Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast

Sonic MassageParker IoT Compressor Update with part list!LSM9DS1IMU for vibration sensingiNEMO inertial module: 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope, 3D magnetometer3.3V, I2CSPU0410HR5H-PBMEMS Microphone3.3VAnalog signal, will be boosted with an opampTMP102Board Mount Temperature Sensors Low Power Digital Temp Sensor3.3V, I2C PX3AN2BS250PAAAXPressure Transducer1/8" NPT Male fitting5.0VAnalog output 0.5V - 4.5V over pressure range6225AXXSZS-DC3 SSR to control the compressor switch3VDC to 32VDC control signalPlace 10ohm in series from pin from particle photon for protection.Stephen Voltage Standard Calibrated complete! Used the Keithley DMM7510 to dial in the voltage standard.Synth Update: Now with sound effects!   Stephen played a bunch of warblesOnly one section is working at the moment - VCO - voltage controlled oscillatorSpace Echo is now working Mechanical adjustments are calibration to!Break the tape in to let it run, the sound gets better.Pick Of the Week (POW) OPA549High-Voltage, High-Current Op Amp, Excellent Output Swing8A Continuous 60V$23.44Could be used for the SSPSRapid Fire Opinion JuiceZero by SparkFunDIY version of the Juicero press made out of artisan cardboard and using Capri sunGoogle Lens will let smartphone cameras understand what they see and take action by TechCrunchgoogle.io conference Google AI or AI technology.Evolution of Google Glass with better human interaction.Robot Lives in Your Garden and Eats the Weeds found on HackADayFranklin Robotics was started by former iRobot employees.

19 Maj 201738min

Don't get AnalyticizedParker Space Echo Facebook live Calibration. Tuesday at 4PM CST.Particle Photon IoT work.There needs to be an IoT for Hardware Engineers. If anyone has suggestions send us a tip!StephenPat Hensley who is the Mainstream Sales Manager over at Tektronics/Keithley and a listener of the podcast has let us borrow a  Keithley DMM7510 multimeter.  DMM7510 multimeter Specs: Voltage Sensitivity: 7.5 digit sampling (10nV min)Current Sensitivity: 1pAResistance sensitivity: 0.1u OHM14 ppm 1-year DC volt accuracy60 ppm 1-year DC current acccuracy24 ppm 1-year resistance accuracyCalibration of the Electronic Development Corporation (now Krohn-Hite) 501J DC voltage standard:  Repair: Bought the unit dead and found two bad power supply regulatorsRaytheon RC4194TKST Micro  L7806C-TRapid Fire Opinion (RFO)  Reverse Engineering Space Invaders Sound Chip - HackADay  Ken Shirriff76477 Complex Sound Generation chip  SiFive raises $8.5 million for licensable custom microprocessors - venturebeat RISC-V, a free and open instruction set architecture for modern microprocessors.They monetize it through customization and support, much like Linux companies do with their open source operating systems.HiFive1 development board sells for $59. Arduino format.Crashed Advertising sign reveals facial recognition command line logs - Twitter Anonymous Video Analytics (AVA) by Karios.In-Store Analytics, Live Heat Map of your store, VIP treatment for customers Intelligent Digital Signag.Analyze metrics like gender, age or mood to target ads relevant to specific demographics. Change displays in real time to fit different customers' needs.Special thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!

12 Maj 201759min

Podcast NotesParker We are excited to announce that our first meetup was a great success! We hosted over 90 guests last Wednesday (April 26 2017) . Some of them shared projects they are working on and everyone had a good time.Thank you to our guest speakers! Damien Garza – President at ESU, Inc. & President at Greater Houston Manufacturers AssociationRick Pettys – Owner and Engineer at SparX EngineeringRay Simar – Professor at Rice Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept., IEEE FellowNext meet up is this month on  May 31. Topic is “Innovating the Energy Industry”!Stephen Design Challenge! Click names to see the submissions! Thomas Ives from Salem, OR LM3914 - Dot Bar Display DriverBrett SmithDM74ALS163BM - CounterCD4514BM96 - DemuxDave SandlCoolRunner II CPLDADC over I2CShawn SwiftATTINY88 driving LEDs:Drive LEDs directly with the 28 IO pinsMultiplex them and drive 144 LEDsRFO IuT ! IoT - HackADay Internet of USEFUL Things, not just the Internet of Things.Hack A Day is looking for the best ideas we can find for useful connected devices. Here’s Why Juicero’s Press is So Expensive - Bolt.io Tear down of the expensive and controversial Juicero juice press.People are calling it a beautifully engineered device. WRONG!Best comment.  “I’ve been hacking Capri Suns since I was 5. I am a hacker.” Amazon’s new Echo Look has a built-in camera for style selfies - TechCrunch AI will decide what is appropriate for millennials to wear.Pave way for Augmented reality dressing rooms? Special thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!

5 Maj 201745min

Podcast NotesOur Guests this week is Josh Hartung of PolySync. Josh is the CEO and Co-Founder of PolySync; a startup that is changing the way that companies develop self-driving car technology.PolySync has two products. PolySync Core Provides a runtime infrastructure and development framework that turns algorithms, sensors, and actuators into plug-and-play apps.Creates and abstract layer that enables car designers  to essentially make a software defined car.OSCC (Open Source Car Control) A by-wire control kit for autonomous vehicle development.Using preexisting drive by wire cars and the OSCC designers and engineers can quickly develop and implement their self driving cars.PolySync Links of interest!TwitterPolySync Main WebsiteOSCC.ioGitHub for the OSCC Special thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!

28 Apr 201755min

Podcast NotesOur guests this week are Sasha Maldonado and Paige Brown of the Stanford Student Space Initiative.Sasha Maldonado Stanford junior majoring in Electrical Engineering.Now retired avionics lead on the ValBal project, and has been with the project since its inception.Co-presidents of the Student Space Initiative, also known as SSI, , and is working on electronics for an SSI-built satellite payload.Paige Brown Stanford freshman majoring in Chemical EngineeringThe mechanical engineering lead on the ValBal project, and also helps manage flight control logistics.Outside of SSI, she works in an environmental engineering lab on phosphate pollution remediation in storm water through chemical absorption.ValBal A novel, low cost high-altitude balloon system that achieves multi-day flight using inexpensive latex balloons by automatically venting lifting gas and dispensing ballast to maintain altitude.Latex balloons typically cost little more than a hundred dollars, but in normal use fly for only a couple hours, rising until reduced atmospheric pressure causes the balloon to stretch beyond its limits.The system, known as ValBal, can fly multi-kilogram payloads for multiple days for approximately $1000, offering a 10-100x improvement in cost and superior altitude control when compared with other scientific balloon systems.Project has been featured on  Hack-a-day for the longest flight duration of a latex balloon.Worthwhile Links Live balloon trackingValBal launch summary videoValBal technical paperSSI TwitterSSI FacebookSSI websiteSpecial thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!

21 Apr 201744min

Podcast NotesOur guest this week is Dave Rollinson from Hebi Robotics. Dave is a robotics engineer with a PhD in Robotics and a B.S. in M.E. from Carnegie Mellon University.His thesis research advanced the control and design of articulated, modular, snake-like robots with a focus towards real-world applications like urban search and rescue and industrial inspection.Hebi designs and manufactures industrial motorized actuator building blocks . Hebi takes the hard part out of designing automated robotics.The actuators are torque/force controlled compared to absolute position control.X-Series Industrial Smart ActuatorAssisted Actuator Assembly with X-Series

14 Apr 201740min

Podcast NotesIf you enjoy listening to MEP, please let others know about us! Tell a coworker, loved one, friend, or share it on "social media".  We might reward your love for us by sending you a free koozie! Tell others how much you love us, then send us an email to podcast@macrofab.com with the codeword that we’ll mention during the show. Each show has a different codeword, so keep an ear out.MacroFab and Mouser Electronics have teamed up to create a free  monthly meetup in Houston (April 26th) for anyone involved with hardware & electronics engineering or manufacturing. Hosted on the last Wednesday of every month, these meetups are designed to build a community of professionals who want to learn from one another, gain new insights on emerging electronics technologies, and expand their network.  Sign up here!What to expect  NetworkingFireside chats with Q&AIndividual project sharing and discussionDoor prizesRefreshmentsParker has been working on the next step of the RPI3 LVDS project.Pinout the SODIMM connector for the RPI3 Compute Module. See Figure 1.Part number 1473149-4 by TE ConnectivityLVDS DS90C365A IC is net listed upTrying to use the PWM function to control the backlight of the LCD. GPIO40 is PWM0 on the RPI3Still to be done Power 1.8V, 3.3V, 12VSD cardHDMIUSB and a USB HubBreak out all the pinsTest points for clk signals and data streamsStephen has a challenge for the listeners. Goal: A design for a ring of LEDs that surround a control knob on a synthesizer and light up according to the position of the knobRequirements The circuit must connect to a potentiometer (this can be a dual gang version) example: rv16a01fThe ring of LEDs must be centered on a 12mm radius around the potentiometer.Whole circuit must not be larger 1.2” W x 1.2”H x 1.2”DPCB can solder directly to pins on potentiometerMultiple PCBs is acceptable if neededColor of the leds does not matter although green or red is preferableNumber of leds is 16 minimum and 32 maximumLEDs are arranged on a 300 degree arc (potentiometer has 300 degrees of rotation) starting at 240 degrees and ending at -60 degreesThe circuit will receive external 5V power so it must have through hole pads for power and gndCHEAP CHEAP CHEAP! Do this for as cheap as possibleRapid Fire Opinion  Revealing Capcom’s Custom Silicon Security - Hackaday Capcom developed their arcade boards to die with their secrets through a “suicide” system. System name CSP-2Basically all the game code was encrypted and the key was stored in volatile ram kept alive by a battery.Reminds Parker of the reflow oven that MacroFab currently use. NXP chip checks your booze - Electronics Weekly The Tag uses NXP’s NTAG 213 Tag Tamper technology which checks the origin of the bottle, detects if the bottle has been opened, and creates a

6 Apr 201740min

Podcast NotesWe would love to hear from our listeners. Tell us what you think, your current projects, any topics you would like us to cover, or just say “hello”. To reach us follow us on Twitter @MacroFab or send us an email at podcast@macrofab.com.MacroFab and Mouser Electronics have teamed up to create a free monthly meetup in Houston for anyone involved with hardware & electronics engineering or manufacturing. Hosted on the last Wednesday of every month, these meetups are designed to build a community of professionals who want to learn from one another, gain new insights on emerging electronics technologies, and expand their network. Sign up here!What to expect  NetworkingFireside chats with Q&AIndividual project sharing and discussionDoor prizesRefreshmentsFree parkingParkerSpooky Pinball  LVDS controller for the Raspberry Pi 3As mentioned it uses DS90C365A LVDS converterCurrent 5V regulator was a bit weak on power so Parker is upgrading to a LM1085ISX-5.0/NOPB which can handle 3A.LCD is a  LP156WH4-TLN2-LG. Single Channel LVDS 1366x786 resolution. See Figure 1.Started work on a RPI Compute Module board with the LVDS on board.If anyone is interested Parker is thinking of doing a kickstarter for it.Stephen Science museum project is underway. Full test to be running after the podcast.Synth is coming along. 50% complete! See Figure 2.RFO Cuddle CubIoT Teddy Bear? Internet of Teddies.Tracks kids movement and helps get your kids to bed? “Not only is Cuddle Cub great for kids, but great for parents as well! Be in control and in the loop for every night's bedtime adventure, giving you the extra time you deserve!”Google Patent for  Creepy Teddy BearSpaceX is breaking space flight history as we record First orbital class rocket to be relaunched a second timeTooth Tunes by Joe Grand Replaces the original Tooth Tunes electronics with a custom audio player circuit, empowering the user to play any song of their choosing.Video of it in action.Special thanks to whixr over at Tymkrs for the intro and outro!

31 Mars 201726min