons and D-Pad. Even the Xbox controller’s rumble packs were used in order to provide visual feedback of missed notes via LED tuning pegs on the guitar’s headstock.
The writeup is broken into several pieces as it was put together in a handful of Google Buzz posts, but it is still relatively easy to follow. We can’t wait to see how the project comes together once the game portion has been completed. | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "336718",
"author": "Steve Pomeroy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T15:08:18",
"content": "I believe this is what we call: totally sweet.8-bit 4eva!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336732",
"author": "stillinbeta",
"timestamp":... | 1,760,377,272.753099 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/xprotolab-oscilloscope-and-xmega-development-board/ | Xprotolab: Oscilloscope And Xmega Development Board | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"atxmega32a4",
"AVR",
"oscilloscope",
"xmega",
"xprotolab"
] | Here’s a nice
hands-on overview of the Xprotolab
, a development board based around the AVR
ATxmega32A4
microcontroller.
The tiny DIP package
includes an OLED display, four tactile switches, and it can be powered via a micro USB connector. The device ships ready to use as a two-channel Oscilloscope, but check out how small it is in the video after the break to decide if this will actually be useful for you. It’s not that it doesn’t have a lot of features, in fact it’s packed with them, but that screen is quite small for meaningful work. Still, at $35 it’s an inexpensive way to get your hands on the hardware and acquaint yourself with this line of microprocessors. Not that in order to flash new firmware you will need a PDI capable programmer.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q22tB7C-bMg&w=470]
[Thanks Daniel] | 27 | 27 | [
{
"comment_id": "336172",
"author": "Bill D. Williams",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T23:29:01",
"content": "Looks great.I wish the Arduino came with a OLED! That’s actaully really handy for debug/prototyping.Hey arduino, it’s time to step up your game.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"rep... | 1,760,377,272.869876 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/motion-tracking-prop-from-alien/ | Motion Tracking Prop FromAlien | Mike Szczys | [
"gps hacks"
] | [
"alien",
"gps",
"motion",
"prop"
] | [Erv Plecter] likes to recreate movie props that actually work. This time around
he’s making the motion detector device from the original
Alien
movie. You’ll immediately remember this prop after seeing and hearing it in the video after the break.
For our money, the most brilliant part of that movie was the use of rhythmic sounds to boost the intensity of the tension in the viewer. [Erv]’s build captures that feeling, with the steady beat of sonar and the rising pitch of a ping as an object moves towards you. The device can easily track your own movement, as it contains both a GPS module and an electronic compass. He mentions that there is a motion sensor as well, but is a bit vague about how that part of the build works. Still, it’s a nice little piece which looks great despite not being quite finished yet. | 24 | 24 | [
{
"comment_id": "336114",
"author": "Doktor Jeep",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T22:07:37",
"content": "Game over man, game over!!!!Hudson!!!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336124",
"author": "Sam",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T22:23:32",
"c... | 1,760,377,272.929868 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/model-rocket-radio-telemetry/ | Model Rocket Radio Telemetry | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"radio",
"rocket",
"telemetry"
] | [Ken] sent us his Instructable in which he used radio telemetry to
monitor the status of his air-powered model rocket through a series of launches
. His setup is centered around an Arduino IDE-compatible board that looks to be about the size of a Boarduino, but has the benefit of an embedded 915 MHz radio module. The vendor he used also sells a good handful of add-on modules which he used for his in-flight recording, including a barometric pressure monitor and a 3-axis accelerometer. During flight, the rocket constantly sends data to a base station, provided it stays within radio operating range.
For is initial tests, [Ken] launched his rocket four times, getting usable data on half of them. He found out some interesting things about his model rocket, including the fact that it creates a maximum launch force of 60 Gs. He has plans to revise his setup in the future, such as lightening the battery load as well as adding a high-G analog sensor for recording the forces at take off. This kit, or a more reasonably priced clone, would make for a great addition to any rocket buff’s inventory. | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "336055",
"author": "hexmonkey",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T21:12:19",
"content": "Would a stripped-down Chronos watch work for this?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "336116",
"author": "Liam",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T22:09... | 1,760,377,273.022378 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/more-ambient-lighting-monitor-hacks/ | More Ambient Lighting Monitor Hacks | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"ambilight",
"amblone",
"phillips",
"transistor"
] | [Christian Pigeon’s] first big project was to build this
ambient light system for his computer monitor
. This is based on the same concept as the Phillips Ambilight system which illuminates the area behind a television to match the color on the edges of the screen.
We’ve seen clones before
, but this is the first one we’ve come across
based on Amblone
.
With Amblone as a starting point [Christian] modified the code to work with the Arduino Duemilanove which has fewer PWM channels than its bigger brother, the Arduino Mega. No word on where he acquired the RGB LED strips that provide the illumination, but the driver boards are just protoboard with groups of resistors and transistors to switch the diodes on and off. Check out the video after the break to see effects he achieves with this setup.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GubwmI5KR64&w=470] | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "335997",
"author": "Mohonri",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T20:17:20",
"content": "I just had an idea for a purely analog version of this. Tap into a VGA cable, run each color channel through an integrating op-amp, and use the output of the op-amps to drive the LEDs. Sure, it doesn’t h... | 1,760,377,273.138986 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/fingertip-heart-rate-monitor/ | Fingertip Heart Rate Monitor | Chris Nelson | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"fingertip",
"heart rate",
"infrared",
"pic"
] | [Embedded lab] has a nice
tutorial on building your own heart rate monitor
. The monitor works by shining infrared light into the fingertip and looking at the changes in the reflected infrared signal caused by a heartbeat. The IR detector produces a very small AC signal so a couple of op-amps are used to filter and amplify the signal. The output of the filter circuit is then read in by a PIC16F628A, which counts the beats and displays it on a seven segment display. This might be a good project to try if you’ve got your microcontrollers down and you are looking to learn some analog electronics. Its noted at the end that the two main problems with building a circuit like this are going to be cross talk and adjusting the filters. The infrared diode and receiver should be close to each other to allow maximum reflection but you also need to make sure that you don’t allow the emitter to shine directly into the detector because the reflected light will be drowned out by the bright emitter.
[via
make
] | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "335961",
"author": "st2000",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T19:24:34",
"content": "You came this far, you might as well take the next step. I understand that if you also do the same w/visible light then look at the difference between the infrared and visible detectors you can infer blood... | 1,760,377,273.39455 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/19/bluetooth-tomy-omnibot-hack/ | Bluetooth Tomy Omnibot Hack | Mike Nathan | [
"Robots Hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"bluetooth",
"robot",
"servo"
] | [DJ Sures] sent us
his most recent hack
, and it’s one that is sure to please those who enjoy a good dose of 80’s nostalgia. He located a Tomy Omnibot on eBay and snatched it up immediately. While he was waiting for it to arrive, he planned out what he would add to it once it showed up at his door. Once the robot was delivered, he cleaned it up, painted it, then got down to business.
The original robot had no ability to move its arms or head, so he immediately added servos to enable those actions. A wireless camera was inserted between the Omnibot’s eyes, and a wireless mic was mounted in his chest. He has also added some features found in his previous projects, such as voice recognition, visual recognition, voice synthesis, and the ability to remotely control the bot. He plans on adding an ultrasonic ping sensor and IR floor sensors in the near future. This is a great build so far, and it sounds like he has plenty more in store.
Be sure to stick around for a video of the robot in action, and if you are interested in some of [DJ Sures’] previous work,
check
these
out
as well.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPcgoNBsedU&w=470] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "337608",
"author": "ali",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T19:33:08",
"content": "I must say that the bot is cute! :D",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337613",
"author": "Gilliam",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T19:41:55",
"content... | 1,760,377,273.543467 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/19/emulating-oric-1-floppy-disk-hardware/ | Emulating Oric-1 Floppy Disk Hardware | Mike Szczys | [
"classic hacks",
"computer hacks"
] | [
"cpld",
"emulation",
"floppy",
"oric atmos",
"oric-1",
"pic"
] | This device is called the
Cumulus and it’s used to emulate the floppy disk
hardware for
Oric-1 and Oric Atmos
computers. These 1980’s era computers included an expansion slot to which you could connect a floppy drive. That module, called a Microdisc system, also included the driver circuit which means you can’t just use a modern-day floppy drive as a replacement. [Retromaster] sidestepped the need for magnetic media all together by building an SD card interface which emulates the original module. We can tell by the use of a color screen and clean board layout that a lot of love went into the project. A CPLD implements the communications protocol used by the Microdisc system and creates all of the registers that would have been found on the original hardware. A PIC takes care of the SD card communications and the user interface.
With the exception of
comforting noises
, we’d bet there are few who have fond memories of using floppy disks. No wonder we’ve been seeing
hacks to replace them
quite a bit lately. | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "337604",
"author": "DeKay",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T19:26:26",
"content": "Nice. He also has a really good writeup of his PCB fabrication techniques that are well worth a read also.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337794",
... | 1,760,377,273.735638 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/19/measure-earths-rotation-with-playstation-move/ | Measure Earth’s Rotation With PlayStation Move | Mike Szczys | [
"classic hacks",
"Playstation Hacks"
] | [
"earth",
"gyroscope",
"move",
"turntable"
] | This somewhat odd-looking
apparatus is being used to measure earth’s rotation
. At the heart of the system is a PlayStation Move controller, used because of its dual-axis gyroscope which has the highest dynamic range compared to other available products like the Wii Motion Plus. It rests on a column perched atop a record player that was chosen because of its precision rotation rate. The two rings that flank the controller make up a
Helmholtz coil
which is used to cancel out the earth’s magnetic field which was found to be interfering with measurements taken by the Move controller. By recording data over time the experimenter can prove that the earth is indeed rotating, as well as ascertain longitude data and find true north. Check out the data-packed video after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkYWRgQmBKE&w=470] | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "337564",
"author": "Truth",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T17:17:46",
"content": "Truly Brilliant",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337565",
"author": "Alcyone",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T17:17:59",
"content": "Geekiest exper... | 1,760,377,273.688861 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/19/plug-in-module-lies-about-news-at-coffee-shops-real-or-fake/ | Plug-in Module Lies About News At Coffee Shops. Real Or Fake? | Mike Szczys | [
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"arp",
"linux",
"man-in-the-middle",
"newstweek"
] | [Mike] sent in a tip about Newstweek, and we’re turning to our readers to tell us if this is real or if we’re being trolled.
The link he sent us
points to a well-written news-ish article about a device that plugs into the wall near an open WiFi hotspot and performs something of a man-in-the-middle attack on devices connected to the access point. The article describes the device above as it observes, then spoofs the ARP table of the wireless network in order to inject fake news stories in pages you are reading. Apparently once it boots, the small box phones home for commands from its maker over a TOR connection.
The box reminds us of the
Sheevaplug
so it’s not the hardware that makes us question the possibility of the device. But look at the Linux terminal screen readout. It shows a prompt with the word ‘newstweek’ in it. That’s the address of the site the article is hosted on, giving us a strong sense of being trolled.
What do you think, real or fake? Let us know (and why you think that) in the comments. | 60 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "337515",
"author": "egasimus",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T15:38:57",
"content": "http://vagueterrain.net/content/2011/01/newstweek-network-permeability-and-headline-hacking",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337516",
"author": "C... | 1,760,377,273.629564 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/19/stackable-macro-photography-rig/ | Stackable Macro Photography Rig | Mike Szczys | [
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"macro",
"optical drive",
"PICAXE",
"stepper",
"zerene"
] | When taking macro photographs you lose a lot of clarity due to a reduced depth of field. One way to get sharp pictures is to take multiple shots at slightly different distances from the subject and then stack them into one image. There’s software to do this for you, but you still need a set pictures to start with. [Dsvilko] built this setup to
easily capture a set of macro images
.
He’s using the internals from an optical drive as a sled to carry the subject. A PICAXE drives the stepper motor that moves the carriage, which takes input from an IR remote control. This turns out to be a fantastic method as the sled can move in 0.2mm increments. After he’s got his set of images he uses
Zerene
to stack them together.
Bonus points to [Dsvilko] who used Linux command line tools to edit together the demonstration video embedded after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeXjpZpaZns&w=470]
[Thanks Twopartepoxy] | 14 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "337501",
"author": "Bill D. Williams",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T14:39:15",
"content": "Here’s more info and few more samples.http://www.diyphotography.net/create-an-automated-macro-rails-for-image-stacking",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comm... | 1,760,377,273.99036 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/hard-drive-password-recovery/ | Hard Drive Password Recovery | Mike Szczys | [
"Security Hacks"
] | [
"mhdd",
"password",
"pata",
"sata"
] | Here’s a guide for
recovering protection passwords from ATA hard drives
(
translated
). These passwords are stored in a special area of the hard disk that also contains the firmware for the device. Normally you can’t get at them but [Supersonic] walks us through a method used to grab the data off of a Western Digital Scorpio drive. Booting into a program called MHDD you are able to bypass the BIOS (which won’t allow you to read protected data) and directly drive the SATA or PATA controller on your motherboard. Once you’ve dumped the data it can be viewed with a HEX editor, and if you know where to look you can grab the passwords that are locking the disk.
This reminds us of some of the original Xbox hacks which used a variety of methods to unlock the stock hard disk. | 23 | 18 | [
{
"comment_id": "337094",
"author": "Andrew Parting",
"timestamp": "2011-02-19T00:30:00",
"content": "Oh that is painfully poorly designed(the password protection).Great tut though.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337151",
"author": "NatureT... | 1,760,377,273.939322 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/18/hacking-teddy-ruxpin/ | Hacking Teddy Ruxpin | Mike Szczys | [
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"ez-builder",
"servo",
"teddy ruxpin"
] | [DJ Sures] got his hands on a broken Teddy Ruxpin doll and
decided to give it a new robotic life
. You may want to ask the children to leave the room before viewing the video after the break. It starts right off with little Teddy having his throat slashed in order to get at the parts in the head. After retrofitting the eyes, mouth, neck, and arms with servos, Teddy gets a Bluetooth upgrade that lets you control his movements wirelessly. [DJ Sures] even has plans to get the little guy up and walking, far exceeding the original capabilities. | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "337026",
"author": "dmcbeing",
"timestamp": "2011-02-18T23:21:01",
"content": "For some wierd reason i wanted to see the bear spin it head 180 degrees (ala Excoricist).Cool project :D",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "337027",
... | 1,760,377,273.878704 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/black-rock-city-navigator/ | Black Rock City Navigator | Kevin Dady | [
"gps hacks"
] | [
"burning man"
] | Only a little bit out of season but better late than never! [Scott] brings us his
Black Rock City Navigator
. This unique bike mounted GPS device made for Burning Man 2010 features a servo driven array of LEDs. Two LED strips are used to cover the full 240 degrees of the C shaped city without modifying the servo, and are rotated over the different compass points.
It is powered by a pair of Freescale MC9S08AW32 micro controllers, and a unnamed GPS receiver. One controller deals with the servo and GPS data, the second simply drives the LEDs, and why not if you have plenty?
Housing the device is a four inch black sewer pipe end cap with a ball clamp attached, and is toped off with green acrylic engraved with the map of Black Rock City. Add some stickers (because stickers make everything better) and you have a functional device with a top-notch look for this year’s event. | 4 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "334726",
"author": "Mike Szczys",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T15:24:03",
"content": "That’s super awesome. It’s always the initial idea that is the hardest to come up with, good job!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334746",
"au... | 1,760,377,274.029034 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/the-wandering-arduinobot/ | The Wandering Arduinobot | Mike Szczys | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"ir",
"range finder",
"servo"
] | You almost have to love
this Arduino based robot
just because of the wheels and third leg support. Look closely, do you recognize them? Yep, they’re Capsela parts! That’s a blast from the past and we wonder why we don’t see the strange building toys of yore used in more hacks?
But we digress, this little
bugger
guy uses continuous rotation servos for locomotion. Perched atop the body is a third servo which scans an IR range finder back and forth to look out for obstacles in its path. The body itself is a Black and Decker rechargeable battery pack called Pocket Power which includes a USB port for a regulated 5V supply. One thing’s for sure, this little guy is fantastic at avoiding pizza and beer… you’ll just have to see for yourself after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo9m5PXjKks&w=470] | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "334687",
"author": "Andy7",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T14:18:28",
"content": "OMG! Capsela was awesome – I wonder where all mine went.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334688",
"author": "Velkro Smaak",
"timestamp": "2011-0... | 1,760,377,274.091129 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/ski-pole-persistence-of-vision/ | Ski Pole Persistence Of Vision | Mike Szczys | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"ATmega168",
"pole",
"POV",
"ski"
] | [Powder4u] wanted to make a persistence of vision display for his bicycle but with 50 cm of snow on the ground it’s hard to get out and ride right now. Instead he made
this persistence of vision ski-pole accessory
. We asked him to share some details and he obliged. It’s made using an Arduino compatible ATmega168, LEDs with resistors, and installed on some protoboard. The enclosure is a clear pencil case, which isn’t water tight but he’s tried to bolster that with some creative scotch tape placement. There’s no sensor to detect which direction the board is moving in so displaying alpha-numeric messages will have some issues, but as you can see
he managed to display image data
without issue.
We’re used to night skiing with floodlights along the slopes. This would be a fun little thing to have along with you on those dark lift rides. | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "334644",
"author": "FoxxCommand",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T13:15:54",
"content": "Utter win.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334655",
"author": "Phil",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T13:35:30",
"content": "Love it.",
"... | 1,760,377,274.185119 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/a-z-of-electronics-capacitors/ | A-Z Of Electronics – Capacitors | Mike Nathan | [
"News"
] | [
"beginner",
"capacitor",
"Jeri"
] | [Jeri Ellsworth] recently released another video in her “A-Z of Electronics” series – this time
Capacitors are the subject
. As a penance for my
boneheaded AC Capacitor suggestion yesterday
(I swear it was lack of sleep talking), [Caleb] suggested that I be the one to write this article. Since I’m not an electrical engineer (I majored in Comp Sci), I enjoy watching these videos, and I share them with individuals who are new to electronics. [Jeri] always presents the subject matter in a clear and concise manner, so the subjects do not seem daunting or intimidating.
She briefly discusses the early development of capacitors, including Leyden Jars, then focuses on modern capacitors and their usage. She covers wiring capacitors in circuits, demonstrating the difference between series and parallel configurations, as well as how electrode distance affects capacitance.
If you have a spare minute, be sure to check out her current video as well as those
she has previously released
. | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "334247",
"author": "jukus",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T00:15:39",
"content": "this girl is on a mission <3, I hope technology teachers are using these videos in schools..",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334269",
"author": "str... | 1,760,377,274.144434 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/dotklok/ | DOTKLOK | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"clock hacks"
] | [
"dotklok"
] | [Andrew] is showing off his latest creation, an
LED matrix clock
, which he is calling “DOTKLOK”. The clock is powered by an atmega328 micro controller with a real time clock module keeping the time. The display is made out of a grid of 8×8 LED matrices giving it a resolution of 24×16, and is all housed in an attractive acrylic housing.
The clock animations are inspired by classic video games such as Pong, Tetris, Pacman, and Space Invaders. Since the software is open, it is easy to jump into the Arduino source and add or modify animations to suit your taste, or even use the clock as a custom display for non clock related applications.
Available as a kit or fully assembled if youre needing a gift for that special nerdy someone. If you would like to go it alone, source, schematics, pcb, and enclosure files are available along with a bill of materials.
Join us after the break to see a short video of this fun clock in action
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/19947676
w=450] | 27 | 26 | [
{
"comment_id": "334113",
"author": "echodelta",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T21:56:31",
"content": "Animations, aaddadhd inducing nonsense. A clock that could display minutes after the current hour and minutes till next hour at the same time would be cool. Seconds too, possibly with animated dot rotati... | 1,760,377,274.308253 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/screamer-doll-prank-toy/ | Screamer Doll Prank Toy | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"555 timer",
"prank"
] | While it is only the middle of February, it might be a good time to start thinking about your plans for April Fool’s day. [Dino’s]
Screamer Doll
is his submission to the upcoming
555 Contest
. This fun little circuit can be used to easily annoy your cube or house mates and is perfect for all of the April Fool’s day pranksters out there. He fit all the components into a small plastic toy, replacing the eyes and mouth of the doll with three photo cells, and swapping the nose out for a bright LED. When light hits the photo cells, a loud high-pitched squeal is emitted, and the LED blinks furiously until the light source is removed. Shielding the device from light will cause both the sound and LED to slow down, but the brightness of the LED ensures that the toy still makes noise when covered.
It would be great to see a version of this project that is completely silent in the dark, allowing it to be hidden at night, greeting its victims come morning.
If you want to see video of the device in action, read on – just be sure to keep your speaker volume at a reasonable level!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2o8shevoJw&w=470] | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "334076",
"author": "sdqpub",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T20:20:03",
"content": "Hes screaming backwards. He calms down when light is blocked. Should be the other way around.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334085",
"author": "J... | 1,760,377,274.355954 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/learn-to-debug-msp430-chips-using-iar/ | Learn To Debug Msp430 Chips Using IAR | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"debugging",
"iar",
"launchpad",
"msp430"
] | If you haven’t done any debugging with microcontroller programs [Kphlight] posted
a follow-along guide for debugging MSP430
chips. You can see above that he’s using the TI Launchpad and has chosen the free (but code limited) IAR Embedded Workbench that is one of the IDE’s that TI provides for the kit. The example builds a Pomodoro timer with just five LEDs and one resistor. You’ll flash the code to the chip, step through each line of the firmware, and learn how to manipulate register data during code execution.
It’s a great primer for the uninitiated, and we’d love to see one using open-source tools like DDD and GDB. If you do write one, don’t forget to
send us a tip about it
. If you want to give open source a try with this hardware
check out our own tutorial
. | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "334005",
"author": "corp769",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T19:14:01",
"content": "Loving the picture with the paper clip!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334043",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T19:35:21",
"co... | 1,760,377,274.398844 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/38-khz-ir-communications-tutorial/ | 38 KHz IR Communications Tutorial | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"18F452",
"infrared",
"ir",
"pic"
] | Learning about how infrared remote controls work is a great way to expand your electronics knowledge. That’s because this technology is invisible to our eye, and happening faster than we can comprehend without help from test equipment.
This tutorial over at Pyroelectro
talks about the theory behind how the data is transferred and shows you how to build a couple of circuits to experiment with and communicate through infrared light transmissions.
Instead of going with an IR receiver module you’ll build your own using a photo-transistor and an operational amplifier. The Opamp is used to amplify and invert the signal picked up from the IR transmission of a common home entertainment remote control. From there the digital signal is read by a PIC 18F452 microcontroller for processing. But if you want to use a different microcontroller there’s still more than enough usable information to get you across the finish line. | 14 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "335169",
"author": "Stryker",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T23:20:51",
"content": "THis is wonderful, I’ve been trying to figure out how this stuff works… (I mean I know the basics and all but I don’t have an oscilloscope [and I’m too cheap to get one] so I’ve been somewhat stumped.)",
... | 1,760,377,274.523658 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/voice-controlled-rolling-robot/ | Voice-controlled Rolling Robot | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"atmega",
"robot",
"voice control"
] | [societyofrobots] recently posted an Instructable on how to build a
voice controlled robot
in just a few hours time. This robot isn’t particularly cheap, weighing in at about $230, but it is a fun project if you have the means. The bot is driven around by a pair of servos, taking their directions from an Axon II MCU. A VRbot voice recognition module is used to listen for commands, enabling the user to record up to 32 custom triggers for directing the robot.
All of the source code for the robot is included, as well as instructions on how to get started programing the microcontroller. The code provides some basic functionality, but there’s likely plenty more that can be done with the powerful on-board ATmega460. While this robot would make for a great beginner/intermediate project as-is, it should be noted that [societyofrobots] manufactures and sells the Axon II, so this Instructable is half guide/half self-promotion. Have any of you had experience with the Axon II? Let us know what you think.
Keep reading to see a video of the build process as well as the robot doing its thing.
Thanks, [Bill Porter].
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUkLd2MncHg&w=470] | 13 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "335025",
"author": "zool",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T21:46:39",
"content": "thai fighterheh jk jk jk",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335037",
"author": "Ib",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T21:54:08",
"content": "what happen... | 1,760,377,274.794121 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/junkyard-fish-tank/ | Junkyard Fish Tank | Mike Szczys | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"aquarium",
"filter",
"plastic bottle",
"polystyrene"
] | So your house looks like a dumping ground for useless junk? Yeah, we know it’s the hacker’s curse… you just can’t stop salvaging stuff. But follow [Pontazy69’s] lead by building something useful out of that junk. He took an old polystyrene box and
made it into this fishtank
. You can see that the sides and back of the box has gone unaltered, but the front wall is missing. [Pontazy69] marked and cut straight lines while leaving a lip around the edge. Silicone was used to glue some acrylic (or perhaps glass?) to the inside of this lip. Once dried he added another bead around the outside to ensure it doesn’t leak. Few fish would be happy here without some type of filter so he built one of those out of an old plastic bottle and some other pieces. See videos that show you how to build both the tank and the filter after the break.
We love aquarium hacks almost as much as clock hacks. So check out the
water exchange system
, and a couple of
different
lighting
systems
. Then document your own aquarium projects and
let us know about them
.
Fish tank made from polystyrene
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac3SVHpuPhw&w=470]
Plastic bottle fish tank filter
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h02dIBLVQ8&w=470]
[Thanks Greg] | 9 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "335006",
"author": "jordan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T21:32:05",
"content": "yes hacking and re-purposing is great, but i will stick to store-bought aquariums…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335102",
"author": "joe hosman",... | 1,760,377,274.739738 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/printing-your-own-guitar-parts/ | Printing Your Own Guitar Parts | Mike Szczys | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"3d print",
"guitar",
"zoybar"
] | The white parts that make up
the body contours of this guitar have been 3D printed
to meet [Bård S D’s] personal specifications. He started
designing the pieces
last year to add to his Zoybar guitar. Each of the three parts has its own function. The tail piece serves as a floor stand, as well as a hook for hanging the instrument upside down. The wide piece at the top gives the player a place to rest the forearm, and the piece at the bottom serves as a cradle to place on your leg, and contains the jack for the guitar’s pickup. You can see him playing the instrument in the video after the break.
We looked for more information on
the Zoybar system
but it’s a bit hard to get the facts from that website. We know that the 6-string kit comes standard without frets, and it’ll cost you a pretty penny at around $700. But if it performs as a quality instrument the price isn’t too far out of line.
[youtube=http://vimeo.com/19923712 w=470] | 20 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "334925",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T19:49:10",
"content": "Would be better with a more curvy looking “stand”. it doesn’t flow with the rest of the instrument.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334927",
"author"... | 1,760,377,274.650052 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/guitar-mounted-camera-documents-your-guitar-hero-ness/ | Guitar-mounted Camera Documents Your Guitar Hero-ness | Mike Szczys | [
"digital cameras hacks",
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"camera mount",
"guitar hero"
] | [The Longhorn Engineer] wanted to record some of his virtual shredding sessions so he built this
camera mount for a Guitar Hero controller
. It holds the camera about a foot below the bottom of the controller, pointing up at the guitar and its player. Since the camera is held tightly to the guitar this produces an interesting effect of movement in the background while the foreground is completely stationary. He set out to complete the build using just one piece of acrylic and some fasteners but added an aluminum support piece because the prototype had a bit too much flex to it. The video after the break walks you through the design, the build process, and finishes with a test run.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IomxB9fPiwQ&w=470] | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "334894",
"author": "vonskippy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T19:28:48",
"content": "Nice build instructions but Bwahahahahahaha all that time to record someone PRETENDING to have a real skill. Luckily Activision has killed off that music masturbation scam.",
"parent_id": null,
... | 1,760,377,274.689591 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/arduino-fart-o-meter/ | Arduino-Fart-O-Meter | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"chemistry hacks"
] | [
"fart meter"
] | [robomaniac] shows us some serious application of modern technology with his recent Instructable, (the)
Arduino-Fart-O-Meter
. The wireless device uses a “perfboard Arduino” to read a remote wired methane sensor, and send data over a nRF2401A radio transceiver.
“The data” is picked up by another Arduino / transceiver combo, which then drives a servo motor connected to the pointer. The meter itself consists of 6 ranges from “Fresh Air” to “Liquid” so there is no doubt in your standing.
The wireless and remote sensor setup makes this an easy device to include into your loved ones chairs while having the meter far enough away (just in case you have to make a run for it). If you want some more accuracy check out the
Fart intensity detector
we posted about, which adds in temperature and sound to the equation, or how about a chair that
twitters your toots
?
Join us after the break for a quick video, its a real gas.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv8-mPuJaQ0&w=450] | 24 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "334801",
"author": "Bergo",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T17:37:14",
"content": "But does it post the results to twitter? *eye roll*",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334825",
"author": "Juls",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T18:12:07... | 1,760,377,274.909991 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/long-range-laser-night-vision/ | Long-range Laser Night-vision | Mike Szczys | [
"digital cameras hacks",
"Laser Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"infrared",
"ir",
"laser",
"night vision",
"scope"
] | [Oneironaut] is back at it again, churning out yet another great hack in this
long-distance night vision build
. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen him build a night vision device, you may remember
the monocle he put together
using the view finder from an old camcorder. This time around he’ll give you look at distant object by using a laser instead of LEDs. He pulled an IR laser diode out of an old CD burner, then used a lens to spread out the dot in order to illuminate a larger area. A standard rifle scope is used as the optics, along with a security camera which can detect the infrared light. As always, he’s done a fantastic job with the images and the write-up. You’ll find his overview video embedded after the break. | 24 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "334756",
"author": "John",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T16:25:17",
"content": "a) That music was annoying as hell.b) He’s talking like he’s trying to sell it.c) Cool stuff, and his build writeup was awesome. Much better than the video.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"repli... | 1,760,377,274.848879 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/nimbus-the-wall-following-robot/ | Nimbus, The Wall-following Robot | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"autonomous",
"proximity sensor"
] | [Johannes] sent in the latest iteration of an ongoing project –
Nimbus, the wall-follwing robot
. Originally operating on a cardboard frame, the robot has undergone
several
revisions
as you can see by reading through his blog. Nimbus started out as a simple, Arduino-powered robot, but the project has progressed nicely over time. The last revision simply avoided walls, using a Sharp IR proximity sensor to detect, then avoid obstacles. The most recent model sports a nice polycarbonate frame as well as two additional IR proximity sensors, allowing Nimbus to navigate quite well, following walls and avoiding obstacles with ease. It does get caught up from time to time on carpets and wires, but overall Nimbus is a great little robot. [Johannes] even added a small RGB status LED for the bottom of the bot, communicating its navigation status to the operator at all times. This is done by flashing various colors when objects have been discovered or have moved out of sight – it’s a really novel addition.
Keep reading for a video of Nimbus navigating his way around, and don’t forget to check out the
Nimbus photo stream
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyHDMOdN6TY&w=470] | 4 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "333960",
"author": "rasz",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T18:18:21",
"content": "Content from EMI, cant embed video",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "334075",
"author": "Kiwi",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T20:17:51",
"content": ... | 1,760,377,275.043619 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/wwiis-top-cryptography-comes-to-a-childs-toy/ | WWII’s Top Cryptography Comes To A Child’s Toy | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Security Hacks",
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"cryptography",
"enigma machine"
] | This toy has some
upgraded internals that turn it into an Enigma machine
. We absolutely love the idea, as it takes a toy that your child may have grown out of, and uses it to provide teachable moments dealing with both history and mathematics. But who are we kidding? We want to make one just because it’s a fun project.
[Sketch] grabbed this toy from a thrift store because it has a full keyboard that he can use to make his own machine. It’s powered by an Arduino, with a four-line character LCD display taking the place of the original. His post covers the methods he used to figure out the keyboard wiring, and also contains a cursory overview of how the
Enigma Machine
functions. See a video of the finished project after the break.
If this wet your appetite, also
check out the paper Enigma Machine
we covered during Hackaday’s first year.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STRc6xCTAIc&w=470] | 12 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "333913",
"author": "Chris",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T17:12:01",
"content": "Its a hilarious idea that a child’s toy can be transformed into the NAZI’s ultimate code machine… good job",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "2941062",
... | 1,760,377,274.95477 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/inexpensive-robot-platform-combines-mass-produced-parts/ | Inexpensive Robot Platform Combines Mass-produced Parts | Mike Szczys | [
"Linux Hacks",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"create",
"irobot",
"Kinect",
"robotic operating system",
"ros"
] | Meet
Bilibot, a modular robot
that aims to lower the cost of entry for robotic tinkerers. It combines the Kinect, the iRobot Create, and an Ubuntu box running ROS using some laser cut mounting brackets. These are relatively inexpensive components but the most exciting thing is that there’s already a slew of example out there that use this hardware. For instance, we looked in on
ROS body tracking
in January that can be directly plucked and used with this hardware. You’ll recognize the base as the iRobot create which was used in
video chat robot from last week
. The brains of the operation come in a choice of three Linux boxes – two headless and one laptop – which have
ROS
pre-installed. Watch the open-source autonomy as it tools around the office in the video after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFVNrkd3JJU&w=470]
[Thanks David via
Hizook
] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "333891",
"author": "GameboyRMH",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T16:39:17",
"content": "This should make it cheap and easy to build a telepresence robot. This has pretty much all the hardware ready-to-go, just add software. It should even be possible to get stereoscopic video from this thi... | 1,760,377,275.001087 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/super-brite-led-snakers/ | Super Brite LED Sneakers | Kevin Dady | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"led shoes"
] | [i am jen] needed to spice up some shoes, and what better way to do that, than to
spike them out in LEDs controlled by a micro controller
. In order to make the LED strips, an inventive use of Velcro is applied. One half of the strip is secured to the shoes, while the other half gets a sheet of electrical tape on the sticky side. Small holes are then punched though the strip and the LEDs are then soldered.
Electronicswise the shoes are using a pair of 6 volt batteries, with no readily available holder, a “AA” battery holder is chopped to size and glued back together. Patterns are controlled by a
Really Bare Bones Board Arduino
, (which, even if your not an Arduino fan, is a cool little AVR breakout board for 28 pin chips) and cycles through different patterns using magnets and reed switches on the inside edges of the shoes.
Even if its not your style, check it out for a few good hacks and join us after the break for a short video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwDTeOsYF88&w=450] | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "333848",
"author": "Moggie100",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T15:25:26",
"content": "“Snakers”… ?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333852",
"author": "Wes",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T15:33:04",
"content": "They’re snakey!",... | 1,760,377,275.158896 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/ir-controlled-musical-alarm-clock/ | IR-controlled Musical Alarm Clock | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"ir",
"music",
"Teensy"
] | Forum user [Frank] shared with us his recent project,
a musical alarm clock
. More than just a simple alarm clock, his creation allows the user to load music onto a micro SD card, has alarm settings for each day of the week, and best of all, can be controlled using an IR remote. He uses a Teensy++ to control most of the clock’s functions including the display, delegating the time keeping to a DS1307 real-time clock. All of the audio playback is handled by a separate music decoder mounted on a breakout board.
His Instructables writeup
is extremely detailed, with tons of annotations, pictures, diagrams, and source code available. He walks through each step in detail, making this a great learning guide for others looking to start in on AVR programming.
His final presentation is a great lesson in recycling, though unfortunately a bit lackluster, as the clock is packaged in an old SparkFun cardboard box. He does mention that there were some time constraints towards the end, which may explain this choice – it would be nice to see a revised version of this clock packaged in a nice plexi case. | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "333843",
"author": "Scott",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T15:17:50",
"content": "DAMMIT!I was working on a project extremely similar to this. I thought it up in August, but have only really made headway lately. (Sadistic) MP3 playing alarm clock using an ATMEGA32A, VS1053, and an SD card... | 1,760,377,275.205682 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/15/shockingly-fun-quiz-game/ | Shockingly Fun Quiz Game | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks"
] | [
"disposable",
"flash",
"Joystick",
"quiz game",
"shock"
] | Gather your friends round the living room for
a head-to-head quiz game
. This one’s not quite as nice as you might think. Get an answer wrong and you’re going to
get the Venkman treatment
thanks to the stored electricity in a disposable camera flash circuit. [Israel] runs the game questions from a Windows machine, and uses a set of four USB joystick buzzers that let each contestant ring in. They all wear a cuff that houses electrodes for negative-reinforcement upon an incorrect answer. Since every contestant answers each question it won’t be long before you hear the uncomfortable yelp of failure from your guests. This seems a little bit more fair than
shocking people for not calming their minds
, but the video from that hack is still one of our all-time favorites. | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "333794",
"author": "DeadlyFoez",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T13:49:51",
"content": "sweet. I could adapt this for my kids. That will help keep them in line and I wont have to chase them with the taser anymore.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"com... | 1,760,377,275.280944 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/pactuator-mechanical-pac-man-frame/ | Pactuator: Mechanical Pac-Man Frame | James Munns | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"art",
"frame",
"game",
"man",
"pac",
"pac-man",
"video"
] | As a proof of concept for his long term work in progress “The Pac-Machina” (an electro-mechanical reimagining of a Pac-Man cabinet), [Jonathan] needed some way to make a
mechanical Pac-Man
, flappy jaw and all. After working through a couple different design possibilities, he decided on an interesting setup which includes using a cog with only half its teeth to make the mouth open and close. Unfortunately, NAMCO BANDAI has asked him nicely not to sell these as kits, but he has helpfully included just about all that is required to make one of these from scratch. [Jonathan] even cut and laser etched his own faux-Victorian frame to keep his proof of concept Pac-Man ready until needed for the main project. | 16 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "333314",
"author": "Random reader",
"timestamp": "2011-02-15T01:05:25",
"content": "wouldnt this spark more intrest into pacman uping there own profits? mhegrate work!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333328",
"author": "JC",... | 1,760,377,275.836034 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/your-first-digital-to-analog-converter-build/ | Your First Digital To Analog Converter Build | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"dac",
"r-2r",
"resistor ladder"
] | Have you ever built a Digital to Analog Converter before? This is a circuit that can take the 0 or 5V coming off of several digital logic pins, combine them together, and spit out one analog voltage that represents that value. If you’ve never made one, here’s your chance. [Collin Cunningham] over at Make put together another
lab video about DACs
which we’ve embedded after the break.
The circuit above uses an R-2R resistor network – often called a resistor ladder – which you can learn much more about from
the reference page
that [Collin] links to. Although a DAC in an IC package is by far the most commonly found application, we do see these
R-2R networks in audio hacks
from time to time.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-vUg7h0lpE&w=470] | 16 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "335912",
"author": "Ib",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T18:32:38",
"content": "Very clear and simple explanation!Thanks ;)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335937",
"author": "1337",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T19:00:33",
"con... | 1,760,377,275.406206 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/electronic-tolling-system/ | Electronic Tolling System | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Security Hacks"
] | [
"8051",
"rfid",
"t89c51",
"toll"
] | For us the hardest part of any project is coming up with the seminal idea. Once in a while you just need to cheat by recreating an existing product. That’s what EngineersGarage did with this
toll plaza project
. If you take a look around the various tabs at the top of that article you’ll see that they’ve used an 8051 microcontroller to bring together a character LCD, RFID reader, and a keypad. From there it’s a slew of coding to add the functionality for reading multiple tags, looking up stored value, and creating a replenishment system. Sure, it’s not really of much use in this form, but it’ll give you something to do with those shiny parts you have sitting around, and it might just lead you down a path to something more meaningful. As usual, there’s a demonstration video of this after the break.
If this doesn’t float your boat, perhaps this other
RFID access system
is more your thing.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVDjbcBp-fs&w=470] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "335874",
"author": "Abbott",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T17:39:11",
"content": "Interesting way to learn how to use the various pieces of gear that were laying around. A good method, too.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335953",
... | 1,760,377,275.449286 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/etching-panel-faces-on-the-cheap/ | Etching Panel Faces On The Cheap | Mike Szczys | [
"Laser Hacks"
] | [
"acrylic",
"etch",
"laser",
"panel"
] | [James] came up with a way to
make small numbers of high-contrast instrument panels
cheaply, and without too much labor. We’ll make with the bad news right away; you’re going to need a laser cutter to use this method. Traditionally, panels that look like the one above are etched onto special composite that has one color at the surface and a contrasting color beneath. [James] started with plain old acrylic, etched his labels, then filled the voids with black wax crayon. Just scribble all over the etched face to rub wax into the grooves, go through a couple of cleaning steps using
white spirit
, then bake the panel to even out and harden the wax layer. He’s got several examples of his work, including medallions that are used to label LED indicators. | 23 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "335779",
"author": "Ron",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T16:27:44",
"content": "This could also be done at lower resolution with a small CNC mill. Or, if you don’t have that, print what you want on laser labels, then use an X-acto knife to do the etching.",
"parent_id": null,
"dep... | 1,760,377,275.652424 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/propeller-platform-logic-analzyer/ | Propeller Platform Logic Analzyer | Kevin Dady | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"prop LA"
] | [Wulfden’s] new gadget is a
28 channel 3.3 volt digital logic analyzer
. Powered by a Parallax Propeller running at 100MHz (permitting a 10 nanosecond sampling rate), using all though hole parts, and open design so it is possible to whip up your own.
Data is collected and sent to a host computer running
Propalyzer
which looks to be a very nice logic analyzer front end, and sports all the needed features and a HP inspired design. The design of the board allows you to plug it on to any Propeller Platform board, and this is very handy for those who have other Propeller boards, though others will have to source a regulated 3.3 volt power supply, and serial converter.
Overall this looks to be a very handy tool to have around, whether you opt for the kit to use on your Propeller Platform boards or roll your own, the features and cost are very attractive if you need a logic analyzer.
Join us after the break for a quick introduction video by [Nick] (of Gadget Gangster)
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/19542703
w=450] | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "335764",
"author": "FightCube.com",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T15:55:49",
"content": "Now this looks AMAZINGLY USEFUL! Thanks for sharing!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335767",
"author": "Squirrel",
"timestamp": "2011-... | 1,760,377,275.513159 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/diy-fizzy-fruit/ | DIY Fizzy Fruit | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"carbonation",
"co2"
] | [Rich] over at Evil Mad Scientist Labs took it upon himself to make eating fruit a little more enjoyable for his kids by infusing it with CO2 using
his CO2inator
. Observing the same principles used in making soft drinks and force-carbed beer, he decided to build a CO2 pressure chamber for use in his kitchen. He gathered a handful of easy to find components to construct his rig, including a household water filter housing and a CO2 cylinder from a paintball gun. He has some helpful hints for those who are not familiar with the process, noting that refrigerated fruit absorbs the gas more quickly than warm, and that considering the water content of the fruit is important when selecting what to carbonate.
Once [Rich] had everything safely connected and checked for leaks, in went the fruit. After about half an hour to an hour, the fruit was carbonated, much to the delight of his children. This looks like a quick and fun project for adults and kids alike, that can easily fit into a busy weekend schedule.
[via Neatorama] | 37 | 36 | [
{
"comment_id": "335731",
"author": "Sterling",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T14:10:53",
"content": "Awesome. I can’t wait to get one of these built. Snack time is gonna rock.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335745",
"author": "RBR",
"times... | 1,760,377,275.909086 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/17/classicals-creates-hits-on-hardwares-greatest-flops/ | Classical’s Greatest Hits On Hardware’s Greatest Flops | Mike Szczys | [
"classic hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"18f14k50",
"bach",
"floppy",
"midi",
"pic",
"stepper motor",
"usb"
] | We get a lot of tips about old hardware playing recognizable tunes. But once in a while one of these projects goes above and beyond the others and
this is a shining example of great hardware music
. [FunToTheHead] put together a music video (embedded after the break) that shows his custom MIDI device playing Bach’s Toccata in d minor. He left some comments that clue us into the way he did it. Most obviously, he’s using the stepper motors from four floppy drives to create precisely pitched sounds. Internally, a PIC 18F14K50 acts as a MIDI-over-USB device, taking commands for all 128 MIDI notes as well as the pitch bends associated with them. The first four channels are played directly on each drive and the other twelve are triaged among the hardware by the microprocessor. But for the results heard in the video you’ll need to code your MIDI files by hand.
Bonus points to the video editor for the Phantom’s floppy-laden appearance in the video… it’s good to laugh!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmoDLyiQYKw&w=470]
[Thanks | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "335701",
"author": "turn.self.off",
"timestamp": "2011-02-17T13:24:27",
"content": "I will forever associate that melody with “the story of man”.Btw, love the sound of loading a 3.5″…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335703",
... | 1,760,377,275.711949 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/16/punch-tape-musical-synth/ | Punch Tape Musical Synth | Mike Nathan | [
"classic hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"555 timer",
"contest",
"synth"
] | [Jeri Ellsworth] sent over a 555 design contest entry that struck her as particularly interesting. The
Synthanola
is a three-channel music synthesizer that accepts input from an old Heathkit paper tape reader. While this hack might seem overly retro, it’s actually an extremely appropriate use of technology, as the Heathkit H-10 and the 555 timer were both popular tech in the 70’s. This retro-focused synth uses fourteen 555 timers, twelve of which are dedicated to synthesizing audio. If this entry does not win the contest, it certainly must be a strong contender for most 555 timers used.
[Thrashbarg] gives a detailed explanation of the logic used to drive the music playback from the punch tape, as well as full circuit diagrams for his entry. So far he has encoded MP3s of Bach’s Invention and Fugue in D Minor to tape, with hopefully more to come. In order to truly appreciate his efforts, the Synthanola should be seen as well as heard. Stick around for a pair of videos of the synth in action.
If you’re interested in seeing more 555 contest entries, be sure to check out some of our
previously
featured
projects
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyiECb2k7d8&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFlL5bFzc_A&w=470] | 26 | 26 | [
{
"comment_id": "335201",
"author": "zool",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T23:36:51",
"content": ":)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "335202",
"author": "Orinoko",
"timestamp": "2011-02-16T23:38:53",
"content": "I’ve actually saw this synth... | 1,760,377,275.776485 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/what-development-board-to-use-part-two/ | What Development Board To Use? (Part Two) | James Munns | [
"Parts"
] | [
"arduino",
"arm",
"board",
"cpld",
"dev",
"development",
"fpga",
"Leaf",
"linux",
"maple",
"mbed",
"microchip",
"nxp",
"parallax",
"pic",
"propeller",
"Renesas",
"router",
"RXN",
"Teensy"
] | We asked for responses to our last Development Board post, and you all followed through. We got comments, forum posts, and emails filled with your opinions. Like
last time
, there is no way we could cover every board, so here are a few more that seemed to be popular crowd choices. Feel free to keep sending us your favorite boards, we may end up featuring them at a later date!
The Popular:
Parallax Propeller:
We heard the loudest cries from the Parallax fans out there. The Propeller is a unique chip, in that it contains 8 cores called cogs which each take turns executing separate code. This design allows for disregarding of interrupt style programming in favor of assigning each core a specific task. There are a number of boards available, including
Gadget Gangster’s platform
as well as boards from
Parallax
. Thinking in terms of 8 cores rather than one may present a learning curve to some embedded programmers, though there are a number of code examples to pull from online to get beginners on their feet.
Atmel’s AT90USB and AT32U4 based boards:
Atmel’s AT90USB and ATmega32U4 chips are common on low part count boards like the
Teensy/Teensy++
because of their built-in hardware USB support, which means no FTDI or equivalent chip required. These development boards tend to be low-cost, easy to implement on a breadboard, and in cases such as the Teensy, are Arduino IDE
compatible
. The chips these boards are based on are also an excellent place for those trying their hand out at microcontroller circuit design for the first time because of their simplicity and low hardware requirements.
Microchip’s PIC line:
Somehow, we managed to leave the entire Microchip crowd in the cold last time. A popular set of microcontrollers with a similar market segment to Atmel’s chips, these chips vary from the low-end and low-cost 8-bit series to the higher end 16 and 32-bit models. We received a
good
number
of
development
board
recommendations
, all ranging in price, features, and ease of use. We’ll rely on comments and forum posts to help convince you what specific model to try.
[edit: Added the PicKit3 as per popular request]
The Powerful:
mbed:
Possibly one of the most popular hobby development boards for ARM’s Cortex-M3 chip, the mbed features a similar footprint to the Teensy, but with a huge jump forward in power. The mbed includes hardware for a number of peripherals, including support for ethernet with the addition of an RJ-45 port. The major difference between the mbed and other similar boards is the entirely web-based IDE. We have
previously reviewed
the
mbed
, so for more details be sure to check it out.
Renesas’ RX62N RDK:
Whenever a company
gives away
development boards for free, the community often jumps on the offer. Rather than the normal free barebones boards though, the RDK has a good number of on board peripherals, including an Ethernet port as well as a 3 axis accelerometer. Unfortunately you can’t get one for free anymore (at least not this contest), but from all we have heard from our readers, it may be worth
investing in
anyway.
The Maple:
The
Maple
from LeafLabs is an excellent example of the effect open hardware tools such as the Arduino have had on the hobbyist environment. Featuring an ARM Cortex-M3, the Maple has plenty of processing power and also can brag that it has the same header layout as the Arduino. This means that almost all commercially available Arduino shields will work on the Maple, a major selling point for anyone who has invested into a well stocked Arduino setup but needs an injection of performance.
Bonus Points:
OpenWRT based routers:
Often, projects need to be networked either by wire or wirelessly to operate as desired. Rather than buying a high-end development board with ethernet or Wi-Fi built-in, many readers suggested buying (or salvaging) any one of a number of low-cost wireless routers, and installing a custom linux based firmware on them. These boards often tend to have UARTs or USB ports originally meant for debugging available for expansion with sensors or other low-end microcontrollers. A hack in the true sense of the word, we applaud this sort of creativity. Some popular firmwares to check out would include
DD-WRT
,
OpenWRT
, and the
Tomato firmware
. Be sure to make sure support exists for your device before you go buying anything though.
FPGA boards:
When we set out to cover development boards, we had microcontrollers in mind. However when it comes to signal processing, custom high-speed logic, or flexibility, FPGAs are an excellent choice. The two major players for hobbyists these days are Xilinx with their
Spartan
line, and Altera with their
Cyclone
line. Both companies offer their IDE for free
,
and it comes down to personal preference when choosing which way to go. Both companies also support SoC designs to implement virtual microcontrollers on the FPGA, which adds an additional layer of flexibility for any hobbyist or engineer. Chances are, most hobbyists will not need the performance of cutting edge FPGAs (or
CPLD
s), so keep an eye out for older development boards on sale, or development boards made by third parties.
Build your own:
Although it may appear as a sort of “Get off my lawn” answer to our question, there is a lot to be said about building a development board from scratch. These days, many 8-bit or 32-bit microcontrollers require few if any external components to run in a basic mode, and can be combined with a JTAG or FTDI cable for programming and communication. There are countless tutorials on using perf-board or
etching a board
to make a custom circuit, and the experience is invaluable for breaking away from high cost development boards in simple projects
. | 43 | 43 | [
{
"comment_id": "333222",
"author": "Nick McClanahan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T23:09:11",
"content": "Good job! The only one I think might still be missing is the PICaxe, they make a few different boards & are stocked by the usual sources.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []... | 1,760,377,275.995628 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/kinect-home-theater-control/ | Kinect Home Theater Control | Mike Nathan | [
"Kinect hacks",
"Multitouch Hacks"
] | [
"ir",
"Kinect",
"mac"
] | [Harishankar] has
posted a video on his blog
demonstrating the ability to control devices using the Microsoft Kinect sensor via IR. While controlling devices with Kinect is nothing new, he is doing something a little different than you have seen before. The Kinect directly interfaces with his Mac Mini and tracks his movements via OpenNI. These movements are then compared to a list of predefined gestures, which have been mapped to specific IR functions for controlling his home theater.
Once the gestures have been acknowledged, they are then relayed from the Mac via a USB-UIRT to various home theater components. While there are not a lot of details fleshed out in the blog post, [Harishankar] says he will gladly forward his code to you if you request it via email.
Thanks to [Peter] for the tip. | 13 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "333202",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T22:37:23",
"content": "not sure if its just me, but that TV seems a little too small for it be wall-mount-worthy… atleast put something else on that wall, it looks terrible.Also – it would be extremely easy to drill a hole and drop... | 1,760,377,276.046567 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/pedal-powered-el-wire-bike/ | Pedal Powered EL Wire Bike | Mike Nathan | [
"Transportation Hacks"
] | [
"bikes",
"burning man",
"el wire"
] | Instructables user [samsmith17] wanted to
cover his bike with EL wire
for this year’s Burning Man, but he didn’t want to mess with the hassle of using batteries as a power source. Instead, he decided that his EL wire bike would be powered solely by the rider. In the interest of keeping things green, the entire build is made up of re-purposed parts, aside from the EL wire itself.
If you are not familiar, EL wire only lights up when AC current is supplied, so he decided to use a stepper motor to generate the current required. The stepper motor was mounted against his bike’s wheel, and wired backwards through the AC transformer portion of an old cell phone charger in order to step up to the required voltage. A rheostat was also added to the circuit in order to help prevent an over voltage condition, which could potentially damage or destroy the EL wire.
The end result is pretty cool to watch, and costs very little to boot. It would be nice to see someone expand on his project, adding additional wire colors and perhaps a few capacitors to keep the wire from going dark immediately after the wheels stop turning.
Continue reading to see a quick video of the completed project.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n2m4cs3lx0&w=470] | 31 | 31 | [
{
"comment_id": "333132",
"author": "spiritplumber",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T21:08:56",
"content": "DO WANT!How can we do jetwalls?Very clean execution there….",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333134",
"author": "andres",
"timestamp": "2... | 1,760,377,276.161256 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/valentines-day-love-song-machine/ | Valentine’s Day Love Song Machine | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"music",
"solenoid",
"tellart"
] | Just in time for Valentine’s day, [Adam Meyer] and the folks over at tellart.com have put together a little project they call the “
Love Song Machine
“. Using a web-based form, anyone can submit a song, which will then be played on a system of bells that they have set up in their office. You can choose from several pre-defined love songs, or you can create your own unique arrangement with which to serenade them. Once you are ready to go, your song will be queued up, and you can watch a video of your creation as it is being played.
The system is comprised of 8 solenoid-actuated bells which are all controlled by the Arduino they have hooked up to their web server. It’s a pretty fun idea, and there are sure to be plenty of people submitting songs, so get yours in before things get too busy!
Keep reading to see a video preview of their system in action.
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/19854287
w=470] | 13 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "333123",
"author": "zool",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T21:00:23",
"content": "cool",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333146",
"author": "zool",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T21:20:01",
"content": "hmm after doing it, i would s... | 1,760,377,276.096221 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/clap-to-remove-this-brassiere/ | Clap To Remove This Brassiere | Mike Szczys | [
"Wearable Hacks"
] | [
"ATmega168",
"bra",
"brassiere",
"electromagnet",
"relay"
] | Like some strange manga come to life, you can
remove this brassiere with a clap of your hands
. Under the red bow is a not-so-small mechanical clasp that replaces the original on the strapless front-clasping undergarment. We hate to criticize, but [Randofo] really went off the deep end of hardware overkill on this project. The clasp itself is the electromagnetic coil removed from the case of a mechanical relay. An ATmega168 listens for a spike in sound pressure from a microphone, then drives the relay to release the feminine support system.
It
is
Valentine’s day. The question being is this romantic or sleazy? Watch the NSFW video after the break and let us know your opinion in the comments.
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/19777275
w=470]
[Thanks DMF] | 71 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "333038",
"author": "Garreth",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T19:06:05",
"content": "Schweet",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333037",
"author": "spiritplumber",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T19:06:08",
"content": "is that a guy ... | 1,760,377,278.323781 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/batman-inspired-hidden-light-switch/ | Batman Inspired Hidden Light Switch | Mike Nathan | [
"home hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"batman",
"hidden",
"switch",
"wireless"
] | [Chris] over at the New Hobbyist sent in his latest creation,
a wireless light switch hidden within a statue bust
. While shopping around for another project, he came across a wireless relay that can can be used to switch a standard 120v AC load. He bought the part without a project in mind, but inspiration quickly struck. Some of you young’uns might not remember the original Batman television series, but [Chris] certainly does. To access the Bat Cave, Bruce Wayne had to flip a secret switch located inside a bust of William Shakespeare that adorned his desk. While he doesn’t have a secret door to activate, [Chris] couldn’t think of any better way to switch on the lights in his man cave. He found a similar-looking bust of Beethoven and got to chopping his head off.
He fabricated a small mount for a push button, hiding the battery powered remote underneath, and an old 12v wall wart was repurposed to drive the wireless receiver. While not overly complicated, this is definitely a fun project and could make for a neat light switch in a kid’s room. Interested in some more Batman inspired hacks? Be sure to check out
this Bat Cave-style entrance switch
from a few years back.
Keep reading to see a video of his hidden light switch in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFTzlHkIDGQ&w=470] | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "333036",
"author": "fotoflojoe",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T19:02:36",
"content": "Cute.Stately Wayne Manor is looking a little run down these days.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333040",
"author": "The Cheap Vegetable Garde... | 1,760,377,277.801164 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/radio-controlled-led-light-show/ | Radio-controlled LED Light Show | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"LED Hacks",
"Wireless Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"led",
"light show",
"wireless"
] | [Alan] was commissioned to make some wearable,
radio-controlled LED strips
for the
Travelling Light Circus
. It has taken some time, but he has recently finished some prototypes, and thought it was a good time to do a writeup on the project. The system is managed by a single controller unit, which communicates with any number of LED driver units, each controlling 4 HL1606 LED strips. The light displays are synchronized across all of the LED driver units via a 2.4 GHz radio, with each driver falling into synch almost immediately after being powered on. While some might be turned off to the fact that he uses Arduino Pro Minis to control the LEDs, this is far from a simple project.
[Alan’s] blog contains several posts about this project, with everything documented in detail. He spends quite a bit of time talking about the project’s software, as well as hardware issues he ran into along the way.
His blog is a must read, but even more so, it is a must see. The lighting effects are mesmerizing, as there are a ton of different light patterns these units can generate, so be sure to check out the following video of the lights in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXAnan8zkC0&w=470] | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "333043",
"author": "xeracy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T19:10:04",
"content": "ravers?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "333059",
"author": "anon",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T19:25:15",
"content": "with a project like this... | 1,760,377,278.185143 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/recordable-snes-belt-buckle/ | Recordable SNES Belt Buckle | Mike Nathan | [
"Musical Hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks"
] | [
"audio",
"recordable",
"snes"
] | [Andrew] recently offered to help out a friend who was looking to get her husband a
SNES controller belt buckle
. Rather than simply slap one together, he decided that it would be far cooler if the belt buckle played audio as well. He gutted a broken SNES controller, removing most everything inside, leaving just the buttons and a few wires.
To allow for the belt buckle to record sounds, he pulled apart a recordable balloon that would play a 10-second audio clip when shaken. He moved around a few wires, allowing for the audio board to be triggered by a button press rather than motion. Once that was done, he went about fitting it into the SNES controller, drilling speaker and microphone holes in the process. With the electronics components all set, he reassembled the controller shell and mounted it to an old belt buckle he had sitting around.
The final product looks extremely fun, and would make any die hard Nintendo fan’s day. | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "332952",
"author": "BadWolf",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T16:28:35",
"content": "Idea ain’t new appart from the “valentine’s day” feature. This one has a whole bunch of sounds in it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UZnHi37vxg&feature=relatedand it’s a mix between a keychain and a snes c... | 1,760,377,278.00141 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/nintendoscope/ | NintendOscope | Kevin Dady | [
"Nintendo Game Boy Hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks",
"Tool Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"gameboy",
"rasterscope"
] | [Craig] has taken his gameboy hackery to the next step,
using an oscilloscope as an external display
. Back in November of 2010 [Craig] showed us how to
extract the video data from a classic gameboy’s screen
, armed with that information, and a pretty powerful XMega128A1 controller it seems straightforward to process that data and output it onto a oscilloscope that is in XY(z) mode, especially since he has done all of the hard work for us.
Scopes that feature XY mode typically have a Z input on the back, X controls where the beam is positioned from left to right, Y controls the beam from top to bottom, and Z controls the intensity of the beam. By sweeping the X and Y to act as lines, and Z to control the shade of the beam, its fairly easy to reuse your typically vector display as a raster display similar to televisions or computer monitors (as long as you have your math and timing right), making scopes very useful as output displays for devices like the gameboy, which do not have “standards” friendly display systems.
Join us after the break for a short video, and also check out the
scope terminal,
or the
VGA-to Sope converter
for more examples of how to use your oscilloscope as a raster display.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7LzetRlZEg&w=450] | 9 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "332975",
"author": "holly_smoke",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T17:11:35",
"content": "When I saw the title, I had visions of someone using a Nintendo as an Oscilloscope. The way it stands, this is more of a “ScopeTendo” than a “NintendOscope”.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
... | 1,760,377,278.131079 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/nixie-tube-thermometer/ | Nixie Tube Thermometer | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"nixie",
"thermometer"
] | After seeing a picture of a thermometer using a bargraph style nixie tube in place of a mercury column, [Juergen Grau] decided he wanted to build his own.
Dubbed the “Nixietherm”
, his replica looks even better than the original. He used an IN-9 Nixie tube mounted on top of a custom plastic case, all powered by a 5v USB connection. He points out that his version does not use a PIC or any other sort of processor – it is built entirely from analog circuits. There are some RGB LEDs embedded in the plastic case that make for a cool effect, but they seem to simply cycle through the colors rather than represent how warm or cold the temperature is at any given time.
[Juergen] does not give a lot of details regarding the build as far as PCB layout or a parts list is concernred, but most of that can be extrapolated from the wiring schematic he provided. He also mentions that he will be making kits available in the near future. Be sure to keep reading to see the thermometer in action.
Thanks [Brian]
[vimeo
http://vimeo.com/19871666
w=470] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "332912",
"author": "Squintz",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T14:50:44",
"content": "That looks very nice. Well done.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "332913",
"author": "1000100 1000001 1010110 1000101",
"timestamp": "2011-02-1... | 1,760,377,277.948123 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/14/arduino-based-pc-ambient-lighting/ | Arduino Based PC Ambient Lighting | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"ambient"
] | [royboy] from the Arduino forum has recently made a post showing off his
Arduino / PC ambient light system
. The system is simple to wire up and easy to use, as long as your video is being sent from a PC, which for many of us that use “home theater pc” systems is very convenient. Using a sparkfun red/green/blue (non addressable) led strip, an ULN2003A, an Arduino, and a short sketch written for processing the project is easy to toss together and very effective too.
The processing sketch continuously takes screen captures and then takes the resulting pictures and averages all the colors together. That average color is fed down to the Arduino over its stock serial connection, where it is output to 3 of the pwm capable outputs. Those outputs are connected to the 2003 Darlington transistor array to switch the 12 volt led strip.
It may seem like it would be slow, as processing is an interpreted Java based language, plus serial communication, plus Arduino overhead, but its actually very responsive and completes its task with little or no lag. Join us after the break for a quick video to see for yourself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am55k0k9eq8&w=450] | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "332864",
"author": "jim",
"timestamp": "2011-02-14T13:14:44",
"content": "Looks like it needs the response averaging — it appears to be flickering.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "332869",
"author": "Dreamer",
"timestamp... | 1,760,377,277.754331 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/overclocked-atmega32-gaming/ | Overclocked ATmega32 Gaming | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"ATmega32",
"graphic lcd",
"ks0108",
"video game"
] | With more pixels and more objects to track you’re going to need to get that AVR running pretty fast to get the job done. But [Vladutz2000] figured why stop at 16 MHz when you can
overclock an ATmega32 to 27 MHz for a faster gaming experience
?
This build may not be as colorful as
Super Pixel Bros
, but choosing a KS0108 graphic LCD certainly brings a lot more definition to the images. You can see in the video after the break that the AVR does an excellent job of generating and animating multiple objects. It doesn’t take much to put this together yourself but if you want the board layout done for you, you’re out of luck. The hardware for the project is installed on a PCB that was hand-drawn with an etch resist marker.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-30arS2Ji28&w=470]
[via
Dangerous Prototypes
] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "332245",
"author": "yetihehe",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T21:38:40",
"content": "“Look mum, no arduino!”This is a cool project. As for pcb – everyone should be able to make such simple board themselves, software was the hardest thing here.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
... | 1,760,377,277.892103 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/range-finder-musical-toy/ | Range Finder Musical Toy | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"music",
"Parallax Ping"
] | Instructables user [sketchsk3tch] was looking to make a fun toy for his kids using things he had around the house and
came up with the Ping Organ
. The organ is played by standing in front of the Parallax Ping range sensor, and moving around any which way you please. He interfaced the range sensor with an Arduino, scavenging a small speaker from an old toy for audio output.
The code for the project is fairly straightforward, borrowing most of it from the demo software that shipped with the Ping and the Arduino. He made a few small tweaks in order to get the organ to play frequencies of actual notes, as well as to allow for some flexibility when calculating the specific note to play.
While not the most complex project we have ever featured, [sketchsk3tch] reports that his kids love to spend time flailing around wildly in front of the organ, which is exactly what he intended.
Video of the organ being tested after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4xoe1rQMs&w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "332188",
"author": "woutervddn",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T19:42:11",
"content": "reminds me of a wall that could do something similar. I wonder if you could use that system as a landing aid for RC planes..",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comm... | 1,760,377,278.23082 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/launchpad-midi-synth/ | LaunchPad MIDI Synth | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"launchpad",
"midi",
"synth"
] | [NatureTM] sent in a writeup for the
MIDI synthesizer he recently built
using a TI LaunchPad. The construction is pretty simple overall, consisting of little more than the MSP430, a handful of resistors, and an optoiosolater. Of course, a MIDI controller is required, but he already had that on hand.
Once the MIDI data is read from the optoisolator, his code takes care of the rest, adjusting the square wave sound generator to get the proper note. He does mention that since the synthesizer is monophonic, special care is taken to ensure that simultaneous notes are processed properly. You can route all of the sound into a single speaker, but he used the optoisolator to send the sound data to multiple LaunchPads instead, resulting in a fun little MIDI quintet.
He provides code and plenty of video on his site, but keep reading for a sneak peek of his synth in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KzKj_vKYCU&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYqZNmr8zfo&w=470] | 6 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "332163",
"author": "Simon",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T18:43:02",
"content": "Actually there’s five speakers which makes it a quintet..",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "332181",
"author": "Matt",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T19... | 1,760,377,277.841832 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/flash-trigger-with-programmable-delay/ | Flash Trigger With Programmable Delay | Mike Szczys | [
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"08m",
"delay",
"flash trigger",
"PICAXE"
] | Here’s a
flash trigger with a programmable delay
. These triggers are often used to capture quick events like a balloon popping. The technique takes place in a dark room with the shutter open. When the event is triggered the flash illuminates the scene and an image is captured. Because these require precise timing it has typically been a chore to synchronize the event, hence solutions like
using a pressure plate
.
This build, which centers around a PICAXE 08M, allows the photographer to use any trigger they desire, but adds a delay. The box above shows the apparatus set up for a 42 millisecond delay. So if you’re using the sound of the balloon pop as a trigger, you can hold the flash off until the event really gets going.
[Thanks Two Part Epoxy] | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "332132",
"author": "FightCube.com",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T17:33:14",
"content": "Sounds like a perfect project for a 555, except without the digital feedback of time. Although, you probably will have to do a trial and error method anyways to get the best shot… with digital photo... | 1,760,377,278.366175 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/nes-game-pad-guided-robotic-arm/ | NES Game Pad Guided Robotic Arm | Mike Nathan | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"nes",
"pic",
"recycled",
"robot"
] | Instructables user [Bruno] sent in his most recent creation,
a robotic arm controlled using an old NES game pad
. He scavenged the majority of his parts from a pair of old HP printers, including motors pulleys, belts and more. In fact, most of the metal and plastic components that he used come from the old printer chassis as well. He has included copies of the templates he used when manufacturing both the plastic and metal components, which should come in handy should anyone try to replicate his work.
[Bruno] also included all of the source code for the robotic arm and mentions that the project required two PICs due to pinout requirements. He ultimately decided to use two cheaper models over a single more expensive unit that would have supplied all of the pins he needed. His cost conscious build is impressive and undoubtedly demonstrates just how many old components can be reused in new projects if you really put some thought into it. Great job with this build, keep up the good work!
Be sure to keep reading to see some video of the arm in action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E052SKE28Q&w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "332106",
"author": "nes",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T16:49:30",
"content": "That’s amazing! The perfect build. Recycled printer parts, the cheapest PICs and a NES gamepad to top it off. Beautiful!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "3... | 1,760,377,278.487829 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/13/modern-freaking-pull-phone-numbers-from-youtube-audio/ | Modern Freaking: Pull Phone Numbers From YouTube Audio | Mike Szczys | [
"Cellphone Hacks"
] | [
"audacity",
"audio",
"frequency",
"python",
"youtube"
] | [Charlie X-Ray] is having some modern fun with the phone system by
pulling dialed numbers from the audio track of YouTube videos
(
translated
). The first step was to find a video where a telephone is being dialed
and
the sounds of the keypresses are audible. You can’t tell those tones apart, but a computer can. That’s because each number pressed generates a combination of two out of seven closely related frequencies. [Charlie] isolated the audio using Audacity, then wrote a python script to generate a spectrogram like the one above. By matching up the two dark nodes you can establish which two frequencies were played and decode the phone number being dialed. So how does this work again… find audio of a phone being dialed, decode the number.. profit? | 48 | 48 | [
{
"comment_id": "332072",
"author": "Andy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T15:23:14",
"content": "Yay, DTMF for the win!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "332073",
"author": "daft",
"timestamp": "2011-02-13T15:26:19",
"content": "I am still ... | 1,760,377,278.57182 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/12/uncrippling-lower-model-speakers/ | Uncrippling Lower Model Speakers | Mike Szczys | [
"digital audio hacks"
] | [
"sennheiser",
"speaker"
] | It looks like this low-end Sennheiser HD speaker has the same internals as it’s better-brother but
has been altered to reduce sound quality
. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to hobble a product in order to sell more units at a lower price that reflects less features. Linksys WRT54G routers immediately come to mind, or perhaps the more recent
Rigol 100 MHz oscilloscope hack
is a better example.
In this case, that black piece of foam on the left has been added to the 555 version of the hardware to decrease the sound quality you get from the much more expensive 595 model. Take it out and you’ve got an upgrade that would have cost you more than a hundred bucks. Don’t think this is the only difference? There is a bit of a difference in case design, but [Mike Beauchamp] also found that if you acquire a replacement driver for either model you’ll get the same part. | 89 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "331476",
"author": "Jelly",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T20:40:11",
"content": "Hey whats wrong with WRT54G? :)Works super with dd-wrt/openwrt .. oh… oh I get it.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "331485",
"author": "mindbleach",
... | 1,760,377,278.656003 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/12/model-car-additions-make-us-hear-knight-rider-theme/ | Model Car Additions Make Us Hear Knight Rider Theme | Mike Szczys | [
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"16F628",
"h-bridge",
"knight rider",
"l293",
"pic"
] | This collection of model vehicle hacks
adds obstacle avoidance in an attempt to make them autonomous. At the front end you’ll find two PCBs which use IR approximation to monitor the road ahead. We’re not familiar with this particular use of these IR receivers (TSOP1738) which we’re used to seeing in
remote control receiver applications
but if recent posts are any indication we think you’ll enjoy the use of a 555 timer on each of those boards.
The rest of the hardware is pretty common, a PIC 16F628 does the thinking while an L293D h-bridge drives the motors. Alas, we didn’t find a video, or even a description of the finished project. But there are full schematics, board layout pictures, and the code for both this vehicle and a second Tank version.
[Thanks Pieter] | 5 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "331433",
"author": "Steve",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T19:39:21",
"content": "A link to the model vehicle hacks would be nice.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "331439",
"author": "Foxdie",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T19:46:11"... | 1,760,377,278.698303 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/12/sms-controlled-irrigation/ | SMS Controlled Irrigation | Mike Szczys | [
"Cellphone Hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"irrigation",
"sms",
"text message",
"watering"
] | [Mhkabir] built
an irrigation system that communicates by text message
. The concept is simple, sending a text message to the system will cause it to switch on the water pump.
Many times we see
text message manipulation via the Internet
, or
using a GSM module
. But in this case an inexpensive cellphone is used as the communication interface. The vibration motor has been removed and those connections are monitored to signal incoming messages. Wire leads were soldered to the keypad contacts which allow an Arduino to send out text messages when there is a problem with watering. This isn’t an iron-clad system, as any incoming message will trigger the system and outgoing messages are limited to saved drafts. But a bit of creative programming and we’re sure more functionality could be squeezed out of this hardware. | 10 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "331397",
"author": "jon brod",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T18:40:22",
"content": "hard to do when we just killed off the arduino in another post!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "331398",
"author": "Peter",
"timestamp": "201... | 1,760,377,278.743853 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/12/diy-pic-development-board-and-web-server/ | DIY PIC Development Board And Web Server | Mike Nathan | [
"hardware",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"pcb",
"pic",
"web server"
] | Inspired by a project featured here on Hack-a-Day, [arthurb]
bought himself a PIC 24F and started experimenting
once he learned the ins and outs of programming the chip. Using a breadboard and a nest of wires was fine for his first few projects, but as he advanced, he began to feel the need for a full-fledged development board. With a list of required features in mind he got to work, constructing a well thought out board as well as a handful of expansion boards that can be used for various other projects. His main development board includes Ethernet connectivity for use with his web server software, the ability to utilize an SD card for storage, and a USB port for programming. His expansion boards include a temperature sensor, a numeric touchpad, as well as a video output module. Overall it is a pretty impressive build, considering he had never programmed a PIC before starting this project. All of his boards are thoroughly documented, and he has included plenty of source code in hopes of helping other individuals just starting out in PIC programming.
You can see his web server in action
here
, but keep in mind that it is running off a PIC, so please be courteous in your usage. | 16 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "331383",
"author": "MrX",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T17:37:51",
"content": "That is quite nice. He could make more two of them and load balance the traffic between them. Power usage, including a 4 port switch would be pretty low.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies":... | 1,760,377,278.796301 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/12/paper-accelerometers-for-pennies-in-the-works/ | Paper Accelerometers For Pennies In The Works | Mike Szczys | [
"Parts"
] | [
"accelerometer",
"carbon",
"paper",
"sensor",
"wheatstone bridge"
] | Cheap paper accelerometers? Put us down for a dozen to start. They’re not quite ready for mass production yet but
it looks like they’re on the way
.
[
George Whitesides
] led a team to develop the new technology that uses simple manufacturing methods to produce the sensor seen above. Graphite and silver inks were screen printed onto heavy paper. The single limb sticking out from the body of the sensor is a separate piece of paper that bends the carbon area when force is applied. This changes the carbon’s resistance which is measured using a
Wheatstone bridge
constructed by gluing resistors to the device.
It sounds unsophisticated compared to most of the accelerometer modules we’re used to, but if you need a sensor that detects sudden motion this sounds like the perfect part. Now who wants to be the first person to replicate this in their basement?
[Thanks Fabien] | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "331300",
"author": "strider_mt2k",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T15:45:30",
"content": "I hope there isn’t a lot of trouble replicating these in a more domestic setting and that it isn’t too tricky.Because everyone knows ohm is where the art is.I’ll be here all weekend folks.Try the fish... | 1,760,377,279.13496 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/pid-controlled-bradley-smoker-clone/ | PID Controlled Bradley Smoker Clone | Mike Nathan | [
"cooking hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"pic",
"pid",
"smoker"
] | Bradley smokers are coveted for their ease of use, as they require very little interaction from the user once the hopper is loaded with wood pucks and the machine is powered on. The more robust models are quite pricey, so [Maukka] decided to
build his own
version of a Bradley smoker as an add on to his existing unit. He fabricated a smoke generator out of aluminum, including all of the components you would normally find in an automated smoker. Once the hopper is loaded with wood pucks, the smoker runs autonomously, shuffling new pucks onto the heating element, presumably at timed intervals. The main barrel of the smoker has a separate PIC-controlled heating element installed, and is connected to the smoke generator by an aluminum duct. This configuration allows [Maukka] to cold smoke items such as fish, nuts, and cheeses using the smoke generator by itself, while also permitting the smoking of meats at far higher temperatures when the main heating element is used. This is truly a fantastic build, and the cold smoker component is something I would love to have as an addition to my Weber bullet.
Be sure to explore his blog a bit to catch all of the build details, as they are separated into various posts.
[Thanks Hali Batsuiba] | 21 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "330552",
"author": "anon",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T22:58:31",
"content": "Should insulate the tube.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "330619",
"author": "vonskippy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-12T00:05:25",
"content": "Wha... | 1,760,377,278.975504 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/led-dog-collar-christmas-edition/ | LED Dog Collar, Christmas Edition | Caleb Kraft | [
"classic hacks",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"collar",
"dog",
"led"
] | [Aaron] says in our comments that he also
made an LED dog collar
. This Christmas themed dog collar uses an ATTiny13a and a hand full of red and green LEDs (28?). While the animations aren’t as complex as the collar
we posted earlier today
, we though you might enjoy this one as well. From the description, we think that the LEDs simply fade back and forth between red and green. We think that [Aaron] did a great job. He has included the source code and schematic on his site, but sadly there’s no video of this collar in action. | 11 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "330507",
"author": "Aaron",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T21:58:50",
"content": "How many of us are there, anyway?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "330512",
"author": "Caleb Kraft",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T22:00:59"... | 1,760,377,278.865003 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/the-plant-whisperer/ | The Plant Whisperer | Caleb Kraft | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"parallax",
"plant"
] | [Jeff], fully acknowledging his inability to keep plants alive, has designed a system to help him out a little bit. The “
Plant Whisperer
” monitors water levels and notifies him if the plant needs attention. Actually, it notifies him either way. The plant whisperer uses real time text to speech to say one of several pre-programmed things, either proclaiming its happiness or requesting more water. He’s using a parallax propeller for the job as he says it is capable of handling the real time text to speech. We realize this is overkill, but we absolutely love it. The only improvement we would want would be to possibly use a pre-recorded voice for more clarity. You can see a video of it in action after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x9-SPLeg2A&w=470] | 14 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "330411",
"author": "Erik Johnson",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T20:14:24",
"content": "Feed me, Seymour!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "330415",
"author": "zool",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T20:18:57",
"content": "*too wet... | 1,760,377,278.919085 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/rfid-triggered-presentation-box/ | RFID Triggered Presentation Box | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"art",
"rfid"
] | [Lace] needed to build a “box project” for his college art class and figured he could spice things up a bit by adding some electronic components to the mix. His project, dubbed the ‘
Blasphemous Bible Box
‘ consists of a bible opened up the section of the book of Revelations that discusses the mark of the beast in an old cigar box. The box is normally locked, but has been programmed to unhook an internal latch when he passes the RFID chip embedded in his hand over it. The effect could have been achieved using a simpler circuit, but the enclosed Arduino seems to do the job decently enough. [Lace] has not mentioned if he has considered revising the box any, but a spring-loaded external latch secured with a magnetic lock would make for a nice effect if version 2 was ever built. Adding a servo to slowly open the box as well as including a speaker blaring Carmina Burana – O Fortuna upon opening would be pretty cool as well (hint, hint). We have video of the box in action after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECPo1hu4DZI&w=470] | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "330372",
"author": "wosser",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T19:27:58",
"content": "I like the way you casually say “RFID chip embedded in his hand” as if there’s nothing odd about that.It’s not like you can just go to the mall and get that done you know.",
"parent_id": null,
"dept... | 1,760,377,279.181996 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/thermic-lance-made-from-spaghetti/ | Thermic Lance Made From Spaghetti | Mike Nathan | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"destruction",
"fire",
"food"
] | [Frogz] sent in a
video he found
of a thermic lance constructed from spaghetti. If you are not familiar, thermic lances are typically comprised of an iron tube filled with iron rods, which are then burned using highly pressurized oxygen. This lance however, was built by tightly wrapping a bundle of spaghetti in aluminum foil and attaching it to an oxygen tank. While thermic lances are commonly used in heavy construction where thick steel needs to be cut, [latexiron] and his friends use theirs to cut apart a chair. While we don’t necessarily condone drunken destruction of innocent patio furniture, we can’t help but watch this video again and again in amazement of the incredibly novel use of everyday pasta. You too can join in the drunken revelry after the jump. If food-based cutting torches are your thing, be sure to check out this
bacon lance
as well. | 38 | 35 | [
{
"comment_id": "330305",
"author": "qwerty",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T18:05:35",
"content": "That’s nothing. Back in my day we made Jedi lightsabers using macaroni!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "330306",
"author": "Phil",
"timestamp":... | 1,760,377,279.319687 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/how-the-arduino-won-this-is-how-we-can-kill-it/ | How The Arduino Won? This Is How We Can Kill It. | Caleb Kraft | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Rants"
] | [
"arduino"
] | [Phillip Torrone], has written a piece over at Make entitled “
Why the Arduino won, and why it’s here to stay
“. While boasting that the Arduino “won” at roughly 100k units in the wild sounds decently impressive at first, lets just ponder for a moment how many bare AVR chips there are out there in home-made projects. Kind of makes 100k sound small doesn’t it. However, if you look at their definition of the Arduino, targeting fresh and new people to microcontroller projects, that changes things a little bit. That number suddenly starts to seem a little more important if you re-word it as 100,000 new beginner hackers. Sure, they’re only tweeting toilet flushes and blinking lights, but they’re excited and
they’ve tasted blood
.
[Phil] goes on to talk to manufacturers on how to “beat” the Arduino. He lists features that would help push someone onto a new platform instead of the Arduino. This, is where I think we come in.
We can kill the Arduino
.
Not as a platform, but by removing it from the hands of people through education. Lets embrace these new hackers. Lets pull them in with open arms and show them what they can do once they have learned from their Arduino and are ready harness the power of microcontrollers without limitations. We can show them just how simple of a circuit they could use to blink their LEDs. We could show them why and how we think another chip would be better suited to their project.
One reason attributed to the popularity of the Arduino is the hostile attitude from “old school” hackers. If someone shows up and excitedly says “look, I made an RGB mood lamp with an Arduino”, we shouldn’t scream in their faces how stupid they are for such a massive overkill. We shouldn’t ignore them either. That will only send them back to the Arduino forums with their tails between their legs to do yet, another copy/paste project. We should pat them on the back and say “Hey, great job! You know I’ll bet we could make a cheap circuit with a 555 that would pull that same effect off quite nicely and it would only cost $1. Here, check out this schematic.”
Embrace them, educate them, and the Arduino will no longer be their only tool. | 146 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "330253",
"author": "jeicrash",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T17:09:45",
"content": "Very nice article, may not be full of HACK, but it brings up a good point in the hacking community. Without pointing new comers in the right directions and improving their education we have set ourselves ... | 1,760,377,279.421307 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/canon-t1i500d-external-microphone-hack/ | Canon T1i/500d External Microphone Hack | Mike Nathan | [
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"audio",
"dslr",
"microphone"
] | Like most other DSLR cameras that feature video recording, the Canon T1i has a small built-in microphone with limited sound reproduction capabilities. [Robb] wanted better audio performance while taking video, but found the camera’s inability to use an external microphone to be a frustrating limitation.
He decided to take matters into his own hands
, and disassembled his camera in order to add an external microphone jack. The process is not overly complicated, as it requires little more than the installation of a switching microphone jack. You will however need to get your hands a bit dirty since it involves opening the camera, a bit of drilling, and some epoxy. Doing such things to your camera clearly voids the warranty, and with a $600 camera at stake, this hack is definitely not for the faint of heart. That said, if you desperately want to get better quality audio from your Canon T1i or 500d DSLR, be sure to check out his tutorial. | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "329290",
"author": "sp00nix",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T19:30:37",
"content": "As soon as i see the instructables hand in its “halt!” fashion i quickly turn around.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329292",
"author": "Dan",
... | 1,760,377,279.252891 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/they-joy-of-forums/ | The Joy Of Forums | Caleb Kraft | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"coffee",
"forums"
] | [John Park] over at Make posted a short story about coming home from vacation to find his espresso machine non-functional. After beating his head against the wall for a while he joined a forum and posted a video. As has happened so many times,
another user had seen this exact issue and was able to send him in the right direction
.
We realize that this is just a simple capacitor replacement, though we understand his frustration, the original
looks
perfectly fine. The point here, is that there is usually someone out there on a forum that has experience with whatever your problem is. So don’t waste any time, go join the
most awesome forum on the planet
and get hacking! | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "329234",
"author": "strider_mt2k",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T18:10:26",
"content": "wordVarious forums have helped me more times than I can count.HAD forums already rock, and they are just getting started!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comme... | 1,760,377,279.526107 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/talking-joystick-mouse/ | Talking Joystick Mouse | Caleb Kraft | [
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"accessibility",
"gamepad",
"Joystick"
] | Instructibles user [Shadowwynd] shows us a great way to
build a joystick/mouse
device for people with special accessibility needs. When faced with a case that involved a man with very limited mobility as well as a limited budget, [shadowwynd] set out to find a cost effective solution to computer navigation. They found that his client could use a commercial joystick mouse, but the cost was quite high at over $400. So instead of just purchasing that, they bought a USB game pad and built their own version. They managed to reduce the cost to roughly $45. While extending the buttons and joystick from a gamepad might not be groundbreaking, we feel that this project is the epitome of hacking. Great job [Shadowwynd] keep up the good work. | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "329182",
"author": "arfink",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T17:06:12",
"content": "Excellent work, I admire the craftmanship and motivation.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329214",
"author": "xeracy",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10... | 1,760,377,279.468547 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/backlit-buttons-and-panels/ | Backlit Buttons And Panels | Kevin Dady | [
"cnc hacks",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"backlit",
"panel"
] | “Kick the tyres & light the fires” is a blog by [Ruscool Electronics] that is focused on building a cockpit simulator from scratch, and while the blog is loaded with all sorts of nifty information, reader [Brian] pointed out one entry which explains how to make
back-lit control panels out of acrylic sheet
, and a CNC machine.
The parts start off as clear acrylic, and cut to shape and size. Next up is a thick, but uniform coat of paint so the panels are opaque , then its back off into the CNC machine for engraving. What is engraved is now a frosty white, ready for leds behind.
The end result looks fantastic and professional, though, we are left thinking of how to pull off the same look, sans CNC.
Ideas? | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "329133",
"author": "dirtyoldman",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T16:15:01",
"content": "use a stencil while applying paint?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329134",
"author": "andres",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T16:15:19",
"... | 1,760,377,279.63689 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/rechargeable-battery-capacity-tester/ | Rechargeable Battery Capacity Tester | Mike Nathan | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"atmega",
"battery"
] | If you are like most people, you likely have a mixed pile of rechargeable batteries sitting around with no idea as to what kind of charge they can hold. You could watch a voltmeter for a few hours while you drain each and every battery, noting when it drops below its stated voltage – but then again, you have a life. Instead of wasting away in front of his multimeter, [BrianH] decided he would build an
automated battery capacity tester
to do the job for him.
He created a simple circuit that drains any AA battery, NiMh or NiCd, and records its useful capacity in milliamp hours. Since the ATMega168 microcontroller used has 6 analog/digital converters on board, he figured that he might as well design his tester to measure the capacity of three batteries simultaneously. [BrianH] wired the meter up to an old Nokia LCD, then moved his project to a perfboarded ATMega, freeing up his Arduino for other tasks. Once he had things reassembled, he packed it all into a handsome wooden box.
His writeup is chock full of details and source code, so be sure to check it out. We have video of the charger in action after the jump.
[gigya src=”
http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/5929960/rechargeable_battery_capacity_tester.swf”
; width=”470″ height=”345″ quality=”high” wmode=”transparent” allowFullScreen=”true” allowScriptAccess=”always” ] | 21 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "329087",
"author": "swighton",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T15:10:40",
"content": "“He created a simple circuit that drains any AA battery”That sort of ruins the point of knowing the capacity of the battery doesn’t it? ;)Just kidding – I would use this all the time.",
"parent_id": n... | 1,760,377,279.582454 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/driving-a-salvaged-lcd/ | Driving A Salvaged LCD | Kevin Dady | [
"Android Hacks"
] | [
"lcd"
] | [bill2009] wanted to reuse some common seven segment LCDs, but the question was how to drive them. Armed with a couple application notes from [Microchip] and [Atmel], an oscilloscope and an Arduino, he has made
a proof of concept
which shows its not super hard to drive those little reflective LCDs that so many devices have.
First finding out that these things are indeed multiplexed, he went on to what is needed to drive them, which is about +-2 volts difference from the backplane, next up was to find a donor, which he found readily at Staples, in the form of a “clocky” style run away alarm clock.
After poking around watching what signals do to the different segments on the LCD he whipped up a little circuit to control the display from the Arduino. The positive and negative voltages the segments require are made possible by the use of a set of pull down resistors, and switching pin modes on the micro controller.
These small type segmented LCDs are everywhere, and being able to use them is a big bonus. | 21 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "329041",
"author": "Mike",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T14:20:29",
"content": "Doner?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329065",
"author": "Philippe",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T14:46:25",
"content": "I think he meant donor,... | 1,760,377,279.745226 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/imploding-vacuum-tubes-for-science/ | Imploding Vacuum Tubes For Science | Chris Nelson | [
"Parts"
] | [
"bulb",
"photomultiplier",
"vacuum tube"
] | The researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory are looking for a way to harden photomultiplier tubes. In order to make a more durable tube the researchers decided it would be a good idea to first
observe how the tubes are failing
. So they got their hands on an old torpedo test bay and smashed some bulbs inside of it. Check in after the break for some high fps bulb smashing.
Photomultiplier tubes are used in massive quantities to detect the highly elusive neutrino particle. The problem is when you have 50,000 photomultipliers submerged in pressurized water the the collapse of just a single bulb can cause a shock wave of destruction. This is what happened in
japan in 2001
when a maintenance worker unknowingly compromised a single bulb in a 11,000 bulb array. When the tank was repressurized that single compromised bulb caused them to lose 7,000 more.
[via
wired
]
[youtube =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBDT47polxo&feature=player_embedded&w=470%5D
[youtube =[youtube =http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLCQGG1fD2M&feature=player_embedded&w=470]
[youtube =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5NO_t9crBE&feature=player_embedded&w=470%5D | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "329015",
"author": "jaqen",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T13:33:32",
"content": "“does it fail under pressure?” doesn’t sound as catchy as “does it blend?” :-)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329031",
"author": "trebu",
"time... | 1,760,377,279.687275 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/bellows-camera-to-dslr/ | Bellows Camera To DSLR | Kevin Dady | [
"digital cameras hacks"
] | [
"camera",
"digital",
"dslr"
] | [Jonas Kroyer] is a digital photographer, with a fascination with old cameras and pairing the two together
sounded like a fun idea
. Searching around on the net he fell in love with the design of the
Zeiss Ikon Ikonette (1929-31)
, and found one with a chipped lens.
After dismantling the camera completely, it was found out that he needed the lens/shutter mechanism, the bellows, and the rails that allow the lens to slide back and forth. The bellows were glued to the body of the camera, but some careful prying and they were quickly removed unharmed. Next was to make an adapter so he could attach the lens to a digital DSLR camera, a steel plate and a Nikon Bayonet swiped off of a no name lens holds everything together. Rails were reattached using rivets, and the bellows were glued onto the plate. Other mods include adding small brass knobs to aid in adjustments, and a spring from a ballpoint pen to hold the original shutter open.
The new old lens is said to be easy to operate, and produces some beautiful images. Though since the lens does not have any modern day coatings it does have its drawbacks, like a diamond shaped flare in the middle of the image, which can be good when you want it, or partially removed in photoshop if you don’t. | 4 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "330236",
"author": "alan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T16:31:30",
"content": "http://www.jonaskroyer.com/photography/wp-content/gallery/ikonette/_DSC5821.jpglove how that picture turned out",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "330339",
... | 1,760,377,279.785325 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/led-dog-collar/ | LED Dog Collar | Kevin Dady | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"dog"
] | LEDs make everything better, right? What about your dog? [Ken] tries it out on one of his frisky dogs who loves to run whenever she gets out with a
LED dog collar
. It’s an off the shelf dog collar sporting 5 blue LEDs, and is powered by an attiny2313 micro controller, which makes adding / changing light sequences quick, easy, and also allows for future upgrades. Small PCB’s are made and to help keep minor amounts of the wild from frying. the electronics parts are encased in hot glue, and the whole thing is powered by 3 AAA batteries.
While it’s an early test of the device, and there is more to come, like an automatic trigger as [Sunshine] bolts for the door, but it seems like a great help while chasing after a runaway dog in the dark.
Join us after the break for a quick video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZmrRN272gI&w=450] | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "330196",
"author": "nate",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T15:32:24",
"content": "change the leds to red and find a way to determine with a sensor when the dog is about to attack (growl detector maybe?), and you have a modern-day hound of the baskervilles!",
"parent_id": null,
"dep... | 1,760,377,279.933211 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/nesbot-video-game-automation/ | NESBot Video Game Automation | Mike Nathan | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Nintendo Hacks"
] | [
"automation",
"nes",
"super mario"
] | If you happen to enjoy video games, but don’t actually like playing them, boy do we have the hack for you! [pjgat09] shows us how, armed with an Arduino, you can
force a Nintendo to play games by itself
, not unlike an old-time player piano. The hack involves programming an Arduino to accept commands mapped out in “movies”, which are actually scripted sets of button presses that one would perform while playing a game. These sorts of scripts are available from
TASVideo
, a community specializing in “tool assisted” speed runs of video games. These movies are typically used with emulators, so there are some adjustments that need to be made in order to make them work with a console, since the button presses are mapped to each frame that is drawn on the screen. While we are not sure quite how useful this hack is, it is a pretty novel concept. You can see video of the 5-minute SMB speed run after the jump.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JNf0lAo3Ns&w=470] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "330171",
"author": "Gert",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T14:27:49",
"content": "Awesome, i’ve been thinking about making one of these automated controllers for years.I just need to find an NES.By the way does anyone know how much watt an NES consumes? I can’t find this on the net.",
... | 1,760,377,279.87712 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/11/launchpad-serial-morse-code-transmitter/ | Launchpad Serial Morse Code Transmitter | Mike Nathan | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"ham radio",
"launchpad",
"morse code"
] | LaunchPad dev boards from Texas Instruments are cheap and easy to program, making them a great Arduino alternative if you can do without some of the bells and whistles. [ech0s] put his to good use by constructing a
Morse code transmitter with dual operating modes
. The transmitter can not only encode and transmit messages entered in a terminal client, it also allows the user to send messages by manually operating the key switch. Inspired by the
high altitude balloon transmitter we featured
last summer, this project uses similar components for signal amplification and transmission. Text can be entered in a Putty terminal window, which then is encoded into Morse by the MCU before transmission. At the moment, the speed of the radio transmission is about 15 WPM, which is reasonably quick. Even though his system performs quite well [ech0s] has some improvements planned, including having a proper PCB built as well as some software tweaks to improve buffering and bandwidth. Be sure to check out his video of the transmitter in action after the jump.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nori-RjHEEo&w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "330280",
"author": "Ken",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T17:42:35",
"content": "Anyone else annoyed with all the poor quality instructables links?It is a bad sign when the morse keyer doesn’t even get the morse code right. I had to stop te video after hearing both “O” and “W” incorrectly... | 1,760,377,280.167528 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/todays-arduino-minute/ | Today’s Arduino Minute | James Munns | [
"Arduino Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"drum",
"led",
"light",
"machine",
"midi",
"motion",
"pir",
"sensor"
] | Sometimes projects are vast, complicated, and complex. Other times projects are a bit more on the simple. Today we thought we would share a couple projects with something in common that may be familiar sounding to the more experienced crowd, but may inspire a few readers new to the world of microcontrollers.
First off, a cool decor tip looking to snazz up a college residence or bar is a guide for lighting up a shelf of
liquor bottles
using an Arduino to control a few RGB LEDs. This guide includes easy to follow schematics, source code, and a good explanation of using transistors to drive higher current to the LEDs than the Arduino could provide.
This six finger
drum machine
uses a Drum Kit – Kit AI to take in values from piezo sensors and convert those values into MIDI information to be used by either a hardware MIDI controller or PC. We like the CNC cut hand, and the design considerations put into it (like vibration buffering)
When moving beyond the buttons and LEDs in every starter kit out there, PIR
motion sensors
are usually a good next step. [LemonSlice] even goes so far as to add a a pair of XBees for making this motion sensor a little more autonomous. | 15 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "329596",
"author": "BadWolf",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T23:37:18",
"content": "Love the bar one,might actually make one out 555 style!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329635",
"author": "Gdogg",
"timestamp": "2011-02-11T0... | 1,760,377,280.018621 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/the-cias-amazing-bots/ | The CIA’s Amazing Bots | Caleb Kraft | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"cia",
"dragonfly",
"fish"
] | When you have a virtually unlimited budget, you can pull off some amazing things. This has become most evident recently as the CIA has been
showing off some of its old tech
. That dragonfly you see above is near life-size and actually flies. They hired a watch maker to build a tiny internal combustion engine to run it. That alone is pretty amazing, but this thing was actually flying in the 70’s. Upon
further inspection of the wings
, we actually have no idea how this sucker is supposed to fly. Despite our skeptical viewpoint, you can see a tiny clip of it flying after the break. You can also catch a video of “charlie” the robot catfish.
[via
Botjunkie
]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3hn3YZhOY&w=470]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJyNU1aXXwo&w=470] | 57 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "329426",
"author": "arjan",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T21:34:15",
"content": "A combustion engine in a dragonfly in the 70’s?! No way man… The smallest I know of is a 2-stroke .25cc and that is about 3x1x2cm in size alone. it needs glow-plugs, a starter-system (Just the flick of a fin... | 1,760,377,280.257651 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/10/rgb-tilty-cube/ | RGB “Tilty Cube” | Caleb Kraft | [
"LED Hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"beginner",
"led",
"pic"
] | [Ben’s] introduction to microcontrollers was this
fun little gift he calls the “tilty cube”
. It is an acrylic box with 3 LEDs mounted inside that changes color based off of how you tilt it. Sounds like a fun toy, and a good project to learn with. [Ben] chose the PIC12F615 as the brains and laid it all out on a perfboard. Since this was his first microcontroller experience he had to learn how to blink the LEDs, then figure out PWM etc. Though there is no video of the project in its finished state, since it was given away as a gift, we assume he figured it out pretty well. He does state that the LEDs are dimmer than he had hoped and offers some thoughts on how he would do the entire project better next time. | 20 | 20 | [
{
"comment_id": "329328",
"author": "Some perv",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T20:08:52",
"content": "Totaly ready that as titty cube",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "329361",
"author": "dmcbeing",
"timestamp": "2011-02-10T20:23:19",
"cont... | 1,760,377,280.322752 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/mixed-io-testing-module/ | Mixed I/O Testing Module | Mike Szczys | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"analog",
"input",
"output",
"potentiometer",
"test"
] | Needing to test the display interface for a multitude of different sensors [Fileark] built himself this
analog and digital input/output simulator
. Along the bottom is a double row of trimpots that adjust analog voltages. Each voltage is measured by the Arduino inside and its value is displayed on the graphic LCD screen to confirm that the hardware you’re testing is making correct measurements. There’s also digital I/O in two different forms. To the upper left are momentary push buttons but the DIP switch bank below that allows the same connections to be toggled on and off. It’s not an automated test bed, but if you’ve got a lot of I/O, or a lot of hardware to test this will save you some real time.
Don’t miss the demonstration video after the break.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv0LFknD1XA&w=470] | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "327265",
"author": "Bill D. Williams",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T21:44:32",
"content": "I’m completely lost. The point of this is what? He’s just sending a bunch of pots to an arduino? And so he put it in a case? Why? Testing what exactly? That the arduino has I/O?What am I mis... | 1,760,377,280.367193 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/theremin-midi-board-is-like-using-autotune/ | Theremin Midi Board Is Like Using Autotune | Mike Szczys | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"keyboard",
"midi",
"theremin"
] | [Steve Hobley] built
a Theremin interface board that tracks pitch and volume
. Using this setup he’s able to pass data over a midi interface which effectively converts the instrument into a non-contact midi controller. As we joked in the headline, this does allow for the use of autotune, by snapping notes that are sharp or flat to the center of the nearest pitch. But you should watch the video after the break to see [Steve] show off the other features as well. A keyboard can be used to seed a starting pitch, with arpeggios of several different tonalities built on top of it based on the input from the Theremin.
Want the details? Unfortunately you’ll have to pay for the schematics. But the concept is still just as interesting to read about, even if you don’t know what went into the system.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sE2yS3CUno&w=470] | 8 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "327206",
"author": "Erik Johnson",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T20:03:46",
"content": "Holy *!@#$ I was wanting to build this exact thing for a friend’s interactive music/art display… Use your MIDI device (keyboard) to lend the voice and the theramin would supply the note and pitch ben... | 1,760,377,280.416275 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/farebot-android-nfc-proof-of-concept/ | FareBot – Android NFC Proof Of Concept | Mike Nathan | [
"Android Hacks",
"Transportation Hacks"
] | [
"android",
"NFC",
"rfid reader"
] | Upon learning that the Nexus S smartphone was equipped with a Near Field Communications NFC) radio, [Eric Butler] decided he would put the newly released Gingerbread SDK to good use. Focusing initially on ORCA fare cards used by several Washington state transit systems, he built an
open-source application he calls FareBot
, which can read data from any MIFARE DESFire branded cards. Utilizing the NFC radio in the Nexus S, he was able to dump all of the unprotected information from the fare cards, including the remaining card balance and the last 10 locations where the card was used.
The author hopes that his proof of concept application encourages other developers to expand on his project and to explore the data stored on transit cards around the world. While it is in its early stages, [Eric] would ultimately like to see this project expanded to allow the use of NFC-enabled smartphones as transit cards themselves via downloadable apps. He suggests that helping people understand the amount of data which can be freely obtained from these cards will eventually force the manufacturers to better inform consumers of the existing system’s shortcomings, which in turn might spur on smartphone-based transit initiatives. | 12 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "327167",
"author": "Anonymous",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T18:58:52",
"content": "Hold on.An RFID reader, in a cellphone?How’s the range, and can it penetrate jeans if close enough?Our school uses a keyless entry system, guessing from what I’ve seen, it’s RFID.",
"parent_id": null... | 1,760,377,280.465366 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/building-a-better-spectrum-analyzer-for-radio-enthusiasts/ | Building A Better Spectrum Analyzer For Radio Enthusiasts | Mike Szczys | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"amateur radio",
"operator",
"spectrum analyzer"
] | This spectrum analyzer project
seeks to improve the quality of tools available to amateur radio operators. A lot of thought has gone into the design, and those details are shared in the verbose project log. The case was originally a CATV link transmitter, but most of the controls seen above have been added for this build, with unused holes filled and finished to achieve the clean look.
One noteworthy part of the build is the time that went into building a rather complicated-looking 1013.3 MHz cavity bandpass filter. Despite the effort, the filter didn’t work. Details are a bit sketchy but it seems that some additional tuning brought it within spec to complete that portion of the device.
This certainly makes other
toy spectrum analyzers
look like… toys.
[Thanks William] | 12 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "327125",
"author": "HackerK",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T17:20:14",
"content": "Wow, this is serious stuff.. and well documented.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "327128",
"author": "Rob Wentworth",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08... | 1,760,377,280.511495 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/arduino-asteroids/ | Arduino Asteroids | Kevin Dady | [
"Arduino Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"Asteroids",
"tv"
] | [nootropic] has a new game out for hackvision,
“Asteroids”
! We covered the
hackvision
back when it first started appearing in October of 2010, and hardware wise it has not changed. It is still an Arduino (software) compatible system sporting a atmega328, video and audio out connections (
uses the TV-out library
), all on a nice printed circuit board that, with the buttons, resembles a game controller.
While its impressive enough to run arcade inspired games like
space invaders, pong, and tetris
while using Arduino and a library, Asteroids takes the game up a notch.
Features that make Asteroids well, Asteroids include a mod of the TV-out library so that bitmaps can fly over each other without erasing the pixels under them to give that old time vector arcade feel, and “
point in polygon
” style collision detection, which is a fantastic / efficient way of collision detection against irregular shapes, limited platform or not.
Last but not least, [nootropic] used the set_vbi_hook() function of the tv out library in sound design, going from simple “beeps” and “boops”, to “beeps” and “boops” on a constant 60Hz refresh (in the case of NTSC) that allows him to build more complex sound effects that give a nice arcade sound of explosions and laser blasts.
Join us after the break for a quick video, and remember, this is Arduino based so if you already have an Arduino, you can add the supporting hardware (buttons, resistors, and RCA jacks) and run any of the games currently offered, or make your own.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w03dO0Hd660&w=470] | 17 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "327050",
"author": "nootropic",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T15:27:21",
"content": "one quick clarification – I didn’t mod the TVout library to provide the bitmap overlay. Standard TVout is used.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "327... | 1,760,377,280.566855 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/upvotedownvote-cards/ | Upvote/Downvote Cards | Mike Szczys | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"bicolor",
"downvote",
"facebook",
"upvote"
] | Next time you throw together a talent show
consider using these cards for up and down voting
. [Frits Rincker] came up with the idea over the weekend based on the like and dislike buttons of Facebook. They consist of some foam board with LEDs in the outline of a hand. He built a switch which completes he blue circuit for the thumb’s up and a red circuit for thumb’s down by using a weight that slides freely in a channel, with a reed switch at either end. We’ve embedded the video after the break for you enjoyment.
Oh, and in case you were wondering; Hackaday likes this.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTge2V0WDdA&w=470] | 11 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "327047",
"author": "dave",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T15:22:43",
"content": "There’s no dislike button on Facebook.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "327051",
"author": "Michael L.",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T15:30:07",
"... | 1,760,377,280.614452 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/08/replace-an-n64s-worn-out-joystick/ | Replace An N64’s Worn Out Joystick | Mike Szczys | [
"Nintendo Hacks"
] | [
"analog",
"AVR",
"controller",
"Joystick",
"n64",
"pic",
"stick"
] | As gaming consoles age the controllers will inevitably show some wear, and sadly may give out all together. [Kyle] couldn’t bear to watch his Nintendo 64 controller bite the dust so
he replaced the thumb stick with one from a PlayStation
. This is a bigger job than you might imagine because the two parts are fundamentally different. The original N64 stick uses a rotary encoder to output data to the control chip, while the PlayStation stick is an analog device. [Kyle’s] solution was to read the analog values using a PIC, but lower in the thread you can read about another user who pulled off a similar hack using an AVR. Both convert the signals into the rotary encoder format that the N64 chip is listening for. From the looks of the clip embedded after the break, this couldn’t work any better!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFbFlmr-h2Q&w=470]
[Thanks Grazfather] | 24 | 18 | [
{
"comment_id": "326988",
"author": "aztraph",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T13:45:38",
"content": "not bad job playing while holding a camera.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "326991",
"author": "fartface",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T13:57:58",... | 1,760,377,280.677239 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/07/home-built-revolving-shotgun/ | Home Built Revolving Shotgun | James Munns | [
"Weapons Hacks"
] | [
"automatic",
"bear",
"revolver",
"semi",
"shotgun",
"zombie"
] | Sometimes, you just need more ammo available. In this
weapon mod
, the chamber of a 12 gauge shotgun, a hammer from an 1857 Remington Perc Revolver, and other parts from an Italian auto shotgun were all combined to make this happen. The gun is of questionable legality depending on what state or country it resides in. Don’t quote us on it, but the members of the forum seem to think it should be fine anywhere in the US but California. Slightly more practical than other
shotgun mods
we have seen, the inventor has been kind enough to share some stills of the inner mechanisms to see how this gun ticks.
[via
Neatorama
] | 61 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "326481",
"author": "Jakezilla",
"timestamp": "2011-02-08T00:40:23",
"content": "Awesome! I don’t think I would have the balls to shoot it, but if you are that confident in your build quality, more power to ya!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"... | 1,760,377,280.791084 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/07/chroma-mesmerizing-led-driven-fractal-display/ | Chroma – Mesmerizing LED Driven Fractal Display | Mike Nathan | [
"LED Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"art",
"led"
] | A big fan of generative art, [Andrew Magill] wanted to build an
LED display for his wall
that constantly displayed images from the
Electric Sheep
project. After discounting the possibility of generating these fractals on the fly, he settled on using prerecorded video clips gathered over a year’s time by Electric Sheep users. With thousands of video clips in hand, he wrote some custom software that enabled him to sequence these 5-second video clips into just over 6 hours of video, which he later downsampled to fit his 24×16 pixel display.
Now that he had some impressive video put together, [Andrew] began designing the LED panels he would use to show off his creation. After choosing TI TLC5947 drivers to control the LED arrays, he got to work on designing the PCBs, soldering in all of the components, and testing the displays. Initial testing completed, he wrote some more custom software to direct the individual LED boards from a master controller, and mounted everything in a frosted-glass adorned picture frame.
Be sure to check out mesmerizing video of Chroma in action after the break.
[flickr video=http://www.flickr.com/photos/amagill/5318924313/]
[via
flickr
] | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "326431",
"author": "Drake",
"timestamp": "2011-02-07T23:35:30",
"content": "Hrm. The video seems to be just the assembly . . . missing a video maybe?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "326433",
"author": "ferdinand",
"times... | 1,760,377,280.975517 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/07/fowl-accommodations-provided-by-mathematics/ | Fowl Accommodations Provided By Mathematics | Mike Szczys | [
"home hacks"
] | [
"chicken",
"coop",
"dome",
"geodesic"
] | [Anthony’s] chickens happily return to roost each night thanks to
the spacious house he built for them
. Sadly the geodesic dome never became the home of the future despite
what the people were promised
. But using a bit of unorthodox joinery you can create enclosures for your chickens or other animals in need of shelter.
The construction begins with 30 isosceles triangles and nine equilateral triangles which he cut from solid wood on a chop saw. To join the pieces he used metal banding and screws, which hold the edges close together but allow them to flex. This solved the problem of precision mitres at the edge of each wood piece. Once the dome was fully assembled he filled the joints with caulk and finished it with rubber roofing compound.
Our only question is: how’s he going to
automate the door of the coop
? | 19 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "326395",
"author": "Moggie100",
"timestamp": "2011-02-07T22:42:08",
"content": "‘Coop’ darnit…",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "326397",
"author": "BadWolf",
"timestamp": "2011-02-07T22:47:28",
"content": "where’s the... | 1,760,377,281.083091 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/07/laptop-lcd-reused-in-beagleboard-project/ | Laptop LCD Reused In Beagleboard Project | Mike Szczys | [
"Microcontrollers",
"Multitouch Hacks"
] | [
"arm",
"atmega48",
"beagleboard",
"ds90c363",
"lcd",
"lvds",
"vga"
] | This daughterboard lets [Matt Evans]
drive a laptop LCD using a Beagleboard
. Apparently the Beagleboard gained a VGA header when it moved to revision C but [Matt’s] working with revision B4 which is why he had to do all of that ninja soldering with the blue wires. The driver board itself is a thing of beauty, hosting a DS90C363
LVDS
serialiser as well as some buffer chips that handle level conversion for it. He’s also included an ATmega48 so that he has some options for future improvements.
The LCD is mounted in a custom acrylic case, with Beagleboard and driver board taped to the back of it. There’s RS232 and a USB hub which opens up the possibility of using a WiFi dongle for communications. So far he doesn’t have much functionality other than displaying images on the screen but there is some talk about using a touchpad for control. We’d love to see a touchscreen overlay, transforming the build into
a proper ARM-based tablet
. | 15 | 15 | [
{
"comment_id": "326366",
"author": "Erik Johnson",
"timestamp": "2011-02-07T21:39:39",
"content": "I have a rev C4 which has a header explicitly for this… But very cool!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "326373",
"author": "David",
"time... | 1,760,377,281.028077 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2011/02/07/a-charlieplex-display-and-a-board-layout-tip/ | A Charlieplex Display And A Board Layout Tip | Mike Szczys | [
"LED Hacks",
"Microcontrollers"
] | [
"attiny85",
"charlieplex",
"conways game of life",
"led",
"matrix"
] | [Ben] is getting himself up to speed with microcontrollers. He jumped into the deep end by taking on
this Charlieplex LED matrix build
. As you can see after the break, he not only made the display work, but coded Conway’s game of life to run on the ATtiny85 that drives the device. What you see above is the prototype version that [Ben] used to make sure he had the hardware just right. He’s seeing the project through to a manufactured board and this is where the layout tip comes from. In order to make sure he had enough space for all of his components he printed out the board artwork, taped it to some Styrofoam, and then inserted all of the through-hole parts. Now he can be sure that physically the design works, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that everything is also kosher electrically.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tDld6WW00Y&w=470] | 7 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "326310",
"author": "Apexys",
"timestamp": "2011-02-07T20:20:07",
"content": "Nice!Didn’t know charlieplexing needs that few wires.Cool hack!apexys",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "326319",
"author": "Ben",
"timestamp": "2... | 1,760,377,281.129287 |
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