Sunday, November 27, 2011

E07: Progress Update

...


Progress Update

/start info

We're still looking for parts, but all we need is (1) basic input (more IR sensors) and (2) output (more servo motors). Were looking for motors capable of more than a 180 degree range (limited to 90 degree rotations from the default starting position).

Also, we've been laser-cutting all of our parts for our models up until now, but we're currently looking into 3D-printing hard plastic parts.


Parts Shopping:


Sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com/
(Prices aren't too bad but the selection is tailored to our needs.)


Mouser Electronics: http://www.mouser.com/
(Also, if you find a part number, these guys can be good.)


*Thanks & Credits to Cyrus for the shopping tips!

Hobby People: http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php/
A local shop that sells affordable servo motors


*Thanks to Calvin for the additional tip!


Model Photos:




Test Setup:



1) First IR sensor (bottom right) trips multi-rotation loop.
(green LED indicates the first sensor's rotation cycle)
2) Second IR sensor (bottom middle) zeros out rotation to default position.
(white hi-power LED indicates the second sensor's trip status)




Test Code:

#include <Servo.h> // import servo motor’s functions
Servo myservo; // create servo-object
void setup() {
pinMode(2, INPUT); // 2nd IR sensor
pinMode(6, OUTPUT); // hi-power LED
pinMode(3, INPUT); // switch throughput -- piggyback 1st IR sensor
pinMode(4, OUTPUT);// greed LED (set the digital pin 4 as an output)
myservo.attach(9); // assign pin 9 for servo motor
}
void loop() {
// using “if” function to check sensor's value
if(digitalRead(3)==HIGH) {
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
myservo.write(50); // signal should be between 0-179 (+/- 175 max position) (93 is zero position)
delay(100);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
delay(1000);
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
myservo.write(-150);
delay(300);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
delay(1000);
digitalWrite(4,HIGH);
myservo.write(175);
delay(200);
digitalWrite(4,LOW);
delay(1000);
}
if(digitalRead(2)==HIGH) {
digitalWrite(6,HIGH); // added
myservo.write(93);
delay(200); // added
digitalWrite(6,LOW); // added
}
}


/end info

Development Team:
CYBORGIAN iMITATION (499biomimic-gr.blogspot.com)

Team Blog:
Organic Automation (organic-automation.blogspot.com)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

E06: Project Prototype

...


Project Development

Work in progress...

/start info

Big Idea:

Skin system which responds to users -- changing opacity/transparency -- via IR, RFID or other input device. Possibility of communicating information to/from internet source (ie: Twitter updates).


Concept Sketch:




/end info

Development Team:
CYBORGIAN iMITATION (499biomimic-gr.blogspot.com)

Team Blog:
Organic Automation (organic-automation.blogspot.com)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

E05: Arduino Development

...


Arduino Guides and Projects

Time to translate this project into a working prototype, so we're looking into some books and projects to give us an idea of what we will be able to do.
/start info

Books:

30 Arduino Projects for the Evil Genius (McGraw Hill): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/30-Arduino-Projects-Evil-Genius/dp/007174133X/

Arduino Robotics (Apress): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Robotics-John-David-Warren/dp/1430231831/

Beginning Arduino (Apress): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Arduino-Michael-McRoberts/dp/1430232404/

Beginning Arduino Programming (Apress): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Arduino-Programming-Apress/dp/1430237775/

Practical Arduino: Cool Projects for Open Source Hardware (Apress): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Arduino-Projects-Hardware-Technology/dp/1430224770/

Make: Arduino Bots and Gadgets (O'Reilly): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Embedded-Projects-Hardware-Discovery/dp/1449389716/

Make Projects: Getting Started with Arduino (O'Reilly): description goes here.
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-Arduino-Make-Projects/dp/0596155514/


Projects/Ideas:

RFID Reader
Application: possibility of reading RFID chips on passers-by -- display a greeting or respond with specific info.
Parts: (1x) ID-12 RFID Reader, (1x) ID-12 Breakout Board, (1x) Current Limiting Resistor, (1x) 5mm LED, (4x+) 125KHz RFID tags or cards
Source: Beginning Arduino (Apress), Chapter 16

Communicating over Ethernet
Application: possibility of reading/writing to and/or from internet-based source -- Twitter updates from collected data, or interpretation of gathered data
Parts: (1x) Arduino Ethernet Shield, (2x) DS18B20 Temperature Sensors, (1x) 4.7K ohm Resistor

/end info

Development Team:
CYBORGIAN iMITATION (499biomimic-gr.blogspot.com)

Team Blog:
Organic Automation (organic-automation.blogspot.com)