Freescale publishes open sample data sets for inertial and magnetic sensors

On working with the MMA7260Q accelerometer Mike Stanley from Freescale semiconductors writes:

There’s nothing like looking at the raw data, running it through an algorithm and viewing the results to cement an understanding of the technology.

Later, I gathered an appreciation for the need to be able to reproduce my results from one run to the next. I needed to be able to clearly differentiate the effects of a subtle software change versus simple random input variation of one experiment to the next. I started caching experimentally captured data sets onto my hard drive. I invested in a 3rd party inertial measurement unit and the data sets started piling up. Eventually, I developed a standard set of Matlab scripts and consistent ways to view my data. I showed my data set to my immediate manager, and his reaction was “we should share this.”

Freescale has made these data sets available on their website. The company is releasing raw data files, Matlab scripts, and full report under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You can download the entire package as a zip file here.

Via the Freescale blog.

Editorial comment: On the surface, this seems like a noble gesture by Freescale toward the open source community. However, as we researched further it appears that the MMA7260Q accelerometer is no longer manufactured by Freescale. Also, their website links to another obsolete part as the “suggested replacement”.

If you’re really into this type of data modeling and can’t find a spare MMA7260Q gathering dust in your parts bin you can purchase Freescale’s $99 MCF51QE128 Demonstration Board which conveniently includes the MMA7260Q accelerometer.

“Welcome to the new server” free PCBs

Welcome to the new server. Please help us out by leaving a comment below. We’ll send out some free PCB coupons, and double coupons for each new reported problem.

Forum, blog, wiki, and free PCB store are all open again. Please report any problems in the comments or the forum.

Migration was a bit dicey. We ran into a known WordPress problem. If you see any funny characters in posts or comments please help us by posting the link somewhere.

Twitter, Facebook, and other plugins will be back online shortly.

Server migration in process

UPDATE#2: We think this is the new server :) Welcome.

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UPDATE#1: Forum will be down for sync now.

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It’s time to move to a fancy new server. Comments are locked while we sync the blog database, and the free PCB store is not accepting orders.

Next we’ll move the wiki, and finally the forum. The forum will also be locked while the databases are synced, but not until the blog and wiki are finished.

We won’t need to change the DNS records, so the switch should happen nearly instantly. We moved the DNS to Cloud Flare earlier this week, so we just have to setup Cloud Flair to point at the new server and everything should be good.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and support.  We’ll be up and down, but things will get better.

A new post will tell you when you hit the new server. And there will be free PCBs! See you on the other side.

Image courtesy Skyler.

EasyMSP 0.8.2 Beta2 released

MattTheGeek has released his early project code for EasyMSP, which allows MSP430 users to run Arduino code with few modification, thanks to EasyMSP’s AFI, or Arduino Function Interface. The purpose of this project is to create a user friendly dev environment for MSP430 MCUs, seeking to accommodate both beginners and advanced users by providing the simplicity of complete hardware abstraction while still having complete control of the MCU.

Although intended to be a replacement to the Arduino and runs Arduino code, it is not a full replacement. EasyMSP cannot run some types of Arduino code such as drivers or code libraries that are written in or with native AVR Code.

You can download the EasyMSP code here.

Via Four-Three-oh!

Free PCB coupon to RT #5 & #16 @dangerousproto

Every Tuesday we give away some extra PCBs via Twitter. This post was announced on twitter. The 5th and 16th person who retweet it get free PCBs. We changed the approach this week due to auto-retweeters grabbing boards first. Thanks for the heads-up on auto-retweeters JT! Love it, hate it? Let us know in the comments below

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 to RT #5 & #16 @dangerousproto”

Extreme electric motorcycle uses Arduino

This article from MIT News highlights the MIT Team’s recent entry into the Isle of Man TT Race, a speed competition for all-electric vehicles conducted over a 37.7 mile circuit. Race coordinators put up a prize of £10,000 for the first electric bike to finish with an average speed of 100 miles per hour or more. The MIT Team came in fourth with an average speed of 79 miles per hour. Their custom designed eSuperbike pictured above used an Arduino to monitor data including the amount of energy used and the temperatures of each motor and battery. A screen on the dashboard continuously displays readings, allowing the rider to adjust the speed to conserve energy if needed. As a backup, the team made the system wireless, streaming data from the bike to their laptops.

Via MIT News.

OHANDA: Open Source Hardware and Design Alliance

OHANDA, the Open Source Hardware and Design Alliance is an initiative to foster sustainable sharing of open hardware and design. The idea is for designers and manufacturers of open source hardware who wish their work to conform to the “Four Freedoms” of open source hardware to label their work the above “OH&A” insignia, thus making the openness visible to everyone.

The four freedoms, from the Free Software Definition, are:

Freedom 0: The freedom to use the device for any purpose.
Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the device works and change it to make it to do what you wish. Access to the complete design is precondition to this.
Freedom 2: Redistribute the device and/or design (remanufacture).
Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the device and/or design, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to the complete design is precondition to this.

Open source PCB exchange from ITead Studio

ITead will start giving away mystery PCBs with every order:

At normal when you make your prototyping PCB from us, we just send you 10 pcs of your design, now we offer this OPEN PCB activity to get 2 more PCBs at $0.1 cost.

If your design and boards is not Privacy/Private, and it can share with other people, you can try this OPEN PCB service. We will make 12 pcs of your design/board, and ship you 10 pcs as normal , but 2 addition additional random boards – and the rest 2 boards of your design will be shipped to another guys who also purchased this service. So we give a random rely of the 2 extract boards , we don’t know what you will get and if it’s useful for you, but we know its designer allow sharing it with you.

It’s will be a funny activity and we hope you can make some new friends by the name, email or blog in the random board you get …If you want to join this activity, we recommended you ” put a URL or something google-able on the board so the random recipient can look up what it’s supposed to do “

Thanks Alex! Via the forum.

All through-hole version of the Logic Shrimp

jarin made an all through-hole version of the Logic Shrimp logic analyzer:

I’ve made variation of Logic Shrimp, using only through-hope components found in my junk box.

More details and pictures can be found here.

There is no schematics drawn, I built it just using datasheets and original schematics – and I’m too lazy to draw it once it is working.
Device is really great, I got it working flawlessly in two or three hours. OSL software is quite good. Cost of all components was under 10EUR.

Via the forum.

You can get the Logic Shrimp for $34.90 at Seeed Studio.

CoreCommander development board

An embedded development board for Altera FPGAs:

CoreCommander development board is unique in the industry. It features the Altera Cyclone III FPGA that provides more than enough room for almost any embedded design.

This flexible board comes with a suite of SLS IP Cores, drivers, and application software. Delivered as a complete package, the board and soft content ensures quick and easy implementation of industry leading cores with reduced risk AND at a very low cost.

Thanks Nazia! Via the contact form.

RS-485 network temperature sensor

ezflyer made a RS-485 network temperature sensor:

This design will be used as part of my home automation system to measure temperatures in various parts of the house. I already have the wiring in place for an extensive RS-485 network, so the installation of the individual sensors will be easy. I’m currently working on a wireless version for my hot tub, and for an unattached workshop/garage.

This design is based on the PIC 16F648A processor, the MAX485 RS-485 interface IC, and the TC77 integrated temp. sensor. Each board has a (software) programmable network address, and network biasing (if required).

Via the project log forum.

Bus Pirate PIC programmer free PCB build

SineWave built an early version of the Bus Pirate PIC programming adapter. This version would have needed several cables, we made the final design stackable instead.

The Bus Pirate PIC programmer project is has been idle for a while. It would be nice if the Bus Pirate could do absolutely everything, but it’s a ton of work to develop when a full debugger that works with Microchip’s official tools is available for $35.

Prototype Bus Pirate HVP adapters are available at Seeed for interested developers.

If you build a free PCB we’ll send you another one! Blog about it, post a picture on Flicker, whatever – we’ll send you a coupon code for the free PCB drawer.

Via the forum.

Junk box constant current dummy load

Another constant current dummy load. This one is capable of up to 10amps at 40volts.

Since I’m planning to build two bench power supplies, I needed to build a current load to test them. So, I’m going to show you my version of the dummy load. Please note that this project was built ONLY using existing parts in my personal stock.

Thanks MickM. Via the forum.

Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB

We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. Our PCBs are made through Seeed Studio’s Fusion board service.

This week we’re giving away two coupon codes for the fee PCB drawer. Pick your own PCB. Remember you get unlimited free PCBs now – finish one and we’ll send you another!

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

  • 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

You can get the Logic Shrimp for $34.90 at Seeed Studio.
Continue reading “Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB”

MIDI hats

 

Categorize this under Sunday Silliness. Here’s an examples of a project using hat mounted soft sensors to control MIDI on an attached laptop. They are known as MIDI Hats. The hat has sensors made from steel wool embedded in the felt which are connected to an Lilypad Arduino, which in turn communicates with MAX/MSP on the attached laptop.

This project builds on the work of Lara Grant in using soft sensors as musical controllers.

Via Fashiontech.

App note: very low-cost sensing and communication using bidirectional LEDs

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 I/O pins and a single current limiting resistor.”

Thanks Squonk! Via the contact form.