Electronics and Embedded Programming V2 - Developers

I am intrigued and slightly terrified by this query.

[QUOTE=Nikita;31726869]Another thought: How hard would it be to use real meat as an actuator?[/QUOTE] I would imagine it would need to be freshly dead although alive would be more ideal. After that it shouldn't be very difficult, just hitch the meat to something and apply a current to or near the nerves.

[QUOTE=ryan1271;31729548]I would imagine it would need to be freshly dead although alive would be more ideal. After that it shouldn't be very difficult, just hitch the meat to something and apply a current to or near the nerves.[/QUOTE] Or use soy sauce. :v: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwvaEpYbUIM[/media]

[QUOTE=ryan1271;31729548]I would imagine it would need to be freshly dead although alive would be more ideal. After that it shouldn't be very difficult, just hitch the meat to something and apply a current to or near the nerves.[/QUOTE] If muscle tissue is supplied with ample oxygen and ATP, in theory it should stay alive, right?

[QUOTE=Nikita;31731313]If muscle tissue is supplied with ample oxygen and ATP, in theory it should stay alive, right?[/QUOTE] ATP is only created for fractions of a second. What you're looking for is muscles that are rich in myoglobin (the muscle-bound equivalent of hemoglobin), commonly called "red meat". However, it still doesn't mean you will be able to repeatedly trigger contraction in a muscle, as I'm not sure whether ion pumps (powered by ATP, used to depolarize "triggered" neurons by re-balancing ions) and myosin (proteins that, combined with actin, form muscles and allow contraction, also powered by ATP) will be able to function properly. You'll have to ask a biologist about that.

[QUOTE=Mr.T;31725246]Is Farnell a good supplier? Or is it expensive?[/QUOTE] Farnell is excellent, however a minimum order applies (at least in the UK) including a small delivery charge, if you open a trade account however you get free delivery and no minimum order which is awesome.

[img]http://imgkk.com/i/3qc-.png[/img] Just ordered some MSP430 stuff, the watch going on sale made for the perfect excuse to actually place an order, ended up ordering another watch and launchpad for a friend also. [url=http://tideals.com/]Here's the deal site if you're interested[/url], saw it on hackaday. I can't wait to start messing around with an entirely different microcontroller, instead of my Arduinos, it should make for a nice change of pace. Also, seeing as the TI store is a pain in the ass, if you want to know more, [url=https://estore.ti.com/eZ430-Chronos-915-eZ430-Chronos-Wireless-Watch-Development-Tool-P1736.aspx]Watch[/url], [url=http://estore.ti.com/430BOOST-SENSE1-MSP430-Capacitive-Touch-BoosterPack-P2361.aspx]Touch thing[/url], [url=http://estore.ti.com/MSP-EXP430G2-MSP430-LaunchPad-Value-Line-Development-kit-P2031.aspx]Launchpad[/url].

[QUOTE=Lapsus;31797255][img]http://imgkk.com/i/3qc-.png[/img] Just ordered some MSP430 stuff, the watch going on sale made for the perfect excuse to actually place an order, ended up ordering another watch and launchpad for a friend also. [url=http://tideals.com/]Here's the deal site if you're interested[/url], saw it on hackaday. I can't wait to start messing around with an entirely different microcontroller, instead of my Arduinos, it should make for a nice change of pace. Also, seeing as the TI store is a pain in the ass, if you want to know more, [url=https://estore.ti.com/eZ430-Chronos-915-eZ430-Chronos-Wireless-Watch-Development-Tool-P1736.aspx]Watch[/url], [url=http://estore.ti.com/430BOOST-SENSE1-MSP430-Capacitive-Touch-BoosterPack-P2361.aspx]Touch thing[/url], [url=http://estore.ti.com/MSP-EXP430G2-MSP430-LaunchPad-Value-Line-Development-kit-P2031.aspx]Launchpad[/url].[/QUOTE] I hope TI ships their products a bit faster now, I had to wait almost two months to get my Launchpads.

[QUOTE=ddrl46;31801339]I hope TI ships their products a bit faster now, I had to wait almost two months to get my Launchpads.[/QUOTE] Well, here's hoping. I saw some other posts online about their shipping taking ages, but really, for $40 including shipping so long as they show up at all I'll be happy. On the plus side, I just got an order status update, apparently the estimated ship date is now today, so here's hoping they've got things sorted out.

[QUOTE=ddrl46;31801339]I hope TI ships their products a bit faster now, I had to wait almost two months to get my Launchpads.[/QUOTE] The only reason they took so long was because a ridiculous amount of people ordered them. My last order for 2 launchpads and the FRAM board took a week to get to me in the UK.

The TI watch deal expired. Annoyed me, as I saw it in the evening and was going to buy it in the morning, but was confronted with DEAL EXPIRED. How the hell does it go to August 30th if it ends in 8 hours!?

Parts for my next project have arrived! [url=http://i.imgur.com/YPq9x.jpg][img]http://i.imgur.com/YPq9xl.jpg[/img][/url]

[QUOTE=q3k;31821993]Parts for my next project have arrived! [/QUOTE] What is this next project ?

[QUOTE=Chryseus;31822029]What is this next project ?[/QUOTE] Making my fence door openable by a 125KHz RFID tag.

Massive what the fuck moment, apparently the watches are arriving today, but they've split the watches, the launchpads, and the booster pack into three separate shipments. I'm going to be massively pissed off if I have to pay customs and import fees on three separate packages, but on the plus side, watches! [editline]19th August 2011[/editline] Or apparently the watches JUST ARRIVED, quite literally as I was typing that post, with no customs fees. I'm so confused. Will be back with pictures.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7ovjFT6WRw[/media] Well that works.

I was trying to think of a clever flaw with the RFID. Then I realized one could just jump the fence.

[QUOTE=Agent766;31856950]I was trying to think of a clever flaw with the RFID. Then I realized one could just jump the fence.[/QUOTE] Yeah. Once could also pick the lock (~20 seconds for somebody skilled) or remove the doorphone and connect two wires to open the fence lock

It tingles when I think about my barely used Arduino, maybe I'll start again when my workbench comes together. Still fighting with some bidders on a good looking Tektronix 465 100 Mhz scope, what do you guys think is a good price for the thing?

[QUOTE=q3k;31822129]Making my fence door openable by a 125KHz RFID tag.[/QUOTE] For your dog?

[QUOTE=moonage;31875707]For your dog?[/QUOTE] No, for my lazy self, as it's faster to swipe an RFID tag next to a reader than to find the key. Also, because I can.

[QUOTE=q3k;31876875]because I can.[/QUOTE] Only reason anybody ever needs :v:

[QUOTE=Chezburger;31875671]It tingles when I think about my barely used Arduino, maybe I'll start again when my workbench comes together. Still fighting with some bidders on a good looking Tektronix 465 100 Mhz scope, what do you guys think is a good price for the thing?[/QUOTE] £100 to £150 if it is in good condition. or save up for a Rigol DS1052E for £220 which can be hacked to 100MHz.

[QUOTE=q3k;31876875]No, for my lazy self, as it's faster to swipe an RFID tag next to a reader than to find the key. Also, because I can.[/QUOTE] Necessity is the mother of invention, but laziness is the drunken step-dad that whips invention until it gets shit done.

What's a fun project to do on an Arduino? I have plenty of leds/buttons to use, and some other assorted devices.

I got lucky. [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/order3.png[/img]

I have a project started, though it's going to be on hold for a while. So I want to take temperature readings from two sensors (One inside and one outside) from a pair of 1wire temperature sensors, then they will transmit the temperature readings to a microcontroller (Which will likely be a Teensy, though I'm prototyping on an Arduino for now). The microcontroller will transmit the readings through USB to my Ubuntu server, where they will be dumped into a a text file using a Python application. On my home server's webpage, there will be a simple python script that will read the text file and dump it into the website. I bought four DS18B20 sensors off eBay for about $11, which work great with the example code I found. The main thing slowing this project down is that I don't know Python, though I'm working my way through Learn Python the Hard Way.

[QUOTE=Chryseus;31877197]£100 to £150 if it is in good condition. or save up for a Rigol DS1052E for £220 which can be hacked to 100MHz.[/QUOTE] I got the TEK465 for the average price, no probe though, but that package should arrive in just a few days. Moving on from a mobile workplace to a real desk. Btw, doesn't Rigol only manufacture digital scopes?

[QUOTE=Chezburger;31950848]Btw, doesn't Rigol only manufacture digital scopes?[/QUOTE] Yeah they only do digital scopes, I recommend actually having both an analog and digital scope if you're serious about electronics. Analog scopes have a fast update rate which is useful since it gives you a much better idea of what the signal your looking at is, they also look very cool. Digital scopes are great for viewing non-repetitive signals such as serial data and offer much more advanced triggering methods and other features but suffers from fairly slow update rates unless you can afford a really good digital oscilloscope like the Agilent InfiniiVision 2000X series ($2000+). In any case, have fun with your scope ! [b]Edit[/b] I built a little triangle wave generator for amplifier testing: [img]http://i.imgur.com/ogUc6.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/WE8nu.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/6KhIG.png[/img] Peak output is about 620mV at 5kHz, output impedance approximately 150 ohms for the op-amp I'm using.

Needs more sine waves