Applications and Implications
Final Project: hello Aldis
What will it do?
- A communication module that works with visible light to transmit data from cluster of nodes to the other and can modify its position for optimal reception.
Who's done what beforehand?
- The idea is very similar to signal/Aldis lamp.
- Hannah Perner-Wilson made similar communication module with Arduino.
- David A. Mellis used IR LED in his communication module.
What materials and components will be required?
- The same materials for hello bus node and stepper motor driver will be used with additional phototransistors and thermistors.
- The hello bus bridge would be re-used.
- Acrylic (and optionally screws and MDF) for cases and turntable for the nodes.
- More powerful LEDs and more sensitive phototransistors than what available in the lab.
- Liquid rubber for making mold, and casted plastics for lenses.
Where will they come from?
- Most of the materials would come from the already available Fab Academy inventory.
- Acrylic, MDF (and optionally screws) from Fablab Amsterdam would be used, otherwise they would be acquired from local source.
- Additional LEDs and phototransistors need to be ordered.
How much will it be cost?
No more than 100 euro.
What parts and systems will be made?
- 4 transceiver nodes for sending and receiving data.
- 4 actuator nodes for modifying the position of transceiver node.
- 2 sensor nodes (e.g. temperature sensor) as part of stand-alone clusters.
- 3 clusters of nodes: the host receiving station, the relay station, and the sensor station.
- the host receiving station has FTDI bridge and a transceiver node.
- the relay station has two transceiver nodes and one sensor node.
- the sensor station has one transceiver node and one sensor node.
- Each cluster has at least an actuator node with a turn-table and is capable of modifying the horizontal position of its transceiver node.
- All nodes in a cluster will be connected by a wired bus to communicate with each other.
- All intercluster communications will be handled by transceiver node.
- A host program that can relay the sensor data to Internet (e.g. Pachube site)
- For historical and aesthetic reasons Morse code slow enough to be followed by naked eyes would be used for intercluster communications. (optional: other data encoding would be tested as well for faster communication)
What processes will be used?
- electronics design (modifying hello bus node, hello light, hello stepper motor driver, and hello RGB)
- milling (for making circuit boards)
- electronics production (soldering and testing the circuit boards)
- embedded programming (for modifying the hello bus source code to include stepper motor control, data acquisition, and relaying data from one cluster to the other)
- scripting/programming (for writing host program)
- computer-aided design (for designing the cases, turn-table and gear)
- laser cutting (for making the cases and turn-table)
- casting and moulding (for making plastics lenses)
- optional: using vinyl cutter for making traces with copper sheet (for the other side of PCB)
What tasks need to be completed
1. Design the turn-table for actuator node.
2. Modify the design of hello bus node to include phototransistor, stepper control and sensor (e.g. temperature sensor) and creating the corresponding PNG files for milling the traces and cutouts.
3. Stuff and test the boards for each node type (i.e. sensor, transceiver, transceiver with FTDI, actuator).
4. Mill the turn-table.
3. Program the transceiver node so it can send and receive data from other transceiver node in Morse code, and relay data from the sensor node (in its cluster or from other cluster).
4. Program the transceiver and actuator nodes so the transceiver node can send command to actuator node to modify the position of transceiver node above the turn-table.
5. Program the host program to send sensor data to Internet (e.g. Pachube website).
6. Make the cases for all nodes.
What is the schedule
- By Sunday (22 May 2011) the schematic designs, PNG files for milling the traces and cut-outs of all different types of nodes (transceiver, actuator, sensor, transceiver with FTDI) should be ready, and the turn-table design in 2D (or 3D) should be ready as well.
- Monday (23 May 2011): Mill, stuff, and test two transceiver nodes. Write program for the transceiver node to transmit data to other transceiver node in Morse code.
- Wednesday (25 May 2011): Build an actuator node and mill the turn-table. Write program for the transceiver node so it can send command to actuator mode to modify the horizontal position of the transceiver node.
- Friday (27 May 2011): Mill, stuff, and test a sensor node if it can send data to host program. Build the rest of nodes to make 3 clusters: one host station, one relay station, one sensor station.
- By Sunday (29 May 2011): The 2D (or 3D design of the cases for all types of nodes should be ready). A video should be made of the clusters talking with each other in the dark (with an optional subtitle translating the Morse code and what is being communicated between clusters). The host program should be modified to send data to Internet.
- Monday (30 May 2011): Laser cutting the cases.
- Wednesday (1 Juni 2011): Check the documentation if it is complete.
How will it be evaluated?
- The transceiver node should be able to communicate with each other at least at 1 meter distance in ideal condition (e.g. in the dark, with an addition of reflector for the LED).
- The stand-alone sensor station should be able to send data to host either directly or via a relay station.
- The Morse code used for communication between transceiver nodes should be slow enough to be interpreted by human.
- Each sensor should be able to place data on Internet via the host.
Last modified: Wed May 25 00:55:52 CEST 2011