Comments on: Halloween props: Techy Jack-o-lanterns

By: George Stone

George Stone — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:48:11 +0000

This COULD have been done by purely mechanical means. Doesn’t mean it should be.

By: PocketBrain

PocketBrain — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:22:34 +0000

@trialex:
Use a spreadsheet! ;-)

By: shadow

shadow — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:55:33 +0000

@trialex

well yeah, that because standards are slipping, my tutors beat the calculation into my head, so i cld calculate it faster, plus 555 is probably cheaper. Now who will be first to comment they could do it in clockwork? that i would be intrested in!

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:05:01 +0000

Just don’t put a candle in that pumpkin! Silly string is (or used to be) quite flammable and parents of the neighborhood kids will frown upon a flame-thrower pumpkin torching the kiddies.

By: @trialex

@trialex — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:59:23 +0000

And so bloatware is born… :oP

By: trialex

trialex — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:53:09 +0000

@PocketBrain

Yes it could be controlled by a 555.

BUT

I know I could write out the ~20 lines the arduino code would be faster than I could calculated the R1, R2, C1 values needed for the correct servo pulse length.

By: PocketBrain

PocketBrain — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:32:30 +0000

Still not sure why an arduino would be required for this; motion sensor triggers a brief pulse on the silly string actuator. Timing could easily be DONE by a 555.

By: cyberpunk64bit

cyberpunk64bit — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:23 +0000

i will say it once, i will say it again! if it has more than 2 wires, it will get hacked.. these are still way cool!

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:13:53 +0000

I made a remote control color changing pumpkin with ‘angry’ mode for the various Halloween contests:

http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/10/29/remote-control-color-changing-pumpkin/

By: monkeyslayer56

monkeyslayer56 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:07:25 +0000

cool