code and fabrication resources for physical computing and networking
Non-mercury tilt switches are handy for reading when motion’s passed a threshold (and much cheaper than accelerometers), but sometimes hard to find. Here’s one Hatti Lim found. Thanks to Hatti for the link.
Technorati Tags: pcomp, physical computing, sensors
Working with the Maxstream Xbee radios on OSX can be annoying because the screen program doesn’t print a linefeed automatically when it receives a carriage return. This Processing program works as a serial terminal program, but inserts a linefeed when it gets a carriage return.
Technorati Tags: networked objects, networks, XBee
Kate Hartman has written a set of PHP examples that allow you to connect to a microcontroller via a phone call using Asterisk. Her examples use the Arduino microcontroller. Thanks to Kate for the link.
Technorati Tags: networks
A few more Arduino shields:
Tod Kurt’s $10 breadboard shield is a quickie way to make a breadboard shield for Arduino.
If you’re a Phidgets user, Bjoern Hartmann has developed a shield that allows you to connect Phidgets sensors to Arduino.
Thanks to Tod and Bjoern for the links.
The fullscreen library for processing allows you to set the screen resolution to match your Processing sketch’s size so that it can take over the full screen. It also includes key bindings so that you can enter and exit fullscreen mode while the application is running.
Thanks to Mike Bukhin for the link.
The RepRap project is an open-source rapid prototyper. Seems like a very nifty thing to build in one’s (well-equipped) basement. Sebastien Baillard from the project sent along some helpful links on using Friendly Plastic as well:
Thanks to Sebastien for the links.
Calculating the configuration fuses for microcontrollers is always a pain. Many programming environments can do this for you, but in case yours doesn’t, here’s a handy fuse calculator for calculating the fuses on Atmel’s AVR microcontrollers.
Thanks to Zach Eveland for the link.
The Devantech SRF04 and SRF05 ultrasonic sensors are easy to use and reasonably accurate distance ranging sensors. To use them, you send the sensor s pulse of 10 microseconds on its INIT pin. Then the sensor sends out an ultrasonic pulse and waits for the pulse to bounce off something and return an echo. The sensor then pulses its ECHO pin. The length of the pulse in microseconds is proportional to the distance of the object from the sensor. The code below reads a Devantech sensor on an Arduino or Wiring module.
Here’s a good set of schematic symbols for Illustrator, for those wanting to avoid circuit layout programs. These do a good job, and let you work in a familiar environment. Thanks to Tarikh Korula for the link.
Technorati Tags: puppy
Dan Shiffman’s written a nice library to access the sudden motion sensor on the macbook and macbook pro. He based it on a couple other open source libraries. Below is a code sample for it that draws a plane on the screen and moves it as you tilt the computer.