What got me more than anything else was the printed breadboard overlays. A very simple way to show just where to plug things in. Especially for a seven year old, which I just happen to have one of.

Damn I wish I’d thought of that…

I wanted my current robot project to make cool bleeps bloops and other stupid noises. Instead of just doing it I spent three days writing software to make an easy job “easier”. Well, okay, I spent two days doing it wrong, then switched to Python and tried again. This package is the end result. It consists of an Arduino sketch that makes noise from numbers, and a GUI Python frontend to make it “clickier” (oooh).

I made this on a Linux system using Python 2.5.2. You’ll also need pySerial installed. Oh, and an Arduino ;) I have no idea if it will work on other operating systems, or with other versions of Python. YMMV. If you try it on another OS and it works, please let me know so I can update this file. If you had to change anything to make it work, and feel like sharing your changes, feel free to post your tweaks back so I can release an updated version (thanks in advance). You can leave comments here or at LMR.

I was having a hard time thinking up a name for it, and didn’t really want to call it “Noisemaker Tool”, or anything with the Arduino name actually in it. Then it hit me. Taking a styling cue from rik I decided to name it after it’s node here. Henceforth it shall be called “8087-S1″, the S1 designating it as the first Software I’ve put here.

Download

Currently the package can be downloaded from rudforce.net in either .tar.gz or .zip format. If anyone actually uses it, or if I get tired enough of a missing feature, I may actually get a real SVN repository set up. Maybe.

Obligatory Screenshot

Arduino MEGA – Hack a Day.

The rules are basically to use what ya got, and this time it’s with a humanoid twist. Lt. Dan should qualify as humanoid, as long as DB2 (the contest “sponsor”) accepts humanoids from the waist up. Lt. Dan is mostly made of my old (~25 years) Erector set (or Mecanno for y’all cross-the-pond-ers) and pile of servos (seven to be precise). The brain is my pseuduino project. The name comes from the fact that, well, he ain’t got no legs.

More photos are available here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Y9XLSH8QU

As the title says, though, I really underestimated just how creepy this thing would look with this styrofoam doll head. It’s a little better since this photo due to the addition of a sharpie smile, and a Darth Vader helmet.

I’m gonna have to do something about that…

Oh, and I’ll have much nicer photos than that for the final writeup. Borrowed J’s little purse camera for this shot (Argus Bean), and it really really doesn’t like the lighting in my closet.

Arduino – Programmer, usbtinyisp

After I polish up the forward walking I’ll attempt reverse. If I can get that working I’ll aim for steering too. After that I may or may not try adding a PING))) or IR sensor for avoiding objects.

Update Feb 24: Added reverse, and it mostly works. Backing up is pretty slow and the feet are more likely to get hung up in the carpet when going backwards, but it still does it. I also tweaked the bends of the front legs and totally fouled things up… It’s about 90% back to its original walking ability. I guess my lesson is to fiddle with the code before bending stuff, especially when said stuff is already working.

Update Feb 25: Added a button to switch walking states. Button is on Arduino pin2 so it can be triggered via an interrupt. It simply switches between walkForward, walkBackward, and nothing (no walking). Thanks to this post for teaching me how to debounce a button with an interrupt.

// walker 0
// DR
//    Feb 22, 2009 - initial version, walked forward
//    Feb 24, 2009 - Added reverse
//    Feb 25, 2009 - added button!
 
#include <Servo.h>;
 
// default centers of servos
int fCenter = 93;
int rCenter = 85;
 
volatile int walkState = 0;  // don't walk until button is pressed
int buttonPin = 2;  // button on arduino pin2 (avr pin4) for interrupt
 
Servo servF;  // front servo
Servo servR;  // rear servo
void setup()
{
  pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(buttonPin, HIGH);  // set internal pullup resistor
  attachInterrupt(0, changeState, LOW);  // interrupt0 is on arduino pin2
 
  servF.attach(9);  // front servo on pin9
  servF.write(fCenter);  // center
  servR.attach(10); // rear servo on pin10
  servR.write(rCenter);  // center
}
void walkForward() {
  servF.write(fCenter+20);
  delay(100);
  servR.write(rCenter-15);
  delay(400);
  servF.write(fCenter-20);
  delay(100);
  servR.write(rCenter+15);
  delay(400);
}
 
void walkBackward() {
  servF.write(fCenter+20);
  delay(100);
  servR.write(rCenter+20);
  delay(400);
  servF.write(fCenter-20);
  delay(100);
  servR.write(rCenter-20);
  delay(400);
}
 
void changeState() {
  static unsigned long last_int_time = 0;
  unsigned long int_time = millis();
  if(int_time - last_int_time > 150){  // if time since last calling is less than 150 it's likely a bounce
    if(walkState == 0){
      walkState = 1;
    }else if(walkState == 1){
      walkState = 2;
    }else{
      walkState = 0;
    }
  }
  last_int_time = int_time;
}
 
void loop()
{
  if(walkState == 1){
    walkForward();
  }else if(walkState == 2){
    walkBackward();
  }
}