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Scrolling LED "Medals" from Robolympics now available to SX programmers — Parallax Forums

Scrolling LED "Medals" from Robolympics now available to SX programmers

Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
edited 2005-04-03 16:09 in General Discussion
Hey SXers:

We recently donated engineering·services to the 2005 Robolympics·(March 25-27th) by designing and manufacturing programmable awards for the 300+ robot contest winners. The awards·will be·customized on the spot with the winner's name and·the contest they won. Each PCB is surrounded by a medal "gear ring" so they can wear the award around their neck at the contest.

Once we got underway with the design and made a prototype, we decided these were simply cool as general-purpose display devices and for learning the SX with SX/B. Therfore, we ordered an extra 500 of them for our SX customers. We don't have much in the way of documentation, but we have sample SX/B code and a schematic, which should be enough to get the SXers on their way. David Winchell (from this forum) came to our office with the first prototype of this product in December and wrote the example code, so this was all his idea.

You can buy Robolympics Medals for $11.95 each. Details and on-line ordering are here:

http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28099

If the $6.00 shipping is too much for a single item, consider adding one of our new PING))) ultrasonic sensors to your order:

http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28015

These are really·popular sensors and I'm sure we're going to be back in a backorder situation·by next week (which could last up to·eight weeks).

Sincerely,

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
·
«1

Comments

  • Robert SchwartzRobert Schwartz Posts: 141
    edited 2005-03-16 21:59
    Those look really neat. I plan on competing next year, using SX controllers. I will probably compete mostly in the junior division.
  • SteveWSteveW Posts: 246
    edited 2005-03-16 22:06
    That's really rather spiffy!
    (Out of horrified fascination, it that Protel PCB doing the layout?)

    Steve
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2005-03-16 22:10
    Yes, it is. Doug did his time on this one to get the arcs in the right place.

    - Ken
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-16 22:29
    I have one of these and they are really cool. I might mangle mine into a clock / thermometer / message display sometime.
    David did a great job with the SX/B code too.
    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com
    ·
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-17 16:56
    This was a great project. Thank You Parallax for all your support !!

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2005-03-17 17:45
    I just ordered a few of these...any word on how many are left? I am going to use them as awards for another contest...


    Ryan
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2005-03-17 17:52
    Ryan,

    We have about 190 left. I'm not sure how long these will last. They could last six months or three days. Our distributor in Thailand is threatening to buy them all, but he has done that before. Therefore, [noparse][[/noparse]dare I say this] there's probably little rush and we'll still have quite a few in several weeks.

    Ken Gracey
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2005-03-17 18:27
    Are you including the 'gear ring' (for hanging/wearing) or is what you are talking about just part of the PCB?

    Ryan
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2005-03-17 19:16
    Ryan,

    No, the gear ring is not included. For interest, I have attached two pictures of the rings we made on our CNC. The first picture shows the ring being routed (prior to finish pass) on the table and the second picture shows two completed rings. The PCB medal fits tightly within the ring and it looks really neat. These take about 40 minutes to make on a CNC considering the movement of fixtures.

    The Robolympics (Robogames) folks made their own style, which is torched-cut. It's also pretty neat, but not nearly as classy as the CNC aluminum rings that we made for the prototypes.

    Ken Gracey
    Parallax, Inc.
    CNCProcess.jpg
    800 x 600 - 103K
    CNCRings.jpg
    800 x 600 - 132K
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2005-03-17 19:28
    Any way to get my hands on one or two of those? [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Ryan
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2005-03-17 19:32
    Honestly, I haven't got the time to make more of these. My Parallax-related tasks are already stacked a mile high.

    I could send you the drawings, though. Send me your e-mail address to kgracey@parallax.com if you want the drawings. Maybe you have a friend who has a CNC or you could have them made at a local shop?

    Ken Gracey
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-18 03:40
    "Look into the eyes of Parasaurus Hex. Contender for the Walker Challenge at RoboGames 2005. But don't look to deeply she may devour you."

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
    ParasaruasHexEyes.JPG
    800 x 600 - 75K
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2005-03-18 12:16
    I ordered mine yesterday.

    Bean,

    Which clock would be be simpler to interface - the serial DS1302 or the I2C DS1307?
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-18 12:32
    Since the current version of SX/B doesn't have I2C commands (hint.) I would go for the DS1302.

    I thought of another good project, a display that changes to the music... Hmmm, exchange the speaker for a microphone...hack some circuitry on the back... I think it could be done.

    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com

    "A problem well defined, is a problem·half solved."
    ·
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2005-03-18 14:42
    Yeah, I remember reading a few weeks ago that the next version of SX/B is going to have I2C commands - maybe I'll wait a little before hacking the unit.

    I was thinking of using a microphone also - but for a different purpose. I figured the battery life on the unit (3 AA's running 105 LED's) wouldn't be very good so I thought of rigging up a simple sound detector that would automatically shut off the LED's if no sound was detected for xx minutes.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-18 16:13
    well actually only 7 leds can be lit at any one time, so the battery life won't be that bad.
    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com

    "A problem well defined, is a problem·half solved."
    ·
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2005-03-18 18:16
    Hmm, I guess I don't understand your answwer. In the pciture posted above, I counted 29 LED's on.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-18 18:28
    The LEDs are time multiplexed. Only one column is on at any instant.
    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com

    "A problem well defined, is a problem·half solved."
    ·
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2005-03-18 19:57
    Aren't they on fast enough to appear as higher draw?

    Ryan
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-03-18 20:15
    they are operated fast enough to give the human eye the perception the entire display is being driven simultaneously, but for current consumption purposes its as though only one column is driven constantly. There is some amount of operating margin current consumption caused by the switching, but this is negligible compared to the current to drive an LED element
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-18 21:05
    Usually you can "overdrive" leds if they are being multiplexed to make them appear brighter. So where you might have 20ma x 7 LEDS for 140ma total draw. In a multiplex system you may drive the LEDs with 40ma (since they are only on 1/15 of the time usually the current is okay). So the system may draw 280ma total (40ma x 7), but still less than if ALL the LEDs where on at the same time.
    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com

    "A problem well defined, is a problem·half solved."
    ·
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-18 22:49
    The average time for battery life is 36 hours for three"AAA" batteries. The brown out feature has been set to "BOR22" to let the unit run as long as possible.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-03-18 23:59
    Dave,

    ·· When the batteries do die, it sounds kind of funny as the startup sound starts playing repeatedly!· Actually one of our staff said it was kind of annoying, but it was funny nonetheless.· Her unit is now connected to a wall-wart through a regulator.




    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Chris Savage

    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-19 02:48
    Comment out or remove the following lines of SX/B code and the speaker will shut up smile.gif The same thing happened to me when I was testing the prototypes. My wife said the battery brownout started about 5:30 AM one morning. It was annoying. The Medal did survive the subsequent shock testing. They are build well smile.gif


    FOR J = 70 TO 127 'SOUND DEMO
    SOUND RB.7,J,2
    NEXT

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-03-19 04:07
    DWinchell said...
    Comment out or remove the following lines of SX/B code and the speaker will shut up smile.gif The same thing happened to me when I was testing the prototypes. My wife said the battery brownout started about 5:30 AM one morning. It was annoying. The Medal did survive the subsequent shock testing. They are build well smile.gif
    FOR J = 70 TO 127 'SOUND DEMO
    SOUND RB.7,J,2
    NEXT
    Dave,

    ·· ...And miss the confused looks I get when someone carries a dying medal over thinking it's broken?· =)


    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Chris Savage

    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-19 18:48
    How many are running around the Parallax plant now ?? smile.gif They would look really cool strung on a Christmas tree. I am using a home brew SX-Key Ring to program the board then I use a three pin servo cable to power it. See picture from eariler post. Did you see Jim's or Doug's Key Ring ??

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2005-03-19 21:08
    DWinchell said...
    I am using a home brew SX-Key Ring to program the board then I use a three pin servo cable to power it. See picture from eariler post. Did you see Jim's or Doug's Key Ring ??

    Where is the picture of your SX-Key ring? (I missed it, could you post it again?) And they just take 6v (that you are giving through the servo cable, correct?)

    I can't wait until these get here so I can play with them. I had thought about using them as 'eyes' also...

    It would be fun to try and connect two of them for a continuous scroll....

    Ryan
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-03-20 02:18
    Dave,

    ·· Actually I programmed 3 or 4 that are running around Parallax now...Mine changes messages daily.· There are about 4 people who have them running...I tested your home-brew SX-Key Ring.· BTW, I managed to scrounge an actual SX Key Ring and there is a small difference...The original does not supply power to the device, just the SX Key.· I tested the one you sent Jim.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Chris Savage

    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • DWinchellDWinchell Posts: 60
    edited 2005-03-20 02:59
    Here is the home brew SX-Key Ring. I run it in programming mode with 4 conductor cables and power mode with common 3 couductor cables. The 3 conductor cables only supply regulated + 5 VDC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Thank You

    David Winchell

    David@Winchell.com
    Programming mode.JPG
    640 x 480 - 49K
    Power mode.JPG
    640 x 480 - 50K
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-20 15:54
    Just to let everyone know. I measured the current with ALL the LEDs on 140mA, and with none of them on 10mA when normal text is being displayed about 70mA. This was measured from my power supply which only has 10mA resolution, but it should be close.
    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com

    "A problem well defined, is a problem·half solved."
    ·
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