Day: October 2, 2018

A New Tilt On RC Car Controllers

October 2, 2018 by 4 Comments

If you are a lover of all-things remote-conteolled, it’s likely that you know a thing or two about controllers. You’ll have one or two of the things, both the familiar two-joystick type and the pistol-grip variety. But had you ever considered that there m ight be another means to do it? [Andrei] over at ELECTRONOOBS has posted a guide to a tilt-controlled RC car. It is a good example of how simple parts can be linked together to make something novel and entertaining, and a great starter project for an aspiring hacker.

An Arduino Nano reads from an accelerometer over an I2C bus, and sends commands over a wireless link, courtesy of a pair of HC-12 wireless modules.  Another Nano mounted to the car decodes the commands, and uses a pair of H-bridges, which we’ve covered in detail, to control the motors.

The tutorial is well done, and includes details on the hardware and all the code you need to get rolling.  Check out the build and demo video after the break.

Continue reading “A New Tilt On RC Car Controllers” →

Artistic Collaboration With AI

October 2, 2018 by 10 Comments

Ever since Google’s Deep Dream results were made public several years ago, there has been major interest in the application of AI and neural network technologies to artistic endeavors. [Helena Sarin] has been experimenting in just this field, exploring the possibilities of collaborating with the ghost in the machine.

This image was generated with a landscape model using a dataset containing covers of Japanese poetry books.

The work is centered around the use of Generative Adversarial Networks, or GANs. [Helena] describes using a GAN to create artworks as a sort of game. An apprentice attempts to create new works in the style of their established master, while a critic attempts to determine whether the artworks are created by the master or the apprentice. As the apprentice improves, the critic must become more discerning; as the critic becomes more discerning, the apprentice must improve further. It is through this mechanism that the model improves itself.

[Helena] has spent time experimenting with CycleGAN in the artistic realm after first using it in a work project, and has primarily trained it on her own original artworks to create new pieces with wild and exciting results. She shares several tips on how best to work with the technology, around the necessary computing and storage requirements, as well as ways to step out of the box to create more diverse outputs.

Neural networks are hot lately, with plenty of research going on in the field. There’s plenty of fun projects, too – like this cartoonifying camera we featured recently.

A New Take On Building A Portable N64

October 2, 2018 by 5 Comments

When home consoles go mobile, whether in the form of modded original hardware or emulation, they usually take a pretty standard shape. A screen in the middle, with buttons either on the sides or below it. Basically the same layout Nintendo popularized with born-handheld systems such as the Game & Watch series and original Game Boy. Like the saying goes, if it ain’t broke…

But [Le Nerdarto] had a different idea. He came across a broken N64 and wanted to turn it into a portable console, but not necessarily a handheld one. Noticing the cartridge was about the perfect size to contain a small LCD and in an ideal position, he set out to make what is arguably the most literal interpretation of “portable N64” we’ve ever seen. It might not be the most practical iteration of this concept, but it definitely gets extra points for style.

After he stripped the N64 of its original hardware, he installed a Raspberry Pi 3 and an RC battery eliminator circuit (BEC) to get 5V out of the internal 6200 mAh 7.4V battery. [Le Nerdarto] says this provides power for the Pi, the LCD, and the various lighting systems for up to 10 hours. He’s also added USB ports in the front of the system for controllers, and an HDMI port on the back so he can still connect the system up to a TV when not on the move.

The 3.5 inch LCD in the cartridge is arguably the centerpiece of the build, and while it might be on the small side, we can’t deny it’s a clever idea. [Le Nerdarto] had the good sense to tilt the it back a few degrees to put the display at a more comfortable angle, but otherwise it looks stock since he was able to fit everything in without cutting the back of his donor cartridge out. For those who might be wondering, the “cartridge” can’t be removed, but we’ll admit that would have been a killer feature to add especially with the HDMI port on the back.

Of course, since it’s running emulators on a Raspberry Pi, this isn’t only a portable N64. The front mounted USB ports allow him to plug in all sorts of controllers and emulate classics from pretty much any console that’s older than the N64 itself. Ironically the Raspberry Pi 3 isn’t exactly an ideal choice for N64 emulation, but a good chunk of titles are at least playable.

If you’re more of a purist and want a true portable N64, we’ve covered plenty of those over the years to get you inspired.

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Experimenting With Extruded Elements

October 2, 2018 by 13 Comments

Conventional 3D printing and other additive manufacturing methods are highly effective at producing parts of irregular geometries that are difficult or impossible to create with other methods. However, there is a whole set of compromises that come with it – material uniformity, strength, and size are just some that come to mind. There are, however, other techniques that can be used in conjunction with these technologies, and the use of so-called “extruded elements” may be one of them.

The idea is to break up large models into a series of smaller mutually interlocking pieces of an extruded form. This is done by importing an STL model into OpenSCAD and processing it with a special script. This script essentially intersects a matrix of extruded forms upon the original part geometry, allowing it to be printed as a series of seperate pieces that can later be assembled. The instructions are long and detailed, but are an accurate guide of how to create your own extruded element parts.

There are options to customise the process, allowing for filled and skeleton type extrusions and various ways of interlocking the parts. There are interesting implications for this technology, thanks to the benefits of interlocking parts. Particularly, it could have great benefits for the repair of damaged structures and for building objects that exceed the size of the build platform on a smaller 3D printer. The technique looks especially good for building up lightweight cores for big objects. [Toby] is working on a stand-up paddle board.

We look forward to seeing how this particular project develops. We’ve seen other techniques to build large printed structures, before, too – like this giant RC F1 car.

An Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Compatable With An Arduino

October 2, 2018 by 12 Comments

Building your own robot is something everyone should do, and [Ahmed] has already built a few robots designed to be driven around indoors. An indoor robot is easy, though: you have flat surfaces to roll around on, and the worst-case scenario you have a staircase to worry about. An outdoor robot is something else entirely, which makes this project so spectacular. It’s the M1 Rover, an unmanned ground vehicle, built around the Arduino platform.

The design goal of the M1 Rover isn’t just to be a remote-controlled car that can be driven around indoors. This robot is meant for rough terrain, and is a robot that can be programmed, can also be driven around by a computer, a video game controller, or custom joysticks.

To this end, the M1 rover is designed around high-quality laser cut plywood, powered by a few DC motors controlled through a dual H-bridge, and loaded up with sensors, including a front-mounted ultrasonic sensor. All the electronics are tucked away in the chassis, and the software is just fantastic. In fact, with the addition of a smartphone skillfully mounted to the top of the chassis, this little robot can became an autonomous rover, complete with a webcam. It’s one of the better robotic rover projects we’ve seen, and amazing addition to this year’s Hackaday Prize.

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The Modular Connector And How It Got That Way

October 2, 2018 by 70 Comments

They adorn the ends of Cat5 network patch cables and the flat satin cables that come with all-in-one printers that we generally either toss in the scrap bin or throw away altogether. The blocky rectangular plugs, molded of clear plastic and holding gold-plated contacts, are known broadly as modular connectors. They and their socket counterparts have become ubiquitous components of the connected world over the last half-century or so, and unsurprisingly they had their start where so many other innovations began: from the need to manage the growth of the telephone network and reduce costs. Here’s how the modular connector got that way.

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Eight More Speakers You’ll See At Supercon

October 2, 2018 by 1 Comment

Level-up your hardware chops at the Hackaday Superconference. We’re delighted to share more of the amazing speakers who are headed to Pasadena in just a few weeks. Scroll down for eight incredible talks that will inform, inspire, and excite the engineering muse inside of you.

This is the Ultimate Hardware Conference and you need to be there! We’ll continue to announce speakers and workshops as final confirmations come in. Supercon will sell out so grab your ticket now before it’s too late.

Kitty Yeung
Tech-Fashion Designs and the Wearables Industry

Driven by creative designs, the wearables industry has tremendous opportunities but also faces significant challenges in scaling and scientific research. Building programmable garments and what the future will bring.

Erika Earl
How to Stay Grounded When You Have Zero Potential

Why “ground” is critical and important for developing electronic hardware and how to approach a grounding scheme in your designs.

David Prutchi
DIY Ultraviolet Photography

Modifying cameras, building lenses, and selecting filters to see like the bees. Exploring ultraviolet spectrum for the artistic and technically-minded.

Brad Luyster
Communication, Architecture, and Building Complex Systems for SPAAACE

Building the first dual-rotor modular centrifuge to fly on the ISS. Ingenuity and standing on the shoulders of giants to build complex systems.

Estefannie
Daft Punk Is Playing In My Helmet

A whirlwind tour of tools and techniques for fabricating amazing reproductions in the home workshop; electronics, vacuum forming, 3D printing, and sooooo much sanding bring a faithful Daft Punk Helmet clone to life.

Scott Swaaley
Lessons Learned in Designing High Power Line Voltage Circuits

Practical tips for designing with high-power line voltage circuits to make AC design and tinkering safe, effective, and just as cheap as DC.

Alex Hornstein
Hacking the Lightfield

Taking holographic photos and video with regular cameras and panache. Custom photo rigs and the crazy problem of making a lightfield video rig.

Ted Yapo
Dealing with a Cheap Spectrum Analyzer

A surprisingly simple circuit, some interesting math,
and an article in the inaugural edition of the Hackaday Journal of What You Don’t Know.

We Want You at Supercon!

The Hackaday Superconference is a can’t-miss event for hardware hackers everywhere. Join in on three amazing days of talks and workshops focusing on hardware creation. This is your community of hardware hackers who congregate to hack on the official hardware badge and on a slew of other projects that show up for the fun. Get your ticket right away!