The Arduino WiFly Shield
Almost all electronic gadgets on the market today have so many common features. Connecting to a wireless network or wifi zone is one of them and the most basic. A gadget can not be complete without this feature. Arduino enthusiast knows this that is why, they have come up with a shield to make it easier to incorporate the wifi feature and a good learning experience for budding Electronic Engineers.
The Arduino Wifly sheild is so easy to use and everyone should not have a hard time learning how to use and create programs to make it work properly. The WiFly Shield equips your Arduino the ability to connect to 802.11b/g wireless networks. The featured components of the shield are a Roving Network’s RN-131C wireless module and an SC16IS750 SPI-to-UART chip. The SPI-to-UART bridge is used to allow for faster transmission speed and to free up the Arduino’s UART.
Power is taken from the Vin pin of your Arduino, regulated to 3.3V, and provided to both the RN-131C and the SC16IS750. You’ll communicate with the WiFly Shield over SPI using Arduino digital pins 10-13 (CS, MOSI, MISO, SCLK respectively).
The Arduino USB Host Shield
If you are familiar with your PC’s USB ports and how many usb devices can be attached to it, then you can appreciate a device that is not a pc but can communicate directly with other USB devices. The pc’s USB ports are commonly known as USB hosts in electronics. The devices that you attach to the pc’s USB ports are called USB Slave devices.
I noticed that there is no smart phone currently available with a USB port or a USB Host. I can’t seem to understand why Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, etc do not include this feature. It will be awesome if they integrate this USB Host into their smartphones today. Luckily, Arduino fans are one step ahead with the electronics giants because Arduino enthusiasts like me can easily integrate USB Hosts into small devices with the Arduino shield.
With the Arduino shield, and little programming skills to write libraries to enable my arduino main board to interface with any other USB Device like a memory card reader, a web cam. But I think there are existing sketches(arduino programs) that are downloadable from the internet to enable me to get started quickly using my USB Host Shield. The USB Host Shield contains all of the digital logic and analog circuitry necessary to implement a full-speed USB peripheral/host controller with your Arduino. This means you could use your Arduino to interface with and control any USB slave device - thumbdrives, digital cameras, bluetooth dongles, and much more!
The Arduino USB Host shield is available for $32 + shipping and handling. You can order it from me by leaving your contact info in the comments.
GPS Receiver for your Electronic Gadgets
GPS Receivers has a lot of fantastic applications nowadays. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides reliable location and time information in all weather and at all times and anywhere on or near the Earth when and where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. It is maintained by the United States government and is freely accessible by anyone with a GPS receiver.
There are a lot of cool gadgets that can be created with GPS Receivers like in case of of parents who want to track the whereabouts of their children, a GPS Logging Device that stores the location information of this kid every 5 minutes and by the time their kid goes back home, the mother just have to download the stored information from the device and with a GIS software that can interpret and present the retrieved information in animation will be just perfect. It would even be so much better if the GPS Logging Device has an integrated GPRS tranceiver device to send the location information to the mother’s pc or smartphone via sms to allow them to check their kid’s location in real time.
There is a tiny electronic widget(GPS Micro-Mini with SMA Connector) that can allow you to get started quickly to create such GPS Logging Devices. This is a tiny GPS module that uses the MN5010HS module in conjunction with a SMA antenna connection for active antennas. Built in LNA makes for reliable locks from satellites. Selectable baud rate and NMEA and SiRF outputs from a jumper on the back of the board. Comes with all relavent pins broken out, including a VCC, RX, TX, and GND header. This device available on an order basis. I am selling it for $90 plus shipping and handling and as usual, if you want to order, you can leave your contact info by leaving your comments on this post.
Other info of this device is as follows:
- 20 channel tracking
- SiRF III based chipset
- 1Hz update rate
- Integrated LNA
- Single 3.30-5.5V supply
- 3.3VDC TTL serial interface
- Selectable 4800bps NMEA (default), 57600bps SiRF and NMEA.
- Power: 36mA @ 1.8V
- Sensitivity: -159dBm
- Accuracy: <3m
- Hot start: 1 Seconds
- Cold Start: 35 Seconds
- Supports SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS)
- LED toggles during a lock
Serial Camera Module
Creating image processing software is never complete without the hardware especially when you are creating a really high tech app. Serial Camera Module which I included in my previous post is a cool electronic widget that can speed up the development of the customized electronic gadget that you are assembling.
With this electronic widget, you will have complete freedom to read every image and pixel by pixel. This is a cool way to implement security systems that tracks movements of intruders from the imgae captured by the video camera. You can apply edge detection algorithm to achieve this goal. This camera is worth $90+shipping and handling. You can contact me to order by leaving your email in the comments.
Several features of this serial camera are as follows(well I know the intended audience for this is the real hard core electronic hobbyists):
The uCAM (microCAM) is a highly integrated serial camera module which can be attached to any host system that requires a video camera or a JPEG compressed still camera for embedded imaging applications.
The module uses an OmniVision CMOS VGA colour sensor along with a JPEG compression chip that provides a low cost and low powered camera system. The module has an on-board Serial interface (TTL levels) that is suitable for a direct connection to any host micro-controller UART.
User commands are sent using a simple serial protocol that can instruct the camera to send low resolution (160×120 or 80×60) single frame raw images for a quick viewing or high resolution (640×480 or 320×240) JPEG images for storage or viewing.
The uCAM comes in a compact form factor with a built in lens and a 4-wire connector that provides easy access to both power and serial data.
I have uploaded a video on youtube to demostrate how easy and cool this serial camera is.
Create your own PDA with a VGA Camera
As an Electronic Enthusiast and Hobbyist, just like everyone else would prefer to build my own cellphone but then I am still a beginner so now, I am exploring the possibility of creating my own fist personal digital assistant(PDA).
Since the Arduino is an easy to use device, and with huge number of shields available today, it would be so fantastic to jumpstart this kind of project in no time. The only real challenge would be the sourcing of the components, and the creation of the device’s operating system…and of course the development of several apps. Developing a software is the most challenging and very time consuming. Since I am still a working employee, I can only spend a few hours per week for this and hence, it may take forever. So my strategy is to at least find a device that has an IDE that can speed up the development of the software.
Ideally, my PDA device will have the following features:
- Touch Screen colored LCD(at least 2.5″)
- MicroSD Support
- USB Support for syncing with a PC and be able to host other devices
- At least a VGA Camera at the back
- A wifi support if not 3G HSDPA for internet browsing
- A GPS reciever can also be great
The Hardware Parts
Touch Screen OLED LCD
A uOLED LCD with a 2.83″ size compact and cost effective all in one ‘SMART” display module using the latest state of the art Active Matrix OLED (AMOLED) technology is just perfect for my project. This LCD has a builting microSD Drive. This should make the assembly of the project a lot easier. This LCD is reasonably priced at $200+ shipping depending on your location. And should take at least 2-3 weeks.
Arduino Main Board
The Arduino Duemilanove is just perfect for my simple PDA project. It has the following features:
- ATmega328 microcontroller
- Input voltage - 7-12V
- 14 Digital I/O Pins (6 PWM outputs)
- 6 Analog Inputs
- 32k Flash Memory
- 16Mhz Clock Speed
- It is priced at $36
Serial Camera Module
The uCAM (microCAM) is a highly integrated serial camera module which can be attached to any host system that requires a video camera or a JPEG compressed still camera for embedded imaging applications. This camera is worth $90+shipping and handling.
USB Host Shield
The USB Host Shield contains all of the digital logic and analog circuitry necessary to implement a full-speed USB peripheral/host controller with your Arduino. This means you could use your Arduino to interface with and control any USB slave device - thumbdrives, digital cameras, bluetooth dongles, and much more! This shield is worth $32+ shipping and handling.
WiFly Shield
The WiFly Shield equips your Arduino the ability to connect to 802.11b/g wireless networks. The featured components of the shield are a Roving Network’s RN-131C wireless module and an SC16IS750 SPI-to-UART chip. The SPI-to-UART bridge is used to allow for faster transmission speed and to free up the Arduino’s UART. This shield is $99+shipping and handling.
Cellular Shield
The Cellular Shield for Arduino includes all the parts needed to interface your Arduino with an SM5100B cellular module. This allows you to easily add SMS, GSM/GPRS, and TCP/IP functionalities to your Arduino-based project. All you need to add cellular functionality to your Arduino project is a SIM card (pre-paid or straight from your phone) and an antenna and you can start sending Serial.print statements to make calls, send texts and serve web pages! This shield is worth $110+shipping and handling.
GPS Shield
With this GPS Shield I can add GPS functionality to my PDA project. A connector for the popular EM-406 GPS receiver is populated on the board, and footprints for EM-408 and EB-85A connectors are also made available (connectors are not soldered on or included and can be found below in the related items). The regular GPS pins (RX, TX, PPS, etc.) are also broken out to a 10-pin 0.1″ pitch header, and a small protoyping area is also provided. This shield is worth $90+shipping and handling.
All of the above widgets has just made my dream PDA gadget come true. I will be able to create a very nice customized gadget for me to show off to my friends that I did something really cool. But of course the hardware part may be expensive but not so very time consuming to assemble. I will still have to make it work and do extensive programming to create a really nice software for my PDA. If you also want to order the above mentioned electronic parts just in case you also want to create your very own customized gadgets, feel free to order it from me by email m.zouze@gmail.com and you may pay me via paypal.
The D’Tracker
The D’Tracker is another downgrade of the D’Eye. We thought of separating the ultrasonic distance tracker just like we did with D’Motion to enable users to track moving objects at a fraction of the cost and for applications that a PIR sensor or camera is not really needed. But nevertheless, D’Eye can become a server of the D’Motion and D’Tracker.
So, basically, D’Tracker tracks the movements of a moving object within a 5-6 meters range. It can be reprogram to send alerts via the rs232 port or turn on the alarm when the moving object has entered a particular area. It al also has 4 I/O ports and 2 ports to turn on/off electrical appliances.
D’Tracker has uses and advantages that D’Motion could not match…but combining the two devices and with the D’Eye as the server…you can create an inpenetratable electronic fence. Coming out soon and we’re accepting pre-orders.
The Programmable Remote Controller
The Zouze Home Automation System records all events as they happen and send alerts to inform the home owner of the incidence immediately either via email, sms or very recently the Remote Controller.
The Remote Controller simply functions as the device that enables the owner to take control of everything that is connected to the Home Automation System. It has a huge 1.7″ color lcd display and stylish numeric keypad for easy data entry and wholesome viewing. The remote controller has a range of at least 300 meters line of sight but can be capable up to 20kms. There is also an option to include a small gprs modem so that the remote can be you mobile phone as well. The device is on the design/conceptualization stage.
Low Cost CNC
CNC/Engraving Machines are so versatile and are becoming very popular as a desktop must haves for budding Entrepreneurs. Among its popular uses are: PCB Fabrication, Plastic Mould Fabrication, Electronic Gadget Enclosure Fabrication, Custom Furniture Fabrication, Corporate and Souvenir Items Design, etc.
One major draw down is the price. CNC/Engraving Machines are so expensive. But we want to change that perception. Zouze Electronics is proud to have come up with a cheap version of these machines without sacrificing efficiency and quality.
For now, we accept order to build at very affordable price.
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