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Electronic Grenades — Parallax Forums

Electronic Grenades

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-07-24 23:57 in General Discussion
Hello, list.

I play a game called "airsoft." Essentially, we're a bunch of guys
for whom paintball wasn't realistic enough, so we use fully automatic
BB guns that are indistinguishable from their real-steel counterparts.

One of the great unsolved problems of airsoft is "How to simulate a
grenade or land mine?" Or even a rocket of some kind. The honor
system only goes so far, and fire crackers or other home made
pyrotechnics are not always the best idea.

So, I've had my Basic Stamp book laying around for a while now,
waiting for me to get to around to breaking it out of its blister
pack with its Board of Education. Fresh out of a divorce, I find
that I have time to indulge myself in such tinkering.

My question to the group is this: Is there a cost effective way to
create some kind of electronic gadget (probably based on a Stamp, I
would think?) That could send out a signal of some sort (radio, IR,
sonic?) to another (really really cheap) gadget we could wear on our
person in such a way that the distance could be calculated, and
anybody whose "telltale" was closer than varMaxLethalRadius would
flatline on them or something? I'd like this to be my first Stamp
project, but I wanted to check with more experienced people than I
before I waste a lot of time and money developing a toy like this.

Or is there another way I should go about it that doesn't require a
full fledged micro controller?

Robin

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 15:07
    Robin,

    The only thing I can think of won't be cheap. Use a 433mHz
    transmitter/reciver with the Stamp on the "gernade" . Each person wears a
    reciever/transmitter pair that is broadcasting a unique ID. When the Stamp
    recives the unique ID, it tells the individuals detection device to beep or
    blink. To keep cost down you could use a PIC12F675 on the user end. Each
    detector would be in the $30-40 range.

    We used to play the same game as kids. We called it "BB gun wars" We did use
    a plastic bag and paint with a firecracker for gernades. Stupid, but we had
    a lot of fun.

    Jonathan

    www.madlabs.info


    Original Message
    From: "loxley_72401" <loxley_72401@y...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 11:32 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades


    > Hello, list.
    >
    > I play a game called "airsoft." Essentially, we're a bunch of guys
    > for whom paintball wasn't realistic enough, so we use fully automatic
    > BB guns that are indistinguishable from their real-steel counterparts.
    >
    > One of the great unsolved problems of airsoft is "How to simulate a
    > grenade or land mine?" Or even a rocket of some kind. The honor
    > system only goes so far, and fire crackers or other home made
    > pyrotechnics are not always the best idea.
    >
    > So, I've had my Basic Stamp book laying around for a while now,
    > waiting for me to get to around to breaking it out of its blister
    > pack with its Board of Education. Fresh out of a divorce, I find
    > that I have time to indulge myself in such tinkering.
    >
    > My question to the group is this: Is there a cost effective way to
    > create some kind of electronic gadget (probably based on a Stamp, I
    > would think?) That could send out a signal of some sort (radio, IR,
    > sonic?) to another (really really cheap) gadget we could wear on our
    > person in such a way that the distance could be calculated, and
    > anybody whose "telltale" was closer than varMaxLethalRadius would
    > flatline on them or something? I'd like this to be my first Stamp
    > project, but I wanted to check with more experienced people than I
    > before I waste a lot of time and money developing a toy like this.
    >
    > Or is there another way I should go about it that doesn't require a
    > full fledged micro controller?
    >
    > Robin
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 15:11
    We used a small paper sack with a cup of flour in it for grenades. Since
    we didn't have BB guns, we would seek out sand piles at new houses and
    find one ripe with soft dirt clods.

    > We used to play the same game as kids. We called it "BB gun wars" We did use
    > a plastic bag and paint with a firecracker for gernades. Stupid, but we had
    > a lot of fun.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 16:06
    If you've seen 'BLADE 2', you'll remember them using those UV grenades to kill
    the Vamps!

    Not sure how they'd survive a throw, but having IR mantraps might be an option.
    Some 'bouncy betty' type devices.

    Just put a bunch of IR photodiodes and set a trigger.
    Doesn't matter if it has a 'special' code. That's part of friendly fire isn't
    it!!...weapons aren't prejudiced!!

    sb

    Original Message
    From: Jonathan Peakall <jpeakall@m...>
    Date: Thursday, July 24, 2003 7:07 am
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades

    > Robin,
    >
    > The only thing I can think of won't be cheap. Use a 433mHz
    > transmitter/reciver with the Stamp on the "gernade" . Each person
    > wears a
    > reciever/transmitter pair that is broadcasting a unique ID. When
    > the Stamp
    > recives the unique ID, it tells the individuals detection device
    > to beep or
    > blink. To keep cost down you could use a PIC12F675 on the user
    > end. Each
    > detector would be in the $30-40 range.
    >
    > We used to play the same game as kids. We called it "BB gun wars"
    > We did use
    > a plastic bag and paint with a firecracker for gernades. Stupid,
    > but we had
    > a lot of fun.
    >
    > Jonathan
    >
    > www.madlabs.info
    >
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: "loxley_72401" <loxley_72401@y...>
    > To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    > Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 11:32 PM
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades
    >
    >
    > > Hello, list.
    > >
    > > I play a game called "airsoft." Essentially, we're a bunch of guys
    > > for whom paintball wasn't realistic enough, so we use fully
    > automatic> BB guns that are indistinguishable from their real-
    > steel counterparts.
    > >
    > > One of the great unsolved problems of airsoft is "How to
    > simulate a
    > > grenade or land mine?" Or even a rocket of some kind. The honor
    > > system only goes so far, and fire crackers or other home made
    > > pyrotechnics are not always the best idea.
    > >
    > > So, I've had my Basic Stamp book laying around for a while now,
    > > waiting for me to get to around to breaking it out of its blister
    > > pack with its Board of Education. Fresh out of a divorce, I find
    > > that I have time to indulge myself in such tinkering.
    > >
    > > My question to the group is this: Is there a cost effective way to
    > > create some kind of electronic gadget (probably based on a
    > Stamp, I
    > > would think?) That could send out a signal of some sort (radio, IR,
    > > sonic?) to another (really really cheap) gadget we could wear
    > on our
    > > person in such a way that the distance could be calculated, and
    > > anybody whose "telltale" was closer than varMaxLethalRadius would
    > > flatline on them or something? I'd like this to be my first Stamp
    > > project, but I wanted to check with more experienced people
    > than I
    > > before I waste a lot of time and money developing a toy like this.
    > >
    > > Or is there another way I should go about it that doesn't
    > require a
    > > full fledged micro controller?
    > >
    > > Robin
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>
    > >
    > >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 16:30
    IR might work for "mines", if you set it up in indirect light with no
    obstructions. But it probably wouldn't work for a thrown "gernade". The code
    isn't to protect from "friendly fire", only to make sure that ALL in the
    blast zone are targeted and counted as "zapped".

    Jonathan

    www.madlabs.info

    Original Message
    From: <buht_krak@s...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 8:06 AM
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades


    > If you've seen 'BLADE 2', you'll remember them using those UV grenades to
    kill the Vamps!
    >
    > Not sure how they'd survive a throw, but having IR mantraps might be an
    option. Some 'bouncy betty' type devices.
    >
    > Just put a bunch of IR photodiodes and set a trigger.
    > Doesn't matter if it has a 'special' code. That's part of friendly fire
    isn't it!!...weapons aren't prejudiced!!
    >
    > sb
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: Jonathan Peakall <jpeakall@m...>
    > Date: Thursday, July 24, 2003 7:07 am
    > Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades
    >
    > > Robin,
    > >
    > > The only thing I can think of won't be cheap. Use a 433mHz
    > > transmitter/reciver with the Stamp on the "gernade" . Each person
    > > wears a
    > > reciever/transmitter pair that is broadcasting a unique ID. When
    > > the Stamp
    > > recives the unique ID, it tells the individuals detection device
    > > to beep or
    > > blink. To keep cost down you could use a PIC12F675 on the user
    > > end. Each
    > > detector would be in the $30-40 range.
    > >
    > > We used to play the same game as kids. We called it "BB gun wars"
    > > We did use
    > > a plastic bag and paint with a firecracker for gernades. Stupid,
    > > but we had
    > > a lot of fun.
    > >
    > > Jonathan
    > >
    > > www.madlabs.info
    > >
    > >
    > >
    Original Message
    > > From: "loxley_72401" <loxley_72401@y...>
    > > To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    > > Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 11:32 PM
    > > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Electronic Grenades
    > >
    > >
    > > > Hello, list.
    > > >
    > > > I play a game called "airsoft." Essentially, we're a bunch of guys
    > > > for whom paintball wasn't realistic enough, so we use fully
    > > automatic> BB guns that are indistinguishable from their real-
    > > steel counterparts.
    > > >
    > > > One of the great unsolved problems of airsoft is "How to
    > > simulate a
    > > > grenade or land mine?" Or even a rocket of some kind. The honor
    > > > system only goes so far, and fire crackers or other home made
    > > > pyrotechnics are not always the best idea.
    > > >
    > > > So, I've had my Basic Stamp book laying around for a while now,
    > > > waiting for me to get to around to breaking it out of its blister
    > > > pack with its Board of Education. Fresh out of a divorce, I find
    > > > that I have time to indulge myself in such tinkering.
    > > >
    > > > My question to the group is this: Is there a cost effective way to
    > > > create some kind of electronic gadget (probably based on a
    > > Stamp, I
    > > > would think?) That could send out a signal of some sort (radio, IR,
    > > > sonic?) to another (really really cheap) gadget we could wear
    > > on our
    > > > person in such a way that the distance could be calculated, and
    > > > anybody whose "telltale" was closer than varMaxLethalRadius would
    > > > flatline on them or something? I'd like this to be my first Stamp
    > > > project, but I wanted to check with more experienced people
    > > than I
    > > > before I waste a lot of time and money developing a toy like this.
    > > >
    > > > Or is there another way I should go about it that doesn't
    > > require a
    > > > full fledged micro controller?
    > > >
    > > > Robin
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > > Subject and
    > > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>
    > > >
    > > >
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > >
    > >
    > >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 16:32
    greetings,
    i remembered a post a while back where someone was
    asking to do a similar thing for a laser tag type game
    with a throwable and reusable "electronic grenade".
    anyway, not a lot of info was given (you can search
    the archive for "grenade") or follow up on the
    project.

    off the top of my head i think it could be done w/out
    a stamp for less $, but you could certainly use a
    stamp and make it much fancier.

    a possible non stamp approach:
    you could use a pair of '555s on the grenade end, 1 as
    a timer and 1 as a pulse emitter (astable mode) hooked
    to an infared LED emitter array. when the timer times
    out it triggers the "blast" simulated by the IR LEDs
    for say 5 seconds driven by the astable '555. the
    timer could also be adjustable, perhaps a nice
    feature??

    on the other end, all of the participants could wear a
    set of cheap IR receivers hooked to another '555 which
    would upon being hit, would flash some LEDs or maybe
    drive a small pager vibrator for user feedback, thus
    showing the "hit".

    perhaps you could even make it 2 way, if the
    participants also wore an IR emitter, and give the
    grendade an IR receiver...then you have a claymore!!

    there is TONS and TONS of info on the '555 timer,
    entire web sites and books devoted to it. the Art of
    Electronics has a nice section, radio shack has some
    minibooks on the '555 which i found useful.

    you should be able to achieve say a 10-25' radius
    depending on the LEDs you use. '555s are very cheap
    and easy to use with only a couple other components.
    some experimenting is probably in order, especially
    for how many IR LEDs to use for both emitting and
    detecting, and how to mount the device so when thrown
    it wont be damaged?? maybe embedded in a tennis
    ball????
    hope this long reply helps you out.
    ross

    --- loxley_72401 <loxley_72401@y...> wrote:
    > Hello, list.
    >
    > I play a game called "airsoft." Essentially, we're a
    > bunch of guys
    > for whom paintball wasn't realistic enough, so we
    > use fully automatic
    > BB guns that are indistinguishable from their
    > real-steel counterparts.
    >
    > One of the great unsolved problems of airsoft is
    > "How to simulate a
    > grenade or land mine?" Or even a rocket of some
    > kind. The honor
    > system only goes so far, and fire crackers or other
    > home made
    > pyrotechnics are not always the best idea.
    >
    > So, I've had my Basic Stamp book laying around for a
    > while now,
    > waiting for me to get to around to breaking it out
    > of its blister
    > pack with its Board of Education. Fresh out of a
    > divorce, I find
    > that I have time to indulge myself in such
    > tinkering.
    >
    > My question to the group is this: Is there a cost
    > effective way to
    > create some kind of electronic gadget (probably
    > based on a Stamp, I
    > would think?) That could send out a signal of some
    > sort (radio, IR,
    > sonic?) to another (really really cheap) gadget we
    > could wear on our
    > person in such a way that the distance could be
    > calculated, and
    > anybody whose "telltale" was closer than
    > varMaxLethalRadius would
    > flatline on them or something? I'd like this to be
    > my first Stamp
    > project, but I wanted to check with more
    > experienced people than I
    > before I waste a lot of time and money developing a
    > toy like this.
    >
    > Or is there another way I should go about it that
    > doesn't require a
    > full fledged micro controller?
    >
    > Robin
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed.
    > Text in the Subject and Body of the message will be
    > ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 17:12
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Klutch <klutch66@y...> wrote:
    > greetings,
    > i remembered a post a while back where someone was
    > asking to do a similar thing for a laser tag type game
    > with a throwable and reusable "electronic grenade".
    > anyway, not a lot of info was given (you can search
    > the archive for "grenade") or follow up on the
    > project.
    >

    <stuff deleted>

    Thanks Ross, and everybody else. I shall certainly check the msg
    archives. I really didn't think there would have been a similar
    project, so I didn't check. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    The reason for doing more than just an IR grenade with IR telltales
    is because distance matters... I want to be sure that everybody
    within the predetermined "blast radius" is counted out, but people
    further away than that should be un affected. It would really bite to
    lob a grenade down way down the hall, and have the sensor I was
    wearing catch sight of the IR LEDs as they "went off."

    I like the idea of ultrasonics as well... get the lurkers behind
    cover. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    I'm guessing that if the cost of such a system (grenade costing up to
    100 bucks (it is reusable, after all) and the individual telltales
    costing up to 20 bucks or so) weren't too high, my fellow airsoft
    enthusiasts would go for it. Remember, we spend a few hundred bucks
    on guns... and don't get me started on the "fashion aspect" of the
    hobby. [noparse]:)[/noparse] Actual quote from our forum...

    *paste*

    Oh I can see it now, on the runway in gay Pari'

    And here comes Naomi wearing a fashionable ensamble by Blackhawk and
    various MilSpec contractors. Notice how her boots have been
    accessorized with the gleaming gold speed lace loops. Her LBE has had
    extra sequins added for that dazzling flair. Imagine how she sparkles
    in the midst of a Afghan firefight.


    Mike "Rennyfencer" Sisson
    The first 8 seconds of this mission are working, we are ahead of the
    curve

    *end paste*

    But I digress. [noparse]:)[/noparse] I saw something in one of the online Nuts and Volts
    columns (Robot Eyes in Vol 4) that looked like the right general sort
    of thing... it was about addressable sonic sensors that you could
    read a list of distances from as their signal reacheds the stamp.
    Looks like the way to go if there's a way for a smart grenade to tell
    the dumb telltale "okay, YOU are deadm send your flatline audio
    tone." I'm thinking it's okay for the grenade to be expensive, if I
    can just keep the telltale cost down.

    Loxley
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 17:31
    Hello,
    Yea, I asked a while back about making a Lazer Tag grenade, but got
    only one usefull reply (That suggested 555 timers)..

    Now, I've worked out a system that uses 4 555 timers, that has an
    adjustable delay before it starts firing, an adjustable lenght of
    time while it fires, and pulse the fire using another 555 (Its
    adjustable too).
    I've yet to try it out (Need to order compenets, but want to get
    other compnents for a few other projects)

    You can get the circuit from www.dbrweb.co.uk/irgrenade_sys.jpg (38.2
    KB).
    I am working on a strip board version just now (In Stripboard Magic)
    and will post here, if intrested, with the layout (Screen shots)

    Hope this help
    - Ben

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Klutch <klutch66@y...> wrote:
    > greetings,
    > i remembered a post a while back where someone was
    > asking to do a similar thing for a laser tag type game
    > with a throwable and reusable "electronic grenade".
    > anyway, not a lot of info was given (you can search
    > the archive for "grenade") or follow up on the
    > project.
    >
    > off the top of my head i think it could be done w/out
    > a stamp for less $, but you could certainly use a
    > stamp and make it much fancier.
    >
    > a possible non stamp approach:
    > you could use a pair of '555s on the grenade end, 1 as
    > a timer and 1 as a pulse emitter (astable mode) hooked
    > to an infared LED emitter array. when the timer times
    > out it triggers the "blast" simulated by the IR LEDs
    > for say 5 seconds driven by the astable '555. the
    > timer could also be adjustable, perhaps a nice
    > feature??
    >
    > on the other end, all of the participants could wear a
    > set of cheap IR receivers hooked to another '555 which
    > would upon being hit, would flash some LEDs or maybe
    > drive a small pager vibrator for user feedback, thus
    > showing the "hit".
    >
    > perhaps you could even make it 2 way, if the
    > participants also wore an IR emitter, and give the
    > grendade an IR receiver...then you have a claymore!!
    >
    > there is TONS and TONS of info on the '555 timer,
    > entire web sites and books devoted to it. the Art of
    > Electronics has a nice section, radio shack has some
    > minibooks on the '555 which i found useful.
    >
    > you should be able to achieve say a 10-25' radius
    > depending on the LEDs you use. '555s are very cheap
    > and easy to use with only a couple other components.
    > some experimenting is probably in order, especially
    > for how many IR LEDs to use for both emitting and
    > detecting, and how to mount the device so when thrown
    > it wont be damaged?? maybe embedded in a tennis
    > ball????
    > hope this long reply helps you out.
    > ross
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 18:52
    Ok, here's a thought...Rather than a "blast" grenade, how about a
    "radiation" grenade?

    Use the 555 driving an IR array as they said, but make it's pulses
    cumulative on the receiver. The idea is that the 555 sends pulses and the
    IR receivers start to count the pulses they receive as long as they are
    "exposed" to the grenade.

    If your IR receiver receives more than a certain number of pulses, you're
    then "dead". Use a pulse counter and an LED bar graph to indicate your
    relative "health". As time goes on, and you're not exposed to the source
    of radiation, you slowly begin to "regain" your "health"....

    Using this model, the person who "throws" it would know to duck down
    until it stops being "radio active". Maybe use a piezo sounder to let
    people know that the unit is "active". Sort of a descending tone, starts
    high... drops low then goes to a "warble" while "radiating" then goes to
    a short beep series (so people can find it after the battle!) . Then
    after a "recharge time" (5 mins or so to keep people from throwing it
    right back at you!), it's ready to be lobbed back at the "enemy"... [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Vern

    PS: More a "10,000ft view", no schematics in this post... [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    PPSS: Ya know, if Carnivore
    (http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/carnivore/carnivore.htm) sees these emails,
    Ashcroft's goons may be knocking on all our doors demanding to confiscate
    our "radiation grenades"!! Long live the E.L.F. (Electron Liberation
    Front!) [noparse]:D[/noparse]

    --
    Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE | "If the network is down, then you're
    Senior Systems Engineer | obviously incompetent so why are we
    Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network
    vern@t... www.txis.com | is up, then we obviously don't need
    Cell 507-7851 Desk 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" VLG



    Ben said:
    > Hello,
    > Yea, I asked a while back about making a Lazer Tag grenade, but got
    > only one usefull reply (That suggested 555 timers)..
    >
    > Now, I've worked out a system that uses 4 555 timers, that has an
    > adjustable delay before it starts firing, an adjustable lenght of
    > time while it fires, and pulse the fire using another 555 (Its
    > adjustable too).
    > I've yet to try it out (Need to order compenets, but want to get
    > other compnents for a few other projects)
    >
    > You can get the circuit from www.dbrweb.co.uk/irgrenade_sys.jpg (38.2
    > KB).
    > I am working on a strip board version just now (In Stripboard Magic)
    > and will post here, if intrested, with the layout (Screen shots)
    >
    > Hope this help
    > - Ben
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Klutch <klutch66@y...> wrote:
    >> greetings,
    >> i remembered a post a while back where someone was
    >> asking to do a similar thing for a laser tag type game
    >> with a throwable and reusable "electronic grenade".
    >> anyway, not a lot of info was given (you can search
    >> the archive for "grenade") or follow up on the
    >> project.
    >>
    >> off the top of my head i think it could be done w/out
    >> a stamp for less $, but you could certainly use a
    >> stamp and make it much fancier.
    >>
    >> a possible non stamp approach:
    >> you could use a pair of '555s on the grenade end, 1 as
    >> a timer and 1 as a pulse emitter (astable mode) hooked
    >> to an infared LED emitter array. when the timer times
    >> out it triggers the "blast" simulated by the IR LEDs
    >> for say 5 seconds driven by the astable '555. the
    >> timer could also be adjustable, perhaps a nice
    >> feature??
    >>
    >> on the other end, all of the participants could wear a
    >> set of cheap IR receivers hooked to another '555 which
    >> would upon being hit, would flash some LEDs or maybe
    >> drive a small pager vibrator for user feedback, thus
    >> showing the "hit".
    >>
    >> perhaps you could even make it 2 way, if the
    >> participants also wore an IR emitter, and give the
    >> grendade an IR receiver...then you have a claymore!!
    >>
    >> there is TONS and TONS of info on the '555 timer,
    >> entire web sites and books devoted to it. the Art of
    >> Electronics has a nice section, radio shack has some
    >> minibooks on the '555 which i found useful.
    >>
    >> you should be able to achieve say a 10-25' radius
    >> depending on the LEDs you use. '555s are very cheap
    >> and easy to use with only a couple other components.
    >> some experimenting is probably in order, especially
    >> for how many IR LEDs to use for both emitting and
    >> detecting, and how to mount the device so when thrown
    >> it wont be damaged?? maybe embedded in a tennis
    >> ball????
    >> hope this long reply helps you out.
    >> ross
    >
    >
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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 19:45
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Vernon Graner" <vern@t...> wrote:
    > Ok, here's a thought...Rather than a "blast" grenade, how about a
    > "radiation" grenade?
    >
    > Use the 555 driving an IR array as they said, but make it's pulses
    > cumulative on the receiver. The idea is that the 555 sends pulses
    and the
    > IR receivers start to count the pulses they receive as long as they
    are
    > "exposed" to the grenade.
    >

    Hrm... now THAT is an interesting idea. It would quite likely flush
    them out. Even if they're behind cover, they're still likely to get a
    dose... very very interesting. [noparse]:)[/noparse] I can see an easy application for
    chemical weapons simulation, too... usually, we just toss smoke
    grenades (nota bene: real smoke grenade smoke is toxic in confinded
    spaces as we found out). But with IR led's, we can make an area "hot"
    or "toxic" or whatever. "Your telltale goes off, you've got until it
    flatlines to get your NBC gear on. Yeah, we've got some pretty
    serious milsimmers in our bunch. [noparse]:)[/noparse] Thanks for the idea!

    Loxley
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-07-24 23:57
    oohhhh...I like this one!

    I'd aim for having a bleep when it it's done radiating. That way the
    unsuspecting enemy would stop and wait for the run-down tone to die.

    Maybe have some 'fake' bleeps too! Like a quarterback giving fake 'Huts'....



    Original Message
    From: Vernon Graner <vern@t...>
    Date: Thursday, July 24, 2003 10:52 am
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Electronic Grenades

    > Ok, here's a thought...Rather than a "blast" grenade, how about a
    > "radiation" grenade?
    >
    > Use the 555 driving an IR array as they said, but make it's pulses
    > cumulative on the receiver. The idea is that the 555 sends pulses
    > and the
    > IR receivers start to count the pulses they receive as long as
    > they are
    > "exposed" to the grenade.
    >
    > If your IR receiver receives more than a certain number of pulses,
    > you'rethen "dead". Use a pulse counter and an LED bar graph to
    > indicate your
    > relative "health". As time goes on, and you're not exposed to the
    > sourceof radiation, you slowly begin to "regain" your "health"....
    >
    > Using this model, the person who "throws" it would know to duck down
    > until it stops being "radio active". Maybe use a piezo sounder to let
    > people know that the unit is "active". Sort of a descending tone,
    > startshigh... drops low then goes to a "warble" while "radiating"
    > then goes to
    > a short beep series (so people can find it after the battle!) . Then
    > after a "recharge time" (5 mins or so to keep people from throwing it
    > right back at you!), it's ready to be lobbed back at the
    > "enemy"... [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    > Vern
    >
    > PS: More a "10,000ft view", no schematics in this post... [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    > PPSS: Ya know, if Carnivore
    > (http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/carnivore/carnivore.htm) sees these emails,
    > Ashcroft's goons may be knocking on all our doors demanding to
    > confiscateour "radiation grenades"!! Long live the E.L.F.
    > (Electron Liberation
    > Front!) [noparse]:D[/noparse]
    >
    > --
    > Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE | "If the network is down, then you're
    > Senior Systems Engineer | obviously incompetent so why are we
    > Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network
    > vern@t... www.txis.com | is up, then we obviously don't need
    > Cell 507-7851 Desk 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" VLG
    >
    >
    >
    > Ben said:
    > > Hello,
    > > Yea, I asked a while back about making a Lazer Tag grenade, but got
    > > only one usefull reply (That suggested 555 timers)..
    > >
    > > Now, I've worked out a system that uses 4 555 timers, that has an
    > > adjustable delay before it starts firing, an adjustable lenght of
    > > time while it fires, and pulse the fire using another 555 (Its
    > > adjustable too).
    > > I've yet to try it out (Need to order compenets, but want to get
    > > other compnents for a few other projects)
    > >
    > > You can get the circuit from www.dbrweb.co.uk/irgrenade_sys.jpg
    > (38.2> KB).
    > > I am working on a strip board version just now (In Stripboard Magic)
    > > and will post here, if intrested, with the layout (Screen shots)
    > >
    > > Hope this help
    > > - Ben
    > >
    > > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Klutch <klutch66@y...> wrote:
    > >> greetings,
    > >> i remembered a post a while back where someone was
    > >> asking to do a similar thing for a laser tag type game
    > >> with a throwable and reusable "electronic grenade".
    > >> anyway, not a lot of info was given (you can search
    > >> the archive for "grenade") or follow up on the
    > >> project.
    > >>
    > >> off the top of my head i think it could be done w/out
    > >> a stamp for less $, but you could certainly use a
    > >> stamp and make it much fancier.
    > >>
    > >> a possible non stamp approach:
    > >> you could use a pair of '555s on the grenade end, 1 as
    > >> a timer and 1 as a pulse emitter (astable mode) hooked
    > >> to an infared LED emitter array. when the timer times
    > >> out it triggers the "blast" simulated by the IR LEDs
    > >> for say 5 seconds driven by the astable '555. the
    > >> timer could also be adjustable, perhaps a nice
    > >> feature??
    > >>
    > >> on the other end, all of the participants could wear a
    > >> set of cheap IR receivers hooked to another '555 which
    > >> would upon being hit, would flash some LEDs or maybe
    > >> drive a small pager vibrator for user feedback, thus
    > >> showing the "hit".
    > >>
    > >> perhaps you could even make it 2 way, if the
    > >> participants also wore an IR emitter, and give the
    > >> grendade an IR receiver...then you have a claymore!!
    > >>
    > >> there is TONS and TONS of info on the '555 timer,
    > >> entire web sites and books devoted to it. the Art of
    > >> Electronics has a nice section, radio shack has some
    > >> minibooks on the '555 which i found useful.
    > >>
    > >> you should be able to achieve say a 10-25' radius
    > >> depending on the LEDs you use. '555s are very cheap
    > >> and easy to use with only a couple other components.
    > >> some experimenting is probably in order, especially
    > >> for how many IR LEDs to use for both emitting and
    > >> detecting, and how to mount the device so when thrown
    > >> it wont be damaged?? maybe embedded in a tennis
    > >> ball????
    > >> hope this long reply helps you out.
    > >> ross
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and
    > > Body of the message will be ignored.
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    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>
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