‘ Research ’ category archive

Mar
04

Photocell + 8×8 LED Matrix

This is an example of using 2 photocells and a variable resistor as analog inputs to control 8×8 LED Matrix with PIC18F452, UDN2981, and ULN2803. The input values of the two photocells are compared. When the values are the same, LED lights up randomly within the entire board. Depending on how much darker a photocell is compared to the other, LED lights up within the range that is more focused towards a corner. The variable resistor controls how fast the LEDs blink. This is how the board was set up:

The following is the code:

DEFINE LOADER_USED 1
DEFINE OSC 20
INCLUDE “modedefs.bas”

DEFINE ADC_BITS 10
DEFINE ADC_CLOCK 3
DEFINE ADC_SAMPLEUS 20

ADCON1 = %10000010

trisb =%00000000
trisd =%00000000
trisa =%11111111
trisc =%10000000

an0 var word
an1 var word
an2 var word
an0b var byte
an1b var byte
an2b var byte

portb = 0
portd = 0

rand_max var byte
rand_min var byte
random_word var word
randomdig var byte

main:

GOSUB getadc
IF an1b < an2b THEN
rand_max=an1b
rand_min=0
ENDIF

IF an1b > an2b THEN
rand_max=7
rand_min=7-an2b
ENDIF

IF an2b = an1b THEN
rand_max=7
rand_min=0
ENDIF

GOSUB generate_Random
portb = 1<<randomdig
GOSUB generate_Random
portd = 1<<randomdig
PAUSE 10*an0b
gosub bd_off
PAUSE 1*an0b

GOTO main

bd_off:
portb=0 : portd=0
RETURN

getadc:
ADCIN 0,an0
ADCIN 1,an1
ADCIN 2,an2
an0b = (an0*8)>>10
an1b = (an1*8)>>10
an2b = (an2*8)>>10
RETURN

generate_random:
RANDOM random_word
randomdig = random_word DIG 1
IF randomdig > rand_max THEN GOTO generate_random
IF randomdig < rand_min THEN GOTO generate_random
RETURN

Feb
22

Analog / Digital Input, Output

This is an example of using 2 variable resistors as analog inputs and a switch as a digital input to control 8 LEDs with a PIC18F452 chip. Variable resistor 1 is used to control which LEDs light up. The second variable resistor controls how fast the LEDs blink. The switch decides whether the LEDs blink or not. MAX232CPE is used to allow serial communication with a computer. PICBASIC was used to program the chip. This is how the board was set up:

The following is the code:

DEFINE LOADER_USED 1
DEFINE OSC 20
INCLUDE “modedefs.bas”

DEFINE ADC_BITS 10
DEFINE ADC_CLOCK 3
DEFINE ADC_SAMPLEUS 20

ADCON1 = %10000010

TRISA = %11111111
TRISB = %00000000
TRISC = %10001000

adc VAR WORD
adcbyte VAR BYTE

SPEED VAR WORD
SPEEDbyte VAR BYTE

SWITCH VAR PORTC.4

main:

IF SWITCH = 1 THEN

ADCIN 0, adc
adcbyte = adc/140

ADCIN 1, SPEED
SPEEDbyte = SPEED/140

PORTB = %00000001 << adcbyte
PAUSE 100*SPEEDbyte
PORTB = 0
PAUSE 100*SPEEDbyte

ELSE
ADCIN 0, adc
adcbyte = adc/140

PORTB = %00000001 << adcbyte

ENDIF

GOTO main

Feb
16

Catenary – Maya nCloth

Karey (http://kareydarnellhelms.com) showed me a great catenary / structural analysis tool being developed in grasshopper (http://spacesymmetrystructure.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/kangaroo/). Similar ideas can be explored using the nCloth tool in Maya. This is what it looks like.

Jan
29

8×8 LED Matrix

Front side

Cathode rows soldered

Anode rows soldered

Jan
23

Physical Computing – Current Amplification

Today was my first day at a physical computing workshop run by Jin-Yo Mok (http://www.geneo.net). I’m starting from the very basics to understand how every single piece operates at the most fundamental level. The breadboard in the image shows the simplest setup of current amplification using an NPN transistor (2N2222).  Hopefully, I’ll be able to design custom circuit boards in the future as I become more comfortable with all these volts and currents :)

Jan
21

Fibrous Art Bridge

These are some images from a recently finished competition.

Jan
04

Fibers 2

Ordered, but random
Random, but ordered

Dec
17

Fibers

Recent explorations on fibrous structures

a

b

c

Dec
14

Maya Simulations – Hair Ball

Dec
13

Maya Simulations – Wind Field