NsN writes to inform us that the TI eStore is running a promotion on the 430BOOST-SENSE1 – MSP430 Capacitive Touch BoosterPack. The Capacitive Touch BoosterPack (430BOOST-CAPTOUCH1) is a plug in board for the $4.30 MSP430 Value Line LaunchPad development kit (MSP-EXP430G2 – sold separately). This BoosterPack features several capacitive touch elements including a scroll wheel, […]
Category Archives: sensors
App Note: Versatility of CTMU
This Microchip application note explores the many uses for the Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU). CTMU is a flexible analog module that provides accurate differential time measurement between pulse sources, as well as asynchronous pulse generation. Together with other on-chip analog modules, the CTMU can be used to precisely measure time, measure capacitance, measure relative […]
Waterwall device spooks cats
We found this Waterwall project on the Sump.org site, and while its an oldie it’s just too funny to pass up. This project is the logical result from combining my wish to keep them out of my room with their natural fear of water. So far they had proven very hard to teach about my […]
Internet-based temperature logger with mbed and ThingSpeak
Frank setup a internet-based temperature logger using the ThingSpeak contest data-logging service: This project uses a mbed microcontroller (LPC1768 ARM Cortex-M3) to monitor temperature using a DS1620 (digital temperature sensor IC), retrieve the time via NTP (network time protocol), and then log the current temperature to ThingSpeak along with a time-stamp. See a live graph […]
Microsoft demos a Kinect-driven armchair
Microsoft demoed a Kinect-driven armchair at the MIX11 conference in Las Vegas. This proof of concept device controls a motorized platform armchair using hand gestures. The source code for this project will reportedly be made available with Microsoft’s release this Spring of its Kinect for Windows SDK which will open up development using Visual Basic, […]
Microchip’s RE46C190 programmable photoelectric smoke-detector IC
Microchip has announced that its RE46C190 smoke detector IC has received UL certification. According to the datasheet: The RE46C190 is a low power, low voltage CMOS photoelectric type smoke detector IC. With minimal external components, this circuit will provide all the required features for a photoelectric-type smoke detector. The design incorporates a gain-selectable photo amplifier […]
Bosch Sensortec BMP085 pressure sensor tests
In a comment on our STMicroelectronics MEMS pressure sensor post, jbeale offers his tests of the Bosch Sensortec BMP085 pressure sensor: The Bosch Sensortec BMP085 is slightly larger (5×5 mm) and has been out for some time. In its highest sensitivity mode it offers 0.01 hPa resolution and 0.03 hPa noise level. (Note: 1 millibar […]
STMicroelectronics MEMS pressure sensor
STMicroelectronics has announced a new silicon pressure sensor capable of providing extremely high-resolution measurements of pressure – and therefore also of altitude – in a compact, thin package. The LPS001WP is a tiny (3×5 mm) silicon pressure sensor with an embedded 16-bit ADC, SPI and I2C interfaces and a supply voltage range of 2.2 V […]
Arduino/Teensy code for nRF24L01 transceiver
Markus writes: Due to the recent nRF24LE1 DangerousPrototypes blog post I like to share some Arduino/Teensy code I have written for the nRF24L01+ transceiver. ITead Studio has ready-to-use modules for just $5.98. The attached code and the modules work remarkably well. Thanks Markus! Via the forum.
Laser Position Sensor
Joe Grand of Grand Idea Studio has released the code and complete design files for his open source Laser Position Sensor (LPS) project. The project is based on the Freescale MC9S08JM8CLC and several Linear Technology LT1491ACS op amps. (Despite the references to Parallax in the LPS project documentation, this device is an open source project […]
nRF24LE1 low power single chip wireless data
The nRF24LE1 is a single chip radio that can be used with a microcontroller for low power wireless stuff. It has lots of extras like an ultra low power analog comparator for voltage level system wake-up. Nordic Semiconductor provides an RF protocol stack and applications for microcontrollers. Via MDFLY.
Keyglove Arduino/AVR-powered keyboard substitute
Here’s a keyboard-glove prototype in development by Jeff Rowberg. The Keyglove is a glove-based USB input device that provides full keyboard control, designed for wearable and mobile computing and to assist the disabled. According to Jeff: The Keyglove is a portable Arduino/AVR-powered glove that uses touch combinations (for keys) and an accelerometer (for the mouse) […]
Android as a user interface to hardware projects
Mario Böhmer at Dev-O-Rama wanted to access data from his web enabled embedded HTLPSensorNode Arduino project using his Android phone. He decided to use the Barcode Scanner app instead of a more traditional approach in order to add an artistic angle. Mario describes the theory he employed to build an Android app which takes the […]
Hard and soft iron magnetic compensation explained
Developers frequently use magnetic sensors in consumer products, such as to provide compass and navigation services in portable devices. In theory these sensors can be read directly to provide direction data. In practice, however, it’s not always that easy to obtain accurate information. In this article, Mike Stanley explains the scientific theory relating to hard […]
Control an LED with brainwaves and Arduino
Sean the Flex Guy has posted his basic experiments capturing brainwave data from the Neurosky Mindset BCI and conveying it to an Arduino. The readings are processed by the Arduino and displayed on an LED, in this case indicating the relative attention level of the participant. Sean has published the ActionScript 3.0 API he created […]
DIY piezoelectric materials
Make has a video on DIY piezoelectric materials: Piezoelectric materials are about as close to magic as you can get. They turn physical pressure into electricity and can even turn electricity into physical pressure – an amazing sort of bidirectional converter for mechanical and electrical energies. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that you […]
Voltage divider calculator
If you need to interface a higher voltage sensor output with a lower voltage chip the simplest solution is the good old fashioned voltage divider. Here’s an online calculator to help you compute the necessary resistance values courtesy of Raltron.com.
Arduino motion detection camera
Inspired by the intervalometer project at the Honey Jar, Dan Bridges produced a motion activation control to use with his Canon SLR camera. It uses an Arduino, a PIR sensor and two 4N35 optocouplers and this source code. He next plans to add a potentiometer and LCD screen to allow for custom time intervals on […]
Arduino based interactive punching bag
In an effort to enhance his workout, Lior Elazary designed an Arduino enhanced punching bag. The bag is outfitted with sensors made from aluminum foil and conductive foam, which are interfaced with the Arduino analog inputs via resistors. Bright LEDs are implanted in the bag near the sensors, and the Arduino flashes the LEDs in […]
OpenCV: Open source Computer Vision
Open source Computer Vision (OpenCV) is a library of programming functions for real time computer vision. It is released under a BSD license and is free for both academic and commercial use on the Linux, Mac and Windows platforms. The OpenCV library has 500+ optimized algorithms. Example applications of the OpenCV library are Human-Computer Interaction […]