Wireless rover with Android control

Wireless rover with Android control:

[Radu] spend the first portion of this year building and improving upon this wireless rover project. It’s actually the second generation of an autonomous follower project he started a few years back. If you browse through his old postings you’ll find that this version is leaps and bounds ahead of the last.
He purchased the chassis which also came with the gear-head motors and tires. Why reinvent the wheel (har har) when you’ve got bigger things on your plate? To make enough room inside for his own goodies he started out by ditching the control board which came with the Lynxmotion chassis in favor of an AVR ATmega128 development board. He also chose to use his own motor controller board. Next he added a metal bracket system to hold the battery pack. Things start to get pretty crowded in there when he installed his own Bluetooth and GPS modules. Rounding out his hardware additions were a set of five ultrasonic sensors (the grey tubes on top), a character display, as well as head and tail lights. The demo video shows off the control app he uses. We like that tic-tac-toe design for motion control, and that he added in buttons to control the lights.



Filed under: Android Hacks, robots hacks

Simple FM Transmitter

Simple FM Transmitter:

electronics-diy.com writes:

This article shows you how to build a very simple FM transmitter from thirteen components, a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and a 9v battery. This project was designed to be mounted on a PCB, however you don’t have to. You could construct the project on Vero board (strip board) or any other 0.1” pitch style of project board. If you just want to experiment with this circuit, you don’t even need a board; you can just solder the component s together and let the completed project just rest on the work top. No matter which style you choose, try to keep all component leads nice and short. You could also make the PCB much smaller than the one shown here which is approx. 3 cm square. This is a good size to keep the unit small but nicer to work on for beginners. If you wanted to make one really small, you could use all SMT parts.

Simple FM Transmitter - [Link]

Arduino Announces New Wireless Linux Board

Arduino Announces New Wireless Linux Board: Today, Arduino announced a new family of wireless products that combine the Arduino architecture with Linux.
Read the full article on MAKE

New Project: DIY 3D Laser Scanner Using Arduino

New Project: DIY 3D Laser Scanner Using Arduino: The principle behind this scanner is the typical of a line scanner. A laser beam intercepts the object to be measured and a camera, positioned at a known angle and distance shoots a series of images. With some trigonometry considerations and optic laws it is relatively easy to reconstruct the Zeta dimension, the measurement of the distance between the object and the camera.
Read the full article on MAKE

Measuring Voltage using an Arduino Uno

Measuring Voltage using an Arduino Uno:
How can one measure or monitor voltages greater than 5V using an Arduino board? The easiest way is to use a voltage divider network — which consists of only two resistors as shown in the circuit diagram below.
A full article on the subject is available with more information, code (an Arduino sketch) and some precautions that need to be taken into consideration.

Arduino Voltmeter Circuit

WizFi630 – the immediately available WiFi

WizFi630 – the immediately available WiFi:

Compact embedded module WizFi630 enables to connect any serial RS232 device to a TCP/IP network. 
However it´s not all. By supporting  3 Ethernet ports, it offers a wide variability to connect another devices to a Wi-Fi network, in various operation modes.
Novelty from company Wiznet  WizFi630 module provides, besides the RS232/ Wi-Fi interface, even many other functions, which place it to a category of routers. Via 2 UART and 3 Ethernet ports it is possible connect several devices in various modes of operation: AP (Access point), Client , AP client and Gateway. These modes are best illustrated in attached picturs. For a development support, we offer you a novelty -  WizFi630EVB evaluation board with complete accessories.

WizFi630 – the immediately available WiFi - [Link]

Turning on/off lights by whistling (Cortex M4 @ 80FFTs/sec)

Turning on/off lights by whistling (Cortex M4 @ 80FFTs/sec):

Turning on/off lights by whistling, Limpkin writes:

Basically, it is an ARM Cortex M4 running 80FFTs per second to detect a whistling sequence. The project is obviously open hardware/source

[via]
Turning on/off lights by whistling (Cortex M4 @ 80FFTs/sec) - [Link]

Simply print firmware in to microcontroller

Simply print firmware in to microcontroller:

This sounds crazy at first glance, but when you start looking at this, it sounds obvious and logical way. Dean Camera, who is creator of famous LUFA project decided to refresh his enthusiasm to developing by making bootloader based on printing. The idea of this is to flash AVR microcontroller by simply printing hex file like you would print it on paper.

The trick was to write a bootloader which would be seen as USB printer device. So PC using standard drivers would accept it. Luckily windows already comes with “generic Text-Only” printer driver which deals nicely with text files. All is left is to print hex file to device. Bootloader runs Intel HEX parser which takes data to be written to flash memory. From one side this seems to be funny approach, but in other hand it can be really practical way. Drivers are all there and no special hardware is needed. Why not?

Cool συντομεύσεις πληκτρολογίου Windows 7

Cool συντομεύσεις πληκτρολογίου Windows 7:

Τα Windows 7 μας παρέχουν πληθώρα έξυπνων συντομεύσεων πληκτρολογίου ώστε να μπορέσουμε να κάνουμε ευκολότερα τη δουλειά μας. 

Μόνη προϋπόθεση; 

Να τις γνωρίσουμε και να τις μάθουμε ώστε να τις χρησιμοποιούμε στην καθημερινότητά μας! 

Ας ξεκινήσουμε λοιπόν. 

[Windows] + [Spacebar] 
Κάνει όλα τα ανοιχτά παράθυρα διάφανα, ώστε να μπορούμε να δούμε την επιφάνεια εργασίας μας. 

[Windows] + [D] 
Κάνει ελαχιστοποίηση όλα τα ανοιχτά παράθυρα φέρνοντας μπροστά μας την επιφάνεια εργασίας. Αντίστοιχα όταν ξαναπατήσουμε αυτό το συνδυασμό πλήκτρων, επαναφέρει τα παράθυρα που είχαμε ανοιχτά. 

[Windows] + [Home] 
Ελαχιστοποιεί όλα τα ανοιχτά παράθυρα που έχουμε ανοιχτά, κρατώντας μόνο αυτό που έχουμε ενεργό. Αν επαναλάβουμε, επαναφέρει και τα μη ενεργά που είχαμε ανοιχτά. 

[Windows] + επάνω βέλος ή [Windows] + κάτω βέλος 
Κάνει maximize το ανοιχτό μας παράθυρο, ή αντίστοιχα το επαναφέρει στο μέγεθος που το είχαμε ανοιχτό. 

[Windows] + αριστερό βέλος ή [Windows] + δεξί βέλος 
Αν δεν έχουμε το παράθυρό μας maximized, τότε το στέλνει είτε αριστερά στην οθόνη μας, είτε δεξιά, είτε το επαναφέρει στη θέση που το είχαμε (πχ στο κέντρο της οθόνης μας). 

[Windows] + [Shift] + αριστερό βέλος ή [Windows] + [Shift] + δεξί βέλος 
Το ίδιο με πριν αλλά όχι στο οριζόντιο, αλλά στο κάθετο. 

[Windows] + [Tab] 
Δείχνει όλα τα ανοιχτά παράθυρα σε 3d απεικόνιση. Έχοντας πάλι πατημένο το πλήκτρο [Windows] και ξαναπατώντας το [Tab] μπορούμε να περιηγηθούμε σε αυτά. Αντίστοιχα, κάνοντας και κλικ σε ένα από αυτά, μπορούμε να το φέρουμε μπροστά μας. 

[Alt] + [Ctrl] + [Tab] + βελάκια 
Μας πηγαίνει στο προηγούμενο, επόμενο ανοιχτό παράθυρο και με τα βελάκια ή το ποντίκι μπορούμε να πάμε στο παρα-επόμενο, κλπ. 

[Alt] + [Tab] 
Μας πηγαίνει στο επόμενο παράθυρο κάνοντάς το ενεργό. 

[Alt] + [F4] 
Κλείνει το παράθυρο που έχουμε ανοιχτό και είναι ενεργό. 

[Windows] + [T] ή [Windows] + [Shift] + [T] 
Μας ανοίγει και μας περιηγεί στα παράθυρα που έχουμε ανοιχτά, βάσει της μπάρας κάτω. 

[Windows] + [B] 
Κάνει focus κάτω δεξιά στο taskbar, στο "εμφάνιση των κρυφών εικονιδίων". Με [Enter] μπορούμε να τα ανοίξουμε και με τα βελάκια να περιηγηθούμε σε αυτά όπου πάλι με [Enter] να ανοίξουμε το επιλεγμένο.

Πλήκτρο που βρίσκεται δίπλα από το δεξί [Windows] πλήκτρο 
Μας κάνει δεξί κλικ όπου βρισκόμαστε ή σε ότι έχουμε επιλεγμένο (πχ μέσα σε κειμενογράφο, αν έχουμε επιλεγμένο ένα αρχείο, κλπ) 

[Windows] + [1] έως [9] 
Μας φέρνει και κάνει ενεργό το αντίστοιχο ανοιχτό παράθυρο που αντιστοιχεί σε κάποιο από αυτά τα νούμερα 

[Windows] + [Shift] + αριστερό βέλος ή [Windows] + [Shift] + δεξί βέλος 
Μετακινεί το παράθυρό μας από τη μία οθόνη στην άλλη αν έχουμε εκτεταμένη επιφάνεια εργασίας σε 2 οθόνες. Μάλιστα, μετακινεί το παράθυρο και το εμφανίζει ακριβώς στο σημείο που εμφανιζόταν στην 1η οθόνη. 

[Windows] + [P] 
Πάλι αν έχουμε δύο οθόνες συνδεμένες, μας βγάζει απευθείας να επιλέξουμε τι mode θέλουμε να έχουμε (εκτεταμένη επιφάνεια, κλπ)
http://www.coolweb.gr/cool-windows-7-shortcuts-pliktrologiou/

ECE 476 Final Project

ECE 476 Final Project: "Wii-C
(Wii Conductor)

Michael Ostrander (mco26)
Samuel Fanfan (sf85)









Introduction

Our project can be described as a simplified implementation of Wii-Music, utilizing a Nintendo Wii Remote (“Wiimote”) to play a gesture-based music game with the player as a virtual music conductor."

'via Blog this'

Spark Core: Wi-Fi for Everything (Arduino Compatible)

Spark Core: Wi-Fi for Everything (Arduino Compatible):
The Spark Core is an Arduino-compatible, Wi-Fi enabled, cloud-powered development platform that makes creating internet-connected hardware a breeze.
This little board packs a punch: with a 72 MHz ARM Cortex M3, the best Wi-Fi module on the market, wireless programming, and lots of pin outs and peripherals, there’s nothing you can’t build with the Core.
Spark Core: Wi-Fi for Everything (Arduino Compatible) - [Link]

Automate Your Home via Voice Commands with Tasker and VeraLite

Automate Your Home via Voice Commands with Tasker and VeraLite:

Reddit user droidkc has shown off his home automation setup controlled entirely by voice commands. The setup can control home lights on a dimmer, the TV, and even XBMC from his phone.
Here's a list of what he used to create this setup:

• Tasker
• AutoVoice (Tasker plugin)
• Yatse (to control XBMC)
• VeraLite (Home automation controller, $179)

The comments over on Reddit have more information on how he accomplished this. If you're comfortable creating Tasker profiles and don't mind searching through some home automation forums, you should be able to set up something similar on the cheap.
Voice-controlled Home Automation with Android (Tasker, AutoVoice, AutoRemote, and more...) | Reddit

Turning on/off lights by whistling (Cortex M4 @ 80FFTs/sec)

Turning on/off lights by whistling (Cortex M4 @ 80FFTs/sec):

Limpkin informs us that he recently finished work on his open source project:  Turning on/off lights by whistling

Basically, it is an ARM Cortex M4 running 80FFTs per second to detect a whistling sequence.  The project is obviously open hardware/source

Via the forum.
Check out the video after the break.

TeenLogger, a Teensy GPS Logger | Weird-Lab

TeenLogger, a Teensy GPS Logger | Weird-Lab

Arduino Playground - WhatAdapter

Arduino Playground - WhatAdapter

USB in a NutShell - Chapter 3 - USB Protocols

USB in a NutShell - Chapter 3 - USB Protocols: USB

DIY Hacks & How To’s: Get Emergency Power from a Phone Line

DIY Hacks & How To’s: Get Emergency Power from a Phone Line: What do you do if the power is out, but you need to charge your cell phone to make an emergency phone call? In this episode of DIY Hacks & How To's, Jason Poel Smith shows you how to tap the power flowing from your phone line.
Read the full article on MAKE

How to Desolder Through-Hole Joints

How to Desolder Through-Hole Joints:

This video demonstrates the use of solder wick (braid), a solder sucker (desoldering pump), and desoldering gun. It explains why some joints are hard to desolder: large ground planes or components, small holes, low quality pcbs. Finally, some alternative methods are shown, including cutting the leads, pulling one lead out at a time for resistors and other two-legged parts, and heating all the pins at once, using an iron, hot air or ChipQuik.

winder/Universal-G-Code-Sender � GitHub

winder/Universal-G-Code-Sender � GitHub

DVD laser diode used to build a laser engraver

DVD laser diode used to build a laser engraver:

[Johannes] has been reading Hackaday for years but this is the first project he’s tipped us off about. It’s a laser engraver built from a DVD burner diode (translated). It turned out so well we wonder what other projects he’s forgotten to tip us off about?
This is the second CNC machine he’s seen through from start to finish. It improves upon the knowledge he acquired when building his CNC mill. The frame is built from pine but also uses bits of plywood and MDF. It can move on the X and Y axes, using drawer sliders as bearings. The pair of blue stepper motors drive the threaded rods which move the platform and the laser mount. Just above the laser he included a small DC fan to keep it from burning up. The control circuitry is made up of an Arduino Nano and a stepper motor driver board. Catch a glimpse of the engraver cutting out some stencil material after the break.
There must be something about Spring that brings out the urge to work with laser diodes. We just saw a similar 1W cutter last week.

Filed under: clock hacks, laser hacks

An Elastic Filament for 3d Printers

An Elastic Filament for 3d Printers:

New elastic filament for 3d printers, compatible with all printers and hot ends. You can create any elastic part in the same conditions like ABS or PLA.

via Elastic Filament 3mm 3d printer Recreus – YouTube.

What do you think of using an elastic filament? It’s something useful in your experience?