Christmas light controller

christmas-light-controller

We get a lot of tips about Christmas light controllers but rarely do they contain the kind of juicy detail that [Vince Cappellano] included with his setup. His video explaining the controller he built is embedded after the break and it's not to be missed. We think there's a lot of good design invovled in this porject. First off, he's got eight physical channels, each with optisolation and a … [Read more...]

Building a security access panel

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

It turns out that hacking together a security keypad is remarkably simple if you know what you're doing. [Don] needed to add a keypad with an RFID reader on it. He had previously built a USB RFID reader and thought he could integrate those concepts into the new unit. He once again started with a serial to USB converter and removed the voltage converter IC for later use since he doesn't need TTL … [Read more...]

Shutter remote for RICOH cameras

shutter-remote-for-ricoh-cameras

[Toby] wanted to have a remote shutter trigger for his RICOH GR III camera. This brand doesn't have a dedicated port for remote operation but a bit of research allowed him to build his own trigger. The camera's USB port is used for triggering but not using the USB protocol. Instead, a pulse pattern on the 5V line identifies the half-press, full-press, and release states of the shutter button. From … [Read more...]

Arduino EMF sensor

arduino-emf

As a biomedical equipment technician [Adam Outler] equipment needs to be in top working condition. The emergency room staff were complaining about erroneous noise on the electrocardiogram and it's his job to fix it. He suspected EMF interference so as a quick first step he decided to throw together an EMF detector using an Arduino. It uses a bank of LEDs as an indicator bar to reflect the EMF … [Read more...]

Fabricating a music-controlled stoplight

stoplight-for-music

[Andrew] built himself a stoplight that flashes along with the music. Unlike the traffic signal we checked in on a year ago, this one's not a reused municipal fixture. [Andrew] imported a 3D model into Sketchup, printed out the results, and traced them onto Bristol board to make his templates. He cut out the parts, used a brake for the bending, then a combination of spot and MIG welding to … [Read more...]