Cleaning Out The Closet

Well for a change, I am going to have a crack at this at a decent hour.  Maybe my thoughts will be more clear (ha ha).


Versions
Anyway, the first item I wanted to bring up is... what I am doing with all of these "iterations" I am going through of this thing I am calling a "fidget".  Well the best I can explain it I like the process of an "iteration".  It involves building the schematic and laying out the circuit in the CAD software.  Then I get to build the object I imagined.  I enjoy the steps I have to go through to make the device.  I prefer a more evolutionary style of gradually changing the form and function... and because I can leverage previous successes to increase the likelihood of the new device working.  

I guess I find it frustrating when electronics do not work the way you want them... it's sometimes hard to figure out why and that makes me feel a loss of control.  Something I am not comfortable with.  But when I build something, because is not much different than what I have built before, it usually works.

From another angle, I am also testing different configurations so that I can evaluate a device that I could build to give away as gifts to friends, co-workers, etc...  So there is some reason for all the different forms I have tried.

And it has all come down to this...

Original Fidget Device

• Set of 5 boards
• Base Board
• Comm Board
• POV Board
• RGB Button Board
• Sensor Sound Board
• 9v battery and connector
• DVD with software

I have given two set away so far... to James Rowe and Carlos Beltran... and I have a third set ready to go to James Sorensen out in Utah.  I am still not sure what to do with the fourth and last set.

Fidget Experimental Set

• Set of 8+ boards
• Three passthrough boards
• Four top boards

This is my personal experimental set.  I have an extra set that I could give to my father.  I don't think he would find the Original that compelling.

Fidget Lost & Found Fob

This is the last revision that has removed ALL extra features.

• Minimal components
• Built-In USB Male connector
• One essential function

This is the final version that I have come up with in the last few days.  It is essentially an electronic lost and found tag.  You plug it into a computer and it starts up notepad and begins typing out a pre-defined message.  I think it will be my best choice for the rest of my co-workers that did not already get something. Maybe.

Sensor Board Troubles

As I have been experimenting with the thermistor and LDR I have noticed some anomalies with the values that I am reading.  What seems to be happening is that using the two analog inputs A0 and A1 does not give accurate values for either when both are read.  If only one is read then the values come out as expected.  Why is this?

I have tested this on my ATmega328 (Arduino) and it works as expected.  So I do not know what is going on.  There are some hints on the interwebs but nothing that has solved my problem.

The next step will be to test the two other analog inputs... with the only problem being...I cannot get the analog values anymore via the DigiUSB library... because they need those pins.  So I will have to devise some sketches that can indicate the values some other way.  One possibility is with LED lights... such as the Charlieplex shield that I have.

Probably the most fun solution will be via serial communications to an LCD screen.

Anyway, until I can figure some things out, the sensor will have very little to show in the way of sketches.  But I will work on getting some ideas up and running...

• Drawer/Cabinet Alarm
• Temperature Alert
• Light Organ

Chalieplexing Success

On a final note, I was able to decipher the charlieplexing sequence and reliably control six LEDs from three data lines.  I was able to make this neat little die roller, using the button board.  I used the library found here.