Just wanted to try out a different LED. Wow.
The difference an LED can make.
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
#PrintADay Challenge – Make a Part Everyday
SFE Logo Keychain
Today I will start a challenge I have made for myself. I want to design and upload a 3D printable part to http://www.thingiverse.com/ everyday. It doesn’t have to be complex or intricate, just any shape, design, logo, keychain, or device I so choose to make. It could take 5 minutes or all day(hopefully not all day). Anyone is welcome to join, just be sure to tweet your prints with #printaday.
Today I have done a SparkFun Logo Keychain. Keep an eye out for daily uploads! I will take requests as well. (email me)
Popular Science Magazine? Is this real life?
Energy Harvesting Ring in PopSci!
The issue finally came out and I am still in disbelief. The energy harvesting ring, something that I developed and created, was featured in Popular Science this month(April 2014). I keep telling people this, but I’m pretty sure I have had a subscription to PopSci since I was 13. Now I’m in it! Continue reading
#PIDDYBOT Parts Giveaway!
I’ve been tweeting about this for some time now and today it finally happened. Once my twitter account reached 100 followers I would begin a #PIDDYBOT parts giveaway; spare PCBs and 3d-printed chassis. We are now at 100 followers! If you don’t have access to a 3d printer, or don’t want to order three PCBs off of OSHpark then join in the draw!
I will be giving away(shown above):
- 3 – V2 PIDDYBOT Printed Circuit Boards
- 2 – 3D Printed Bodies
Rules:
- First you must be following @IHPArchives on twitter.
- Keep an eye out for #PIDDYBOT contest and giveaway tweets and Retweet them. Only 1 Retweet required for entry. OR Instead Retweeting you can simply tweet using the button below, don’t change the message to ensure I notice your entry.
Tweet
After doing those two steps you will receive a PM from me on Twitter notifying you of your entry. If you don’t get a PM from me, send me one. Don’t want anyone missing out.
Continue reading
Sorry to those who emailed my “Tips” Email!
I just realized that my tips@idlehandsproject.com has not been forwarding its emails! There were a few from a while back so I apologize that I did not respond. I will do my best to get in contact with everyone! Keep sending them in!
Teaser Video: Energy Harvesting Ring Project
Just got the latest revision of my energy harvesting ring PCB and soldered it together. Here is a short teaser video showing it light up. You don’t see much! I stuck my hand outside due to the fact that the heat of my house is too warm to get it lighting without air movement. Its still requires around 40mV to get it going but will continue to blink slowly at around 20mV. I feel as though with an actual TEG module such as the eTEG HV56 it will be on much more frequently. Right now I’m only using a small peltier module not made for generating. I’m still very satisfied with my results. A couple pictures after the Jump!
Quick Hack: LiPo Battery Improvements
I have inadvertently broken the solder joints on a few of these batteries just from using them on a couple of small projects. It was time for that to stop. A quick video of what I do to prevent the solder joints from breaking, and how to make the connectors be less aggressive in their plug. 20 seconds out of your day to reduce the wear of the batteries.
All these LiPos are from SparkFun.
PIDDYBOT – A Self Balancing Teaching Tool.
After I built the tiny balancing robot using an IR sensor for stabilization, there was a comment on the youtube video about how it would be a good thing for kids to build and learn about PID controls. I thought that was a great idea, the only problem was that that tiny robot was the simplest of balancing robots. It was just an on off switch for telling the motor which way to move. There was no actual PID implementation in that system. So that got me thinking about how it would have been really cool if in one of my classes where I was learning about control theory I had a robot that actually let you see the changes in a PID system in real time. I decided to take it upon myself to create such a robot.
Research: Wireless Passive Sensor Data with NFC Transmission.
NFC Tag Reader Sensor
I’m looking into researching this as it has begun to spark my interests. Can anyone help out with this? The basic premise is to have a NFC transmission that is capable of relaying simple information about a changing sensor, such as a temp sensor(resistance). All the power would be given through the NFC reader and when it is not being read it is just idle/no power. Is this even possible?
Quick Project: Arduino Nano GPS Speedometer
I have an ongoing project vehicle(1981 Volvo 240) that is no longer able to use the stock speedometer. I have had some experience with using GPS for my Autonomous vehicle project so I knew it would be really simple to implement a GPS speedometer gauge into my car for very little money.