Ladyada explores the Kinect protocol using a USB analyzer. While we know the Kinect has already been cracked, this is a good example of how USB analyzers can be a helpful (though costly) addition to a workbench.
Author Archives: the machinegeek
Christmas music on the Picaxe
If you need a quick source of canned Christmas music in a project, don’t forget the Picaxe line of microcontrollers from Revolution Education. All Picaxe “M” chips have three Christmas tunes preprogrammed and playable using the PLAY command: Jingle Bells, Silent Night, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!
Altera introduces Max V CPLD
Altera has introduced their Max V family of CPLDs. Features include operation from a single 1.8 volt external supply for device core, internal oscillator, user flash memory block of up to 8 Kbits for non-volatile storage with up to 1000 read/write cycles, and multiVolt I/O interface supporting 3.3, 2.5, 1.8, 1.5 and 1.2-Volt logic levels. […]
GRACE: TI’s MSP430 graphical peripheral config tool
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player TI has released GRACE , a graphical configuration tool for MSP430 and Launchpad developers for setting up integrated peripherals such as ADCs, OpAmps, Timers, Clocks, and other modules. This tool is a free and open source, eclipse-based plug-in for Code Composer Studio. Code Composer Studio v4.2.0.11017 is required for the […]
Android controls robot with Bluetooth
PocketMagic demos the use of an Android phone’s Bluetooth capability to transmit commands to a module interfaced through an Atmega8 with a robot car. While this project controls a Perseus 3 robot platform, the code and circuit could be easily adapted to use with any device that could be interfaced with the Atmega8, and the […]
Future of FPGAs and SoC
Kevin Morris of FPGAJournal discusses the future of FPGAs and SoC (System On Chip) and why it may be a good idea to put peanut butter on our fabric.
Function generator using Atmega16P
Scienceprog shows how to construct a function generator using the Atmega16P. Code and schematic are included, and the project uses a repurposed PC power supply to provide 5 and 12 volt sources.
Launchpad plus LCD equals serial terminal
The Philadelphia, PA based Maker/hacker group Hive76 developed a tiny serial terminal using a TI Launchpad and an HD44780 LCD. The circuit diagram and code libraries are available for download. Some useful work that can be incorporated into larger projects.
Roadmap to reversing the Xbox 360
Bunnie Huang (Bunnie’s Blog) reverse engineered the Xbox 360 and had been called as an expert witness in a case (USA v Crippen) charging violations of the criminal provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The case was dismissed after the first witness testified, so in order to publicly summarize the technical facts on […]
Hacking RGB Christmas lights
Deep Darc has successfully reverse engineered the operation of a 50-light set of GE multicolor Christmas lights. His work involved snooping the protocol used on the LEDs data bus line and exploration of the remote control unit, resulting in source code allowing control of the display of colors and patterns by an Attiny13A. Via Wonderhowto.
TI Lauchpad composite video
Naturetm has published the details on how to produce composite video using the MSP430 found on the TI Launchpad. Just two resistors added to the Launchpad and their source code will get you monochrome NTSC video in 192×40 res! Via Hack A Day.
Taking RFID to the limits
Chris Paget presented a talk at Defcon 18 on RFID and the security implications of long range reading of enhanced driver licenses which have embedded 900 MHz RFID tags. The video is divided into four parts totaling about 45 minutes. In addition to part 1 above, here are links to parts 2-4: Part 2 Part […]
Homemade TSA type body scanner
Geek guru Jeri Ellsworth is at it again, continuing with her exploration of homebrew radar devices. In this installment satellite dish hardware is interfaced with an FPGA to provide Via Hack A Day.
Keep AC powered projects from blowing up
Maker Stephen Hobley presents a novel way of protecting your AC powered project from blowing up: place a light bulb in series with the circuit! While not a substitute for a fuse, this can provide a secondary means of protection from drawing too much current. Via Makezine.
Bus Pirate as a serial IO bridge
Joe Desbonnet demonstrates his use of a Bus Pirate as a serial-to-PC IO bridge with a PIC 16F327A. The PIC is simultaneously connected to a PICkit2 programmer, and this setup allowed him to communicate with the newly programmed PIC using serial commands in a prototyping environment. A good basic how-to post, including sample Bus Pirate […]
System and method for intrabody communications
Here’s a thought provoking patent abstract, a “System and Method for Intra-body Communication,” US patent application number 20100305437 Among other concepts it refers to using the unique audio frequencies produced by teeth clicks as a means of communicating through the musculoskeletal system with a wireless wristwatch device!
USB Hacking with the Arduino
Here Collin’s Lab at Makezine explores the use of microcontrollers as USB host controllers. Very instructive and worth a look by anyone wanting to learn more about USB and its integration with microcontrollers. Via Makezine
Small CPU core on a FPGA
Here is the paper James Bowman presented at EuroForth 2010 detailing his project to build a small 16-bit CPU core Forth machine on a Xilinx FPGA. This 200 lines of Verilog code could be helpful to anyone studying FPGA project design. Via Hack a Day
Hanukkah Menorah using Attiny2313 and LEDs
Evilmadscientist.com gives instructions on how to build a Hanukkah Menorah using an Attiny2313 and LEDs. Via Wonderhowto.com
Scratch4arduino
Scratch4arduino (S4A) is a graphical IDE based on Scratch from the MIT Media Lab. It’s designed to assist programming newbies in developing code for the Arduino board. With downloads for Windows, Mac and Linux (deb) this freeware program by Citilab currently works with the Duemilanove and Diecimila versions and includes modules for working with sensors, […]