IR sensor

Lately, I have been working with microcontrollers and getting into physical computing or interactive programming. The learning curve has slowed as I try to learn various programming languages. Being new to most of this, I find things and areas that interest me and try them out. I try to put my own small twist on the projects as I learn. This example I found uses an IR sensor used mostly in robotics to sense distance. When an object, like a hand, is picked up by the IR sensor, the color of the LED changes as the distance changes. When connected to my computer running serial communication with the microcontroller, the distance will be displayed on the monitor. An alternate code can be programmed to change frequency. This will cause the light to blink and blink more rapidly the closer the object.

Cosmic night light

I am always thinking of things to do for my daughter. I had been figuring out different ways to make a cool night light. I saw this online so it is not my idea, but I changed some things and will make another that will incorporate a timing circuit so it will go off after about an hour. The circuit and LEDs are embedded in poly resin which is another material I wanted to explore for other projects. It is a pretty simple circuit, runs great. It drains batteries pretty quickly because it runs all night. I knew that would be the case, so it can also be plugged into the wall.

Motion voice recorder

I had been exploring motion sensors with audio circuits when I saw this circuit in Popular Science. It was interesting because it uses a memory super capacitor to set a time delay (up to a week) that will start the motion sensor triggering the voice module. Before this project, I had used a voice module and motion sensor that I set up near my daughter's stuffed bear. She walked by and the bear called out her name. That freaked her out a little too much.
As I am learning about electronics, I am also trying to work on the aesthetic side of things. I wanted to learn more about fabricating with plastics, so I put together this simple box for this project. I had to change some of the components midway through, so things did not line up as well in the box. The circuit worked, but trying to figure out the mathematical equations to set the delay were beyond me. Besides I think there were some issues elsewhere in the circuit. Just because the computer model says it will work, doesn't mean it will. That it why I think it is important to build things in the real world.

Light seeking dog bot

I am really struggling to get this Blog to work right! I cannot get the photos to move properly no matter what I try! I keep losing photos! I will figure out another way to post this stuff. Anyway, this is another project from the junkbot book. I used the circuit and principles, but the overall construction is mine. As I was figuring out how to build it, it began to look like a dog. So I made it a dog.

Sorry for all the weird space in this post, but I have yet to figure out how to place everything. I am beginning to hate blogging. So there won't be too many of these post.

Little solar thing

Over the summer, I had picked up a book about junkbots and bugbots after seeing Solarbotics website. I like the idea of simple solar and free form circuits. It is entry level robotics that also involves re purposing things like motors and other parts from old electronics like VCRs. This little BEAM symet is the second one I built using a better solar engine and bigger capacitors. It looks and works much better than my first attempt. The silver ring is from an Easter egg coloring kit. I knew I would be able to use that for something.

Madusa dice circuit

This was one of my better documented projects. I wanted do a random number or dice circuit. I looked at and put together a few circuits I found online. I decided I liked the one I found in an old issue of Make magazine. Beside the fact that I like to see the circuit, I wanted to put my own twist on the die layout, literally.

sound generator

This was one of the first projects that I took beyond the breadboard and constructed something with a basic circuit. This is also before I became better at documenting things as I build. I can still sometimes forget to document as I go along. This circuit uses the 555 timing IC and is one of the easiest to put together when learning about this stuff.
I find that it is good to build something with the circuit. It may work on the computer, schematic, or breadboard, but things sometimes get a little more complicated trying to stuff the circuit into something in the real world. I like being able to see the circuit, it is like lifting the hood.

The Start

Well I have been now blogging for all of about 3 minutes and I don't mean right now or today, but in total. So I figure I will start with some quick catch up. This doll house that I made for my daughter around a year ago sparked my interest in electronics as I was looking for a way to add lighting to the house.

I didn't know very much about electricity and wiring stuff, but I did know that I did not want to have the doll house burn down along with our house. This became that start for most of my current projects that have evolved from learning about electronics along the way. By the way, where the hell is the spell check on this blog thing.