Projects

Internet Connected Cookie Jar Alarm Last updated on April 4th, 2011 at 5:14pm Title: "Internet Connected Cookie Jar Alarm" Project Manager: Gregory Hill Project Team: Gregory Hill Project Goals and Summary: I'm trying my best to muck through creating a sensor that alerts my girlfriend (and my friends on twitter), when I'm too close to our cookie jar. I'm following Timothy Ferris' "Four Hour Body", which means that I need to stick to low-glycemic index foods for 6 days a week. This sensor will protect the "junk", and ensure compliance to the diet. On Saturday morning at 6 (which is "cheat day"), an alarm will go off announcing the beginning of cheat day festivities! I don't want to waste a precious minute. I'll create the alarm with the microcontroller arduino, writing a code to sense when there's motion in the cookie jar and to create a loud noise and a tweet saying "@mrsenorhill caught with his hand in the cookie jar!" on Sunday through Friday, and then "Wake up it's cheat day!!!" at 7AM on Saturday, and then subsequent "Enjoy that cookie?" for each opening only on that day. Project Progress and Details: Updates can be found here: http://thedisruptiondepartment.org/node/148 Storage or Location: This is stored at my house. Read more...	Shapeoko CNC Router Last updated on February 28th, 2011 at 8:46pm Project Manager: Andy R Project Team: Mike, Travis, Niels, Tim, Deech Project Goals and Summary: Our goal is to upgrade the existing HobbyCNC router to the ShakeOko CNC design platform: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Using this design, we are expanding to a 4ft x 3ft cutting area and hope to further expand into a 4ft x 8ft cutting area that will fold up onto the shop wall when not in use Read more...
3D Scanning with Kinect Last updated on November 14th, 2011 at 10:50pm Project Manager: George Fetters Project Team: Derek, Andrew, Travis, Chris, Amberly, Deech, Gene, and many others... Premise: Create a 3D scanning platform, install opensource 3D software for Kinect and take it to the Archon Convention to get some awesome scans. We made use of the openNi platform for Kinect and a piece of free software called ReconstructMe for the software stack. An Xbox 360 was used as a scanner and attached to a tripod. A rotating scanning table was created. This table is based on a lazy susan concept with a ball bering that can handle 1000 lbs. A wooden platform was attached to the lazy susan and a repurposed motor from a powerweels toy was used to turn the person on the table. A custom wheel had to be fabricated to provide traction and a spring plate was used to hold the motor against the platform. This is the scanner at the Archon booth An image of the scanning table. Read more...	Autonomous Bots - Arduino powered Last updated on November 14th, 2011 at 10:08pm Project Manager: Derek Seigler Project Team: George, and a cast of may others ... Project Goals and Summary: Atonomous Bots - Born out of the first Arduino classes, autonomous bots are a fun easy project to learn Arduino programming and circuit bending. We race in the parking lot when the weather is warm and the beer is cold. The Premise: Take an old RC car that has outlived its usefulness, add an arduino possibly a motor controller, a sensor or two and build an Atonomous vehicle that can navigate a basic track. What you need: Arduino Motor Controller Shield (Optional if you have the right RC Car An old RC car, preferrably working when you start Sensors of choice Ping (SR-04 or Parallax), Infra-Red, Bumper Switches, Feelers etc. Servos (optional but useful) In theory these bots are easy to build. It practice the hardware can be quirky at times an programming for exceptions in your environment can be quite challenging. We have had 2 races this year with more to come in the Spring. Get to the Arduino classes today and begin your quest for Bot racing gold. Read more...
Letterpress v1.2 Last updated on October 12th, 2011 at 10:53am Project Manager: Kim Project Team: Bob Project Goals and Summary: Letterpress v.1.2 project is complete and free for anyone to play with. It has travelled to Maker Faire KC, Prom, and Abby and Nate used it to make their wedding invitations. Read more...	Weather Balloon - Summer 2011 Last updated on September 20th, 2011 at 9:31pm We are going to launch a weather ballon to achieve three goals: Obtain pictures and video of St. Louis and the earth from high altitude Execute a well organized project to attract people to Arch Reactor Provide a good knowledge base and experience for future flights A KCI1200 balloon is capable of reaching in excess of 90k feet. We'll have a payload containing a still camera, HD video camera, high altitude GPS, cell phone to broadcast low level GPS and an Arduino logging sensor information. Read more...