Intel Arduino 101 BLE Blynk Tank

 

Intel Arduino 101 based tank with BLE and Blynk!

This project uses the Intel Arduino 101 board that has a built in IMU and (BLE) Blue Tooth Low Energy. For the remote control I used the free Blynk app which is is available for Android and iPhone, it allows you to rapidly drag and drop some buttons to create a user interface. The Chassis is a Dagu DG012 from Sparkfun.

I tried to power the whole rig from the 5 AA battery pack that came with the chassis but the Arduino kept resetting on low voltage. Ideally I would use a nice LiPo battery pack but I think it’s reaching to expect a beginner to learn about the care and feeding of LiPos and purchase a charger so I chose to power the motors separately from the Arduino using a USB Battery pack. Be sure to remove the optional battery jumper on the Adafruit motor shield or you can fry some things, the power sources need to be separate.

Read moreIntel Arduino 101 BLE Blynk Tank

Custom Cortana MQTT Commands

 

image Cortana can easily be extended to aid you with your DIY home automaton projects. In this example Cortana sends MQTT commands to open and close a garage door as well as ring the doorbell with custom jingles. By the way, you don’t have to use MQTT, you can also do a whole lot of other things as well from opening a file, opening a program, or launching your favorite websites.

As of the writing of this entry I am frantically trying to finish documenting the MQTT Doorbell and Garage Door Opener devices in separate posts. Hopefully I can get those whipped out in a few days.

Read moreCustom Cortana MQTT Commands

RepRap Prusa Mendel V2 Complete Build

Introductionimage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Building my very first 3D printer was quite traumatic and time consuming but also fun and rewarding! I don’t suggest building your own unless you have a love for tinkering, and making. There are some other qualities that will come in handy such as tendency’s for hacking, electronics, and computers. As this is a computer controlled machine complete with a microcontroller you MUST know how to turn a computer on. Be aware that building your own RepRap is more like getting a hobby than getting a project.

Read moreRepRap Prusa Mendel V2 Complete Build

DIY Arduino Oscilloscope with the Nokia 3310 GLCD screen

I’ve seen videos on YouTube using an Arduino and a Graphical LCD screen (GLCD) to create a simple Oscilloscope. The annoying thing is that I found no help whatsoever on how to build one. I spent a few days figuring out how to use the Nokia 3310 LCD screen and then figuring out how to sample an analog port to create a fun oscilloscope effect.

Read moreDIY Arduino Oscilloscope with the Nokia 3310 GLCD screen

Automatic chicken door version two.

As it is getting cold again and my chickens made it through the summer just fine, it is time to revisit and revitalize my automatic chicken door.

The older model was a large door that slid on a track that would get leaves, snow, and ice messing the whole thing up. Also the mecanisim that opened the door was a string that tension was held on with springs, the string would knot up and stop working, blowing the fuse sometimes.

Read moreAutomatic chicken door version two.

How to program an Arduino

The absolute beginners guide to programming an Arduino Duemilanove for the first time. I will take you through downloading the Arduino programming software, configuring the software, writing your first program, sending it to the Arduino, and testing operation.

Read moreHow to program an Arduino