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  1. Crystal Wizard

    Assorted Gubbins on toy tank

    Thanks. An audio 'shield' sounds useful. I can just hold some audio files on the Arduino, and send them to the shield as needed (button push, timer etc)? I'll have to look into how to put all the signals together. I'm thinking most inputs will be button/switch. Either Selectors (Stop/Slow/Fast...
  2. Crystal Wizard

    Assorted Gubbins on toy tank

    While I'm waiting for my bits to arrive, I have resurrected an old idea I had. I play wargames (WH40k, if you know it), and was wondering about adding some electronics to one of the vehicles I am working on. Ideas: Microswitch underneath so that when it is picked up to move, it makes "engine"...
  3. Crystal Wizard

    Strange chemical reaction from PVC grommets

    Sounds like what has happened to the insulating foam that my ICs have been stored in for 20 years! Just touch the stuff and it falls to dust!
  4. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    UPDATE: I have not received my bag of bits yet, so just had a very quick play with what I can salvage from old box. I struggle to read resistor codes (too tiny for my failing eyes, and not sure which way round they are!). Multimeter helps! I can't identify my bags of capacitors and transistors...
  5. Crystal Wizard

    Greetings from the Crystal Wizard!

    :) I'll not be extolling the virtues of waving shards of Amethyst over your projects, or aligning your magnetic fields to your chakras, or any such My main project is an Arduino-based sensor-stick, with (e.g.) GPD, temperature, Magnetic North, distance-sensor etc. Built in the shape of a...
  6. Crystal Wizard

    Greetings from the Crystal Wizard!

    Thank you! I've already been receiving some very good help in my Project Thread, and I'll keep updating it as I grow land learn! :)
  7. Crystal Wizard

    Greetings from the Crystal Wizard!

    Hello all! I'm coming back to electronics after 20+ years away, so please be gentle as I find my feet! Strange how some things have changed so much, and others have not changed at all! Very disconcerting! :) I've got a Major project in the pipeline, but will be building up to it with many small...
  8. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    OK, thanks for all the help, everyone! Very useful! I've started looking into actually building stuff, and realised that I haven't touched a circuit in over 20 years, so I'm going to build some test bits on a breadboard and see how I get along! I'll start with some VERY simple circuits ( First...
  9. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Thanks. Good to know I can swap 'n' change :) Next sticking point is multi-tasking. I want to have several sensors (with buttons to switch on/off), and be able to run several at once. Most projects I look at are single-use, and loop a single task. What is a good way of running e.g. a...
  10. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Thanks. I think that clarifies things. I'm picking up a Pi Nano tonight (a friend has one spare), and will hopefully be talking to a friend, who teaches electronics, over the weekend. Will report back!
  11. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    OK, too much reading done. Back to asking stupid questions! Feel free to tag me as #DamnNoob! :) I'm looking at Arduino, Particle (photon), AdaFruit (Flora) ... they all seem "Arduino Compatible". Am I going to run into any traps by using any of these? Specifically, Particle seem to provide a...
  12. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Looking around, I have found the AdaFruit Wearables site https://www.adafruit.com/category/65 The Flora is a circular Arduino-compatible board, with lots of add-ons available. I could build this into the Top of the cane, and put all my sensors/Outputs down the length. Hmmm ...
  13. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Great links! Will go away and read some more. Thanks for help everyone.
  14. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    As I'll be having the cane custom made, I can make the top end a little larger, and reinforced where needed. I'm hoping some of the parts will fit easily (e.g. a line of LEDs with covers), and can have some "bulges" to accommodate other bits. Plan B is the same idea, but with a Top Hat! :)...
  15. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Cool! (I presume using an Arduino (nano or other) would be basically the same?) Now to work out what Sensors/Output Units I want! :) Thermometer - temp sensor (Temperature sensitive resistor?), and a run of LEDs (will be covered by a "mask" to make it look a bit more continuous) Wifi Strength -...
  16. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    OK, some reading later ... If I were to go with a Particle Photon (cheap, small, built-in wifi), this looks like my route: I could attach sensors to the Photon (Either Particle Shields or DIY attached to input pins). I can then write an App on my phone that will use the Particle REST API to...
  17. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Yes, but I want a cane! :) I've not finalised exactly what capabilities I want. I'd like some sensors, so that glyphs or gems light up e.g. when it senses wifi. A thermometer along the side (but with lights rather than alcohol/mercury). A display in the circular top, with an LCD that can report...
  18. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    Thanks for the replies. I've done some android programing, but not in this scenario. It'll be a good learning experience :) A friend recommended the nanoPi 2 fire, but I don't know enough about Pi, PIC, Arduino etc. Hence looking for some expert advice. If the computer in the cane is powerful...
  19. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    :) No, it's a genuine project! I've got a friend who can do the woodwork to make a cane, once I know what I need to put in it. I've not finalised what I want in it, but some gizmos to make it seem a bit 'majical'(see my user name).
  20. Crystal Wizard

    Digital Walking Cane

    HI. New Member, returning to electronics after many years away. I have an idea for a project, but am unsure where to start, so any advice would be welcome. I would like to build a Walking Cane, with some built-in electronics. The main Idea would be some Storage (SD card or similar), a few...
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