Weekly Assignments Final Project About me Student Agreement

Networking and Communications

Zach's Information, Notes, Documentation, etc. for w11 will live here. Please click on the collapsibles to view more detailed information. In each of the sections, more information about the Process, Improvements to Worflow, General Takeaways, Research, and any Necessary Files.

Science may never come up with a better office communication system than the coffee break. — Earl Wilson

ZB FAB Academy W11 Planning:

Plan/Dates:

  • Thursday 4/3/25 EOD:
    • OOO
  • Friday 4/4/25 EOD:
    • OOO
  • Saturday 4/5/25 EOD:
    • OOO
  • Sunday 4/6/25 EOD:
    • OOO
  • Monday 4/7/25 EOD:
    • PCB Design and Milling
    • Solder Start
  • Tuesday 4/8/25 EOD:
    • Finish Documentation (if possible)
    • Work towards getting Adrian’s version of network system set up
  • Wednesday 4/9/25 AM:
    • Do as much as possible for class start at 9AM EST
  • This week sucked, unfortunately
  • The basic gist of what happened was that because of a couple of unforseen circumstances and inability to be in/with my lab, I was not able to finish on time

    • Tasks This Week:

    Group assignments:

    • Send a message between two projects

    Individual assignments:

    • Design, build, and connect wired or wireless node(s) with network or bus addresses and local input &/or output device(s)

    Below, I walk through some of the notes/screenshots that I have from my work this week and explain my thought process as I was completing my assignments.

    1. This week was really challenging for me. Because of a couple of extenuating personal circumstances involving long travel, I had some issues getting everything together on time this week
    2. That said, as soon as I was back near my FAB lab I started work on getting a networking project set up
    3. The first thing that I did was to create a version of my own set of wired nodes and a bridge mirroring Adrian’s HelloBus using the ATtiny412, but instead of the 412, I was hoping to replace it with an rp2040 because we have an abundance of them in my lab
    4. That design I didn’t have a chance to start milling… however, I decided that in my remaining time, I would do my best to recreate Adrian’s project so that I could get some experience with the basics of networking in a hands on way
    5. This ended up, in classic fashion, being an incredibly difficult process
    6. As soon as possible, I will put up video/images from this week’s work HERE
    7. Once I have the set of nodes and bridge working, I will work on implementing similar things into the rp2040 so that I would be able to do a similar kind of networking for my final project

    1. Plan ahead for disruptions.
       When I know there’s going to be travel or other personal obligations, I should build a buffer into my schedule. Even a day or two of grace time can help reduce the stress of catching up later.
    2. Start small when facing a big challenge.
       Rebuilding Adrian’s HelloBus setup was a smart move. In the future, when I’m working with new or complex systems like networking, I’ll always begin by replicating an existing project to get a feel for the fundamentals before diving into modifications or custom designs.
    3. Use what I have access to.
       Choosing to switch from the ATtiny412 to the rp2040 was a great call, given the surplus in my lab. I should keep this mindset—leaning into the resources already available to me makes projects more feasible and efficient.
    4. Document while I work.
       I need to make it a habit to take photos or short videos as I go, even if I don’t have time to fully upload or edit them immediately. This way, future me will always have material ready for documentation or reflection.
    5. Don’t get discouraged by difficulty.
       This week reminded me that things often don’t go according to plan—and that’s okay. The learning happens in the messy parts. When things feel “impossibly difficult,” I’ll remind myself that this is part of the process and keep pushing.
    6. Follow through on transitions.
       Once I get the ATtiny412 setup working, I should immediately outline the steps needed to replicate it on the rp2040. Even if I can’t do it right away, laying the groundwork while things are fresh in my mind will make it easier to return to later.
    7. Be kind to myself.
       Some weeks are just hard. When they are, I’ll acknowledge the effort I did manage, rather than focusing only on what didn’t get done.

    1. Understanding microcontroller communication.
      The work I did with networking (e.g., HelloBus and node-bridge structures) directly supports a system where multiple pressure sensors (nodes) send data to a central controller (bridge) that processes and converts the signal to MIDI.
    2. Prototyping sensor arrays.
      The node-based system could be adapted to build an array of pressure sensors—each one acting as a node—that send their input to a central board for MIDI conversion. This would be ideal for creating multi-pad instruments or expressive interfaces.
    3. Testing DAW integration.
      Once my basic networking structure is in place, I can route the output from the bridge board (or master node) to a computer using USB MIDI or serial-to-MIDI interfaces, letting me test real-time DAW interaction.