64-channel, current-input analog-to-digital converter

MichaelZ tipped us to a 64-channel, current-input analog-to-digital converter

The DDC264 is a 20-bit, 64-channel, current-input analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. It combines both current-to-voltage and A/D conversion so that 64 separate low-level current output devices, such as photodiodes, can be directly connected to its inputs and digitized.

For each of the 64 inputs, the DDC264 uses the proven dual switched integrator front-end. This configuration allows for continuous current integration: while one integrator is being digitized by the onboard A/D converter, the other is integrating the input current. This architecture provides both a very stable offset and a loss-less collection of the input current. Adjustable integration times range from 160ms to 1s, allowing currents from fAs to mAs to be continuously measured with outstanding precision.

Thanks McZ!

PinguinoM: Arduino Network Monitor

This project by Paul Ameson utilizes the Arduino and BlinkM to monitor the status of your PC’s internet connection. This project, known as the PinguinoM, communicates via USB with a PC running a Python script. The Arduino board is loaded with the Communicator sketch from ThingM and changes the BlinkM according to the status communicated via the Python script. Good example for novices of the interaction between Python, Arduino and associated hardware.

Via Make.

Shmoocon 2011: Custom Bluetooth hardware attacks

Here’s a summary by Hak5 of Bluetooth hardware attacks presented at the recent Shmoocon 2011 conference held in Washington, DC.

Here the Hak5 gang interviews Michael Ossmann about project Ubertooth – a custom hardware device for sniffing and injecting Bluetooth packets. This brings monitor mode to Bluetooth, making for some interesting RF activities.

The complete video of Michael’s Shmoocon 2011 talk can be viewed here.

Laptop touchpad interfaced with Arduino

Here’s an interesting article showing how to interface a common laptop touchpad with an Arduino. Metku’s project connects the Data, Clock, +5 V and ground connections on the touchpad to Arduino Pins 5 and 6, and power connections. Sample code is included, and the Arduino/Wiring library provides the necessary codehooks.

In the video they demonstrate using the touchpad to control LED patterns through a MAX7219 Led Controller, which requires the Arduino LedControl library.

Via Instructables.

PROTOTYPE: Daft Punk table controller

We’re releasing a stalled or abandoned prototype every few days while Seeed Studio is on break. We put a lot of work into these projects, but they’re still missing major components and testing. If an abandoned project sparks your interest, we may have PCBs to get you started.

The goal of this project was to make an Arduino-based Daft Punk table controller. It reads animations from an SD card and plays them on a large 5×5 LED grid. Animations can be made and downloaded online.

We’ve made several different drivers for our Daft Punk table in the past:

This design may still be produced. Either as a through-hole kit, or a different SMD version.

Schematic and PCB are on the Daft Punk wiki.

Processing and Arduino in Tandem: Video Mixer and Audio Visualizer

Oreilly is making available a free online course dealing with Processing and Arduino combined to produce a video mixer/audio visualizer. Led by instructor Joseph Gray, the course takes place Fridays @ 10am PT February 25 & March 11, 2011. Each session is 120 minutes. You may view the course live online for free; thereafter, to view the video there is a charge.

The course uses a projBox which is a collection of potentiometers, switches, LEDs, an Arduino and breadboard which you can build yourself in time for the course.

MIT OpenCourseWare: Introductory Digital Systems Laboratory

MIT has a program known as OpenCourseWare designed to provide free access to course materials from previously presented MIT courses. Course offerings from all academic disciplines are available and the list grows periodically. MIT OCW even has their own YouTube channel.

Here’s an interesting offering, Introductory Digital Systems Laboratory, covering topics related to CPLD/FPGA program development. While the downsides are that the course is from 2002 and uses a MIT designed dev board for the labs, the course nevertheless requires no prerequisite work or knowledge of digital systems and provides free exposure to an undergrad MIT course on programmable logic design. Check it out.

PROTOTYPE: PIC Z-machine emulator

We’re releasing a stalled or abandoned prototype every few days while Seeed Studio is on break. We put a lot of work into these projects, but they’re still missing major components and testing. If an abandoned project sparks your interest, we may have PCBs to get you started.

The goal of this project is to implement a Z-Machine emulator for text adventure games on a PIC. Classic text games, in the Z-machine format, would be read from an SD card. The PIC provides a USB->serial interface, and the games are played from a serial terminal.

What were we thinking? Who knows. Sjaak wrote a killer text adventure game Easter egg for the Bus Pirate – the inspiration probably came from there. We abandoned this project when it looked like the PIC wouldn’t have nearly enough RAM to run the emulator.

While this will probably never serve it’s intended use, it’s still a nice 3.3volt USB & SD card development board. This PCB was never made.

Schematic and PCB are on the PIC Z-machine emulator wiki.

Web platform: Pico coroutine OS

voidptr posted a tiny OS for the web platform:

i dusted of an old silly pico-kernel (smaller than micro) of coroutines from one on my old projects. this is not fancy or complete like other os or RTOS but it is very small and can be useful…
it think of that has a “DangerousPrototype” :o)
so feel free to use and abuse !

so 3 files:
osp.c — c source
osp.h — prototype
main.c — an example from some dangerous examples code.

Get an assembled web platform for $40, including worldwide shipping. Also available at Australian Robotics. Web platform v1.1 is in stock and shipping now.

Via the forum.

Rapid app development with AVR App Builder

Imagecraft has released the demo version of their ICCV8 C compiler tool for Atmel AVR microcontrollers. The demo version is unlimited for 45 days, and code limited thereafter to 64K, non-commercial use only.

One helpful feature in this IDE is the App Builder. This tool allows for quick setup of peripherals on a number of AVR devices, such as timers, SPI, I/O pins, interrupts, etc.

Check out the description of App Builder from the Atmel Applications Journal. (While written for ICCV6, this description still applies.)

Introducing the Microtouch

The Microtouch is a lightweight AVR based open source touch screen device powered by the Atmega32u4. It features a 320×240 pixel touchscreen, an accelerometer, full speed USB, a micro-SD card reader and support for a lithium ion battery. It is supported by an application framework of sorts and it is possible to run a variety of applications with varying degrees of utility.

It comes with a bootloader which allows you to download your “apps” to the Microtouch without the need for an AVR programmer. Possibilities are bounded only by your imagination (and the 8 bit cpu + 2.5k of RAM). Tools support includes a PC simulator and a live sampling profiler. Source code and tools are available for download. Example apps are available including Image Viewer, Paint, Flip, Pacman and others.

The Microtouch was designed by Rossum and is available from Adafruit,
also a seller of our Bus Pirate for $30.

PROTOTYPE: Ethernet LED driver

We’re releasing a stalled or abandoned prototype every few days while Seeed Studio is on break. We put a lot of work into these projects, but they’re still missing major components and testing. If an abandoned project sparks your interest, we may have PCBs to get you started.

The goal of this project is to build an ethernet-based 48 channel networked LED controller. It uses a PIC24F64GA002 (probably too small) and an ENC28J60 ethernet chip. It includes an EEPROM with MAC address so multiple units can share the same network.

The LEDs are controlled by a TI TLC5940, a 10bit pulse width modulator LED driver with a ton of features. The interface bus is brought to a header so daughter boards can be stacked on top.

This project currently exists as a completed board only, no software has been developed for it. It turned out to be very expensive to produce, and the market is already saturated with blinky LED gear. Boards are available if you’d like to give it a try.

Schematic and PCB are on the Ethernet LED driver wiki.


Vinculo Arduino clone with USB slave

ZF did a review of the FTDI Vinculum board we covered earlier:

I just got hold of  FTDI chip’s new Vinculo developing platform, so here’s a quick review for you!

Vinculo is a 25€ development platform for the FTDI Vinculum II (VNC2) dual USB host/slave microcontroller. The board design has been copied from Arduino, and they even advertise it as Arduino-inspired and Arduino shield compatible. FTDI seems to have realized the potential that comes when having a large hobbyist userbase…

Thanks ZF! Via the comments.

mbed design challenge

The mbed is a tool for rapid prototyping with the NXP LPC1768 ARM MCU. This MCU is an ARM Cortex-M3 Core running at 96MHz, 512KB FLASH, 64KB RAM and includes Ethernet, USB (Device and Host), CAN, SPI, I2C and other I/O. The mbed’s design includes 0.1″ DIP breadboard compatible pins It may be powered by either USB or an external power source. When plugged into your computer it appears as a USB disk, and you just drag on your .bin files. On the downside, the provided compiler is online only (no download), and the board sells for $60. You can check out the mbed handbook here.

Circuit Cellar magazine is conducting a design challenge involving the use of the mbed NXP LPC1768 prototyping board and mbed online “Cloud” compiler to develop an innovative hardware- or software-based application. Examples include a product prototype, reusable library, component interface, or reference design that can be shared on mbed.org to help others build their prototypes even faster. $10,000 in prizes will be awarded. Deadline for submissions is February 28, 2011. Good luck!