24th May
"Vacation here I come!!"
I am just about to commence a two week holiday and unfortunately my motor control development kit and LCD displays have not arrived.
This means that I will also have to work without access to my laboratory and travel light leaving the main prototypes behind to prevent them from being damaged.
And that their completion will occur on my return.
(If you haven't guessed yet, the toy is the mystery object from previous installments.)
However I will take subset of components with me enabling me to continue code development.
Hopefully the missing items will have arrived on my return in two weeks to be integrated into the project.
I could have called this project "Borg" because "Resistance is futile".
THE PROJECT DETAILS
Project "code name" is the application of the Texas Instruments SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 Module and MSP430FRAM5739 microcontroller to every day domestic items to automate them and making them accessible from the Internet whilst retaining their original functionality. To make full use of the WiFi module, the unwired portability is a very high priority as this enables the devices to be located anywhere within the range of a suitable access point.
Texas Instruments have created examples of this including a Crock Pot controlled from an Android phone but I am not sure whether the original Crockpot remained unaltered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSad4V5c2QY
Many domestic items have some element of power, motor control or lighting control and sensors. Where possible I have made use of their existing circuitry to keep their original functionality intact.
This required the reverse engineering of these items.
The SimpleLink WI-Fi CC3000 Module and MSP430FRAM5739 can be used for sustainable technologies by breathing new life into obselete items. An obselete digital handset was used to demonstrate this point.
Rather that destroying a device for its raw elements, functional components have been extracted for reuse.
Reuse is considerably more environmentally friendly that recycling as it does not require the energy to transport it, destroy it make make something new of it.
To enact the marriage of the SimpleLink and MSP430FRAM5739 to domestic items EAGLE CAD was used to create schematic diagrams and PCBs.
Code Composer was used to develop the software with MSP430ware expediting development with its good examples.
In most cases interfacing to domestic items only required very simple circuits such as relays, drivers, current amplifiers standard audio analog signals and digital signals.
I have deliberately used a simplistic approach to prove how simple it is to create a vast array of applications.
The project actually consists of an array of items;
1. Animated Speaking Toy that displays Twitter messages and can send status tweets back.
2. Internet enabled vending machine
3. Internet enabled Laser Animated Display
4. Patient Health monitor.
5. Weight change sensor
6. Complete Home Automation system with full motor control for devices such as HVAC dampers, and full light control.
Each of which demonstrate the enhanced usefulness by their wireless and Internet integration.
Since I only have one two CC3000 modules, I need to dissemble one project to work on another.
This is not too difficult an issue especially with the FRAM being quickly reprogrammable and all.
Ideally all could be enhanced independently and simultaneously.
Animated Toy Details
To meet the quirky aspect of the competition, it seemed to me to include a funny toy in the entry.
The plan is to have the toy both convert text to speech and lip sync incoming twitter messages.
This combines the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 and MSP430FRAM5739 with;
TI ULN2003 Darlington Drivers
TI LM324 OP AMP
TI uA7805 Voltage regulator
TI DAC5311IDCKT.DAC5311IDCKT. Digital to Analog Converter
FRAM Buffer
Relays
Assorted passive components
Vending Machine
This is an example of where a food dispensing machine can be easily controlled and monitored from the Internet.
Items used include;
TI ULN2003 Darlington Drivers
Relays
Digital inputs
Here is a picture of the machine prior to modification.
This concept can be extended to other food, paste and liquid dispensing systems.
Animated Laser Display
Many Animated Laser displays have an ILDA Interface and DMX port. I am in the process of making an ILDA interface for the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 and MSP430FRAM5739.
Doing this can remove the need for a wired DMX interface making it far easier to deploy the display units.
The interface requires suitable DACs and appropriate analog differential signalling.
Patient Health monitor
This is to assist health professionals and careres to read non vital signs from many patients simultaneously.
The only proviso is that the patient is within the range of a suitable WiFi access point.
A non-contact Texas Instruments TMP006AIYZFTTMP006AIYZFT Thermopile is used to read patient temperatures.
Continual Blood pressure measurement with a cuff is impractical and is out of scope for the moment.
Weight change sensor
This integrates and existing digital scale with the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 and MSP430FRAM5739.
It has a variety of potential purposes including automated inventory and ordering system, patient movement or even an alarm system.
Complete Home Automation system
This system comprises of a SimpleLink CC3000 with MSP430FRAM5739 coupled with a Texas Instruments C2000 Multi-DC/DC LED Kit and Texas DRV8412-C2 Integrated Motor Driver Kit
The additional modules are better suited to DSP and more intensive processing activities.
But like an any organisation, the managing unit (in this case the MSP430FRAM5739) does not necessarily require more processing power that its subordinates to co-ordinate control.
