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 Arduino’s 6 ADC pins to ROS using rosserial. This will be a relatively bad oscilloscope (very low sampling frequency and resolution), but it will be perfect for many quick and dirty setups.

This project requires that you have the ROS (Robot Operating System) installed on your machine. ROS provides libraries and tools to help software developers create robot applications. It provides hardware abstraction, device drivers, libraries, visualizers, message-passing, package management, and more. It is available in a supported Ubuntu package download here. (Experimental packages are also available for other operating systems.)

Bus Blaster release package v2.0

Over the last few weeks we did a massive cleanup and reorganization of our SVN code repository. Most projects now follow a standard directory structure. All our in-progress and stalled project files are now completely open and available to anyone. We also included all the manufacturing resources used to initiate production at Seeed, and the original artwork and diagrams used in the documentation. The final step of the cleanup is to release packages and source archives for each project.

Updated source archive and user packages for the Bus Blaster are now available. This package covers Bus Blaster v1 and v2.

You can get a Bus Blaster v2 for $34.95.

Multimeter recommendations

sqkybeaver on choosing a multimeter:

…if you use eBay,  for an entry i would recommend something like this with dmm (a second or third dmm is all ways good to have) this is as fairly accurate as a hobbyist would need.

for a more advanced user I’d go with new BK precision 879B handheld dual display LCR meter or EXTECH 380193: Passive component LCR meter

those are all general purpose solutions, if you will be doing a large. amount that are >10uH/mOHM a more expensive bench unit might be in order.

Via the forum.

App note: RS-485 adapter converts data lines from full- to half-duplex

A RS-485 adapter:

An adapter circuit consisting of an RS-485 transceiver (MAX3076 or MAX13086) and a voltage monitor used as a timer (MAX641X) allows an existing point-to-point full duplex circuit to function in a more-complex point-to-multipoint half-duplex system.

Thanks rsdio!

Free PCB coupon via Facebook comments

Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. The first few people who comment on this at Facebook get a free PCB. More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday.

This week we’re giving away two PCB codes. Pick your own PCB from the free PCB drawer.

Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week:

  • Free PCB Sunday. The classic. Every week, right here on the blog
  • Tweet-a-PCB Tuesday. Follow us and get boards in 144 characters or less
  • Facebook PCB Friday. Free PCBs while you wait for the weekend

Continue reading “Free PCB coupon via Facebook comments”

Pirate fighting surveillance robot

Relax, it’s not looking for THAT kind of pirate. This robotic creation by Recon Robotics is known as the Throwbot and is designed to be launched from a ship mounted cannon. It either lands on the pirate’s ship or the metallic sides which it then scales (as demonstrated in this video.) Once on board it can be remotely controlled while sending back wireless video at a range of up to 1000 feet. Used in planning sea rescues from hostile vessels or other maritime surveillance work.

Via PopSci.

Week in (p)review: July 08, 2011

Facebook free PCB Friday is on the way. Don’t forget to share your current project in the comments or the forum.

Here’s a summary of major developments over the last week:

Coming this week:

  • A new blog theme is almost ready. The blog, wiki, and forum are getting a make over. Our main goal is bigger pictures and easier access to stuff you use
  • A picoTAP compatible buffer for the Bus Blaster v2
  • A new way to get free PCB codes
  • We may have another giveaway lined up
  • Free PCB Sunday
  • Free PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday
  • A new partlist post on Wednesday
  • Free PCBs via Facebook on Friday
  • Weekly roundup and preview every Friday

What are you hacking this week?

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 compute to the Peggy.

Wulrano describes the details of programming the board as well as tips for using it for light painting photography on the DIYPhotography website. The above picture is an example of his work photographing the Peggy2 board.

Bus Pirate Zeno zit zapper hack update

Restoring a Zeno zit zaper tip was one of the first published ‘hacks’ using the Bus Pirate a few years ago. It’s still a super popular post that gets a ton of hits. Here’s some updates:

Was jacking around with the Zeno again recently and figured out (as far as I can tell) how to get the most counts or uses possible onto a Zeno tip. I started by comparing the tip EEPROM data of the 60, 90 & 150 count tips. Of the three data sets bytes 2, 12, 49, 65 & 66 were the only ones that changed from tip to tip. After studying these changes I eventually found a pattern and was able to put together some formulas for creating your own custom count tip. But really, who wants less than the maximum amount? For the method I worked out, the tip count must be in multiples of 15. Not saying the Zeno cares, but for the pattern I observed the tip count must be a multiple of 15.

I use TeraTerm for resetting my Zeno tips. For those that dont want to use TeraTerm but need the EEPROM data, open the TeraTerm macro and extract the data you need. For those that do want the macro, here it is: 240 Count Macro for use with TeraTerm

Get your own handy Bus Pirate for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors.

Thermal Tweeter Fail Whale

Earlier today the Thermal Tweeter printer stopped working. Probably due to rough continuous abuse. A few replacements are on the way.

We dressed it up for a proper send off. There’s an eerie still in the lab now that it’s gone.

According to USTREAM there were 26,037 total views and 3,694 viewer hours. The statistics page is way sketchier than the last time we used USTREAM, no idea what the numbers mean this time.

Thank you so much for playing with the printer, your tweets made it an interesting project.

More Thermal Tweeter facts and figures.

Watch the paper pile grow.

Continue reading “Thermal Tweeter Fail Whale”

OpenPCR open source DNA analysis

OpenPCR, open source DNA analysis:

A PCR machine is basically a copy machine for DNA. It is essential for most work with DNA, things like exposing fraud at a sushi restaurant, diagnosing diseases including HIV and H1N1, or exploring your own genome. The guy who discovered the PCR process earned a Nobel Prize in 1993, and OpenPCR is now the first open source PCR machine.

Via Adafruit.

Scripting Bluetooth on Android

Brian writes:

I have just finished writing up info on an Android application I am calling BlueScripts along with a demo embedded application BlueZigbee for the Eridani development board.

Many embedded system applications need simple message communications between two devices of a repetitive nature. Good examples are any remote control application. These types of of applications can be implemented using a Bluetooth terminal program …

BlueScripts is based on the BluetoothChat example program provided by Google. Its main advantage over a terminal is automation of repetitive commands using a simple menu system. It issues a series of ASCII messages to Bluetooth MAC addresses as defined in [an XML file].

Via the contact form.

Thermal Tweeter fail, that’s all folks @dangerousproto

It looks like Thermal Tweeter has come to an end. After 15 rolls of paper the printing is light and the paper isn’t feeding properly. We tried adding some extra delays in the software, but even at 4 seconds delay per line the problems still happen. It’s supposed to have a life of 30 miles of paper, but maybe our rough handling and continuous use damaged it.

More Thermal Tweeter facts and figures.

Watch the paper pile grow.

There’s a video of the broken printing below the fold.

Continue reading “Thermal Tweeter fail, that’s all folks @dangerousproto”

A large scale 3D printer

Extruder Drive

The creative makers at Metrix Create: Space have had their first successfully print on the Big Robot, which is a CNC router table converted into a large extrusion based 3D printer.  The basic technology is much like a RepRap, but the nozzle is about 6mm, while most RepRap nozzles are around 0.5mm.  It currently prints using HDPE from old milk jugs that have been run through an industrial shredder to make chips.  These are then feed into a drill auger driven extruder.

Their first goal is to print a boat, presumably for a milk carton boat derby.  After that they are asking for input on other things that would be good to print on a large 3D printer.  We think printing full sized people could be very interesting.