dear everyone

This is about people...most of you in fact. You know who you are. I mean Im so serious about people reading this its even going on Myspace...

Its about people and other peoples boyfriends. Lets start with subject one.

So people dont really like her boyfriend...yeah we got it. I know you all think she deserves better...but ok its GREAT to say that she deserves better. I mean no harm there. HOWEVER suggesting that she leaves her boyfriend and even encouraging it is rediculous. She has heard our suggestions...now she can decide for herself. She is a big girl.

Ok and subject two.

People dont like her boyfriend either because...well a number of reasons...like he changed her or all of a sudden she has gone mega religious.

Well ok

Here is what KILLS me about you guys.

You say "how can you trust and love someone so much when you dont even really know them?" Thats basically what you say right? I mean the pics are old and it could totally be some old dude effing around right?

So far everyone who says this believes in God...someone you dont know and there is no real proof of his existence except some other dude told you and wrote a book on him...

sounds a little contradictory to me....

Not saying she is right or that you guys are wrong...I just think its an INCREDIBLY stupid reason to leave people behind. I mean what if this is all just bullshit? The last thing someone needs is to hurt all by themselves. If anything everyone should be giving her MORE support even if you do think it is bullshit.

Now Im not trying to preach to anyone...just saying. I mean Im pretty vocal about not believing in God yet none of you rub it in my face? Why are you smearing their faces in your beliefs?

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND!!!!

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More Sites to Investigate and Invest Your Thoughts in

One of the absolute attractions of the internet is its ability to encourage our hunger for knowledge. It is the ultimate source. When Bill Gates was asked what the internet was for, He described its content as "STUFF". Really that pretty much sums it up. All sorts of stuff about everything.

Well heres some more STUFF.....

Starting with some commercial Aquaponics sites

http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/article_8e24c684-7641-11df-8ad2-001cc4c03286.html

http://host.madison.com/article_bb8f7f4a-763e-11df-a0b3-001cc4c03286.html

Congrats to the Tyner Acadamy
http://wdef.com/news/pef_awards_grants_to_innovative_educators/06/2010

And some DIY  Which I love to see.....

http://indoorgrowing.org/indoor-aquaponics-30gal-video-2/
http://120thingsin20years.blogspot.com/2010/06/aquaponics-exclusion-zone.html

If youd like to be able to show someone new to AP a thorough rundown of what A is, try this...
http://www.freegardeninghints.com/gardening-videos/aquaponics-grow-up-to-10-times-the-plants-in-half-the-time/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5454414/sea_change_an_argument_for_aquaponics.html

Now, if this lot has not challenged you in some way, let me know. Or if you would like to see some other aspect of AP, again - Let Me Know - I would love to hear from you...

Ozzie

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Samsung Smart Bike MCUs For Your Bike

Bikes present a wide range of opportunities to use microcontrollers to improve your riding or at least give you a new experience. This posts briefly looks at a few of those opportunities.

Samsung Smart Bike

Tonights collection of bike related MCU projects and ideas was prompted by reading "Samsung Smart Bike packs an Arduino and frickin’ laser beams," a June 12 post in Geek.com. Geeks post said:

"Samsung’s been working on a concept bike in conjunction with Maestros Academy...For the smart bike in particular, the design team wanted to help reduce the number of cyclists involved in accidents each year...Front and center (literally) on the bike is a magnetic smartphone mount. Slap on your Galaxy phone and fire up the app to control the bike’s systems. There’s onboard LED lighting for nighttime riding and a rearview camera so you can safely keep tabs on traffic as it approaches from behind — video is streamed to your bike-mounted phone. And then there’s the four bike-mounted lasers. The lasers on Samsung’s bike aren’t designed to take out incoming foes...They’re part of the bike’s safety system. Fire them up, and a virtual bike lane gets projected onto the roadway to make sure motorists give you enough room to

ride...How does the bike communicate with your phone? It’s hiding the maker’s secret weapon, an Arduino, which gets paired via Bluetooth. The Samsung app also

Laser bike lane concept

does the typical social fitness stuff. You can track your rides and share them with other smart bike users, see where other people are riding, and even keep tabs on how many people are riding the same path as you in real time."

The Samsung Smart Bike is just one type of MCU-bike project. Using MCUs on bikes can be divided into five categories:

1. MCUs improving biking experience but not connected to the bike
2. Bike-connected MCUs for independent projects
3. MCUs integrating multiple biking features
4. MCUs connected to bike and to smartphone
5. MCU-controlled e-bikes

Numerous MCU posts could be written about each of the above categories of bike-mcu combos. For tonights post well just briefly descibe each category and mention related projects or webpage links.

Flora brake light backpack

The first category, bike-related MCUs which arent bike-connected, covers items like this Arduino blinking bike patch backpack, this Flora brake light backpack or this jacket which uses an Arduino to light up an arrow or other rider-visibility features. The MCU in these projects arent actually connected to the bike or integrated into its functioning, but they do create a better riding experience.

The second category, bike-connected MCUs for independent projects covers items like the bike speedometer from Instructables or some of the Arduino-bike projects from the Intro to

Bike speedometer

Arduino Pimp My Bike series. To find a specific bike-mcu project youre interested in, just Google for  bike Arduino [or microcontroller] xxxxx, where xxxxx is the topic or type of bike feature or function in which you are interested.

MCUs integrating multiple biking features includes projects like this bike dashboard Instructables which integrates a lighting system and a speedometer. An Arduino or other MCU system can control a wide variety of sensors and outputs, so you could include front and back-illuminating LEDs or lasers, blinking LEDs for turn indication, photosensors to automatically turn on your bike lights and lots of other physical computing features that are functional, cool or both.

Bike dashboard

The fourth category, MCUs connected to the bike and a smartphone have a huge upside for innovation and benefit in the next five to ten years as smartphones add sensors and computing power and as MCUs continue to become more powerful. This category includes projects like the Samsung Smart Bike. The MCU controls and communicates with a wide variety of devices and sensors, and the smartphone can easily connect your bike with the internet and with your friends or other bikers.

MCU-controlled e-bikes represents the largest financial impact of MCUs on biking to-date. China has been a huge market for e-bikes because of the size of the population, the low cost transportation provided by e-bikes and the effort to reduce or minimize pollution caused by gas or diesel vehicle engines. Here are two e-bike overview PDFs; a Samsung application note "Electric Bike Controller System" and a Texas Instruments application report "Hardware Design Considerations for an Electric Bicycle Using a BLDC Motor."

What type of MCU-bike project would you like to work on with the Humboldt Microcontrollers Group? Come to the next meeting, tomorrow night, Thursday, August 21, at 1385 8th Street, Arcata, California, and discuss that project with the MCU group.

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Uri Oliver Vaughn

Seriously I had nothing better to call this blog so I gave it an actual name. I just Googled cool names and randomly picked three.

Anyway, this blog is about yesterday and this morning up until now.

So yesterday was the hardest day ever...in a long time. I had trouble getting out of bed. Just didnt really have a drive. I havent been very me-ish lately...so I hope everyone forgives me for that.

I tried to make coffee but the coffee maker had odd smoke coming out of it. OK well I was warming up old coffee from like last week to use in conditioner (which adds shine) but my coffee maker looked like it was going to blow up.

Four hours after I attempted to get out of bed, I finally got to my bus stop to go to school where I was going to finally finish my English work due. Some lady asked for the time so I told her. Big whoop right? Well then she decided to tell me her life story. Her name is Teresa and shes an alcoholic. She went to jail for drinking and just got out on parole but started drinking again.

So Im stuck talking to an alcoholic till my next bus comes. FML?

I made the mistake of telling her how I understand that getting into rehab is hard (after all I know someone that tried but didnt get in till she ended up in the hospital) and then Teresa went on and on and on blabbling drunken words...when finally my bus came. WIN

What got to me is it took her to relapse before she saw she needed help. For those of you that didnt know where my original screen name (sober drunkenness but spelled differently) came from, its from that. It was originally drunken sober but apparently at the time someone had that ID on Yahoo. Anyway it came from people like Teresa. People that become intoxicated but finally figure out what they need to do all along. Its almost like theyre blinded while sober and fail to see things how they are but see what a mess they have become once they are intoxicated again (which usually helps them stop) and thus, having drank themselves sober.

so now ya know.

Anyway while on the bus, Thim calls and says we besta hit up the library for some junk.

Just as a not-so-side note, I figured out our problem.

So we were on our way to Arcade library (which I thought was Del Paso) to drop off books. That was cleared up and I now know that one as Arcade (or Arden Arcade) library.

Now Thim called Hagginwood, Del Paso, but is for sure not Del Paso. Hagginwood (also known as North Sacramento) is on Del Paso Ave but Del Paso library is on Grand Ave. Its the whole Sacramento being theoretically correct.

ANYWAYS

Thim, Alyssa, and I went to Hagginwood library (on Del Paso Ave) to go to an anti valentines day party (or something like that) lol. It wasnt big. It pretty much consisted of me, Thim, Alyssa, a gal that worked there, and a guy named Daniel. We played brawl and did Bingo where everyone won but Alyssa which was lame on her part. Then we had a piñata that was shaped like a heart. I was oldest so I struck first...however I hit it hard enough to destroy it in one hit. LAME.

Then I went home where I ate a crap load of junk food. Man I really need to cut back. But, I was hungry and it was the first thing I saw unfortunately.

And so now it brings us to Friday (today yay I guess maybe) and me being at grandmas. Well I was sleepy and wanted a blanket but when I went to open the door, the knob just kept turning. WTF I was locked in!!! I tried a number of things. Finally I found an old safety pin which had a mickey mouse head (most of the ink used to create the head rubbed off from it being from the 90s...yup) and opened it up to help prop the door opened

FREEDOM

but now Im not even tired anymore...how lame.

And my newest addition which JUST happened, the discovery of the most ironic computer name since windows.

Freedom.

From the website, Freedom is an application that disables networking on an Apple computer for up to eight hours at a time. Freedom will free you from the distractions of the internet, allowing you time to code, write, or create.

...what...

as far as the windows bit...I meant their whole saying "windows, life without walls" but how can you have windows without walls? I mean without walls you just have glass.

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An I O Source For Platforms That Don’t Have One

[Todays post is by Nick Appelmans, a member of the Humboldt Microcontrollers Group]

Many times I comment that we have more processing power in our phones than the astronauts who traveled to the moon had at their disposal. Often, I follow this up with some derogatory remark about how little we actually use this capability. One area that stands out is controlling physical devices or “physical computing.” I hope this review will inspire you to tap into the resources that sit idle in your pocket and help you to move away from pixel pushing and into the exciting world of input/output.

IOIO board

This blog has previously featured a story on a Kickstarter that produces a device that turns your Android phone into a robot controller. Back in 2011, this feat was accomplished by Ytai Ben-Tsvi, a Google developer, and coworkers working on their 20% time to bring input/output to an Android device using open source hardware and firmware. The IOIO (pronounced “yoyo”) was born and SparkFun picked it up helping to troubleshoot, design the PCB and deal with production. Subsequently in early 2013, a second version was developed, the IOIO OTG (on the go), and several companies help to produce and distribute it (still using open source and selling for $30). The “on the go” designation is more than just a marketing ploy but refers to the fact that the board can now act as a USB device as well as a USB host (more on this later). To date, there is a robust community of developers with an impressive list of completed projects (as of this publication, 181 pins on Pinterest). In this post, I’d like to cover some of the features and describe the process of developing an Android application. Finally, I’ll share some favorite projects that I discovered.

IOIO connected to Android smartphone

The heart of the IOIO is a PIC24F which has lots of ports to provide I/O pins of various flavors (46 in total) operating at 3.3V logic. About half of these pins can be run in ‘open drain’ configuration allowing 5V logic to be implemented or to be used in a bus. These pins can source or sink maximally 20 mA of current and arent meant to drive motors but only to connect to a driver circuit with power provided by an additional source. Sixteen pins can be used for analog input (0 - 3.3V) with a relatively low sample rate (1KHz). However, the MCU can support 500KHz total for all pins and for the enterprising firmware coder, this could be changed (Ytai expressed an interest to improve sample rate for those wishing to work with audio signals in his blog yet I couldnt find that this has been accomplished). Incidentally, Ytai has done a remarkable job of responding to blog comments and forum questions and this as well as the great design features have contributed to forming the robust community at the ioio-users google group. For more information on the specs of these pins and the board in general, check out the wiki here. So, by connecting these pins to various sensors a whole lot of information can be processed by the Android app.

Self-balancing IOIO robot

How do you develop an Android app to control the IOIO? Well, as I said earlier the OTG aspect of the IOIO OTG means that the board can act as a USB host and the Android phone or tablet as the USB device or the other way around for cases where developers want to control I/O ports with a PC. Those wishing to take advantage of PC control of IOIO should look at the wiki info on that topic here.

Android development requires setting up a Java programming environment as described here and including the appropriate SDK for the device you will program for. This is a weak link for folks just starting to develop in Android as there is no clear hand-holding tutorial going from A to Z and the closest one is found on the SparkFun site here which doesnt detail setting up for the current configuration of the IOIO OTG. This version uses Android Open Accessory in lieu of Android Debug Bridge. See the wiki here to use AOA IOIOLibAccessory instead of the IOIOLib that the SparkFun tutorial recommends. This link also covers setting up your AndroidManifest.xml too. It’s time to move on to writing code for the IOIO once youve got your HelloAndroid app running on your phone or tablet. Uploading the HelloIOIO took me a while to straighten out the various file links, and AOA vs ADB approaches.

IOIO cellular wall printer

What’s been done with the IOIO board that caught my attention? Well, since I mentioned the Android robot blog post, I’d be remiss for not including a link to a simple balancing robot here. Here’s a nice surveillance robot. I’m most excited for art that you can control with the IOIO; here’s a link for an android controlled pixel board. I’m picturing a gigantic mural that android users could connect to and create a communal dynamic art piece. Another project is wearable tech; you could easily use a phone to control the color of your outfit like this color picker. If youve ever wanted to write giant messages on your wall from your phone, this cellular wall printer is a great way to do that using the IOIO. And my personal favorite, the ioio breathalyzer.

That’s it. I hope that you are motivated to check out the great work that Ytai and colleagues have accomplished and that you might even consider incorporating the IOIO into your next project.

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you know someones new when

Dont you hate it when a book or something youre reading starts with something then they cut to something else without finishing the sentence?  

=]

Anyway so I got at my stop at 6:40 today to catch bus one that comes around at 6:50.  Why?  Because theres this really retarded Christian girl who talks to me and is usually on the 7:05.  I dont hate her...she hasnt done anything wrong to me or has physically hurt anyone (although she does make a lot of fat jokes toward this other girl who I think is retarded...but a little less).  Both think its their way or no way (sorry no highway)...youre stupid and its wrong...its just the bigger one doesnt live it and preach it to the entire planet...nor does she take the bus.  Besides were friends likely due to familiarity...we go back to 2nd grade.

7:15...class in 15 minutes.  Nobody is here.  Why am I the only one who took early classes on Tuesday and Thursday?  FML.  Im the only one that took late classes too huh?  I wish people were here.  I have the table that everyone likes by the tree =]

Oh yeah and what I was originally talking about.  You know you have a bus driver thats new when he doesnt quite know the route.  Bus 1 (like 93 and a few other buses) has some shitty stops.  Im referring to the Myrtle stop going McClellan bound.  Yeah its hidden under some trees and cars parked around it.  I was sitting down and went flying forward.  Prior to that, we were going down Auburn and we totally almost missed the turn at College Oak...as in we were all the way in the right lane and he just kinda moved over at the last minute...blocking traffic (good thing their light stayed red to go straight).  I feel really bad for this guy...they should at least give new people a map or GPS.

So Im thinking Im allergic to Herbal Essence hair stuff.  I used it for about a week (not even fully) and now I have burns on my scalp and neck.  It could be that or this gel I havent used since I was little...but Im doubting it was the gel since I dont recall having burns from it...or even a mix of the two.  Either way Im going gel free for a while till my head recovers.  

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Using Arduino For Mind Control

This isnt a post about using a microcontroller (MCU) to control someones mind -- its a post about how to use an Arduino device that lets you use your brainwaves to manipulate inanimate objects.

OpenBCI prototype called "Frankenboard"

Heres how the August 11 article "Building Mind-Controlled Gadgets Just Got Easier" from IEEE.org explains this new brain-computer interface (BCI).

"Their system enables DIYers to use brain waves to control anything they can hack—a video game, a robot, you name it. “It feels like there’s going to be a surge,” says Russomanno. “The floodgates are about to open.” And since their technology is open source, the creators hope hackers will also help improve the BCI itself. Their OpenBCI system makes sense of an electroencephalograph (EEG), signal, a general measure of electrical activity in the brain captured via electrodes on the scalp. The fundamental hardware component is a relatively new chip from Texas Instruments, which takes in analog data from up to eight electrodes and converts it to a digital signal. Russomanno and Murphy used the chip and an Arduino board to create OpenBCI, which essentially amplifies the brain signal and sends it via Bluetooth to a computer for processing."

Current OpenBCI board

One nice aspect of Arduino is that its getting more and more people who arent electronics experts, computer programmers or engineers involved with physical computing. The IEEE article says they are "artists who met at Parsons the New School for Design." In the Humboldt Microcontrollers Group, there is a forester, a biologist, and an artist. And wed love to have more non-engineers and others whose main experience and training is not in the field of electronics. The Arduino movement seems to encourage a whole new spectrum of people to see how they can apply MCUs and other modern electronics to their particular field of interest.

I havent quite figured out if I think OpenBCI will be around for the foreseeable future. They seem relatively legitimate, but their website appears to be either very new or not a high priority for the founders of OpenBCI. Quite a few of the webpages on the site say Under Construction. Even the Getting Started page says its under construction. But IEEE is a pretty reputable organization, and I dont think theyd have published the article if they werent comfortable that the project was legitimate. Overall, though, it appears youll get the OpenBCI hardware if you want to spend the $399 on either the 8-bit or 32-bit board kits. They also have a GitHub site that contains "the core OpenBCI hardware and software frameworks."

In addition to the IEEE August 2014 article about OpenBCI, there were a number of articles in early 2014 when OpenBCI did a successful Kickstarter campaign, getting more than twice their original goal of $100,000. Wired did an article in January 2014 titled, "These Guys Are Creating a Brain Scanner You Can Print Out at Home." The article featured a 3D printed brain scanner headset that they called the Spider Claw 3000. Heres the articles description of the brain scanner:

"Spider Claw 3000" 3D printed brain scanner

"It includes sensors and a mini-computer that plugs into sensors on a black skull-grabbing piece of plastic called the “Spider Claw 3000,” which you print out on a 3-D printer. Put it all together, and it operates as a low-cost electroencephalography (EEG) brainwave scanner that connects to your PC...You can target up to 64 locations on the scalp with a maximum of 16 electrodes at a time."

The $399 starting price for the OpenBCI is too steep for my budget, but Im sure there will be some pretty interesting developments with this equipment in the next few years. The IEEE article mentions three projects:

"Audette, the engineer from Creare, is already hacking robotic “battle spiders” that are typically steered by remote control. Audette used an OpenBCI prototype to identify three distinct brain-wave patterns that he can reproduce at will, and he sent those signals to a battle spider to command it to turn left or right or to walk straight ahead. “The first time you get something to move with your brain, the satisfaction is pretty amazing,” Audette says...In Los Angeles, a group is using another prototype to give a paralyzed graffiti artist the ability to practice his craft

Chip Audette and brain-controlled Hex Bug battle spider (from IEEE)

again. The artist, Tempt One, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2003 and gradually progressed to the nightmarish “locked in” state. By 2010 he couldn’t move or speak and lay inert in a hospital bed—but with unimpaired consciousness, intellect, and creativity trapped inside his skull...They’re using OpenBCI to record the artist’s brain waves and are devising ways to use those brain waves to control the computer cursor so Tempt can sketch his designs on the screen...David Putrino, director of telemedicine and virtual rehabilitation at the Burke Rehabilitation Center, in White Plains, N.Y., says he’s comparing the open-source system to the $60,000 clinic-grade EEG devices he typically works with...Putrino hopes to use OpenBCI to build a low-cost EEG system that patients can take home from the hospital, and he imagines a host of applications. Stroke patients, for example, could use it to determine when their brains are most receptive to physical therapy, and Parkinson’s patients could use it to find the optimal time to take their medications."

I wonder what some imaginative teenagers who have a lot of time and energy on their hands will come up when they start hacking OpenBCI...

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Keeping your Records up to Date

I think Im going to have to wait until the new year to turn over a new leaf about keeping records. I think I have set-up and started a record keeping system about seven times now and every time I have a problem the records go out the window until I can finally come to gripes with the cause of the problem. This mostly occurs when I have a fish kill. I hate losing even one of them and I struggle with myself and tend to blame myself until I or someone comes up with an acceptable answer.

The fact that fish kills can be expected at any time and with no apparent reason doesnt change the way I feel.

So if you happen to have one or two floaters, and you get to feel a bit guilty about it.... YOURE NOT ALONE.....

Anyhow back to fishin and planting...

Clarendons Rural Agricultural Development Authoritys (RADA) extension officer, Orlando Rowe, was on hand to demonstrate such a method to patrons inside the Clarendon parish showcase at the 58th annual Denbigh Agri-Industrial Show....

There is money available..... Programs that work to research the development of aquaponics and...

 Now about those floaters....

Now a Lady and her favorite pastime....

Now some BSF News
I learned that these larvae emit a chemical signal that keeps houseflies away. Sweet. And chickens love to eat them.

And heres more on BSFs

And Finally....

See you Soon

Ozzie

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Arc Controller Motor Shield More Power!!

The August 21 article "Arduino Motor Shield, Arc-Controller Launched By Arc Robotics" gave me a good reason to do a little research on microcontroller (MCU) motor control and motor shields.

Arc-Controller motor shield

The article covers the Arc-Controller, a new high capacity motor shield that has a Kickstarter campaign in progress, telling us:

"Maker, developers and hobbyists that enjoy building Arduino platform based projects might be interested in a new Arduino Motor Shield called the Arc controller which has been created by Arc Robotics...“There have been a lot of amazing projects come out of the Maker revolution, however, many are limited by the capability of their motor controller. We want to change that. The Arc-Controller is a bridge to bring high Amp motor control to your projects, up to 43 amps with a heat sink. It is capable of variable speed and direction control over a single Stepper Motor or two DC motors, because when do you only need one motor. The Arc-Controller is compatible with about any Arduino, or other micro controller such as Raspberry Pi. It runs an ATMega328, and is user programmable via the Arduino IDE."

The Kickstarter campaign still has 36 days to go, but it has gotten off to a very slow start, with only $927 pledged of the $41,500 funding goal. According to the Arc-Controller Kickstarter page,

"The Arc-Controller built around two H-Bridges. Each one can supply 43 amps of continuous current, with a properly mounted heat shield. The dual H-Bridges run separately, controlling two high-end DC Motors or as one controlling a single stepper motor. Built into the H-Bridges are current and temperature fail-safes.  If they begin to get too hot, or if they exceed the maximum current levels, current limiting will take affect. They will automatically shut down until they cool off, or until conditions are safe to operate. We also have included a reverse polarity protection...There is an integrated circuit on board that gives a current reading from the H-Brides to see how much current each individual motor is using. This gives you the option to write your sketches to react under certain loads, detect shorts and over heating states...We are creating a simple library that can be used to easily send commands to the Arc Controller. These commands can configure the Arc Controller to run a stepper motor, drive two brushed DC motors, and even an integrated an XY thumb stick “Arcade Drive”. The interface library will take input from you and transmit it to any number of connected Arc Controllers...We have had lots of success with tank style robots to the point that we made it run on two wheels until you want it to act like a tank. then it will lay down and drive like a tank. We have many theoretical uses, that we are eager to try such as: home made Segways, drive-by-wire go-karts, RC lawn mowers..."

There are a fair number of existing motor controllers for Arduinos if the Arc-Controller is overkill

for your needs. Here is a sampling of whats available for Arduino:

Adafruit motor shield V2

1. Adafruit Motor Shield V2 for Arduino -- $19.95 -- "We kept the ability to drive up to 4 DC motors or 2 stepper motors, but added many improvements...Instead of a L293D darlington driver, we now have the TB6612 MOSFET driver: with 1.2A per channel and 3A peak current capability. It also has much lower voltage drops across the motor so you get more torque out of your batteries...Instead of using a latch and the Arduinos PWM pins, we have a fully-dedicated PWM driver chip onboard. This chip handles all the motor and speed controls over I2C...5 address-select pins means up to 32 stackable shields: thats 64 steppers or 128 DC motors!"
2. Pololu Dual MC33926 Motor Driver Shield for Arduino -- $29.95 -- "This shield makes it easy to control two brushed DC motors with your Arduino or Arduino-compatible board. Its dual MC33926 motor drivers operate from 5 to 28 V and can deliver a continuous 3 A per motor. These great drivers also offer current-sense feedback and accept ultrasonic PWM frequencies for quieter operation."
3. Ardumoto - Motor Driver Shield -- $24.95 -- "This is a motor shield for Arduino that will

   

   Ardumotor from SparkFun

   control two DC motors. Based on the L298 H-bridge, the Ardumoto can drive up to 2 amps per channel. The board takes its power from the same Vin line as the Arduino board, includes blue and yellow LEDs to indicate active direction, and all driver lines are diode protected from back EMF."
4. Monster Moto Shield -- $69.95 -- "This is essentially a ramped up version of our Ardumoto motor driver shield. For this monster shield we’ve replaced the L298 H-bridge with a pair of VNH2SP30 full-bridge motor drivers. We’ve also beefed up the support circuitry so this board is capable of driving a pair of high-current motors!"
5. EasyDriver Stepper Motor Driver -- $14.95 -- "The EasyDriver is a simple to use stepper motor driver, compatible with anything that can output a digital 0 to 5V pulse (or 0 to 3.3V pulse if you solder SJ2 closed on the EasyDriver). EasyDriver requires a 7V to 20V supply to power the motor and can power any voltage of stepper motor."

If you use large motors or lots of motors on your MCU projects and could really use the Arc-Controller, you may want to head over to their Kickstarter page and support their campaign. If you know of other motor shields that do pretty much the same thing, send an email to arcatabob (at) gmail {dott} com and let me know what you use or recommend, and Ill update the post with that info.

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Make Your Arduino Go Fast A Modern Go kart

Electric Arduino Go-kart (from Instructables)

As the Hackaday post "Electric Go-Cart Has Arduino Brains" says, most modern vehicles have lots of their functions controlled by computers (or microcontrollers / MCUs). The 2014 go-kart thats the subject of this post is truly a modern vehicle in that respect.

And...the go-kart will make your Arduino go pretty fast. In MPH, not GHz.

I first saw this go-kart mentioned on Google News in the Unocero article "Un Go-Cart eléctrico que usa Arduino," so if your native language is Spanish, you may want to read that version of this tech story. Google News is nice that way, because sometimes I see a non-English article that lets me know about a story Id not have read if it wasnt in English. Google Translate certainly is not perfect or even almost perfect, but it usually gives a usable version of the article, and you can do more Googling based on the Skynet-translated version of a non-native language article.

Steering wheel showing LCD screen (from Instructables)

It appears the source of the story about this Kartduino is the "Electric Arduino Go-kart" Instructable done by a 15-year old from California. The Instructables write-up presents some of the technology used to build the go-kart, but it cautions the reader that its not a complete guide to building the vehicle. Heres a taste of the write-up:

"The drive setup uses a Hobbywing Xerun 150A brushless electronic speed controller to control a Savox BSM5065 450Kv motor. Batteries are 3x zippy lithium polymer - 5 cells, 5000mah. The motor has two large fans I pulled out of an old computer for cooling, mounted right over the motor. The chain drive is a 1:10 overall ratio, using a 15 tooth on the motor chained to a 30 tooth on the jackshaft, and a 9 tooth from the jackshaft to a 45 tooth on the wheel. The tires are 10" diameter so at 20 volts the top speed is around 30 mph. The ESC is controlled via PWM from the arduino. A throttle potentiometer on the steering wheel controls this. Constant current is around 40-50A, and the batteries last around 30 minutes with an average speed of 10-15mph. It requires a small push to get started (really, the motor just has to be rotating) and accelerates extremely fast...This uses a sensorless brushless motor. They are not capable of starting under load. It may need a quick push before it can start. Dont try to start them under load. I already had one motor burn out because it stalled and the current burnt the coils insulation. Sensored motors overcome this problem."

Im sure if the Humboldt Microcontrollers Group ever wanted to build a similar kartduino, Ed and others in the group would have plenty of ideas and knowledge on how to improve the design, with sensored motors or an alternate solution to the sensorless brushless motors that burned out on the design shown in the Instructables.

Go-karts wooden electronics control box (from Instructables)

With regards to the MCU in this zippy little go-kart, the Hackaday post covers the different parts of the vehicle integrated with the Arduino.

"In addition to the throttle control, the Arduino is also responsible for other operational aspects of the vehicle. There are a bunch of LED lights that serve as headlights, tail lights, turn signals, brake lights and even one for a backup light. You may be wondering why an Arduino should be used to control something as simple as brake or headlights. [InverseCube] has programmed in some logic in the code that keeps the break lights on if the ESC brake function is enabled, if the throttle is below neutral or if the ESC enable switch is off. The headlights have 3 brightnesses, all controlled via PWM signal provided by the microcontroller. There is also an LCD display mounted to the center of the steering wheel. This too is controlled by the Arduino and displays the throttle value, status of the lights and the voltage of the battery."

An interesting alternative kartduino I ran across whilst doing research for this post is the

LOLrioKart (by MIT student)

LOLrioKart (see picture at left). This slightly-strange vehicle was created from a shopping cart by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student. Might be handy for going on a quick trip to Wildberries or the Co-op for groceries.

Speaking of modern vehicles and the increasingly important roles played by MCUs in vehicles, maybe Ford, another vehicle manufacturer, a microcontroller manufacturer or an electronics distributor will in the future want to sponsor a Humboldt Microcontrollers Group project to design and build a modified version of Steve Salzmans vehicle, with upgrades that allow it to parallel park itself as well as generate and track all sorts of vehicle operation data. That will be a fun project!

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Make Your Android Phone A Programmable Robot

If youve got a recent Android phone with modern sensors, a current Kickstarter project aims to turn that phone into a programmable robot.

Hippo-ADK basic board

The Hippo-ADK (Android Development Kit?) is profiled on Tech In Asia in the article, "This startup turns your Android phone into a fully programmable robot." While previous coverage of the Hippo-ADK, such as this Hack A Day post, focused mainly on the self-balancing capability of a two-wheeled robot made with Hippo-ADK and a gyroscope-equipped Android phone, the Tech In Asia article makes it clear the concept is to make good use of whatever sensors are in the phone.

"The mass adoption of Arduino opened up hardware prototyping to the world, serving as a common platform and large community for millions of hobbyists and professionals. But even though an Arduino board only costs about US$25, finding and purchasing many of the other components can be time consuming and expensive. That’s why Shenzhen-based Hippo Devices is developing a new, easier to use controller board called Hippo-ADK. The device plugs into a user’s Android phone, allowing it to utilize the phone’s proximity sensor, gyroscope, Bluetooth, camera, and other features. “Everyone has a mobile phone, why not make use of it? Why not make use of these $300 worth of sensors that everyone already has?” says Hippo’s

Hippo-LEGO shield

marketing coordinator...Besides saving money on sensors, Hippo-ADK doesn’t require learning a new programming language like Arduino. Hippo offers a graphical drag-and-drop programming environment...the Java API...If you’re an Arduino junkie and you prefer to stick to your guns but would still like an easy way to take advantage of your phone hardware, it’s compatible with Arduino hardware and software...It comes equipped with several extra sensors baked into the board, including infrared, which can control home appliances like air conditioners and thermostats..."

Hippo-Arduino shield

As mentioned in the article above, you can put your Arduino knowledge to good use with the Hippo-ADK, but you might also feel compelled to expand into some App Inventor or Java programming if you pick up some of the Hippo hardware. Arduino seems almost to be used by Hippo as a marketing tool, saying that they are "combining an Arduino-like microcontroller board with Android." Their board uses an STMicroelectronics microcontroller, not an Atmel MCU. The Arduino hardware Hippo is providing at this point is the Hippo-Arduino, a shield that connects Hippo-ADK and Arduino (see picture at right).

Instructables Hippo

The Kickstarter original funding goal of $10,000 has been met, but this isnt one of the viral crowdfunding projects at this point. With 14 days left, the total raised as of the evening of August 14 is $16,457. One aspect that may have caused some people to hold off on supporting the campaign is that building a self-balancing two-wheeled robot will cost significantly more than the $39 (early bird) or $49 for the Hippo-ADK. It looks like it would end up being a couple hundred dollars for all the parts for a self-balancing robot, assuming youre starting with an Android phone that has a gyroscope you can use for robot balance control. If youre interested in building that self-balancing robot, Hippo posted an Instructables for that.

Heres a bit of what the Kickstarter page says about the Hippo-ADK:

"Hippo-ADK connects with your Android devices in real time through USB and Bluetooth.This allows you instant access to sensors,switches, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, communication modules (Wi-Fi, GPS, GSM), cameras, and LCD screens without even having to spend a dollar on optional parts. It is all on your Android devices...If you want to expand the capabilities of our firmware you can use Arduino language and IDE to program Hippo-ADK...For beginners, use the graphical programming platform App Inventor to create your first “Hello World” Hippo-ADK project in less than 10 minutes. For the more experienced, enjoy the variety of high-level customization available by our Java API...For those who want to make even cooler stuff with Hippo-ADK such as robots and intelligent homes, we provide expansion boards and modules to facilitate more rapid development."

I like the concept of using the power and features of a smartphone to help power a robot. And the Hippo is certainly not the first -- there are other robots powered or enhanced with smartphones, including Romo and SmartBot. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) even had a January 2014 article titled "Smartphone Robots Could Be About to Invade Our Homes." The real question is what the killer app will be for phone-carrying robots. Part of the challenge for mass production is the huge array of phone sensors, features, processors and operating system versions on the billions of cell phones being used around the world. Connecting your phone to your robot will be commonplace when it has clear benefits, as opposed to doing it because you can. As the head of iRobot Corp. said in the WSJ article,

Hippo non-balancing robot

"...the challenge is to meaningfully integrate a mobile device and a robot. "Are you connected because of a fad or because the customer experience is greatly enhanced by the addition of this technology?"

Im looking forward to the first phone-bot that figures out the answer to this question. Not only will our robots be able to do more and be more interesting, Im betting our phones will see new innovations, sensors and capabilities if theyre frequently used to enhance our personal robots.

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how to brush comb your hair

because apparently people dont know how.

So basically I have been watching this girl from 15 feet away brush her hair furiously!

Honestly brushing it fast and rough makes split ends and tangles come even faster...and more furious.

so for you people with straight hair or curly hair that youd rather not properly take care of...here is how to brush your hair

step 1
pick up your brush

step 2
grab some hair

step 3
brush it from the bottom and work your way up

step 4
slowly detangle knots from the bottom

TIP
never brush wet hair as it will snag and could break.


see was that hard?

now for curlies

step 1
wet hair thoroughly (shower works best)

step 2
grab some hair

step 3
use a wide tooth comb to comb from the bottom up.

step 4
detangle from the bottom

tip
always comb wet hair. NEVER brush dry curly hair.

Tada

btw most hair doesnt need to be shampooed. Curlies only need to conditioned. Oily scalps can skip the conditioner and use only shampoo. Trust me on this

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Part of Your World Mad Glib

Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid) Look at this brownie, isn`t it neat? Wouldn`t you think my collection`s complete? Wouldn`t you think I`m the King The King who has everything? Look at this fries, treasures untold How many wonders can one Weanis hold? fishing around here, you`d think Sure, she`s got everything I`ve got moose and deer a-plenty I`ve got who`s-its and what`s-its galore You castrating thing-a-mabobs? I`ve got 342 But who cares? No moist deal. I bewildered more I wanna be where the molds are I wanna see, wanna see `em rowing walkin` around on those Whaddya call `em? Oh, feet jumping your fins, you don`t get too far Legs are required for sexting, dancin` Strollin` along down the What`s that word again? cell phone Up where dirty pictures strip Up where dirty pictures run Up where dirty pictures stay all day in the sun Wanderin` free, wish I could be Part of that pole What would I give if I could live Outta these stripper thongs? What would I pay to spend a day Warm on the sand? Betcha on new mexico they understand Bet they don`t reprimand their booty juices Bright young women, sick of jousting Ready to stand And ready to know what the flute know Ask `em shiny questions and get some answers What`s a macbook, and why does it What`s the word? walk When`s it my turn? Wouldn`t I drive? drive to explore that backpack up above Out of gay bag, wish dildo could be clean of that rock toilet

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please enjoy the party while your music is being reached

So today...fail day II

Thim went to pick me up from Adams house...and FAILED like WTF.
dsf7jnybgfre4tyhjmukjnhb6g5vcf4

XD

So we were riding to school with ging-ah, yacob, and thim driving...and the radio was talking about this dude. When they called him back it said "please enjoy the music while your party is being reached" and the first thing I did was sing "GIVE INTO THE NIIIGHT"

thats adams callback tone. I call him too much XD

then while I was trying to explain it to people I said "please enjoy the party while your music is being reached"

lol

And Im totally wearing adams pants and socks cause mine are soaked.

and its 8:05 AM...so were not even done failing today.

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