My final project for Fab Academy is a universal remote I am calling PuppetMaster, due to its ability to control out of reach objects / devices using the fingers. This is the revised final project proposal – the first proposal was overly ambitious and encompassed too many sensor types in too short of a time period.
First Working Prototype: The first working prototype (illustrated in the PuppetMaster v.1-v.2 [capacitive sensing] post) uses thin copper sheets to create a capacitive sensor between the index finger and the thumb.
For Fab 6: By Fab Academy graduation I propose that PuppetMaster will consist of a fabbed board that reads gestural input from accelerometers.
All board(s) will be fabbed, using the standard fab inventory parts with a few exceptions, (the sensors used in the later stages).
The First Stage [capacitive sensing]
The Second Stage [ accelerometer input]
| Stage | Description | Deliverable | Date Range | Board Version |
| Short Term – For Fab 6 | ||||
| 1.0 | Capacitive Sensing | working capacitive sensing prototype | Complete on 6/2/2010 | v.1 – v.2 |
| 2.0 | 6-axis Sensors (gyro, accelerometer) | accelerometer prototype | 06/02/2010 – 09/16/2010 | v.3 – |
| 3.0 | Basic gestural language | A few mapable gestures that can be read by the computer / another device | 06/02/2010 – 09/16/2010 | v.3 – |
| Long Term – Future Improvements to make the remote “universal†| ||||
| 4.0 | Infrared | infrared remote prototype | 05/16/2010 – TBD | |
| 5.0 | Radio Control | infrared remote prototype + radio control | 07/01/2010 – TBD | |
| 6.0 | Bluetooth | infrared remote prototype + radio control + bluetooth | 08/20/2010 – TBD | |
| 7.0 | Complex gestural Language | Full gestural language mapped to the 6-axis sensors | 07/01/2010 –TBD | |
This hello world board uses a python program (term.py) to send keyboard input over a serial connection from the board to the computer. It is called “serial echo” because when the computer is able to communicate with the board via serial, the python program will allow the keyboard input to be sent to the board and then “echo” it back to the computer. The keyboard input / text will then appear in the python window.
Type the following into the terminal at the prompt:
python term.py /dev/ttyS0 115200
Where “/dev/ttyS0” is the name of the serial port connection to your computer.
My first step in building this project was to start with the basics. I milled, stuffed and programmed the hello step response board (modified to use the FTDI header by Shawn Wallace). I have a Mac and I can’t troubleshoot / develop at home with the serial header examples.
I am using terminal in OS X 10.4.11Â – this was the terminal command I used to run the hello step response example and what it will say when it can communicate with the board and begin plotting the graph.
Anna-Kaziunas-Computer:~/Desktop/fab_runs/step annakaziunas$ python hello.step.45.py /dev/tty.usbserial-A600dVDy finding framing ... start plotting 0
Here is a screenshot of the charging graph that is produced by Neil’s hello.step.45.py code. This initial charging graph shows the capacitor charging up.
I used thin copper sheets to create the capacitor to test the hello step response board. I hooked them up to jumper wires.
When they copper sheets are touching or close to it, the graph will spike up. This indicates that current is flowing through the circuit.
When they are far apart the graph will flatten out. This indicates that the circuit is not connected.
For a video of this type of capacitive sensor in action – see the Puppet Master posts.