Wireless controlled servo-mounted laser pointer

Code Monkey

This project actually started out as something useful, but I lost interest halfway through and ended up turning it into something completely useless...

I converted my second ZipZaps car into a wireless control board and am using it to control a servo and a laser pointer which is mounted on the servo. The left and right button on the remote controls the servo movement. The forward and backward button on the remote turns the laser pointer on. Holding the down button on the remote causes the laser pointer to stay on solid, while holding the up button causes the laser to pulse using the toggle command and the 20ms pause needed for the servo. This gives you the option of a solid or a pulsating beam.

To keep the servo in place on the board, I put mini wall of header pins on the board to surround the servo and then used one of my extra rubber band boe-bot tires to wrap around the servo and wall.

It was pretty fun to make and play with but probably wont stay on the board long as I don't really see me doing anything useful with it.

-Marc

Beau Schwabe

Here is a link you might be interested in..... it's not wireless, but a "direct drive" approach to move a laser.

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=549166

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

Code Monkey

Beau,

Your post is what inspired me to do this one.

-Marc

Beau Schwabe

Ahhh

Nice work!

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

ktekx

I havent tried this, but if you mount mirrors on two servos, you can control the beam in horizontal/vertical positions, also. Just have the laser hit the first mirror (horizontal control), which reflects it to a second mirror (vertical control). This is how real laser projectors work but at a much faster speed (they don't use servos, though, but galvanometers).

Btw, some of the coolest things are completely useless.

Beau Schwabe

ktekx said...

I havent tried this, but if you mount mirrors on two servos, you can control the beam in horizontal/vertical positions, also. Just have the laser hit the first mirror (horizontal control), which reflects it to a second mirror (vertical control). This is how real laser projectors work but at a much faster speed (they don't use servos, though, but galvanometers).

I can't speak for Code Monkey, but I was trying to minimize the part count and the mechanical complexity. That's why I went
the direct servo drive route.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

Code Monkey

I have been planning to try something like that with the mirrors. I saw a kit which used two mirrors and dc motors, but I wasn't sure how well servos would work in their place.

-Marc