Author Archives: the machinegeek

3 wire DLG2416 CPLD display controller

Alan posted this project at FromOrbit demonstrating how to implement three wire control of a DLG2416 display using a CPLD. The chip he chose was the Xilinx XC9536 which is the 36 macrocell version of the XC9572 CPLD found in our CPLD Development Board, so this can be implemented on our board with room to […]

One Wire Digital Temperature DS18B20 + Arduino

There are alot of Arduino + temperature sensor tutorials out there, but what makes this one different is the use of the DS18B20 sensor. Each DS18B20 has a unique 64-bit serial code, which allows multiple DS18B20s to function on the same 1-Wire bus. Thus, it is simple to use one microprocessor to control many DS18B20s […]

Read an Arduino via REST and upload value to Thingspeak

Thingspeak bills itself as “an open application platform designed to enable meaninful connections between people and things.” The graphic above demonstrates how dynamic temperature level readings can be made available on the internet via Thingspeak. In working with the Thingspeak API Sirleech has developed code he calls RestduinoThingspeak. It’s a Python script to read a […]

Arduino oscilloscope uses ROS code

Ros.org presents this project tutorial demonstrating that a simple oscilloscope can be implemented using the Arduino. They write: In this tutorial, we will be making a poor man’s oscilloscope using the Arduino’s ADC (analog to digital converter) and rxplot. We will set up a publisher which will forward the analog values from each of the […]

Light painting using an Arduino-based PegBoard

Wulfrano Moreno is a photography enthusiast who heard about light painting photography using an iPad. Not having an iPad, he learned of the Peggy2 Board from Evil Mad Science and decided to give it a try to producing light painting effects. After building the Peggy board, he used PeggyDraw2 to transfer an image from the […]

New release: XILINX ISE Design Suite 13.2

Xilinx has announced the availability of their ISE Design Suite 13.2. While most of the improvements appear geared toward the 7 Series FPGA families, if you’re in need of the Xilinx software or just want to upgrade you’ll find downloads for Windows and Linux here. As a much appreciated courtesy, Xilinx is also making DVDs […]

picChess

Arthur Benemann has been working on a microcontroller chess game using a Microchip DSPIC33FJ128MC804-PT. He writes: I would like to share my latest project, the picChess, its a Microcontroller Chess game. It has and VGA video interface, audio, Keyboard connection, and even a AI to play against the Microcontroller. The project, including source and schematic […]

One step XSVF file generation for CPLD

If you’re using one of our CPLD Development Boards you need to have a file in XSVF format to download to the board using the Bus Pirate loaded with the BPXSVFPLAYER firmware. We’ve posted a method to convert SVF files to XSVF format, but Xilinx has included a handy way to produce “One Step XSVF” […]

Freescale’s MC13260 two-way radio chip

Freescale’s MC13260 System-on-chip two-way radio is one chip to watch for. Now in the “introduction pending” stage and highlighted in this video from the recent FTF 2011 conference, it promises to be a one chip analog/digital radio solution. Preliminary design specs show RF coverage from 60-960 MHz, comprehensive digital radio mode coverage including DMR, dPMR, […]

Nonolith Labs CEE USB analog electronics multitool

Ian and Kevin from Nonolith Labs write: Our open-hardware startup just announced our first two projects, both of which are vaguely bus-pirate related. The CEE is a USB analog multitool. It can source and measure voltage and current on two channels, making it a mix of a power supply, multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope. It’s […]

Pen testers build a better mousetrap

Netragard is a security company that provides anti-hacking services (penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, web application security testing, etc) to its customers via the realistic reproduction of threats. In a recent assignment the client specified that the test could not use social engineering or physically access client facilities. With their work cut out for them, Netragard […]

Arduino/solar augmented model monorail train

Brothers Joe and Justin Kopacz designed this futuristic model train layout using an Arduino as the brains of the engine. The J & J Monorail runs on batteries augmented by solar to power the Pololu 298:1 micro gear motor, controlled by an Arduino Uno. View the project video and download the PDF of their project […]

Tutorial: Arduino and the SPI bus

Tronixstuff has posted a great tutorial explaining how to use the Arduino and the SPI bus. This detailed tutorial is presented in two parts. Part 1 presents the basic theory on the serial peripheral interface (SPI), including examples of using the eals with a Microchip MCP4162-series 10k rheostat and an Analog Devices AD5204 four-channel digital […]