|
 An handheld
data logger that uses a Casio Graphing Calculator as its
main display, calculus and backup unit, connected to the external world
thanks to a PIC16F84 and a 12 bit A/D converter!
- "see" your data while
sampling
- apply all that powerful
statistical and math functions of the Casio calculator.
- run it from batteries
(runs for month from a 9V battery)
- costs 20 times less of
any PC based solution of comparable power
This design awarded the best
overall prize at the Circuit Cellar's Design '98 international design
contest. I'm very proud of it: with all these top-quality international
entries, I feel like winning the Designer's Olympic Games!
Go to
Casio page
|
 A simple
yet accurate thermometer that adds a "temperature icon" to the Windows
taskbar.
- Measures one or two (indoor
and outdoor) temperatures.
- Simple design, no microcontrollers
- No calibration needed
- No batteries, no external
power supply needed
- It connects to PC serial
port
- Ideal for beginners
- Full source code in Visual
Basic.
- Expandable up to 8 sensors.
Study the code and learn
how to control IIC bus devices from high level languages!
This one of the most popular
designs of this web site.
Go
to pcTHERM page
|
|
 A
digital volt meter that displays voltages on your TV screen,
with both giant digits and an analogue bar display. Maximum and minimum
peaks are displayed, too. Serial output for use as a data logger
in conjunction with your PC.
- Try doing better with
only 512 words of assembler!
This design awarded the
third international prize at the Elektor Electronics 1997 microprocessor
& microcontrollers design contest.
Go to Video
DVM page
|
 A
thermometer with a computer built-in. It can be programmed in
a basic-ish language (the editor is built in, too).
- very simple, surprisingly
few parts
- graphic LCD, serial comm
to PC
- simple and powerful language
interpreter
- C source code
- scripts for making a graphing
thermometer and a GSM cell-phone connected vending machine
are provided
This design awarded the
"application of the day" international prize at the National
Semiconductor's COP8FLASH design contest.
Go
to National's contest page
|
|
Differently from the usual
combination locks, this circuit replaces RF remote controls. Enter the
correct combination to transmit a code compatible with the popular remotes
based on the MM53200, UM3750 and UM86409.
- professional design
- battery operated
- key-bleep
- customizable keys,
codes and combinations
- full 'C' source
code provided
- rf & serial
outputs
|
Go
to RF pad page
|
|
 A bingo or lottery
generator.
Besides drawings numbers randomly, it displays them on your TV
screen.
- last number drawn diplayed
with big. easy-to-read characters
- full number table always
on-screen
- numbers taken are in white,
remaining in green
- internal eeprom memory
keep the numbers just in case of black out.
- dirt but effective assembly
programming, uses all the tricks to squeeze out all the power from
the AVR micro (AT90S1200)
Go to
Bingo!!! page
|
|
 Another
variation around the theme of video generators based on the Atmel AT90S1200.
This triple TV-chronograph is triggered by photocells: gives
you a "ready - set -go" sequence through red and green semaphore
lights (with impartial random timing), reveals jump starts, takes
times with one hundreth of a second precision, and finally -surprise
surprise- send those times to a computer (not required) via a serial
link, just in case you want to write a tournament/timing program.
Go
to Video Cronograph page
|
 Control
your home automation system, switch the burglar alarm or any
other equipment with your cellphone.
Be alerted with an SMS when the input triggers.
Cheap: just one IC and a transistor.
A joint design with AVR guru Claudio
Lanconelli - and another popular Circuit Cellar article!
Go to
Tiny Planet page
|
|
 An
ultrasonic sonar that shows distances from obstacles with both
a LED bar graph display and an alarm buzzer. It was one of my first
designs, and does NOT use special components nor microcontrollers, since
the "good old" name.
Go to
Parking Sonar page
|
 A
simple, yet effective alarm system.
-
Control
it at the touch of a remote control
-
Wireless
immediate and delayed sensors
-
Customizable
without knowing how to program: just modify its truth table to change
its behaviour
-
Compatible
with RFpad combination lock
|
 The
relay switches on as long as the correct card is in. Converts pirate-smartcards
to pacific and legal use
-
Very few
parts, no programming skills required
-
Truth-table
driven, you can cange the truth table to suit your needs.
-
Card codes
can be reprogrammed in-circuit (in case a card gets lost or stolen)
|
click here for more designs...
|
