In any mechanical field of work, accurate measurement is key to success. [Patrick Panikulam] knows this well, and decided to build a device that would be useful for some of the more tricky measurement tasks he was encountering.
[Patrick]’s digital multi-functional measurement tool packs a bunch of useful hardware into a pocket-sized form factor. There’s a Sharp IR distance sensor for non-contact measurements, a rotary wheel encoder for measuring distances along curved lines, and an MPU6050 IMU packing accelerometers and gyroscopes for measuring angles and surface levels. Control is via touch buttons, so measurements can be taken without disturbing the position of the device.
The use cases for such a device are many and varied. [Patrick] reports using it to verify that his 3D printer bed is leveled, as well as using it to measure curved surfaces in order to accurately cut stickers to suit. It’s got the hardware to serve as a digital protractor, too.
Combining a variety of useful hardware into a compact form factor, while also taking into account usability, has netted [Patrick] a handy tool. It’s not dissimilar from commercial measurement tools available online, and yet is completely built from off-the-shelf parts. Truly a handy device to have in any hacker’s toolbox!
8. 12 mm buzzer
Excellent. it will indeed “make the noise”
Beep-beep-beep-beep!
This is glorious! Simple idea showing how cheap CoTS modules can be used to create something much better than the sum of their parts. Lots of nice thoughtful touches too, such as 45 degree case for quick offset measurements. Integrated magnets to attach to metalwork.
I’d love to see a fusion of the rotary encoder and the IMU to create 3D splines from tracing real world objects.
That would be great!
This is cool. Some small digital calipers and a load cell would be interesting additions too.
But, without a banana in the banner photo, how do we get any idea of the size of this thing?
Great idea! Rev-counter and IR thermometer would be awesome additions as well.
Geiger counter…
EMF reader…
Bottle opener…
Digital compass…
Flashlight (“torch” to those across the ponds…)
Laser pointer…
Particle accelerator…
Doom…
All worthy additions.
You need to add a corkscrew, a toothpick, and a tiny pair of tweezers as well.
I don’t know if it’s even possible, but as long as we’re measuring pi, I’d like to measure slash aitch and the gravitational constant, whatever else they can think of pertaining to the qualities of the universe. A kind of multi-meter…
I’d never heard Planck’s constant referred to as ‘slash aitch’ before, but I immediately knew what you meant.
I hadn’t heard of it either (no surprise there!).
A related value called the reduced Planck constant, also known as slash aitch or h-bar from its symbol ({\hbar}), is equal to \frac{h}{2 \pi}.
-RationalWiki
Somebody has been reading EON
It needs a D20 mode.
Like one of these D20’s?
https://autoline.com/-/bulldozers/CATERPILLAR/D20–c127tm2512m6468