Squonk writes Here is an interesting paper on “Very Low-Cost Sensing and Communication Using Bidirectional LEDs”. Not new (2003), but this technical report is very detailed. The abstract to the document by Mitsubishi Electric states: “A novel microprocessor interface circuit is described which can alternately emit and detect light using only an LED, two digital […]
Author Archives: the machinegeek
Android Arduino MIDI sequencer
Here’s a project from SuLuLab using an Android smartphone to send commands via WiFi to an Arduino board in order to control a MIDI sequencer. It uses the new Processing 1.5 which provides Android support. SuLuLab writes: The first application developed to study the new Processing mode is a graphical interface for the simple MIDI […]
Gameduino now at Seeed
The Gameduino board which we first highlighted back in February is now available from Seeedstudio for $53.00. For more info on this board see the Gameduino projects page.
Update on Arduino imaging – Processing sketch + video
Earlier this week we posted about Carlos Agell’s project which allows the acquisition of analog camera images by an Arduino. Carlos has updated this project for use with a Processing sketch instead of the costly LabVIEW required in the original design. Here’s the link to his compressed file containing the Arduino and Processing sketches, LabVIEW […]
Processing 1.5 provides Android support
Processing version 1.5 is available for download. In addition to support for traditional desktop/web development, this release also includes an Android development mode. This should make Android development easier than using the Android SDK. For everything you need to know to start developing in Processing for Android, see the their Android Wiki page.
Introduction to the Controller Area Network (CAN)
A controller area network (CAN) is ideally suited to the many high-level industrial protocols embracing CAN and ISO-11898:1993 as their physical layer. Its cost, performance, and upgradeability provide for tremendous flexibility in system design. This application report presents an introduction to the CAN fundamentals, operating principles, and the implementation of a basic CAN bus with […]
Quick and easy two-way opto-isolator
Forrest M. Mims III posts this quick and easy project on Jameco’s website demonstrating how to make a simple two-way opto-isolator using two LEDs.
Remote control mood light
Dmitry Grinberg had a few PIC12F1840 MCUs lying around, and wanted to use them in some type of IR remote control project. He decided to construct a remote control mood light using the PICs in both transmitter and receiver. Four high-brightness LEDs (White, Red, Green, and Blue) are used to combine to form different colors […]
IBM unveils graphene chip
As detailed in this report, IBM has announced their first graphene integrated circuit. Graphene’s structure of one-atom-thick planar sheets of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice make it one of the thinnest semiconductor materials. Further development using graphene should open the door to greater practicality of flexible electronics. While […]
RobotShop microcontroller Instructables contest
RobotShop has announced a contest for creative microcontroller projects posted on Instructables. To enter the contest you simply have to create a new photo, video, or step by step Instructable which incorporates a microcontroller and share your code. Whether your project is simple or complex, a video demonstrating it in action is a big plus! […]
Low power LCD smackdown
Big Mess o’ Wires’ posted a roundup of small, low power LCDs for MCU projects. Sometimes it seems like there are a million different LCDs you might use with your microcontroller project, and deciding on one can be hard. Once you’re ready to move beyond a basic text display, you’ll find graphic displays have a […]
Help with 2600 hacker calendar
Our friends at 2600 Magazine are putting together a hacker calendar for 2012 and they’re asking for everyone’s help. They write: We’re putting together a special hacker wall calendar, filled with all sorts of awesome pictures of technology compiled by our team of photographers. Old and new tech will be represented, large and small, you […]
Nominations open for O’Reilly Open Source Awards
The 7th Annual O’Reilly Open Source Awards will be hosted this July at OSCON 2011 in Portland, Ore. These annual awards recognize individual contributors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity, and collaboration in the development of open source software. The nomination form is open to the entire open source community. The nomination period closes on […]
Using the TEMT6000 light sensor with Arduino
Here’s a short and simple description from Bildr blog on how to interface the TEMT6000 ambient light sensor with an Arduino.
Polycode
Polycode is a cross-platform framework for creative code. You can use it as a C++ API or as a standalone scripting language to get easy and simple access to accelerated 2D and 3D graphics, hardware shaders, sound and network programming, physics engines and more. The core Polycode API is written in C++ and can be […]
Image acquisition from an analog camera using Arduino
Carlos Agell of Hacking Electronics has developed this project which allows the acquisition of analog camera images by an Arduino. He uses an Arduino, Nootropic’s video experimenter shield, 1% resistors and a potentiometer. This hardware captures a 128×96 monochrome image and sends it back via serial to a PC where it can be viewed using […]
MIC4811: High Current 6 Channel Linear WLED Driver with DAM™ and Ultra Fast PWM™ Control
Micrel has announced the availability of the MIC4811 High Current 6 Channel Linear WLED Driver with DAM™ and Ultra Fast PWM™ Control. The MIC4811/MIC4812 are high efficiency linear White LED (WLED) drivers designed to drive up to six high current WLEDs for signage lighting. The MIC4811/MIC4812 provide the highest possible efficiency at low source voltages […]
IR LED speed camera license plate blocker
Siliconfish used to build IR cameras for a living, so he knows something about the effects light of various IR wavelengths can have on a camera. When his town installed photo cameras on the traffic lights, he decided to experiment with an array of IR LEDs mounted on a license plate frame to see what […]
Open source perception manager
Cellbots is a collection of hobbyists who want to free your cell phone from your pocket and let it connect and move with the real word by integrating it with a robot. Now Anthony Francis, a member of Google’s Cloud Robotics team and a volunteer at Cellbots.com, has been given the green light to contribute […]
PropController: open source platform for lighting and prop control
The PropController is a Parallax Propeller based DMX/Ethernet swiss army knife originally intended for the DIY Christmas and Halloween communities. This device acts as building block to create custom lighting and FX controllers. There are currently two versions of the PropController one for RS485 (DMX) and one for Ethernet (E1.31 – Lightweight streaming protocol for […]