Panda is a 3D-printed, Arduino-powered cleaning robot

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This Maker’s mini cleaning machine that is like a Roomba on steroids. 

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As our world continues to get smarter, it seems like many of us are becoming increasingly less fixated on taking care of our homes and more on our homes taking care of us. While we await a Rosie The Maid-like robot sidekick that can take care of the mundane tasks around the house, from folding our clothes to washing the dishes, Maker Jake Lee has took a stab at creating a DIY cleaning machine that can do a little bit more than the typical Roomba.

The Panda, named after his soon-to-be-born son’s nickname, is a robotic device that boasts a number of enhanced features like air suction, a sweeper and a roller brush. Lee had originally devised a project two years ago, however found it to be a bit too small and that it had to be connected to a power source, like a PC, with the cable dangling in the air. As you can imagine, that’s not the most convenient set up for a freely moving machine.

Back with his second iteration, the new design is a little larger, measuring in at around 6” x 6” and is capable of sweeping and vacuuming not just the floor but his desk as well. The mini robot chooses its directions randomly, and can even detect cliffs or other obstacles that may stand its way.

The top, bottom and mid-housing components, along with its two battery covers, gear box and dust cabinet were all 3D printed on Lee’s MakerBot Replicator 2X. As for its hardware, Panda is based on an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) and runs on a pair of 135 RPM gear motors for the wheels, a 1000RPM motor for the roller and sweeper, as well as a DC 3V motor for the vacuum and fan blade. Beyond that, Lee used PRO_E modeling software, but notes that just about any program would suffice.

To reinforce the suction capabilities form his earlier model, the Maker added a roller with brushes and a sweeper. Perhaps one of the more challenging steps of the project was determining a way to use the gears rather than a motor to power the roller and sweeper, since it would consume less battery power. According to Lee, not only does this setup save battery power, it also works like a charm.

Looking for a robotic cleaning gadget of your own? Check out Lee’s detailed Instructables page here to get started.

Building an arcade-style puzzle game with Arduino

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Games are great and all, but who among us needs another screen in their life?  

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Many of us, like Grady Hillhouse, have a deep-seated desire to push every button, flip every switch and turn every knob that we see. As kids, that impulse undoubtedly drove our parents nuts. After learning about and tinkering around with some electronics, the Maker — who happens to also be a civil engineer by trade — was on a mission to create an interactive project. One of the ideas that first came to mind was to create an old-school, arcade-style puzzle box that resembled the ubiquitous wooden audio equipment of the ‘70s.

Rather than use the original plastic enclosure that he purchased, the Maker fully committed to go the do-it-yourself route. This include honing his woodworking skills. The custom box is comprised of a few walnut panels and knobs as well as maple veneer meter faces. Based on an Arduino Uno (ATmega328), the unit is equipped with 10 LEDs, three potentiometers, two panel meters, a button and a vibration motor.

To start the game, one random LED will light in each of the meters. From there, the objective is to adjust the three knobs so that each needle points to its respective LED at the same time. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Each of the knobs have a unique and random releationship to the meters, so players will have to experiment a bit to discover how to make the needles move to the right location. When the puzzle is solved, the vibration motor buzzes and it resets to a new configuration.

For those out there who like to crunch numbers, the game even has a mathematical element to it. The goal is to find the intersection between two three-dimensional planes. Intrigued? You can watch Hillhouse’s elaborate video tutorial below, or head over to his GitHub repository here to get started on a wooden arcade box of your own.

Rigging the dashboard of an actual car for a driving simulator game

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Instead of buying or building a console, one Maker decided to use the dashboard of an actual car for his ETS2 game.

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Like countless other gamers out there, Leon Bataille has always been on the lookout for new ways to make driving simulator games like Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS 2) even more immersive. And though homemade steering wheels, pedals and gear shifters certainly enhance the levels of interaction, what better way to really enhance the life-like experience than by integrating the game with a dashboard from a real automobile?

Doing just that, Bataille repurposed the control panel of a VW Polo 6R with the help of the Arduino Uno (ATmega328) and a Seeed CAN Bus Shield, which enabled him to read and record vehicle diagnostics. This project was originally inspired by fellow Maker Silas Parker’s Arduino-driven control panel that was comprised of a cardboard box, servos, LEDs and an LCD screen. Though it was completely functional, knowing that every unit made in the past decade has a CAN bus, all he would need to bring his idea to life was a CAN bus shield for an Arduino along with a dash that could be found at any local junkyard.

Currently, Bataille is in the process of figuring out the CAN bus addresses for each of the relevant dials and LEDs on the dashboard. Though he may still have a little ways to go, he has been able to find the tachometer at 0x280, the signal lights at 0x470, as well as the KPH gauge at 0x5A0. Pair this with a standard computer steering wheel and the telemetry API for ETS 2, and the Maker is pretty darn close to driving a virtual big rig right from the comforts of his own home.

Until then, you can follow along with his build on Hackaday here, and watch it in action below.

Retrofitting an old air conditioner with Arduino

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Maker automates his old-school, window-mounted AC unit with the help of an Arduino.

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With summer just about here, for those of us without central air, it’s time to break out those air conditioners. While most of today’s appliances are remotely controlled, there are still those difficult-to-install window-mounted units like the ones found in any grandparents’ house or college dorm room. And why shouldn’t they have a chance to become smart before being thrown in the waste pile? That’s exactly what Maker Phil Rowe decided to do with the help of Arduino, of course.

The Maker has managed to retrofit his several-year-old AC device, converting it into an automatic system that can be activated and monitored from MegunoLink Pro at his desk. To make this happen, Rowe employed an Arduino Uno (ATmega328), a servo driven mechanism to activate the AC, a DS18B20 temperature sensor and the MegunoLink Pro to plot the data and control the set point.

Being a good ol’ air conditioner and all, there wasn’t a clear way of commanding the system digitally. Subsequently, Rowe designed a mechanical actuator to easily fit over the rotary switch, while a simple servo was tasked with handling the switch’s position — turning it off, putting it into fan mode or lowering/increasing the power cooling. Because the servo draws a significant amount of current, a 4700uF capacitor was placed on the power bus to help reduce the voltage drop and to keep the microcontroller running smoothly. In addition, the Maker modeled a 3D bracket to hold the servo to the AC control panel.

In order to work properly, the Arduino measures the temperature of the room via the DS18B20 sensor. This activates the servo to turn the AC unit’s dial. The Arduino then sends the temperature data back to a PC via MegunoLink Pro, which maps the older data and displays the current information. Using MegunoLink Pro, the minimum and maximum temperature points can also be set without uploading a new sketch to the Arduino.

“The temperature sensor is read and if the current temperature is above the target set-point (plus a hysteresis value) then the servo is adjusted to the on (low) position. Once the temperature falls below the set-point (minus a hysteresis value) then the servo is adjusted to the off position. The hysteresis values are used to prevent noise in the temperature value from falsely changing the controllers state and repeatedly adjusting the servo,” the Maker explains.

Aside from its basic temperature controlling functionality, a command handler is used to receive commands from MegunoLink. This enables Rowe to configure various settings like the set points, hysteresis, servo locations and servo delay. As the Maker notes, these settings are saved in the EEPROM of the Arduino so it knows its state should the power be disrupted.

Do you have an old AC unit that you’d like to make intelligent? Check out the Maker’s project page here, and access all of its necessary files on Github to get started.

IoBot is a 3D-printable, Internet-controlled robot for Makers

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This DIY robot can be controlled by mobile and computer application via LAN or USB.

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Today, young Makers looking to start tinkering have more options than ever before when it comes to DIY robotics kits. Among those available is Zygmunt Wojcik’s open source project, IoBot.

The IoBot is an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) based, Rockem Sockem-like bot that can be controlled by both a mobile device and PC via LAN or USB cable. A companion application is capable of running on Android, Windows and Mac OS while the Arduino is written in Python/Kivy. Wojcik notes that while knowledge of programming languages isn’t necessarily required, any prior experience will certainly help in further developing the code should a Maker want to update an Arduino sketch or customize a particular robot command.

Beyond its Arduino brain, IoBot consists of about $70 of electronic components (an Ethernet shield, servos, LEDs and resistors) that can be reused in other projects, while the rest of the parts are 3D-printed. These include a right and left arm, a head, an upper and lower back, a front body, a base for the bot and another for the Arduino. For those without access to a 3D printer, these pieces can be created using 3D Hubs.

Once its parts have been sourced, the project — like many other Arduino-powered gizmos — is pretty straightforward from there. With the accompanying app, Makers can use the IoBoT to do everything from move its arms, head and body to control other DIY gadgets,  on/off LEDs, and a plethora of other programmable tricks.

“When you control the robot over a LAN, you can view LAPP messages on Arduino serial monitor, just connect the robot with your computer using USB cable. Check out what messages are sent to the robot by pressing each application button, and by moving each slider. You can use these data to control your own project with IoBot application. These messages, as well as ranges of sliders, can be changed in the source code of the application,” Wojcik writes.

Know a young one who may be interested in building their own robot? Head over to IoBot’s Instructables page here. Meanwhile, check it out in action below!

Building a $60 SLA 3D printer with LEGO and K’NEX

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Don’t want to spend big bucks on an SLA printer but tired of FDM? Make your own with LEGO, K’NEX and Arduino.

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While the market for 3D printers has surely grown throughout the years, up until now a majority of Makers have turned to Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) machines. These work by heating a material, extruding it out of a moving nozzle and giving it time to cool. On the contrary, Stereolithography revolves around UV lighting to harden the liquid resin, which enables Makers to create projects in one piece and with smoother surfaces. However, this convenience comes at a cost. Those seeking a higher resolution print have no choice to dig deep into their wallets for an SLA device. Unless, you are Instructables users “mastsermind,” who has created one for less than $60 using some LEGO bricks, K’NEX pieces and a few other electronic components.

Inspired by the mythological creature comprised of three different animals, the Chimera 3D printer is made up of recycled parts from three different categories: projectors, toys and old computers. What’s impressive is that the unit doesn’t entail a whole lot of parts: just a projector, a computer disc drive laser deck with stepper motor, any ATmega328 based Arduino, an EasyDriver v.4.4, some tools and wires, along with the option to etch a circuit board and construct a wooden frame. That’s it.

“Top down DLP printers in their simplest form have only one axis of motion, a video projector, and minimal electronics. They do not require a heated or perfectly level bed, there is never a clogged or wrong temperature in the extruder as it does not use an extruder. And the resin used has a comparable price to FDM printers,” the Maker explains.

The Chimera was built around two frames, one of LEGO to hold the Z axis, platform and resin tank, the other of K’NEX to hold and move the projector. Beyond that, the resin tank can basically be any container that’s waterproof and strong enough to hold the solvent.

Obviously, the most important component of the system is the projector, which matsermind employed an inexpensive Mitsubishi XD221u. He does recommend staying above a 1024 x 768 resolution for optimal results. In order to make this suitable for printing, a few modifications are required such as getting the focus distances closer and removing the UV filter to allow for more light through.

“Making it cure the resin faster is easy, just remove the filter (glass square) on the front of the bulb.  Making the projector focus at ≈7 inches was a bit more difficult. The service manual has been attached for assistance in disassembly if you are using an XD221u projector, but the modification should be similar for most projectors,” the Maker reveals.

Meanwhile, the Z axis consists of a laser deck assembly from an old computer disc drive. An Arduino is tasked with driving the stepper motor salvaged from the drive and ensuring it moves at the right rate.

“The one I used is one that I have had around for a while, waiting for a good use for it. I do not know what model drive it came out of, but any assembly will work as long as it uses a stepper motor with four wires and not a DC motor with two wires,” he adds.

What’s nice about a top down system is the simplicity of its electronics. Whereas a vast majority of complex printers today are embedded with the combination of an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and a RAMPS 1.4 shield, this machine only requires an inexpensive Arduino Uno seeing as though there is only one axis to control.

“If you want to put a little more work into it, you can program an ATmega328 chip with the firmware and etch an all-in-one board whose design is included in the files attached,” matstermind notes.

In terms of firmware, the Maker selected GRBL 0.9i and runs the open source Creation Workshop software on it. While as fully-functional as it may be, mastermind has a few more plans for Chimera in the weeks to come. These include increasing the size of the resin tan, designing a wooden frame out of MDF or particle-board shelving, enhancing its stability, as well as adding a shutter attachment to prevent the resin from being exposed to accidental light.

Intrigued? Head over to the project’s elaborate Instructables page here.

Coffee cups and Arduino come together to make this musical instrument

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Illumaphone is a light-based, spatial musical instrument comprised of six coffee cups.

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Just when you thought Anna Kendrick’s rendition of “When I’m Gone” was the most impressive piece of cup-generated music, in comes Bonnie Eisenman. The Maker had been in search of a final project for her electronic music class, and being a software engineer by trade, decided to think outside — or well in this case on top of — the box. The Illumaphone is a light-based spatial musical instrument that can be played by simply waving one’s arms over a series of paper coffee cups to produce organ-quality acoustics.

Resting on a cardboard box to hide its wiring, the six to-go cups serve as the inputs with each one keyed to a different note, while fluctuations in light levels are used to determine volume and vibrato. Based on the amount of light measured by the cup, data is then translated into a harmonic sound.

In order to accomplish this, an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) powers the electronic instrument and receives information from a set of six photoresistors, one in the bottom of each cup. The Arduino retrieves and reads the data from the light sensors, and relays it to the laptop, which runs the musical programming language ChucK to synthesize the notes accordingly.

Inspired to create one of your own? Head over to the project’s Instructables page to get started.

This open source machine lets you knit your own clothing

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Now that’s what we call doin-knit-yourself!

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Circular knitting is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. In recent years, knitting in the round has gained tremendous popularity among crafty DIYers, particularly those hoping that the rhythmic click of needles and repetitious weaving of yarn would alleviate some stress. For other hobbyists, the joys of knitting lie in the process of designing an automated machine to do the tedious task for them, as seen with the Maker duo of Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet who have developed an open source circular knitting machine, aptly named Circular Knitic.

Though digital knitting may not exactly be a form of additive manufacturing, the project does share a number of commonalities with 3D printing. As 3D printers continue to gain mainstream appeal, the fashion industry has become one of, if not, the quickest to adopt the next-gen technology. In fact, many designers are slowly introducing FDM printing into their prototyping labs, with several others already having fully-embraced these devices as a fashion tool — evident by the accessories seen throughout Eureka Park back at CES 2015 and dresses taking the runway at Fashion Weeks across the world.

Initially built for a program called DOERS, which was curated by Arduino co-founder David Cuartielles, the open source machine was constructed using a series of RepRap, MakerBot and Ultimaker 2 printers for most of its components, along with some digital fabrication, laser cutting and MakerBeam. Much like the tool we saw last year that was capable of threading pieces of attire, the OpenKnit, Circular Knitic is also powered by an Arduino — an Uno to be exact (ATmega328).

The brainchild of artists Varvara Guljajeva and Mar Canet, these desktop-sized machines are currently being commissioned to create long scarves at Etopia Center for Art & Technology in Zaragoza, Spain through July 31, 2015.

Similar to how a RepRap FDM printer extrudes plastic in various shapes, the Circular Knitic produces specific patterns of wool to form woven strands of clothing, ranging from scarves to gloves to keep you warm this winter. Even better, since its creators have made the files available on GitHub, users can simply 3D print and assemble the desktop device at home to make their own garments without having to ever head out to the store!

“Fab Labs and Makerspaces are a lot about hard-surface object production. At the same time, the first digital fabrication tool, which is an electronic knitting machine back to 1976, has been forgotten and discontinued. Hence, with this project, Circular Knitic, and our earlier one called Knitic, we aim to integrate textile fabrication to the Makers’ culture.”

Interested in starting your own in-home knitting factory? You’re in luck. The Maker duo has provided a step-by-step breakdown of the build on Instructables, in addition to having submitted their project as a contender for this year’s Hackaday Prize. Want to see more photos? Guljajeva and Canet have shared an entire album here.

Creating an automated grey water and hands-free faucet system for $40

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50 shades of grey… water.

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The average American flushes a toilet in their home five and a half times each day, with the typical toilet putting down around two to five gallons of water with every push of the lever. That means, each person flushes away just about 25 gallons of water on their own, equating to 4.8 billion gallons as a whole daily. Given that more than 57% of the country, and 99% of both California and Nevada, is enduring drought conditions, reducing the amount of water that a toilet wastes can go a long way in conserving that good ol’ H2O.

For those who rather not abide by the “If it’s yellow, let it mellow” motto, which has been the go-to rule for selective flushing for decades, this recent Hackaday Prize entry will certain come in handy. That’s because Maker TV Miller has developed an Arduino-powered, “hillbilly cheap” grey water recovery and hands-free faucet system for less than $40 in components.

Unfamiliar with grey water? This term refers to gently used water from a bathroom sink, shower, tub and washing machine that has not come into contact with feces and other forms of waste. When collected using a separate plumbing system, domestic grey water can be recycled directly within the home and utilized either immediately or processed and stored. While this form may not be safe to drink, it does provide the necessary fluids for washing and flushing toilets.

This DIY project, which took no more than four hours, consists of a simple grey water reservoir that the Maker created using a zig-zag network of PVC pipe underneath the sink. This way, whenever someone uses too much water, it simply goes back into the drain in P-Trap-like fashion. Flushing the toilet triggers a 12V solenoid and 240L/h water pump that is tasked with refilling the tank with the reused grey water. TV Miller also employed an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) along with a 16×2 LCD display to reveal the volume of H2O saved and seconds of operation.

You’ll even notice that the Maker added a nice touch the control box, which we’re sure our friends at Hackaday loved just as much. Watch the system in action below, or head over to its official Hackaday.io page here.

This turntable lets you create animated GIFs of your DIY projects

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Build a motorized turntable that captures videos of your DIY projects over time, then shares them to your online friends. 

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If you’ve ever watched a pre-awards show on the E! Network, chances are you’ve seen the 360-degree rotating stages that have become a fixture throughout red carpet events as a way to capture every angle of a celebrity’s attire. Wouldn’t it be pretty cool if you could do the same, but for your DIY project instead? That’s the idea behind Maker Tiffany Tseng’s latest research project as part of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT’s Media Lab.

A recent recipient of the Editor’s Choice award at Maker Faire Bay Area, Spin is a photography turntable system that enables you to capture the progress of your DIY projects over time. The device is designed as an innovative way to help Makers share their projects in a more community-centric, engaging manner by creating GIFs and videos then posting on social channels like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Spin is comprised of a Lazy Susan turntable driven by a stepper motor via an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) and Easy Driver motor driver shield, along with 3/16″-thick clear laser-cut acrylic parts, a 1/8″-thick platform and several 3D-printed components, including the motor gear, iPhone 5 dock and the adapter for those using an iPhone 6.

The system uses the Soft Modem library to send signals from an iPhone to the Arduino, which connects the board to the mobile device through its audio jack. To run the Lazy Susan, the Arduino is plugged into a wall outlet using the AC adapter and linked to the iPhone with an 3.5mm audio cable.

At the moment, the Spin iOS app is in its beta stage and available by invitation only. Upon completing your own turntable, snap a picture and request access to the app here. According to Tseng, several turntables will be in circulation at Makerspaces and hackerspaces around the world this summer.