New Pages Added
I've added two new pages, MSc Project and Project Ideas.
MSc detailed my completed project and further work I will be completing.
Ideas is a drafting ground at the minute for idea's that haven't covered much ground yet but will be split off when there's enough detail to warrant so.
Check them out let me know what you think.
Back To Business
I'm back from my holiday and raring to go! Whilst in Toronto I managed to pop into Active Surplus, the first surplus shop I've visited so I've nothing to compare it with but it's a lot more exciting than Maplin or the Farnell Trade counter. If you're visiting definitely check them out, they've two stores, Queens Street West and another out of town.
I picked up a few bits:
A nice little pcb with 11 7segment displays.
A VFD display, designed for audio applications but for $1.50 a pop I couldn't resist.
I haven't hooked up the VFD yet but have found a datasheet, display:6-BT-165GK. I found a handy link with a good explanation of VFD displays:
http://www.itrontft.com/SubPages/ApplicNotesE/vfdoperapn.htm
I hooked up the 7 segment display to an mbed and threw together some quick code to get it working:
You can see from the image that '1' and '7' are brighter as fewer segments are being driven, this shows up more in the image than viewing in the flesh, the first digit isn't lit as the digit was connected to an unusable pin.
For anyone that pics up one of these boards, marked LU-3011, here's the pinout:
I've published the program I wrote over on the mbed website, link, it's currently just a basic program but will be building on it shortly.
Quick Update
These past weeks have flown by, so much work to do, so little time.
My project deadline is fast approaching and there's been plenty going on! I haven't had the time to post anything but will be putting up a large chunk once I'm finished up.
I've sent my first pcbs of for production, had plenty of issues writing firmware and acquired some new gear, all coming soon :)
Wireless Size Comparison
Just a quick photo for anyone interested in the sizes of some readily available wireless modules.
- First we have the Pixie from Flexipanel, it's a CC2420 chipset with a PIC18LF462. Link
- The Easybee also from Flexipanel, similar to the Pixie minus the PIC micro. Link
- The next is the very popular Xbee. This is a series one device with a chip antenna capable of point to multipoint networking. Link
- Microchips MRF24J40MA is next in the queue, this and all the above are 802.15.4 based chipsets, the basic chipsets can be used as is or a Zigbee stack can be layered on top, the Xbee however cannot*. Link
- Lastly is the Anaren A2500, the smallest of the lot by a long shot. This module isn't 802.15.4 compatible but is available in 2.4GHz and sub 100MHz versions. Link
I have been told Anaren are working on a CC2520 version which will be a little bigger than this module - I hope to pick up some of these to try out soon.
*There are other versions of the Xbee available that are capable of using the Zigbee stack, ZB and SE variations, full range can be seen here http://www.digi.com/pdf/chart_xbee_rf_features.pdf
Dead Beef!
I've been working on getting a wireless link up and running as part of my project.
I was originally testing out the Anaren A2500 module based on the TI CC2500 chipset but I had absolutely no luck with it whatsoever! I could communicate with it no problem, write and read back registers and also observe the FSM state register to check that the device was transmitting but no... nothing. I purchased the CC2511EMK usb dongle to use with the TI Sniffer software but I had no luck with that either, occasionally if it played nice I would pick up noise now and then to show me signs of life but nothing meaningful.
I'm still in contact with an applications engineer from Anaren trying to resolve the issue but due to project time restraints I have moved to the Easybee modules based on the TI CC2420 from Flexipanel, this module is fully 802.15.4 compliant unlike the CC2500.
So far so good, I've got a simple send and receive link up and running alongside an UZBee sniffer looking in on all the packet data being flown around the room.
The sniffer software is orders of magnitude easier to use than the TI version and you don't even have to touch any registers! If you need a 802.15.4 sniffer I highly recommend it :)
It’s Alive!!!
And me too for that matter :)
ECG I captured from me old ticker
This is an ECG I captured from myself earlier as part of my project. It still needs some filtering and it's very temperamental when the probes are moved but hopefully I'll have that all ironed out soon!
I'm using a AD623 instrumentation amp along with some ECG probe cables I picked up off eBay and electrodes from Healthcare Equipment and Supplies
MSc Project – Wireless eHealth Home Monitoring
My project is will be a device worn in the home by elderly patients or people that require surveillance but are well enough to stay at home. The project consists of three parts, a wearable set of sensors which will record information 24/7, a base station with sensors that require infrequently measurements and provides internet connectivity and finally a back end database which will be accessed through a website and iPhone app.
Time Flies When You’re….
Hard at work! Time has flown since the last post, far too long, I'll be making sure it's the last lengthy quiet stint!
What have I been up to? I've past another year mile stone! Exams and submissions took up a lot of my time in the past month and a half, now they are done and dusted I have started on my major project for my MSc :) Finally the exciting part! More on that soon!
Good or Bad News?
Do you want the good or bad news first?
Good news: Apple kindly replaced my phone for free :)
Bad news: I don't get to strip the sucker down and replace the screen, I was quite looking forward to opening it up and getting a look at the inner workings.
I received my hot air station in the post the other day, will take a few snaps and a write a quite review when I have the time.
Don’t drink and txt kiddies!
Apparently the pavement isn't a compatable iPhone accessory, who knew?
I'll be taking this into the Apple store over the weekend but from a brief Google search I'm expecting a quote upwards of £100 to fix it. If that's the case then I'll be picking up the screen and doing the repair myself for ~£50. I'll make sure to take plenty of pics to document the repair if anyone else has the same misfortune.
