Featured in May issue of Popular Science! 05/04/2011
Thanks Popular Science! Can't wait to see it in print! If you are interested in building your own tank, feel free to check out my previous post with all the source code needed.
Add Comment
Is Microsoft spying on me? 02/15/2011
So I've been working on this little dodgeball demo to show off a little connectivity between the iphone / ipad / android and the kinect.
Just a couple days before we release our kinect based demos, this comes out.
Just a couple days before we release our kinect based demos, this comes out.
Well, here is what we were working on. SHOCKINGLY SIMILAR.
So are they spying on me...I don't know. Maybe Microsoft is getting back at me for all my smart ass comments I made as a teenager at their software releases in Seattle. In reality Microsoft is probably just taking the same logical steps as me.
Moving on from SparkFun Electronics 08/04/2010
I really enjoyed my time working at SparkFun Electronics, learning tons about embedded electronics, open source hardware and software, UAVs, Arduino, programming and the DIY electronics community. I will miss working in an office with arcade buttons on the front desk, a tweeting kegerator, automated nerf gun with an infrared trip-wire, LED Tetris board, a Giant GPS wall clock, and has a dog to person ratio of about 1:7. Most of all I will miss all the great people still working there and hope to collaborate with them again in the future.
SparkFun definitely lived up to it's name by sparking my interest in electronic prototyping, open source hardware & software, and most importantly the confidence to believe I can make anything I dream up.
My only regret is that I was hired to be a photographer/videographer instead of a job that allowed me work full-time creating electronic and/or software projects.
I'm now hoping to find a career that allows me to actively work on creative human-computer interfaces that push the limits of what people thought was possible.
SparkFun definitely lived up to it's name by sparking my interest in electronic prototyping, open source hardware & software, and most importantly the confidence to believe I can make anything I dream up.
My only regret is that I was hired to be a photographer/videographer instead of a job that allowed me work full-time creating electronic and/or software projects.
I'm now hoping to find a career that allows me to actively work on creative human-computer interfaces that push the limits of what people thought was possible.
Musical Handrail using the MUX Shield 07/22/2010
Hope the video explains everything. The source code is linked below, feel free to use it, modify it, whatever. An automatic light calibration, plastic covers, and a Beagleboard are all that is left to make it a permanent installation.
I think a nice addition would be to use Liquidware's touch screen for selecting the samples to be played on each step.
Here is the Arduino source code:
I think a nice addition would be to use Liquidware's touch screen for selecting the samples to be played on each step.
Here is the Arduino source code:
| railing_triggers.pde |
...and the processing source code:
| mp3_railing.zip |
SnakeStomp 5.5 05/20/2010
Added a bit more to the game and Rob from IT helped debug a few things!
Added a bunch of music from 8bitcollective.com
Hope it's all ready for Maker Faire this weekend. Here is the source code.
Added a bunch of music from 8bitcollective.com
Hope it's all ready for Maker Faire this weekend. Here is the source code.
I wrote this game in Processing, it's controlled via an Arduino connected to a few accelerometers in stomp pads so when you stomp on a pad it moves the snake and lights up the LEDs.
This game will be part of the SparkFun.com booth at MakerFaire in San Mateo.
This game will be part of the SparkFun.com booth at MakerFaire in San Mateo.
Projection Mapping with Ultrasonic Sensors 04/28/2010
Did a last minute installation at SparkFun before the Autonomous Vehicle Competition.
It is fairly straight forward installation, it has a bunch of boxes stacked in the corner of the room and an ultra short throw projector on the other side, then in photoshop I mapped out where the boxes were and in Processing I wrote a little sketch to take the Arduino inputs from two ultrasonic rangefinders to scale up the brightness of each side of the boxes. Here is what the projector was projecting... I'll post video later.
I also tried using the Zoom H4n stereo recorder to try audio inputs instead of ultrasonic sensors, it kinda worked, but I didn't want to have music playing during the AVC, so maybe I'll bring that back into it later.
It is fairly straight forward installation, it has a bunch of boxes stacked in the corner of the room and an ultra short throw projector on the other side, then in photoshop I mapped out where the boxes were and in Processing I wrote a little sketch to take the Arduino inputs from two ultrasonic rangefinders to scale up the brightness of each side of the boxes. Here is what the projector was projecting... I'll post video later.
I also tried using the Zoom H4n stereo recorder to try audio inputs instead of ultrasonic sensors, it kinda worked, but I didn't want to have music playing during the AVC, so maybe I'll bring that back into it later.
A gift for CP+B 04/01/2010
Decided to make a little gift for Crispin Porter and Bogusky. It's an RGB LED matrix that scrolls "SparkFun Was Here!". It's also got an on/off missile switch and is running an Arduino Mini Pro powered off 4 AA batteries..simple yet effective.
Practical Arduino Cover Photo 03/15/2010
Just realized I shot the image being using on the cover of a book called Practical Arduino. I forgot all about it until I saw the book in SparkFun's break room.
RFID + RFID Reader + Processing 03/09/2010
I wrote this simple Processing sketch to illustrate how simple SparkFun's USB RFID Reader is to use.
The USB RFID Reader works with the ID-2, ID-12 and ID-20 RFID readers depending on how much range you need.
When an RFID is placed next to the reader it beeps and send the RFID's number via serial. If you have the Arduino software installed you can simply open up the serial monitor and see the RFID number.
This Processing sketch displays the product photo of the RFID being scanned...obviously this only works if you put the RFID number into the program, since every RFID number is different.
| rfid_reader_2.zip |
