tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45388748701289052832024-03-13T03:17:26.131-04:00Phillipe CantinPhillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-39329719047951084642015-03-29T12:26:00.000-04:002015-04-08T18:31:07.155-04:00Teeny Tiny Build<span style="font-size: large;">Bubble display and Femtoduino</span><br />
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I just received a bunch of those really cool <a href="https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/bubble-display-hookup-guide" target="_blank">QDSP-6064 Bubble Displays</a> and I had to build something with them right away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0bpw4Eo-Ng5euyUiNt1eOBq15Qz7uy7zOLgnUBzjKWMx0ThY9ZbEFEinNYrFAvjtl7HwTKgRsMXiPUoRBUrcf2ryWiD4ww_IqKBOa9DKJiVseQuwktqrzOPcHClC9RA_gwbIugkQs0r9/s1600/display-femto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0bpw4Eo-Ng5euyUiNt1eOBq15Qz7uy7zOLgnUBzjKWMx0ThY9ZbEFEinNYrFAvjtl7HwTKgRsMXiPUoRBUrcf2ryWiD4ww_IqKBOa9DKJiVseQuwktqrzOPcHClC9RA_gwbIugkQs0r9/s1600/display-femto.jpg" height="102" width="400" /></a></div>
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I quickly tried it using the sample code and, as I was doing that, I immediately wanted to build a small device combining this display with a <a href="https://www.tindie.com/stores/femtoduino/" target="_blank">femtoduino</a> and a small LiPo battery. I ordered two Femtoduino quite some times ago but never did anything with them. I knew they would come handy one day. Then intent of this build is to eventually make something wearable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SupPPNqZATKwiHaR08ZY4wQtS6PPlQ4k90lQLlkcKhoKAi7PVip5tLsqGFxqsrjqf1hdDh2_0u4NSOlJvJoJwYYBxWc5Xk2mKJ7X9pxaswr2ac1OLlPqO39Q97ABupBPswLJI4Vg51Zt/s1600/test-qdsp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SupPPNqZATKwiHaR08ZY4wQtS6PPlQ4k90lQLlkcKhoKAi7PVip5tLsqGFxqsrjqf1hdDh2_0u4NSOlJvJoJwYYBxWc5Xk2mKJ7X9pxaswr2ac1OLlPqO39Q97ABupBPswLJI4Vg51Zt/s1600/test-qdsp.jpg" height="114" width="200" /></a></div>
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For the sake of making it look nicer, I picked only red wires to match the Bubble Display look. I also took the time to keep everything as flat as possible, trying to get a compact build that could be turnded into anything. To make the sample code work with this new build, I had to tweak the code since I was forced to connect the QDSP-6064 pins to different Arduino pins.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF7OOLfYdgvyevTPOLg_PrgnNnt9a9bhxDdx83SVp3Wr7KuasgF91g3khWs02bfC1yPkfS0j-UEeYIhBXhYc2GlBzi8syr1HR0bbVj2qceV4lz0hBMgRu2B-I8QeNJ301LKqSZU4dioNU/s1600/qdsp-build.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfF7OOLfYdgvyevTPOLg_PrgnNnt9a9bhxDdx83SVp3Wr7KuasgF91g3khWs02bfC1yPkfS0j-UEeYIhBXhYc2GlBzi8syr1HR0bbVj2qceV4lz0hBMgRu2B-I8QeNJ301LKqSZU4dioNU/s1600/qdsp-build.gif" height="172" width="320" /></a></div>
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There nothing fancy about this build so here is the result:<br />
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Next step? I might order an <a href="http://www.rfduino.com/" target="_blank">Rfduino</a>, which is smaller then the femtoduino and have WiFi built into it. So many possibilities...<br />
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Edit:<br />
This post was published on:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/2015/04/08/teeny-tiny-build-using-bubble-display-and-femtoduino/" target="_blank">Dangerous Prototypes</a></li>
</ul>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-84214781722347960352014-08-01T19:29:00.000-04:002015-04-14T18:12:30.512-04:00HC-05 Bluetooth link with zero codeSo you want to two HC-05 modules to automatically connect together, as soon as they're powered up and with zero code? Well this is your lucky day since this can be done using the AT+BIND command.<br />
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Let's do this thing!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIJF69YNBGL8HTbPfbkXg3XyAvpu3sw-wNnEcskd4SVRT_wLDwi_eaqgb5Zmg2xYK8-wHQuWQoEg1RNCvGNYDAh1Xe6st65vvNLBMptnZfGUDn3Gp_tIODg5RUTxfTkaw7OTb565s43FO/s1600/hc-05-breadboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIJF69YNBGL8HTbPfbkXg3XyAvpu3sw-wNnEcskd4SVRT_wLDwi_eaqgb5Zmg2xYK8-wHQuWQoEg1RNCvGNYDAh1Xe6st65vvNLBMptnZfGUDn3Gp_tIODg5RUTxfTkaw7OTb565s43FO/s1600/hc-05-breadboard.png" height="226" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h4>
For this, you will need:</h4>
<ul>
<li>1 Arduino (I'm using UNO)</li>
<li>2 HC-05 modules</li>
<li>1 breadboard</li>
<li>Wires</li>
<li>Arduino IDE (I'm using version 1.0.5-r2)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Step 1 - Code and Wires</b></span><br />
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To bind the two HC-05s, we will need to input AT commands manually which can be done using this <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-The-HC-05-Bluetooth-Module-Defaults-Using-A/step2/The-Arduino-Code-for-HC-05-Command-Mode/" target="_blank">simple code</a> made by <a href="http://www.techbitar.com/" target="_blank">techbitar</a>.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">1.1 </span>Upload <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-The-HC-05-Bluetooth-Module-Defaults-Using-A/step2/The-Arduino-Code-for-HC-05-Command-Mode/" target="_blank">the code</a> to your Arduino.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1.2</span> Using one of your 2 HC-05, follow very carefully the <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Modify-The-HC-05-Bluetooth-Module-Defaults-Using-A/step1/Components-Wiring/" target="_blank">wiring instructions </a>(this is where most people make mistakes.) <br />
<i> Note that the pins layout on your HC-05 might be different so read the pin label and be sure to connect the right ones.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Step 2 – Configure the Slave</b></span><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.1</span> Make sure the power wire(5.0v or 3.0v) is disconnected from the HC-05<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.2 </span>Make sure the Key wire is connected to pin 9<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.3 </span>In the Arduino IDE, goto the Tools\Serial Monitor menu<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.4</span> The two following settings are correctly set (at the bottom right of the window):<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">2.4.1 </span>Line ending should be set to “Both NL & CR”<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">2.4.2</span> Baud speed should be set to “9600 baud”<br />
<i>Note: f you had to modify those settings, I suggest to close and re-open the Serial Monitor dialog</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.5</span> When the Arduino is reseted (opening the Serial Monitor dialog will force a reset) you should see the following text “Enter AT commands:” in the Serial Monitor dialog.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.7</span> Connect the power wire(5.0v or 3.0v) on the HC-05. You should see the red light slowly blinking (once every ~2 seconds)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.8 </span>In the Serial Monitor, type AT and press Enter (or click the Send button). The module should return OK right away<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.9</span> In the Serial Monitor, type AT+ROLE=0 and press Enter. This will set the module in Slave mode. You can verify that it worked by typing AT+ROLE? (It should return +ROLE:0)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.10</span> In the Serial Monitor, type AT+BIND= and press Enter. This will remove any existing binding. You can verify that it worked by typing AT+BIND? (It should return +BIND:0:0:0)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.11</span> In the Serial Monitor, type AT+ADDR? and press Enter. This will return the MAC address of this HC-05 module. For example: my module's address is 00:13:03:19:14:07 and the command is returning +ADDR:13:3:191407. As you can see the zeros are stripped out and the formating is a bit different but, as you will soon see, this will not be a problem. Write down on a piece of paper this MAC address.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.12</span> Disconnect the power wire from the HC-05 and remove this HC-05 from the breadboard. It is now ready to act as the Slave module.<br />
<i>Note: Don't disturb the wiring since you will use it to configure the second module.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Step 3 – Configure the Master</b></span><br />
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*Start by installing the second HC-05 on the breadboard. Exactly where the first module was plugged.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3.1 </span>Make sure the power wire(5.0v or 3.0v) is disconnected from the HC-05<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.2</span> Make sure the Key wire is connected to pin 9<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.3 </span>In the Arduino IDE, goto the Tools\Serial Monitor menu<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.4</span> The two following settings are correctly set (at the bottom right of the window):<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">3.4.1 </span>Line ending should be set to “Both NL & CR”<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">3.4.2 </span>Baud speed should be set to “9600 baud”<br />
<i> Note: f you had to modify those settings, I suggest to close and re-open the Serial Monitor dialog</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.5</span> When the Arduino is reseted (opening the Serial Monitor dialog will force a reset) you should see the following text “Enter AT commands:” in the Serial Monitor dialog.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.7</span> Connect the power wire(5.0v or 3.0v) on the HC-05. You should see the red light slowly blinking (once every ~2 seconds)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.8 </span>In the Serial Monitor, type AT and press Enter (or click the Send button). The module should return OK right away.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.9 </span> In the Serial Monitor, type AT+ROLE=1 and press Enter. This will set the module in Master mode. You can verify that it worked by typing AT+ROLE? (It should return +ROLE:1)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.10 </span>In the Serial Monitor, type AT+BIND=13,3,191407 and press Enter (of course here you should be using your MAC address that you have noted on step 2.12). This will force the Master module to automatically link (bind) to the Slave. You can verify that it worked by typing AT+BIND? (It should return +BIND:13:3:191407)<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.11 </span>Disconnect the power wire from the HC-05 and remove this HC-05 from the breadboard. It is now ready to act as the Master module.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Done.</b></span><br />
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Now if you power both modules, they will connect right away. It doesn't matter if you power one before the other one. They will always initiate the connection automatically. All you need to use them in your next Arduino project is to open a Serial port and communicate through it.<br />
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Edit 1: Get more info on HC-05 through this <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2014/01/hc-05-bluetooth-link-of-2-arduino.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> and this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zORXBq7a5g&list=UUdEtj6dqZOpDp5bhehO23yg" target="_blank">video</a>.<br />
<br />
This post is featured on:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/2014/12/25/hc-05-bluetooth-link-with-zero-code/" target="_blank">Dangerous Prototypes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.electronics-lab.com/blog/?p=32168" target="_blank">Electronics Lab</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.planetarduino.org/?cat=2063" target="_blank">Planet Arduino</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pic-microcontroller.com/hc-05-bluetooth-link-zero-code/" target="_blank">PIC Microcontroller</a></li>
</ul>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-83196311231881788322014-05-10T10:32:00.000-04:002014-05-10T10:32:39.585-04:00A Maker in the Quebec FortressA couple of weeks ago I saw a tweet from <a href="https://twitter.com/hackaday" target="_blank">@hackaday</a> about their new <a href="http://hackaday.io/prize" target="_blank">hacker contest</a>. The prize is only a trip to space... an actual trip to space worth around 200k. That evening I was browsing the contest page to get more details and then I reached the eligibility section where it stipulates that the following can't participate: [...]Quebec, Italy, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar (formerly Burma), North Korea, Sudan, Syria, or any jurisdiction where the Contest would be restricted or prohibited by law [...]<br />
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The thing is, I was not too surprised since this happens often in Quebec where we have some retarded laws to control the lotteries. Quebec is surely not the only place in the world where lottery & gambling is controlled but I think we're the only ones that are dumb enough to think that we can control all the world-wide lotteries. The result is that Loto Quebec, the government body controlling this, is trying to impose those crazy conditions on out-of-Quebec contests. So any contest with a prize must submit to those conditions and guess what, for only a small pool of 6 million people, they don't. You ear that, contest organizers from around the world? Keep your free money and space trips. We have maple syrup.<br />
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...<br />
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So I can't register my project on Hackaday. Life goes on.<br />
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I recently acquired an Ultimaker 3D Printer and that was a huge moment for me. I have so many projects that can benefit from this that I don't know where to start. After a few days of learning the limits of the printer I was ready to start working on a project, and to make it even better why not a contest. So I returned to an old ongoing Intel contest page: the<a href="https://makeit.intel.com/" target="_blank"> Make it Wearable Video Contest</a>. This place is a really cool mix of art, technology and people that I want to connect with. Well you know the twist of that story. This project [...] is open only to legal residents of Argentina, Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec), [...].<br />
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GnhaaaaaAAAAAAAaaa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGeWMOewoLpjxh3J_NyWfZFhN7PePwSA4N84kaQ3LD95nJY8DaNSC7Z0lVB4IhUn0BphcxdVce9MY0n4wBGe1Q91ZR3Q4NOTrX85sQbEThm88_EtxzRJrSInOK1ZQH-vtogQoE7RTRhIo/s1600/meme-angry_00283374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGeWMOewoLpjxh3J_NyWfZFhN7PePwSA4N84kaQ3LD95nJY8DaNSC7Z0lVB4IhUn0BphcxdVce9MY0n4wBGe1Q91ZR3Q4NOTrX85sQbEThm88_EtxzRJrSInOK1ZQH-vtogQoE7RTRhIo/s1600/meme-angry_00283374.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I was ranting to people at work about the stupidity of this law but, deep inside, I thought that it wasn't too bad for now and that I could still connect with the Maker community through blogs, videos, twitter and so on. “I'm a good sheep, I am.” (in the voice of My Fair Lady)<br />
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Then, a couple of days ago, the proverbial sh*t hit the fan.<br />
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My 9yo son who plays with LEGO Mindstorms found out about the <a href="http://moonbots.org/" target="_blank">MoonBots </a>contest, a Google Lunar XPrize LEGO Mindstorms Challenge. This an awesome international on-line competition for kids (9 to 17) where you have to simulate a moon mission. Needless to say that we were bouncing ideas around and, as the vision of the project took shape, a shiver ran up my back. I went to my computer and checked the small prints... guess who can't compete? [...] Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar/Burma, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Syria, Argentina, Quebec, any other U.S. sanctioned country [...]<br />
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$^%&#@#$#&^ You're messing with my kids now. The gloves are off and Nova Scotia looks like a great place to live. Maybe I'll shop around for houses.<br />
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Where is the best place on earth for a family of Geeks and Maker?<br />
<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-83797988613884340142014-03-18T21:14:00.001-04:002014-03-18T21:14:55.293-04:00Stealth EvolutionI thought I was following the evolution of the stealth technologies but I had to tweak my understanding based on recent events.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_86tSUcWmcJ5lXaPBpQk8sVvSNqKdLtF2VsHyt2hM1F1JsbtuJa2UbIB89IZTwwSOnLqNYe1aDyRzX677XIbl2m7pgwSb3KShNWRC2LHg-YqLoZxA-6ReRM2DfjOj95UVd59iKiUO6uVP/s1600/StealthEvolution.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_86tSUcWmcJ5lXaPBpQk8sVvSNqKdLtF2VsHyt2hM1F1JsbtuJa2UbIB89IZTwwSOnLqNYe1aDyRzX677XIbl2m7pgwSb3KShNWRC2LHg-YqLoZxA-6ReRM2DfjOj95UVd59iKiUO6uVP/s1600/StealthEvolution.png" height="640" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-265437873209464862014-03-18T11:30:00.000-04:002015-08-18T21:02:30.233-04:00LEGO Test machine #2 is dead after 1 testWell, that didn't last long.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-RJshXcKr9BO97Pm33h2cWHIC-N6yYLQ7m0Hm9wpSRAjVtgS7zdJZZMQZvPBE8wHlcngJUtOLDjHABxWybm7LEelcxGwJsFDKCYL0XRI1tm0QF1Uk3zYM0mOqHzxlaqf48SlzMYNUpmz/s1600/IMG_20140316_143803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-RJshXcKr9BO97Pm33h2cWHIC-N6yYLQ7m0Hm9wpSRAjVtgS7zdJZZMQZvPBE8wHlcngJUtOLDjHABxWybm7LEelcxGwJsFDKCYL0XRI1tm0QF1Uk3zYM0mOqHzxlaqf48SlzMYNUpmz/s1600/IMG_20140316_143803.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
The machine did 1 full test and then died at about 1/3 of the second test. The first test result is 32,066 iterations, supporting the result from the <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html" target="_blank">Test Machine #1</a> which ended with 37,112 iterations. So the average is at 34,589 for the moment.<br />
<br />
So, why is the machine #2 dead? It didn't died as much as it was slaying DC motors and it all came down to a bad design. One of my goal was to build the machine with only (as much as possible) the Makeblock parts that <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">TLBRC</a>* sent me. It turns out that I found my nemesis in the motors that where included in the two kits. DC motors.<br />
<br />
For something like this build, every molecules in my body was screaming stepper-motors or, at least, servos. But NoooooOOOoooo, it had to be DC motors, so I looked around for ideas to use them in the same way I would use stepper-motors. The result was to build physical barriers to stop the motor in known positions. I knew this would not be good on the motor's gears so I monitored the current going into the DC motors and “tried” to stop them before they were straining. At this point in the story, all the engineers are rolling on the floor laughing. Well, 3 dead motors later, I've learned my lesson: Engineers are cruel and, most importantly, DC motors and made to run freely like wild mustangs in prairies.<br />
<br />
The following video was made after the machine killed its first motor. At that point I thought I could fix it:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/K2uyekiSuq4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Here is my sad video when I decided to stop the machine for good:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i1.ytimg.com/s_vi/G7u-d6kxurI/default.jpg?sqp=CIinnpkF&rs=AOn4CLCaRcYlMkTDaPGeKPcvCe4DA9cYig" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/G7u-d6kxurI?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/G7u-d6kxurI?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
What now? Thanks to Galaxy Quest, my motto is “Never give up, never surrender” and so I have 2 plans:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Build a simple machine using stepper-motors.</li>
<li>Find a DC motor friendly design and try that too.</li>
</ol>
<br />
But, in order to keep my sanity, I will take a short break from this and work on other projects.<br />
<br />
<br />
R.I.P. LEGO Test Machine #2. At least you did 1 full test.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Again a big thanks to <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Little British Robot Company </a>for the 2 Makeblock kits that were used for building this project. I will reuse those parts on a project pretty soon<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0tlalvUlFYdKpeunFpfRPiKT4ok14mHd9rPmgfTJ4vAYXrxI6DwVNBDuVhMEwMT9In1fAr-aETYuYsHuNoPe8KevXTulQ0sgxObPRx0uI8dr4s96c0VHzWXXN2kOPbSHTS-M36hHXFjd/s1600/68h_rect_robot_right.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Edit:<br />
This story was covered on:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/03/lego-bricks-still-last-30000-impressions-during-new-and-improved-test/" target="_blank">Ars Technica</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-61812973211716471802014-01-07T21:08:00.002-05:002014-08-02T09:34:57.657-04:00HC-05 Bluetooth link of 2 Arduino<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In my<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2012/01/arduino-bluetooth-link.html" target="_blank"> first Arduino bluetooth experiment</a>, I made an automatic connection between 2 Arduino
using BlueSmirf modules. Based on the popularity of that post, it
seems that many people are trying to do the same.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On the down side, many of the visitors
are looking for a solution using the HC-05 (or other HC-XX type)
modules with an AT command interface. I planned to eventually use this type of
device but never got around to doing it for every bad reason imaginable including procrastination. This delay was clearly
unacceptable for Lyman (one of my readers) who decided to send me 2
extra modules he could spare.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On a side note, this kind soul only has
2 followers on Twitter. Please <a href="https://twitter.com/kneeyhow" target="_blank">help me fix</a> this grievous situation.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After playing a bit with my new toy, here's what I've got:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5FhxPl28dmIP9WJbDZEmKgShVWJr0j9vnhlL2qRcsdFMJiJNLeUuYGRVBkevMIUkXTb10FDIR3C6MDhz1mX9LTIU6uAH_DLu_rL5JMCvDuyS-0nOQlKLL54ZjkGkD8e7LhtQgktltf4e/s1600/IMG_1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5FhxPl28dmIP9WJbDZEmKgShVWJr0j9vnhlL2qRcsdFMJiJNLeUuYGRVBkevMIUkXTb10FDIR3C6MDhz1mX9LTIU6uAH_DLu_rL5JMCvDuyS-0nOQlKLL54ZjkGkD8e7LhtQgktltf4e/s1600/IMG_1434.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span id="goog_1327626681"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In this first simple example, the code
sets the module to be either Master or Slave, connects to one
hard-coded address and starts the communication loop. While
connected, the Master sends 1s and 0s to the slave who is using this
'command' to switch an LED on or off.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
You can get the code on <a href="https://github.com/pcantin/bt2bt_HCa" target="_blank">this Git repo</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilT5kzIqbbM3wJKNysGY0mIcVPj-kFCgfUorlZJdyz378lOdOrlhUW-qplScDLRsF_xaR8HcmBbW5QZilUqbG56Q9okIY08h-2RBEendTi1P1pq7Q7XKrqRH1VrWgj-ubFrsMGnYxhX-zO/s1600/breadboard-hc05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilT5kzIqbbM3wJKNysGY0mIcVPj-kFCgfUorlZJdyz378lOdOrlhUW-qplScDLRsF_xaR8HcmBbW5QZilUqbG56Q9okIY08h-2RBEendTi1P1pq7Q7XKrqRH1VrWgj-ubFrsMGnYxhX-zO/s1600/breadboard-hc05.png" height="200" width="141" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Breadboard diagram (without the reset connection)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The biggest problem was to figure out
how to reset the module programmatically. The [not so good]
<a href="http://elecfreaks.com/store/download/datasheet/Bluetooth/HC-0305%20serail%20module%20AT%20commamd%20set%20201104%20revised.pdf" target="_blank">documentation </a>explains how this can be done by
cycling the power but the bluetooth chip has a reset pin that is
supposed to do the same trick. I have the code to use the reset pin which I got from this <a href="http://cu.rious.org/make/hc-05-bluetooth-with-arduino/" target="_blank">blog post</a> and I will test it soon.<br />
<br />
On the HC-05 modules I received, the
reset pin is not connected which 'forced' me into making a little
hack that can barely be noticed...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzmHOD5e8nG8Mz3rBgYaKmvdsSXAM2wg3CjjYgMJQyQx1mcO1uf5ADG97PilC3PdZpOYLDOq3HbvepGV8-tnHKv2yUyKnhvbat63lgQV4FA63hE87JicA2BNd8r8R5tQd8K9yw4z_Nxcr/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzmHOD5e8nG8Mz3rBgYaKmvdsSXAM2wg3CjjYgMJQyQx1mcO1uf5ADG97PilC3PdZpOYLDOq3HbvepGV8-tnHKv2yUyKnhvbat63lgQV4FA63hE87JicA2BNd8r8R5tQd8K9yw4z_Nxcr/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The next step will be to recreate the
same query and auto-connect loop that I did with the BlueSmirf. It
should be straight forward since I've already tested all the necessary
AT commands successfully.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Edit 1:</span> Get some tips about using HC-05 in <a href="http://youtu.be/3zORXBq7a5g?list=UUdEtj6dqZOpDp5bhehO23yg" target="_blank">this video</a> I made<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Edit 2:</span> I have a <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2014/08/hc-05-bluetooth-link-with-zero-code.html" target="_blank">new post</a> describing the automatic bind of 2 HC-05 module without having to write code.</div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com79tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-50999877350940382252013-12-31T10:00:00.000-05:002014-03-19T15:59:24.162-04:00Profiling DC motors<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
For the second design of the LEGO test
machine #2, I <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbFaujvqLY8&feature=youtu.be&t=3m55s" target="_blank">stopped using rotary encoders</a> an switched to <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8883" target="_blank">ACS712 lowcurrent sensors</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF5qvCLTpvn7TAtYw6hgDd2p43v-okKvzrJcXSNwwEjOdMqUgeGyRof0OQ2Q6GmGw4Ks1eRb9doksZN7V1wwjXAh6BhXt7teYn1VEoZFQQLY-gtaN0bSfdlt9U7RlWEQrAsZNa5Nce5V-/s1600/acs712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF5qvCLTpvn7TAtYw6hgDd2p43v-okKvzrJcXSNwwEjOdMqUgeGyRof0OQ2Q6GmGw4Ks1eRb9doksZN7V1wwjXAh6BhXt7teYn1VEoZFQQLY-gtaN0bSfdlt9U7RlWEQrAsZNa5Nce5V-/s200/acs712.jpg" height="84" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I initially hooked them to a
multimeter and an Arduino to tweak the 2 potentiometers of the
sensors. Following some of the steps from this <a href="http://blog.mobileapes.com/2011/01/acs712-low-current-sensor-breakout-test.html" target="_blank">MobileAPES post</a>,
I've set the voltage (Vref potentiometer) to 2.5v without any
problems but the gain (GAIN potentiometer) was initially tricky.
Back when I was using the rotary encoders, I was running the motors
as slow as possible (speed of 65-85) in order to not stress the
parts. At those speed the current fluctuations are too large and I
had to find out what is the optimal low speed of the motors.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I decided to log the data out to better
see what was going on. The initial test was to log the current
sensor values every 1ms while raising the motor speed from 64 to 210
by increment of 5 every 20ms. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u5a2JlC6O5z0fE3DWqom3FRT2aVjXIfj12Jl2ax5u6DBWsvbUaec4HeyCCrJjCCN6ir7dUH23VUmGkEMbkd36Hx5APhUK7BVFPUi7QafefrAQY1OkuHhDPHr6c8MoK6cA63lkHJhdE9I/s1600/profiling+65-210+8sec-sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u5a2JlC6O5z0fE3DWqom3FRT2aVjXIfj12Jl2ax5u6DBWsvbUaec4HeyCCrJjCCN6ir7dUH23VUmGkEMbkd36Hx5APhUK7BVFPUi7QafefrAQY1OkuHhDPHr6c8MoK6cA63lkHJhdE9I/s400/profiling+65-210+8sec-sm.png" height="197" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">Yellow</span>=speed / <span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;">Blue</span></span>=running freely / <span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;">Red</span></span>=stalled (prevented from turning)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Clearly the values I get from the motor
is erratic when the speed is below ~110. So I profiled the motor
again from 130 to 230.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyhNj2Tdj4F4WgVU-5fdQQ9d1KQYy3yhXTeHeSO9lNQABcDeKpY2HhGTcFDFqXQbI4mJxfPJcnuiK-swErrrUKvvOn8D_OVaH0HU0N-Zwd2keB6IRWt6Tec9Rn9s5tDaH9ArWSpK3ImWf/s1600/profiling+130-230+6sec-sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyhNj2Tdj4F4WgVU-5fdQQ9d1KQYy3yhXTeHeSO9lNQABcDeKpY2HhGTcFDFqXQbI4mJxfPJcnuiK-swErrrUKvvOn8D_OVaH0HU0N-Zwd2keB6IRWt6Tec9Rn9s5tDaH9ArWSpK3ImWf/s320/profiling+130-230+6sec-sm.png" height="169" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">Yellow</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">=speed / </span><span style="background-color: blue; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;">Blue</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">=running freely / </span><span style="background-color: red; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;">Red</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">=stalled (prevented from turning)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now I know the how slow the motors can
go and how to detect a stall using the current sensor. This also told
me how long the motor takes to ramp up to speed when initially set at
a speed of 130.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here's the diagram of the machine made with <a href="http://fritzing.org/home/" target="_blank">Fritzing</a>:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy2EgJuNLTrAW-xiU5T1x5XYhYNHo9Okc72IRrBGBnBXe9lyzF0klITGrMEg1ww8M3pDolhQ6d0ErXTIFX6Rq14Zellm3OzZ3JCDHC_hQcV_nLWD-sdUE-zH1KflG2ion6srJoGp3AuUR/s1600/legotest2_bb-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy2EgJuNLTrAW-xiU5T1x5XYhYNHo9Okc72IRrBGBnBXe9lyzF0klITGrMEg1ww8M3pDolhQ6d0ErXTIFX6Rq14Zellm3OzZ3JCDHC_hQcV_nLWD-sdUE-zH1KflG2ion6srJoGp3AuUR/s320/legotest2_bb-sm.jpg" height="278" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I don't have the Adafruit motor shield [fritzing] part so I used the Arduino motor shield rev3 instead. The missing
details are the following: The servo is connected on SER0 (pin 9),
the push-down motor is connected on M2 and the lift-arm motor is
connected to M3.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The code and the Fritzing diagram for this new
version are <a href="https://github.com/pcantin/legotest2" target="_blank">available on git</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
You can <a href="http://youtu.be/VbFaujvqLY8" target="_blank">see the new machine here</a></div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-75653034291400964102013-10-23T20:04:00.002-04:002013-10-23T20:04:26.027-04:00Once more into the [legotest] breach<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here's a video update about the
progress of the LEGOtest machine #2 (<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23legotest&src=typd" target="_blank">#legotest</a>)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VPSewLATxY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here is some extra info and progress
starting with something I forgot to mention in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VPSewLATxY&feature=share&list=UUdEtj6dqZOpDp5bhehO23yg" target="_blank">video</a>: the shorter
lever beam.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBtM-6SkURXDG6RZEKPkfL88RZKv8__oMGwefTfaFiZhjOJsu__TuW9ZpIJh90zXMuO-KV8V7BZiUN5UXsx9jzn29TlKhkNhkizVqLDpaDXS78M9olR0q0Qk_so7NqZDRowlsg72MJtkX/s1600/IMG_1343-lever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBtM-6SkURXDG6RZEKPkfL88RZKv8__oMGwefTfaFiZhjOJsu__TuW9ZpIJh90zXMuO-KV8V7BZiUN5UXsx9jzn29TlKhkNhkizVqLDpaDXS78M9olR0q0Qk_so7NqZDRowlsg72MJtkX/s200/IMG_1343-lever.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The lever was too long and, out of sheer
luck, one of the shorter beams was the exact length needed. After
that, I finally strengthened the base by removing the last LEGO legs
and installing the Makeblock leg I showed in the video.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDnREZ25csDWhyP5DXBdKcV4gDodp6N35r7tJY-cNT2JsQApLDBsXpIXnZbBFoo4mjH6XYWbjuey2DhyaHuD1tieNCAa1s4eXzh_MFd_org7sJsbnMylS_3pQfFbhMTELoBRBg3FeKdOm/s1600/IMG_1355-leg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDnREZ25csDWhyP5DXBdKcV4gDodp6N35r7tJY-cNT2JsQApLDBsXpIXnZbBFoo4mjH6XYWbjuey2DhyaHuD1tieNCAa1s4eXzh_MFd_org7sJsbnMylS_3pQfFbhMTELoBRBg3FeKdOm/s200/IMG_1355-leg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Once that was done it just made sense
to attach the Arduino to the front leg as you can see in this picture
of the whole machine:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYKcxglK8IuEhMU8RSBjdQFxRfFdnO-IM4XksnjqGLt_rQkT3mofXU0pihbkR4jxCAbPUlE51vqhULPKqoymc1c9P5Ssq6u1sBx__DOCNTl0Cv-eXOzfOolvSH1QGy2HQPcliigQhWpyO/s1600/IMG_0412-med.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYKcxglK8IuEhMU8RSBjdQFxRfFdnO-IM4XksnjqGLt_rQkT3mofXU0pihbkR4jxCAbPUlE51vqhULPKqoymc1c9P5Ssq6u1sBx__DOCNTl0Cv-eXOzfOolvSH1QGy2HQPcliigQhWpyO/s320/IMG_0412-med.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Makeblock parts are provided by </span><a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" style="font-size: x-small;" target="_blank">The Little British Robot Company</a></div>
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As for the double action on the new
motor; it both assembles the LEGO bricks and helps disassemble them.
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPW8z5eGwnNcWHeYSK-iHKQ5CB3qPqWPA53sH8gUNYu0Ir0xWW0NkUx8JjAe8o7bauUzfzYQKyLFQJRZ8e8bj9OiijT1ZbKv_hTzxvYqbsmlyUrcXb2HvPhT2Zp1lFtHNbX-kUeWY0pcbk/s1600/IMG_1356-action2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPW8z5eGwnNcWHeYSK-iHKQ5CB3qPqWPA53sH8gUNYu0Ir0xWW0NkUx8JjAe8o7bauUzfzYQKyLFQJRZ8e8bj9OiijT1ZbKv_hTzxvYqbsmlyUrcXb2HvPhT2Zp1lFtHNbX-kUeWY0pcbk/s200/IMG_1356-action2.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The two movements are difficult to
perform with a single motor since assembling needs a lot of strength
while disassembling is all about subtlety. The part was first
designed using LEGO Technics and it took 2-3 iterations before I found
a way to achieve the two movements. To better understand the motion,
check out the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VPSewLATxY&feature=share&list=UUdEtj6dqZOpDp5bhehO23yg" target="_blank">video</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQSNoctBDaWH2BboEVAWwQinmigyRa4v7h8odS6Q4vo8v8Lo29CKCuXxZfbRfOJ4Pg0Dn6Lv4YF26qp37T3o3NnNs3de88ISRbMfSFNGd8hiQT3I_JMJiwjGg5AzaLuBMjiY-pzS23BAB/s1600/IMG_1349-proto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQSNoctBDaWH2BboEVAWwQinmigyRa4v7h8odS6Q4vo8v8Lo29CKCuXxZfbRfOJ4Pg0Dn6Lv4YF26qp37T3o3NnNs3de88ISRbMfSFNGd8hiQT3I_JMJiwjGg5AzaLuBMjiY-pzS23BAB/s200/IMG_1349-proto.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-83562786775234424432013-09-15T20:09:00.000-04:002013-09-16T08:02:11.392-04:00Unboxing and Doodle cool<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">The parts for LEGO Test Machine #2 have made it safely across the Atlantic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkRUpX7aBE90blb5X9ic3coN7AJrNL5MW3QG98aLiwmpevjVZNtoqTvW_B9F3kwKGBfbgvXPsgVTcElAAfvdmFQjXD-D-lhspBYJ90-2LYY9GlKZgwvMGy3tevIV90xZTHzhzEVBeHyin/s1600/unboxing01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkRUpX7aBE90blb5X9ic3coN7AJrNL5MW3QG98aLiwmpevjVZNtoqTvW_B9F3kwKGBfbgvXPsgVTcElAAfvdmFQjXD-D-lhspBYJ90-2LYY9GlKZgwvMGy3tevIV90xZTHzhzEVBeHyin/s200/unboxing01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Makeblock parts from <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Little British Robot Company</a></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
You can see me open the boxes and give some initial thoughts and ideas in this video:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oSTK9b0j2qw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
When opening the shipping box, I've discovered a DoodleBot which the guys from <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">TLBRC </a>added as a gift. It's robot that can hold a pen and use it to either draw or write. I couldn’t resist so I built it right away and tested it by trying to make it write “Thanks TLBRC”. It 'kind of' looked good on the first try but clearly there is something wrong with one of the servos or sensor. I'm pretty sure that I didn't mount the rotation sensors properly so I'll have a look at it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-GQGYghKsF_4pC18STMERgpXrHzqkszzlrVqzHjxINdMwvA-0e4mGCYP5ilviZLODal71t3N__8iDJg_Dh_xIfzfz3fQ5bsy_Z9xsZg6_1Gk9_hU7tjW2PF0rrmDv9uGEbGzvuqqP5pg/s1600/IMG_1299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-GQGYghKsF_4pC18STMERgpXrHzqkszzlrVqzHjxINdMwvA-0e4mGCYP5ilviZLODal71t3N__8iDJg_Dh_xIfzfz3fQ5bsy_Z9xsZg6_1Gk9_hU7tjW2PF0rrmDv9uGEbGzvuqqP5pg/s320/IMG_1299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Seriously, look at this little thing. How can I stay made at it?</span></div>
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Still it's a really cool little robot base. The Arduino board that comes with the kit contains a ton of features and most are not used by the Doodle Bot. It even has a header to plug a Bluetooth device. Needless to say that I'll most likely reuse it for a future project.</div>
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If you ever get your hand on this kit, here are a couple of tips to make it work with the current Arduino IDE. By following the kit instructions you'll get to the right drivers and select the proper board. But to open and build the code in the IDE, you can do this:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;">Open the Doodle_Bot_Text_Demo.pde with the Arduino IDE.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Click OK when prompt about creating a ''Doodle_Bot_Test_Demo” folder.\</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">(In a file explorer) Manually copy all the other demo files into this new folder</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">(In Arduino IDE) Manually 'Add' all those files into the project</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">In the Alphabet and Doodle_Bot_Text_Demo files, rename all the letters functions by adding the prefix 'l'. (e.g. F() becomes lF())</li>
</ol>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
That's it, you should be ready to build and upload the code to the DoodleBot.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
If you have any questions let me know.</div>
</div>
</div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-89248661727164982962013-09-06T06:24:00.001-04:002013-09-06T10:16:55.346-04:00Inside the box<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So close I can almost touch it. Parts
for the LEGO Test Machine #2 are coming and I feel like a kid before
Christmas. Here's some pictures taken by the guys at <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The LittleBritish Robot Company</a> while boxing all the goodies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLObilWuCo25Z-usmPwAexfLdi48fsSmVpAd6_eGHjiB8NDDgCLCIJHJX5Vr4Y0h2q2B2a3jRYoYCQcgIDWNmKkx1jpNkTVr00QEuG_0vUHes9qZU4_f0_gnbfw7hAYKLnJ0eZwckdj7g/s1600/DSCN0203-small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLObilWuCo25Z-usmPwAexfLdi48fsSmVpAd6_eGHjiB8NDDgCLCIJHJX5Vr4Y0h2q2B2a3jRYoYCQcgIDWNmKkx1jpNkTVr00QEuG_0vUHes9qZU4_f0_gnbfw7hAYKLnJ0eZwckdj7g/s320/DSCN0203-small.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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WhoooOOOoooo motors</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdD9EUW71_1NVxkrohgfjaDwILTsmYon6BVqlXMiNEfZyKrUHXBVsZSQ8RNUqDCbfWJYhJASjuuhKLFYCZ3rjIWz0LARePSE5mvc3PWUBkjwYAukaTckgcse8gkZOAEpCHMVRjaXcrOuc/s1600/DSCN0207-small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdD9EUW71_1NVxkrohgfjaDwILTsmYon6BVqlXMiNEfZyKrUHXBVsZSQ8RNUqDCbfWJYhJASjuuhKLFYCZ3rjIWz0LARePSE5mvc3PWUBkjwYAukaTckgcse8gkZOAEpCHMVRjaXcrOuc/s200/DSCN0207-small.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Looking at the content I got inspired
to create a new design focus around the use of the Makeblock wheels.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLDc8Mf6CVZK7Y1HeNF132Ps__Ta6_5qo2yCbGWglRVBs5eTEUYdnhBQAIlHpiydIxvK8intUDo-nSNlmIttfQrzhtRc4yTyWBSMWtZ-Er3B9WQVhvfuhBfC3xrjlittbxXRCe09N4Slo/s1600/IMG_1287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLDc8Mf6CVZK7Y1HeNF132Ps__Ta6_5qo2yCbGWglRVBs5eTEUYdnhBQAIlHpiydIxvK8intUDo-nSNlmIttfQrzhtRc4yTyWBSMWtZ-Er3B9WQVhvfuhBfC3xrjlittbxXRCe09N4Slo/s320/IMG_1287.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The top part (1) would go back and
forth to assemble the brick by compressing them together. Disassembling the bricks would be done by a claw
system (2) able to twist off the bottom brick. Finally the
bottom plateau (3) would go up and down using an off-centred wheel, helping in the process of
assembling or releasing the parts. It's just a
rough idea but feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, how can I make time go faster? I
could go to sleep until the package arrive. Naaaaaah I'll probably
wait in front of the door like Scott Pilgrim.<br />
<br />
Added:<br />
You can see all the 'boxing' pictures on my <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/113167360122367526975/albums/5920510704076779585" target="_blank">G+ album</a><br />
<br /></div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-35794841689089988892013-08-28T07:13:00.001-04:002013-08-28T07:13:49.071-04:00When in doubt... TLBRC<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Oh yeah, this project is rolling again, thanks to <a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Little British Robot Company</a> (<a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">TLBRC</a>).</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Like many modern relationships, we met on
Twitter. They followed me, I followed them. I complimented their
product, they answered (knowledge of social media is a good sign).
Finally, I proposed a partnership and they said yes.
WooooOOOOooooo!!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.thelittlebritishrobotcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLuhegvnEZWBkAOMcqWCeJDJG_v5_3Pj83_ppgAJMN21FsbQjvHDrXRgEIh2yxxghYoQ8wInHYg6o42WcfPKf5uSNjDkcXyqP0rsJnQsWwcSG0UJm5cVbB-aHdv0p-R-oRpByDWpAabcw/s1600/68h_rect_robot_right.jpg" /></a></div>
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[pause to reflect on how cool the
Internet era is and how lucky I am to be part of it]</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Anyway, I will redesign the second set of LEGO
testing machines using almost only <a href="http://makeblock.cc/" target="_blank">Makeblock </a>parts (distributed by
TLBRC) and TLBRC parts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
To get better results than the first
LEGO Test Machine, certain features and constraints will be added to
this new project:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Gather more than one control point
(e.g. adding voltage, pressure, time, ...)</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Use a rotation motion to remove
the LEGO bricks.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Keep the test speed at 10 seconds
per iteration to prevent heat from friction.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Perform many tests. Hopefully,
many tests at the same time.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Test bricks from different eras.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Once the LEGO bricks have fallen
the first time, rotate them 180 degrees to continue testing until they fail again.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Have a way to query the test
status while it's running.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Also, instead of machining everything
myself, I will be using the following:</div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Makeblock</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
TLBRC parts</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
LEGO parts</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Arduino and other electronic
components</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
TLBRC custom milled parts (If
needed)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</li>
</ul>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/71Fh8t7OCp0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Let's get this show on the road...</div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-81375877963896788792013-07-09T20:39:00.002-04:002013-08-11T11:24:31.998-04:00Endor Observation Post<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The story of a kids playhouse</div>
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Some years ago, after the pool was
wrecked by the weight of a record snow year, we dismantled a part of
the deck. Suffering from the common makers sickness that prevents
you from throwing away good material, I stored all that wood away.
Here's the pile after we got it back out and inventoried what we had
to work with:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9DWJIBMZrRw8CmHZylQN1NoGvjlSfSkwtKm0PYt0ScFLUmIUEFBwB-rQvPsuu5nVn7qkbI_7-36OaxVKtSw8aKqxbf8i-f8aE_Xt_d-BSaYYm-SXbxY2Hd_eCOmMi0emBEsp4zv3-bJp/s1600/pile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9DWJIBMZrRw8CmHZylQN1NoGvjlSfSkwtKm0PYt0ScFLUmIUEFBwB-rQvPsuu5nVn7qkbI_7-36OaxVKtSw8aKqxbf8i-f8aE_Xt_d-BSaYYm-SXbxY2Hd_eCOmMi0emBEsp4zv3-bJp/s200/pile.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The only new wood was the 4 columns and
the cross braces at the base. To ensure (completely overkill)
stability I went for a design where all the columns are leaning
inward.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ2rbTx3AqXYMRi1QxRlxJ2R0b9mwVjdj29DhrmwH_M1_XFbMc4m8GaSPonQVFGFNI2BkzHjkwA_JUuRySEYHKNwuX5P1viXZNBZnqIhxFHbTve_u44w6rrbNLKVFFdObiIVXT2Ar6xsF/s1600/plan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ2rbTx3AqXYMRi1QxRlxJ2R0b9mwVjdj29DhrmwH_M1_XFbMc4m8GaSPonQVFGFNI2BkzHjkwA_JUuRySEYHKNwuX5P1viXZNBZnqIhxFHbTve_u44w6rrbNLKVFFdObiIVXT2Ar6xsF/s320/plan.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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For extra QA and on the spot design-validation, my dad was part of the build. By working with him him
when I was a kid, I learned to build and to problem solve. I always
loved building things with him.
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Here is the playhouse partway during
construction:</div>
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Since we finished the playhouse some
days ago, the kids have played in it every day. Like a moths to a
flame all the kids in the street were also sucked into the playhouse.
It is one happy place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORI1O-ulBhqFU2SG-NbgGDjiRRtO2ZDJ28BYkIk8FZkZFOpRFY1YLQVAHnpkWqI8n-yN3LhbDnaekywZJQ3Nk83pkEbRkr6KKhq3Fd0jooZ5qe-qqmqcOkMmUy1MrJVxp4tkuNxTyOHh_/s1600/treehouse3_small.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORI1O-ulBhqFU2SG-NbgGDjiRRtO2ZDJ28BYkIk8FZkZFOpRFY1YLQVAHnpkWqI8n-yN3LhbDnaekywZJQ3Nk83pkEbRkr6KKhq3Fd0jooZ5qe-qqmqcOkMmUy1MrJVxp4tkuNxTyOHh_/s320/treehouse3_small.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
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Now let's renovate our old bathroom...</div>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-87132906950132119932013-05-27T21:14:00.000-04:002013-05-27T21:14:52.311-04:00LEGO Wear Test #2 - Design<br />
I have the basic design for the second LEGO wear test machine. Here is a prototype made with Castilene plastic:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv-dzClmmr-3vhpDHe0upX6Z9ONTJR_IIgunSDWWjvBYqpsbKYu4y63fCtYHoZs6gc6bhoGaxAgTb-2mrpG2ZCG-v4Kbvn3NRCwcri7af7yCrFhFcaB5N8xR3JBFptQtYZ2yY7Yl0nJql/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv-dzClmmr-3vhpDHe0upX6Z9ONTJR_IIgunSDWWjvBYqpsbKYu4y63fCtYHoZs6gc6bhoGaxAgTb-2mrpG2ZCG-v4Kbvn3NRCwcri7af7yCrFhFcaB5N8xR3JBFptQtYZ2yY7Yl0nJql/s320/IMG_1098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The result will be a long rig that will hold all 10 pairs of LEGO bricks to be tested simultaneously. The parts will be made of machined metal fitting the brick shape as precisely as possible. One thing that I learned from the first test is that it takes a lot of strength to hold those bricks, which is why I'm overkilling this one.<br />
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The bottom part is composed of two halves enabling the rig to either hold tight or release the piece completely.</div>
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Following comments that many viewers/readers have left, here are the new requirements:</div>
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<li>Use a rotation motion to remove the LEGO bricks.</li>
<li>Keep the test speed at 10 seconds per iteration to prevent heat from friction.</li>
<li>Test 10 sets at the same time.</li>
<li>Test bricks from different eras.</li>
<li>Once the LEGO bricks have fallen the first time, rotate them 180 degrees to continue testing until it fails again.</li>
<li>Run the machine in the shed to keep the noise down.</li>
<li>Have a way to query the test status while it's running.</li>
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Not following comments that some viewers/readers have left:</div>
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<li>This will not solve global warming</li>
<li>I will keep playing with LEGO bricks</li>
<li>My accent should not improve before the next test</li>
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One thing I'm leaving out is to have many control points and this test will [again] only count the iterations. I initially wanted to monitor forces and current but it makes no sense with this simultaneous test. Next time...</div>
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For the test I've done my best to select bricks from 3 eras. The new ones (3 pairs) were the easiest to find while the 2 pairs from the mid 70s posed a challenge. It started with one pair I took from a set bought at the flea market. It was the set #370 from the mid 70s. Looking at those two white bricks I noticed that they had a unique casting mark on one side. After a lot of digging, I finally found two bricks with similar marks. In a very non-scientific moment I declared that this unique feature probably means that they're from the same era. Shoot me.</div>
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Now that the 10 pairs of bricks have been selected they are set aside until the test and other bricks are used during the rig's development. Also, in a wave of madness, I might even run this new test twice with the side effect that I'm slowly destroying all the 2x3 bricks in the house.</div>
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-46676717134994446152013-05-02T12:30:00.000-04:002013-05-02T12:44:30.700-04:00Test design & LiveTankGame<br />
Well, while I'm working on the design of the new LEGO test rig (<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/02/legos-magic-number-is-37112.html">see test1</a>), I'm getting back into the<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/search/label/livetankgame"> tank project</a>. My generic goal for this long term project is to design a table top robotic game that will be a cross between a live card game and robotics. So far I will have two tank platforms to test all the robotic modules so that I can prototype the gameplay based around those features.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">TA1 (aka: whydontyouworkyou...)</span></div>
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You may ask yourself “Where the heck are you going with this?”, and that is a good question since I don't have a final answer yet. You see, I like building stuff and I like cool-unusual-geeky-things that I can't afford so, many times, if I want something I have a tendency to build it. My latest crazy idea came during the last Christmas vacation when my wife and I started playing a live card game called <a href="http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=207">Android Netrunner</a>. No it has nothing to do with mobile phones.</div>
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The box</div>
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I found this game so cool that I had
this crazy idea to reinvent the same level of gameplay using robots
instead of cards. Why? Well... why not? Sooooo this is going to take
a long time and I have to start by testing what kind of electronic
interactions/capabilities the tanks can have. Once I have enough
working features I will design the basic gameplay around them and
build the two game tanks. Like I said... long
term and so geeky that it technically falls into the nerd realm.</div>
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Here is a short update: The mobility
base is composed of a robotic tank kit and a <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/2013/01/robotank-3-motor-driver-version-2.html">homemade DC motor driver</a>. The motor driver PCB still needs a bit of redesign but it's functional for now and that... is good enough. Here I am building one of the two tank kits:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4p-OtBKlT1c?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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For now, the tank is <a href="http://youtu.be/h9x3dyiKVK4">controlled using an Android</a> phone via bluetooth and I'm ready to start testing the
other features like the laser, IR proximity sensors, light sensors,
Ultrasonic range finder, etc...</div>
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Starting now, I will also tweet the
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-78197091905120557222013-04-23T20:30:00.000-04:002013-04-23T20:37:47.344-04:003 Great Rockets MomentsWatching the SpaceX March 7th (2013) Grasshopper test, I realized that this was one of the best rocket video moments I had seen. Now, the minimum I could do was to list my [new] top 3. This list is not chosen based on the historical importance of the event but on the emotional impact of seeing a rocketry rare and amazing moment. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Apollo 11 landing sequence</span><br />
This one may sound like an easy choice but, having read so much about the Apollo program and understanding the level of complexity of the events leading to a moon landing, this video makes me sit at the edge of my seat every time. Especially with the added stress of the <a href="http://youtu.be/Ecz3O-bCXNg?t=6m5s">1201-02 alarm</a> that almost forced them to abort the landing. (<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/25/1124164/-Neil-Armstrong-the-1201-alarm-and-what-it-means-to-be-great">info about the 1201 alarm</a>)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Space Shuttle SRB Flight</span><br />
This is a long one to watch but it's worth it. The camera is attached to the top of one of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB). The strange feeling of seeing the ground 'fall' away at this ridiculous speed is hard to beat. After the noisy first part of the takeoff, there is a <a href="http://youtu.be/jhdFz2ZUxgk?t=1m38s">change in the sound</a> while the rocket leaves the dense atmosphere followed by the <a href="http://youtu.be/jhdFz2ZUxgk?t=2m45s">silence after the separation</a>. But the most awesome part is when the booster enters back into the dense air with the <a href="http://youtu.be/jhdFz2ZUxgk?t=4m23s">eerie moaning-sound</a> of the empty cylinder growing into a full roar while the rocket is slowing down to terminal velocity.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">3</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">SpaceX Grasshopper test</span><br />
This video just climbed into my top three list for the simple reason that it is filmed from the air. This was done probably by using a sort of radio controlled camera platform (e.g. Quad-copter). It is a strange feeling, to virtually be there and float next to this monster while <a href="http://youtu.be/xUvbh-Z8Abk?t=37s">it just stands in mid-air</a>. You expect a rocket to either do nothing on the pad or go full throttle but to see this delicate precision, now that is crazy cool. SpaceX made it look like they do this every day... but wait.. they ARE doing this every day. Go SpaceX!<br />
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<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-53915074076020196102013-04-19T18:55:00.000-04:002013-08-11T11:29:53.656-04:00LEGO all worn outAs suggested by Christopher Gaul, I took some macro(ish) pictures of the wear patterns on both the studs of the bottom LEGO brick and the inside walls and tubes of the top LEGO brick.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvMBDmcGvQS7kCmpsqD9RQQDkZkJYyaXr1rUy_2cg595wGekIwTK-NhIr2CI3mOF_ZINV-1FkdNK1O1K9BHOW2px-o-kp65CNjSgxL_SKmbgMv_MsQo_KQQm7Z0gw0HJcA4tYnWBneays/s1600/worn-01-notes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvMBDmcGvQS7kCmpsqD9RQQDkZkJYyaXr1rUy_2cg595wGekIwTK-NhIr2CI3mOF_ZINV-1FkdNK1O1K9BHOW2px-o-kp65CNjSgxL_SKmbgMv_MsQo_KQQm7Z0gw0HJcA4tYnWBneays/s400/worn-01-notes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clear marks are left on the sides of the studs (bottom LEGO)</div>
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The small ridges on the inside walls (top LEGO) are visibly worn down. There is also damage to the tubes and even the walls themselves.</div>
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Here are the 2 pictures in full resolution (sorry for the low quality) without the notes:<br />
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CSI case #66531Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-58893149537225174132013-03-02T18:06:00.000-05:002013-03-02T18:06:14.739-05:00Adventure Time Sword<br />
My son was invited to the birthday party of one of his friend. His friend mentioned to him that he liked the Adventure Time cartoon and would like to have the sword. My son then told him that we could probably make it because we are always building stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgD6RBFdzDe1EzbZzFdL4zA-GI-iAoygl_zHd6qLPfhOjivC2uKLxTlBbG9XGZXy3kQ63yGk2ke_tNosWhFWysAVvfU6HvHRzz2eLEr6Ci6hDj7jW7Qrd-DYpll7zcoBXzGlmY-HLACL7/s1600/AdventureTimeSword03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgD6RBFdzDe1EzbZzFdL4zA-GI-iAoygl_zHd6qLPfhOjivC2uKLxTlBbG9XGZXy3kQ63yGk2ke_tNosWhFWysAVvfU6HvHRzz2eLEr6Ci6hDj7jW7Qrd-DYpll7zcoBXzGlmY-HLACL7/s1600/AdventureTimeSword03.png" /></a></div>
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We looked it up on the web and since it's a simple shape I decided to give it a shot. Using the hard wood from an old shelf we took down, I drew the rough dimensions on it<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTwJ1KOUuajWdAamYzkhb2ikEDaWhD9vQP-CfGLUYW6vCK79sWJaqiYf8R0RMEaEPLNEComD7dWqOA1XC6jP3J7WEFRQCG2MaPhJ-iowlXbJH46e3XoPCeaHKB9R3zK-uVy_4gtWc3LO3/s1600/mark.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTwJ1KOUuajWdAamYzkhb2ikEDaWhD9vQP-CfGLUYW6vCK79sWJaqiYf8R0RMEaEPLNEComD7dWqOA1XC6jP3J7WEFRQCG2MaPhJ-iowlXbJH46e3XoPCeaHKB9R3zK-uVy_4gtWc3LO3/s200/mark.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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I then cut the rough shape using a skill saw and a jig saw<br />
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The guard was build with 2 pieces with grooves screwed and glued on both sides<br />
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This was the fun part where I sculpted all the notches and scratches followed by some sanding<br />
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It was then time for primer and painting. The handle was done by hand using acrylic paint<br />
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This the final product after gold metallic paint and a clear acrylic coat. The jewel was made with Super Sculpey and also painted using acrylic paint.<br />
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Action shot with my son<br />
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-74520674650996248752013-02-28T20:35:00.000-05:002016-04-01T13:19:16.747-04:00LEGO's magic number is 37,112Have you ever asked yourself this question: "How many times can I assemble LEGO bricks before they wear out?"<br />
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Well... probably never but I did (<a href="http://bricks.stackexchange.com/q/1754/36">on LEGO SE</a>). The story would end there if didn't had the knack to build a machine to test it. Here it is:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbDEvdD8Ftq4F12h9Cd1US-u7yUEXU9P37mL4zaV5_ED88po17TeZhkQ8Ngvd6MWsAnjbKLdpxdy1kGHSAVLLLHlQ7asbLmY6l2pj-pra3HSoJyYyX4tVjEwgptVJEf7vh_TiWjoOrtEm/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbDEvdD8Ftq4F12h9Cd1US-u7yUEXU9P37mL4zaV5_ED88po17TeZhkQ8Ngvd6MWsAnjbKLdpxdy1kGHSAVLLLHlQ7asbLmY6l2pj-pra3HSoJyYyX4tVjEwgptVJEf7vh_TiWjoOrtEm/s400/IMG_0912.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first version was using a metal tube attaching the top servo to the LEGO brick. It was too flimsy and died during initial testing. So I took an old CPU heat sink...<br />
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And using my trusty angle cutter, I made this new arm:<br />
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A successful test proved that the LEGO was no match for this chunk of aluminium. I then made an infra-red proximity sensor to detect if the presence of the LEGO and rigged the whole thing to an Arduino. This was shot before the test started:<br />
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and this was shot about two thirds into the testing that lasted a whopping 10 days!!!<br />
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So here are the 2 dead LEGO bricks after 10 days and <b><span style="font-size: large;">37,112</span></b> assembling and disassembling.<br />
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Don't try this at home. It's long, noisy and cruel to LEGO bricks.<br />
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In the end, both pieces failed at 50%. The studs of the bottom brick and the inside walls of the top brick are visibly worn. Both bricks can still hold on (not strongly) to normal bricks but, when put together, they can't hold. In a way, you could say that they are still in working conditions as long as they don't meet again.<br />
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Here are some more answers:<br />
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<br />
This story was covered in the follow
media:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blog.arduino.cc/2013/04/16/lego-stress-test-magic-number/" target="_blank">Arduino Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/04/thanks-to-arduino-man-knows-that-37112-impressions-wear-out-a-lego-brick/" target="_blank">Ars Technica</a></li>
<li><a href="http://hackaday.com/2013/04/19/measuring-the-lifespan-of-lego/" target="_blank">Hack A Day</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2y8lna/til_lego_bricks_can_be_used_37112_times_before/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> (TIL)</li>
<li><a href="http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/april-2013/daily-planet---april-24th-2013/#clip912592" target="_blank">Discovery Channel – Daily Planet</a></li>
<li><a href="http://makezine.com/2013/04/17/stress-testing-lego/" target="_blank">Make</a></li>
<li><a href="http://geekdad.com/2013/04/arduino-powered-testing-proves-that-a-lego-brick-wears-out-in-37112-clicks/" target="_blank">Geek Dad</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.tested.com/art/lego/454947-lifespan-lego/" target="_blank">Tested</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wired.jp/2013/05/23/lego-arduino/" target="_blank">WIRED</a> (Japan)</li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/10/how-much-abuse-can-a-single-lego-brick-take/" target="_blank">Smithsonian</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5994964/how-many-times-can-you-stack-a-lego-brick-before-it-stops-connecting" target="_blank">Gizmodo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kotaku.com/how-many-times-can-you-use-lego-bricks-before-they-brea-475571549" target="_blank">Kotaku</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/lego-brick-survives-37-112-uses-automated-stress-tester-1C9511170" target="_blank">NBC News</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/lifespan-lego-how-long-they-last/" target="_blank">Bit Rebels</a></li>
<li>And probably others so tell me if you
find some new ones</li>
</ul>
Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com198tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-314924582766859872013-01-21T07:08:00.001-05:002016-05-23T19:50:04.279-04:00DIY desk<br />
This is our homemade studio desk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscZdTPnk3EWtw-6O_-hw5BsquRORQCFpxnH_tcS6Uz8Uap08OcI0-tI0lOL33q5CY-M51PgTvE7iK9X3vdZwgn7eRVTt7rd-b9CjlnWZsRNAuikkjMZTTayzqedwucPVXS5S7mSwwMG8o/s1600/2012-09-02+09.48.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscZdTPnk3EWtw-6O_-hw5BsquRORQCFpxnH_tcS6Uz8Uap08OcI0-tI0lOL33q5CY-M51PgTvE7iK9X3vdZwgn7eRVTt7rd-b9CjlnWZsRNAuikkjMZTTayzqedwucPVXS5S7mSwwMG8o/s400/2012-09-02+09.48.14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's a large U-shaped desk built of plywood that is laminated with a nice wood layer. The desk (including an integrated back-shelf) is built onto the walls and has no front legs with the exception of the two end corners. This gives us more freedom of movement. We stained the desk a dark brown color to match the wood floor.<br />
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The desk also includes built-in electrical sockets, place for the printer and paper and a ventilation slit over the heater.Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-31546870973580871972013-01-06T19:35:00.001-05:002013-05-01T19:00:56.699-04:00RoboTank #3 / motor driver version 2Here is the second version of the programmable motor driver.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UAqG4jkT-DqxOGB7yuxXb7rvnq2JO1pMME2ZftOf6JYGHRPJMIk_uvOfDHJUum__Z_OZAQOLxXYV_ry2PFZCmdiKb-RgX8BYZDRYj_GdOvy2uQn_K8thZew8Hfx7XO-_bucG8cuzRSg_/s1600/IMG_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UAqG4jkT-DqxOGB7yuxXb7rvnq2JO1pMME2ZftOf6JYGHRPJMIk_uvOfDHJUum__Z_OZAQOLxXYV_ry2PFZCmdiKb-RgX8BYZDRYj_GdOvy2uQn_K8thZew8Hfx7XO-_bucG8cuzRSg_/s320/IMG_0796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It uses a L239D chip to drive two DC motors and modulate their speed individually. The board can be controlled with only two input wires. This is made possible through an interface program loaded in the ATMEGA238 (same as Arduino UNO) onboard chip. The interface chip and the driver chip are running on two separate power circuits and both are in sockets and can be easily replaced or, in the case of the ATMEGA238 chip, reprogrammed.<br />
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Using the ATMEGA238 chip makes this motor driver very versatile since 10 pins (5 digital and 5 analog) are still available for inputs/outputs. This driver can then be reprogrammed and customized rapidly. Here is the etching pattern I made using <a href="http://www.expresspcb.com/">ExpressPCB</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDzvlB3pAbKW9-cXgx60uOUthVe1VEd03XFhvpXSoCD8aHnqKOzTFjHm9cI2fvU8hQln1BnMb89j4T1LZXLgtD-uEBL1T3TOcKL4UWFcXM9l5ELVeQTUS2nwnc85uGLnUNmC7YEHJfSHX/s1600/pcb_images.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDzvlB3pAbKW9-cXgx60uOUthVe1VEd03XFhvpXSoCD8aHnqKOzTFjHm9cI2fvU8hQln1BnMb89j4T1LZXLgtD-uEBL1T3TOcKL4UWFcXM9l5ELVeQTUS2nwnc85uGLnUNmC7YEHJfSHX/s320/pcb_images.png" width="255" /></a></div>
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Finally here's the part list:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1x - Small copper clad laminate board</li>
<li>1x - 16 pins socket</li>
<li>1x - 28 pins socket</li>
<li>2x - 0.1uf capacitor</li>
<li>1x - 16MHz crystal</li>
<li>2x - 6 pins female headers</li>
<li>2x - PNP transistors</li>
<li>2x - Inputs Screw Terminal 3.5mm (2 pins)</li>
<li>2x - Inputs Screw Terminal 5mm (3 pins)</li>
<li>1x - L293D (or SN754410)</li>
<li>1x - ATMEGA238P-PU</li>
<li>Some wires</li>
<li>(optional) 1x - Heatsink for the L293D</li>
</ul>
<div>
I'll put up a Instructables ASAP with the PCB layout file. Until then I can send it to you if you contact me directly.</div>
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-64545920073624682322013-01-04T23:44:00.000-05:002013-05-01T19:01:48.392-04:00RoboTank #2 / homemade PCBThis was my first attempt at making a PCB at home. I follow this <a href="http://www.riccibitti.com/pcb/pcb.htm">awesome tutorial</a> explaining how to make PCB using a laser printer. The first step was to design the board. For this I used <a href="http://www.expresspcb.com/">ExpressPCB </a>free software. Then I printed the design on a magazine paper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooKyN0x-IW8aTlciFg_hNcr80hWGVsQn8CJL1PV5CUPfOZpevhMSvLk-hZX5yLmgU29A0KkRowF5v_rTsq0PHGa1YjqeRtqtJkU_lODPx8bHLP7fhUTKeAfNtlChMG8diDR0kp8aoPBdr/s1600/IMG_0764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooKyN0x-IW8aTlciFg_hNcr80hWGVsQn8CJL1PV5CUPfOZpevhMSvLk-hZX5yLmgU29A0KkRowF5v_rTsq0PHGa1YjqeRtqtJkU_lODPx8bHLP7fhUTKeAfNtlChMG8diDR0kp8aoPBdr/s320/IMG_0764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The next step (which took me 3 tries) was to transfer the design to the copper plate using an iron. This was a big learning experience about the necessary spacing between the traces and the amount of time to apply the iron. In the end I got something that was good enough to go to the next step.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmEIwEkCN3sLIqWq0n4Vk2cdzY7-vHAA-I_aZlD-3OXvuomsk9CVFqz4Yy-SLhoOTgW0EdfRXvX_D3lcZ144b_2kTEfcVT0mqImSKnf2OzJFzT1JibdMhEXK3DI-R3mvBT706ATjeUyBt/s1600/IMG_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmEIwEkCN3sLIqWq0n4Vk2cdzY7-vHAA-I_aZlD-3OXvuomsk9CVFqz4Yy-SLhoOTgW0EdfRXvX_D3lcZ144b_2kTEfcVT0mqImSKnf2OzJFzT1JibdMhEXK3DI-R3mvBT706ATjeUyBt/s320/IMG_0765.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As suggested, I corrected the mistakes using a Sharpie pen. After a Ferric Chloride bath here is the result:<br />
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I used a sponge to rub the surface during the etching. Apparently the Sharpie fix is not meant to survive that kind of abuse. This is still fixable. The final step was to drill the through holes and do the assembly.<br />
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<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-17318466337067979812013-01-04T23:20:00.003-05:002013-05-01T19:01:35.225-04:00RoboTank #1 / The baseThis is the first post about this new project using the TAMIYA Tracked Vehicle Kit as a base for building a robotic tank vehicle. This will be an ongoing project and you should expect many posts about this subject. Here's a video where I'm building one of the two kits I got:<br />
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Since the kit comes with a single motor assembly allowing the tank to only go straight forward or backward, I also bought the Double Gearbox from TAMIYA. It can be assemble with 4 different ratios: 12.7:1, 38.2:1, 114.7:1 and 344.2:1. I went for the 114.7:1 ratio since speed is not a necessity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7d6RANw9hlr55CmrRQHN8O8h92XJMAssq57wRDnU85A0L8JtC4bXol4enwo4gpFha8FJCOHA8LjXvGh7ngf1vWFFU_cE4QliHQ1wHv0I46WQDBrThhyphenhyphen93zWVFzcUYq71BLGXUYqr5TyAj/s1600/kit_double.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7d6RANw9hlr55CmrRQHN8O8h92XJMAssq57wRDnU85A0L8JtC4bXol4enwo4gpFha8FJCOHA8LjXvGh7ngf1vWFFU_cE4QliHQ1wHv0I46WQDBrThhyphenhyphen93zWVFzcUYq71BLGXUYqr5TyAj/s320/kit_double.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The tank kit is not build to fit with this particular gearbox so I had to modify the base plate to accommodate the support bar that came with the gearbox but that was meant for another kit.<br />
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I want to have an standard Arduino board running as the brain for this project. Since there will probably be a lot components to control, I needed to drive the motors using only 2 pins from the Arduino board. So, the next step was to build a motor driver PCB that would accept the inputs from the Arduino and take care of the rest. This was a perfect excuse to make my first homemade PCB. I'll get to that in the next post.<br />
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<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-966129015372498012012-12-23T15:33:00.000-05:002012-12-24T10:22:45.677-05:00LEGOtinyAfter my last <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/search/label/minirccar">Mini RC Car project</a> I knew I wanted to make a smaller better one. Some months later and this is the result:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq2-ZUl6gW3TdneRlC1p9Fb2vh_nDA7zrdgs5Y7Z7bHZLkvX-P2ewRdAVJqSGxA1hU7IPdtfhyphenhyphenbKgXwfAGg_L7oW06hpfcTTbAoj1ZSupK3XK8vxtdFrgqawRoAHXfpfHj0eaHrbylsTE/s1600/legotiny_full.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq2-ZUl6gW3TdneRlC1p9Fb2vh_nDA7zrdgs5Y7Z7bHZLkvX-P2ewRdAVJqSGxA1hU7IPdtfhyphenhyphenbKgXwfAGg_L7oW06hpfcTTbAoj1ZSupK3XK8vxtdFrgqawRoAHXfpfHj0eaHrbylsTE/s320/legotiny_full.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The reason why this one is in a LEGO body is because of <a href="http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/184/how-can-i-motorize-city-scale-wheels">this question</a> on <a href="http://bricks.stackexchange.com/">LEGO Stack Exchange</a> where it was asked if it was possible to power the small LEGO City wheels. At that point I had already started playing with micro DC motors and I also started using the ATtiny chip. This was a perfect storm. I had to build a super small LEGO vehicle.<br />
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Here are all the parts needed to make this build:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Set of gears from a race track car</li>
<li>LEGO wheels set</li>
<li>LEGO brick 2x2</li>
<li>Micro motor</li>
<li>0.1uf capacitor</li>
<li>Transistor</li>
<li>Diode</li>
<li>ATtiny</li>
<li>Socket</li>
<li>Power adaptor</li>
</ul>
<div>
I'll go over the small details in an Instructables ASAP. For now here's shot from the inside:</div>
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Here's a video where I show the final result:</div>
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<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-27246470277713473322012-12-18T08:54:00.001-05:002012-12-18T08:56:39.431-05:00Jumping on boardHere his a 'how-to' for running two low voltage (3.3V) micro controllers on a breadboard.<br />
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The first one is the chip(s) used with the TI LaunchPad. I've tested this setup with the MSP430G2211 and the MSP430G2231. The chip will run at 3.3V and is rated up to 3.6V.<br />
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This setup needs a 100nf capacitor between pins 1 and 14, then pin 10 needs to be connected to positive using a 47k resistor. I use the LaunchPad board to program the chip before transferring it to the breadboard and this is pure laziness since there must be a way to program it in place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1cyckgq0UlOEqG3PrNzgOaqAhmQTpzaqlww7yv37af0bgBNhlIIxORsr_Wfc0LOqR05cnmcvVj_LkYupk5sblYgCms4c5eskjv1exZ-uKYM1bxkQxzX-ROx_vVxtzmBzU6Yl7yNM59ci/s1600/msp430-b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1cyckgq0UlOEqG3PrNzgOaqAhmQTpzaqlww7yv37af0bgBNhlIIxORsr_Wfc0LOqR05cnmcvVj_LkYupk5sblYgCms4c5eskjv1exZ-uKYM1bxkQxzX-ROx_vVxtzmBzU6Yl7yNM59ci/s200/msp430-b.png" width="191" /></a></div>
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The second one is the ATtiny (in this case the Attiny13) which can run the same code as the Arduino (ATmega328) and can be programmed using the Arduino IDE and uploaded using the <a href="http://hlt.media.mit.edu/?p=1706">Arduino board as an ISP for ATtiny</a>. You will find all kind of help online for using the <a href="http://elabz.com/arduino-shrunk-how-to-use-attiny13-with-arduino-ide/">ATtiny13</a>, <a href="http://hlt.media.mit.edu/?p=1695">ATtiny45, ATtiny85, ATtiny44 or ATtiny84</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXufaiBpZDeOvixHugvnEV3NZTz2ydb2gzHoNOpnt3dRXCDkAgfnYZagz8VOK_28J7KP9cYAjMOSoxbwu9PgezNISDKviFO1aI4_DkZ79E2aIn8B1Gv_vkUbPHlzPeCQM6dkzf5zen8j04/s1600/attinny-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXufaiBpZDeOvixHugvnEV3NZTz2ydb2gzHoNOpnt3dRXCDkAgfnYZagz8VOK_28J7KP9cYAjMOSoxbwu9PgezNISDKviFO1aI4_DkZ79E2aIn8B1Gv_vkUbPHlzPeCQM6dkzf5zen8j04/s1600/attinny-1.png" /></a></div>
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The chip will run at 3.3V or 5V. As you can see by this diagram, this is the most simple one to use. No crystal and no resistor are necessary for running it.<br />
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<br />Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538874870128905283.post-68963920659525620422012-10-16T07:33:00.001-04:002014-11-14T10:00:00.268-05:00His First Robot<br />
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We just finished this project so a created a <a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/p/grobot-01.html">page </a>just for it.<br />
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<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/p/grobot-01.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-amjMIFi8gPJlNwblNGB_zykeKEdccz2bsflFNQkyx4AqRsya0rivEo5bL4YlRTw4TuR1JM-0NJy-cMsNRtbUZZb1OmqYjKjTyIp6G-goTq_2CMxf98XoNKoyr3eVYHYhFHTV7ThiBbsj/s320/line-follow-1.JPG" height="205" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a 5 hours project with my son Gérémy (7 years old at the time) who showed interest in doing some robotic using our old LEGO Mindstorm by building an RC car and wanted to build the RCX line following robot described in the Mindstorm books<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/p/grobot-01.html">[...]</a></div>
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<a href="http://phillipecantin.blogspot.ca/p/grobot-01.html"><span style="font-size: large;">... read about the whole project</span></a></div>
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Phillipe Cantinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09212731287198061992noreply@blogger.com1