It’s time to charge your phone or other device on a USB receptacle you don’t own, so you would rather not expose the data lines as well. DIY options vary from cutting and disconnecting the appropriate cable (I’d suggest heat shrink) to literally taping over the data contacts. Though the tape method might not be the most durable, it’s quite clever, and would work well in a pinch.
For this particular use there are commercially available USB data blocker options at market. But this is the first time I’ve seen one that has the ability to selectively switch all four of the USB lines.
The USB-Helper can switch off the data, power, and ground pins individually. For hardware developers this can come in quite handy for testing as you go. Want to share data and common ground but not the power rail? No problem. Need to test what happens if there’s a break in just one of the data lines? This dongle is for you. It’s available assembled, and even has an optional 3D-printed case.
For help with other USB hacking/modifications, Tindie has quite a few USB breakout boards, which I outline here. I’ve also gone over some of the more “Exotic” breakouts in a separate post if you need something even more interesting.
When building a mobile robot, one of the easiest ways to allow it to roam about is to use a wheel on either side in a sort of tank-like configuration. An example from Macerobotics is shown in the image above. On the other hand, it’s a good idea to consider other options. Tank treads, Mecanum, and omni-wheels are all viable options.
Omni Wheels
One clever wheel option, which according to Wikipedia was patented in 1919, is the omni wheel. These devices, which have smaller rollers attached at 90° to the larger wheel’s axis of rotation can be extremely useful because of their ability to move items in two directions. In fact, they can often be seen transporting boxes in factories. Importantly for this discussion though, these wheels can be combined in the angular orientation seen above to allow a robot to slide and turn in any direction.
Mecanum Wheel
Another interesting option is Mechanum wheels. Instead of secondary rollers being attached at 90° to the main wheel, they’re attached at 45°. This means that a vehicle can be set up with the wheels in an orientation similar to a traditional car; when all the wheels move forward, the robot also moves forward. The trick comes when the wheels are rotated in different directions, allowing it to turn and slide in a similar manner to how omni wheels work.
So which type of wheel or drive system is the right choice for your next project? Of course it all depends on the situation, but its at least a good idea to keep different options in mind. Grab some more inspiration for you upcoming builds by browsing the Robot and Drone parts on Tindie!
Being an avid Internet browser (quite an accomplishment, right?) and, perhaps more notably, a person who writes for several publications involving unique DIY projects, I’ve seen a lot of clocks. Binary clocks, Nixie clocks, countless variations on mechanical clocks, somehow I continue to be impressed with what people come up with.
This latest clock, on display in a video from 2015 below, uses an exposed series of gears driven by a DC motor, and is kept in line by an optical reflex sensor to measure the gear speed. The coolest feature of the clock though, is that the minute hand is attached to the hour hand. Via the exposed gears, it travels around the center of the clock, rotating on the hour hand, in a manner similar to the movement of the planets in our solar system.
The device is 3D-printable, with files and more info on the build available here. According to the original author, its not that hard to make, claiming that the electronics are the hardest part. If, on the other hand, you’d rather just buy one in kit form, the Mektok has them available with a few changes to improve the device’s reliability and accuracy.
When you’re building a robot or remote controlled vehicle, you have a fundamental choice to make. Do you go with some sort of WiFi or Bluetooth control, that while flexible, is subject to limited range and possible setup complications, or use a “traditional” R/C transceiver setup? This presents its own set of limitations, but can offer very long-range operation, as well as ready-made accessories.
One of these R/C limitations is that control is limited by the number of channels available. In a 2-channel R/C car, for example, this would be one channel for forwards/backwards and one for left/right. You can’t just add controls for lights, a horn, etc. without a physically different transmitter and receiver (Tx/Rx) — at least not normally.
This R/C Servo Signal Trigger, however, solves this issue by hijacking the signal that normally goes to a servo or speed controller from your receiver, and adds a relay. The signal passes to the servo or speed controller as normal, but when you push a newly-added button on your transmitter, it sends a maximum position signal to your receiver that it normally wouldn’t experience. The circuit sees this as a button push and responds appropriately.
Though you’ll need to do some equipment modification to get this to work, and there is a possibility of some servo movement when triggered, it looks like a great solution when you need an extra output.
And if you’re wondering about more than one button/signal, according to its creator, several of these units could be used in an R/C setup on multiple channels. Alternatively, several triggers could even be used on the same channel with multiple trigger points at different signal levels, presenting all kinds of possibilities.
For the last few months I’ve been working on a motorized device with Strandbeest-style legs called the ClearWalker. As seen in the image above, it looks fantastic. I’d like to think this is a function of its clear polycarbonate construction, or the array of LEDs attached across its body. Though I’m not going to be insincerely modest and say that had nothing to do with it, check out the picture I took in my garage below:
Photo: Jeremy S. Cook
From a mechanical standpoint, I’d argue that this is still an interesting photo. You can see the linkages, lots of LEDs, and wiring. All things that are appreciated by Tindie product connoisseurs, but it obviously looks much less pretty here than in the image. In fact, it’s very hard to envision just how beautiful these LEDs and the clear construction is in this drab backdrop, and rather lackluster photography. At least it’s an improvement on this one, taken with my smartphone:
Photo: Jeremy S. Cook
So I think you see what I’m getting at. Though this device isn’t for sale, you can see lots of examples of excellent, as well as poor photography on Tindie. If you’d like to make people think (hopefully accurately) that your product is awesome, don’t forget to take that final step and take great photographs and/or video!
Photo: PJ Accetturo
In this case, a better cameraman took video for me, which may or may not be worth it depending on your situation. Even if that’s not practical, a simple white background (e.g. a white sheet) and clamp lights can produce great results. But for spectacular backdrops it is hard to beat nature. Look at your neighborhood with new eyes and you’ll start to notice places that will make epic photo shoot locations like the wet sands shown above.
Additionally, thinking about the issues your particular build will have when photographed will pay off too. If your project uses a lot of LEDs you’ll need to compensate for the unnatural brightness of a small part of the scene. You’ll also need to consider consider how PWM or multiplexing effects are used. In these cases, LEDs are flashing faster than the human eye can see, but not faster than the camera shutter. Here’s a guide to photographing LEDs, which you may find useful.
Think about the angle at which you are taking the photo. Does it show off the hardware in an interesting way? Often this is a camera angle that is not straight-on, but to one side or another and at a higher or lower angle. Take way more images than you need, and review them before you move anything in the scene. This gives you the chance to quickly reshoot if there are focus problems or the lighting needs to be adjusted. And frame the image larger than you need so that you have room to crop it to your desired view later on.
It’s also worth noting that Tindie sellers should consider at least two distinctly different types of photographs: those used to sell the item and those showing how to build/use it. You are marketing a product to pull in potential users; the first set of photos should serve that purpose. Show the item in a way that will immediately drive home its purpose. But don’t stop there. After you’ve sparked some interest, your target user will want to see what’s inside the case, and what’s involved in building a kit or setting up a product.
Look around and find images from other sellers that you find really stunning. Try to figure out how they did it (don’t be afraid to ask, Tindarians are a friendly bunch). And it never hurts to have a friend who’s into photography to show you the ropes, or even take some shots for you. If you’d like to see more of the Accetturo’s excellent images, check out his video edit below, or my longer howto video after that:
If you’re looking at teaching robotics, a line follower is one of the simpler robots that you can make that will still do something interesting. With some relatively simple sensors, a robot can adjust its course to go left, right or straight, and can be powered by a microcontroller, or even by discrete components.
For a great example of what these robots can do, check out the race/course video below. It features some interesting obstacles that look quite challenging to the participants.
On the other hand, relatively advanced robots like that aren’t what you’d challenge someone with as an introduction to electronics; perhaps something simpler would suffice. If you’d like to purchase a kit, rather than source all the components yourself, then the jolliBot line follower — which requires you to supply a readily available Arduino Nano — is worth a look. Besides basic line following, the robot can provide its own illumination, and can be programmed for PID control as shown at 3:00 in the video below.
If this isn’t quite what you’re looking for, be sure to check out this blog post which compares several different robotics kits and electronics modules.
We’ve all heard about GoPro cameras as more or less the standard choice when you want an action camera to record FPV footage, or just for shots in a tight space. As much as I like mine (I own three), it’s hard not to think that there needs to be other high-end competition to keep their products excellent.
Perhaps I haven’t been on top of other camera options though, as the FDR-X3000 action cam by Sony looks excellent. It’s capable of recording at 4k, and importantly, it features optical image stabilization. One disadvantage that a lesser-known camera would face is a relative lack of accessories, but if you’d specifically like to take it to a depth of 9000 feet, or 1.7 miles, the Abysso housing by Group B is built for just this purpose.
The housing is carved out of a block of 6061 aluminum, and is anodized a beautiful red color. Besides being capable of extreme depth, it also claims to be bulletproof and bombproof, though I’d assume testing this is best left to professionals. On the other hand, if you prefer, or perhaps are invested in, “another” action cam brand, Group B Distribution does have housings and accessories that can be used with other cameras, so be sure to give them a look!
Though a “dual-channel AIS receiver” sounds pretty interesting and high-tech, you’re probably wondering what exactly AIS is, and why you need one. AIS stands for “automatic identification system,” and according to Wikipedia, it’s “an automatic tracking system used for collision avoidance on ships and by vessel traffic services.” In other words, these systems transmit ship ID, position, course, and speed, supplementing other navigational systems to help keep ships from crashing into one another.
So, if you’re a “landlubber,” something like this might not add much marginal value to your life, but if you, like many successful Tindie sellers, own a mega-yacht from profits reaped here, then I’d recommend picking one up today! Perhaps if you live in a coastal area, one of these receivers could be also be used to power a unique ship-tracking display.
If you do want something that is both low-cost and allows for creative uses, then the dAISy 2+ dual-channel AIS Receiver with NMEA 0183 is worth a look. It has several interesting features, including a serial NMEA 0183 data output socket that’s designed to line up with an HC-05/06 Bluetooth module!
At the heart of the module, its dual-channel setup is able to acquire and update ship positions better than its single-channel cousin, though both have a similar range. It’s an interesting technology that I hadn’t considered before, and if you find that intriguing, you can find even more AIS equipment at the Wegmatt Store.
A few interesting examples of what can using the Wegmatt family of AIS devices include:
If you’ve been following along with Tindie’s blog, you may have noticed a Tokyo-based seller who goes by “Microwavemont.” In fact, it was pointed out to me recently that I’ve written about this industrious rodent three times! Naturally, with well over 200 orders under his belt, after selling here less than a year, it was time to get his thoughts on selling on Tindie.
Though he accurately describes the theme of his store as, “Something new and fun,” if you wanted to get more specific, products there consist of interesting breadboard-based builds. These vary in form, from audio amplifiers to tiny OLED displays, and other interesting bits. Definitely worth checking out.
Microwavemont’s background is in academics, dealing with microwave engineering, and he says that he loves to make “something interesting.” If he means only his items on Tindie, that’s an impressive 26 products in less than a year. Considering his other submissions to YouTube and Hackaday, he stays very busy.
When asked, he offered a few tips for other sellers, including:
Don’t take back orders, which can make things rushed and take the fun out of things.
Listen to reviews and use them to help improve your item’s quality.
Don’t build up too much stock. He says that ” I still have more than 50 units of Ultra Zero [ A tiny Arduino Zero-compatible board with an HMI and Micro SD slot], which had a sales rush but after petit-mass production is finished, almost no sales at all.
If things don’t sell, usually the price isn’t the problem.
Sales seem to come in waves, for reasons he hasn’t figured out.
A collection of Ultra Zeroes
One question I have as an American, is, are there any issues getting things halfway across the world? According to him, with the exception of one shipment to Canada because of an e-packet tracking issue, he has experienced “no trouble for all over the world including South Asian and Eastern Europe.” He still ships to Canada, but uses a different shipping method.
So be sure to check out Microwavemont’s various endeavors. I’m certain you’ll at least find something interesting, and likely even new and fun!
Buttons, electrically at least, aren’t things that I normally give much thought to. They either turn on or off. On the other hand, if you have a situation with a momentary pushbutton where whatever you’re controlling doesn’t give you instant feedback, you may question whether or not you actually triggered the device.
Device comes with 3 right angle pins soldered on, but not the white connector with wires shown here.
On-button feedback isn’t something I’d considered as a possibility, but after reading Owl Lab’s description of this Simple Button Switch Module, some sort of button press indication would be very important in many situations. Their particular module includes two LED diodes, one which indicates power from a 5 V supply, and the other which turns off when the switch is depressed, signalling low or ground to your microcontroller (switch is normally closed). It’s set up in such a way that you can know for sure that you actuated the button, and given its particular configuration, you don’t have to wonder if the LED is actually working.
On the other hand, if you have a situation where your button can potentially register multiple clicks via a single press, check out this post for a button debounce solution. Combined those concepts with this indicator for the ultimate in button stability!
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