With version 5 of the WRT54G, Linksys decided to dump Linux and start using VxWorks. This made buying a WRT a gamble if you wanted one with Linux. DD-WRT recently released a micro version that supports version 5. You’ll need a JTAG cable to install it since very little is known about VxWorks bootloader. Even with this new firmware it’s hard to ignore that the router is underpowered and you’d be better off with something else.
[via Digg]
Tom Walsh has been hard at work building an add on board for the Zipit Wireless Messenger “IM Device for Teens”. The board adds a mini-SD card slot, RS-232 (using a mini-USB connector) and a power supply for an EL backlight. I’m impressed that he got everything to fit inside of the case, very slick. A year ago we covered putting Linux on these devices. Have any of you readers picked up one and what fun tricks can it do? I looked around and they still cost over $90. I should probably just resurrect my Zaurus and be happy
Steve Roberts has been doing technomadics since 1983. You’ll probably remember him from his 580-pound BEHEMOTH bicycle which he was checking his email on in 1991 over satellite. Shacktopus is his latest project. His previous vehicles all had heavily integrated systems, but because of that you couldn’t just grab the communication system and run. Shacktopus is an easy to pack communications platform that contains multiple RF and sensing technology into one device. HF, VHF, UHF, Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular communication are all there plus GPS and environmental sensors. Here’s a block diagram of the device. Now, no matter what vehicle you choose to head off into the wild with you’ll be able to communicate with the rest of the world using one device.
[thanks fbz]
[UPDATE: fixed name]
Continue reading “Shacktopus, The Next Step In Technomadics”
[Nate True] states several times that there isn’t any good use for this project, but his wireless motion sensor is still fun. The transmitter features a passive infrared motion sensor. It sends the output over the 433MHz band to the receiver module. The receiver has a small piezo that plays sounds based on the PIR’s output. His project is featured The Bleeding Edge 006.
[Refik Hadzialic] has updated is site with a how-to that could be rolled into many different projects. Using a receiver and transmitter pair from Laipac he demonstrates how to communicate wirelessly between two microcontrollers. The pair costs about $12 and operates at 315MHz. He’s got a chunk of commented code in the article to give you an idea of how it works.
1-Wire is a low speed communications bus. OWFS is the 1-wire filesystem for Linux. Combine the two with a WRT54G and you’ve got a cheap wired/wireless network enabled data collection platform. 1-Wire devices are really low cost, only need one wire plus ground, are bus powered, and can even be wired in a branching pattern instead of a normal straight run. OWFS lets you check the status of the devices like they were parts of your filesystem (it’s built on FUSE). So, you can do really easy data collection just by writing some file management scripts.
This is a really simple way to measure WiFi strength. Actually, it will measure anything in the 2.4Ghz range, like your microwave. The device consists of a two element quad antenna, a Ghz sensitive diode and a variable capacitor for tuning. The sensor is plugged into a voltmeter for measurement. The page has links for locating the specialized diodes.
