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Percussion instruments are likely the first kind that humanity invented, because they’re quite simple: hit a thing and a noise happens. Different things produce different frequencies with different timbres, and glass bottles have a nice xylophonic sound to them. Because glass bottles are easy to find among discarded garbage, Jens of the Jens Maker Adventures YouTube channel took advantage of them to build this awesome robotic instrument.

Jens started by collecting a bunch of different bottles. He tapped each to while searching to get a sense of the notes they produced, which he could then lower by adding some water to fine tune the pitch. Once he had enough bottles to cover a range of notes, he set out to construct a robot to play them.

Solenoid actuators tap each bottle and an Arduino UNO Rev3 board controls that tapping. It does so according to MIDI files created in the popular Ableton software. Jens matched the available notes in Ableton to those produced by the glass bottles, so he could simply compose melodies using those notes knowing that the robot could play them. The Arduino reads the MIDI files output by Ableton and strikes the corresponding bottles.

Finally, Jens laser-cut a plywood frame and enclosure that holds the bottles, the Arduino, and the solenoids. It works with seven bottles, which is the number of notes this machine can play.

Jens demonstrated that by playing a guitar along with the robotic instrument and the result sounds very pleasant — especially for something made with garbage.

The post This robot turns old bottles into a musical instrument appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Sketch of a Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 with Arduino Mega 2560

When [Stephen Cass] found himself with a broken Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 portable computer, the simplest solution was to buy another broken one and make one working computer from two non-working computers. However, this left him with a dilemma — what to do with the (now even more) broken one left over?

LCD layout is unusual by modern standard, but optimized for fast updates

Naturally, he did what a lot of us would do and used modern hardware to interface with the original parts that still work. In this case it meant replacing the motherboard with an Arduino Mega 2560.

Luckily, the Model 100 has a substantial fanbase and there’s a lot of helpful information available online, including the detailed service manual, that helped [Stephen] to understand how to drive the unusual display.  The LCD has a resolution of 240×64 pixels, which are broken down into eight zones of 50×32 pixels, and two zones of 40×42 pixels.  Each zone is then further divided into four banks, eight pixels tall, so that each column of eight pixels corresponds to a single byte.

Every one of the ten zones is controlled by an individual HD44102 driver IC, connected to a 30-bit wide bus for selecting the correct chip, bank and column.

With the Arduino handling the data, the old LCD still needed a -5 V supply for contrast and an RC filter to smooth out the PWM signal [Stephen] is using to adjust the viewing angle.

With the new interface, [Stephen] is able to access all of the pixels on the original display, and to use modern graphics libraries such as displayio. With the display issue solved, he intends to use a separate Teensy 4.1 to connect with the keyboard matrix and provide a VT100 terminal interface.

Schematic of the HD44102 driver circuit

Upcycling old, broken hardware can be a lot of fun and is always educational.  Understanding why certain design decisions were made at a time when the engineering trade-offs were different can lead to insights that are directly relevant to modern designs when resources get tight. In this case, the quirky LCD drivers were a response to making the display of text as efficient as possible, so as not to overburden the processor.

The TRS-80 computers are ripe for hacking, with their “built-for-service” designs, and we’ve featured a few in the past.  Some have replaced the motherboard with something newer, like [Stephen], whereas others have also replaced the display, or connected them to the cellphone network.

Have you found new ways to get old hardware working? Tell us in the comments below or send us a message on the Hackaday tips line.

Thanks to [nb0x0308] for the tip!

The aphorism that “they don’t build them like they used to” is especially true of the consumer electronics industry. Most manufacturers today design their product to last only a few years — or with outright planned obsolescence. But mid-century stereo consoles were a different story and resembled high-end furniture that would last. Sherman Banks has a Penncrest stereo console from that era, but its electronics were failing. So he used an Arduino to modernize the unit while retaining the vintage appearance.

This particular console had an AM/stereo FM radio receiver and a built-in phonograph turntable. Unfortunately, the aging electronic components were unreliable and lacked good sound quality. The console itself, however, was in fantastic shape. So Banks wanted to keep it looking as original as possible, but with modern electronics and all of the features they offer. He replaced the radio with a Denon DRA-800H stereo receiver that offered inputs for a turntable and SiriusXM receiver, as well as Bluetooth streaming and Ethernet connections. He also replaced the turntable with a new Denon DP-29F.

Those would have worked just fine, but he wanted the original controls to work. For that, Banks used an Arduino Mega 2560 board. It reads the inputs from potentiometer knobs for volume, radio tuning, input selection, and so on. It then passes that information over to the stereo receiver through an Ethernet Shield. The stereo accepts network commands to change the radio station, inputs, and other important functions. It also outputs that information, which let Banks set the dial to the appropriate position. The Arduino receives the station number and then uses a stepper motor with a leadscrew and block to move the dial indicator back and forth to the correct position.

Now Banks has a stereo console that looks completely vintage, but which offers all of the modern quality and convenience that he could want.

The post 1960s stereo console modernized with a Arduino appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Normally when an inexpensive wall clock stops ticking, you simply buy a new one. However, ‘Developer Hendrik’ decided to bring his broken clock back to life, or some semblance thereof, using a 3D-printed four-axis robot arm dubbed “Serworm Michael.”

Under the control of a MKR 1010 WiFi and DYNAMIXEL MKR Shield, along with a Raspberry Pi, Serworm Michael is set up to push the minute hand into the next position. Five DYNAMIXEL XL330-M288-T servos drive the robot, which are programmed by physically moving the arm and using a command line interface.

You can see it in action in the video below, while more details on Serworm Michael are available on GitHub.

The post This overengineered robotic clock will not be underappreciated appeared first on Arduino Blog.

Ramen noodles can be a quick snack or meal, but per this IoT ramen maker by Clem Mayer, you don’t even have to run to the microwave to prepare them. 

His project used a vintage electric filter coffee machine to heat and dribble water into the waiting brick-o-food, then a stepper-driven pusher adds flavor powder. More seasoning can be dispensed via a servo-actuated syringe, and another stepper is used to stir everything.

The setup is controlled by a MKR WiFi 1010 board, giving Mayer the ability to start meals/mix in hot sauce from the convenience of his phone via a simple web app. Results are… edible-ish, but if you want to build your own, files and more info can be found here.

If you have a broken washing machine, you may want to think twice before disposing of it. As Stephen John Saville shows in this multi-use rotary table project, they can provide a wealth of parts, from the actual physical structure/table of the build, to a motor that’s able to run via AC or DC, and various other mechanical components. There’s even an electronic timer salvaged from an old microwave.

To keep the turntable running at the desired speed, he used an Arduino Nano connected to a triad circuit, along with an LM393 chip and optocoupler to implement closed-loop control. User feedback is shown on a 16×2 LCD screen, updated every two seconds to avoid interfering with speed control functions. 

More info on this clever hack can be found in its well-detailed write-up, and be sure to check out the very entertaining video of what’s involved in such a repurposing feat below! 

Ott
07

A Spinning POV Hard Drive Platter Clock

arduino, clock, Hacks, hard drive, pov, science, upcycling Commenti disabilitati su A Spinning POV Hard Drive Platter Clock 

povclockThis piece takes upcycling to the next level.

Read more on MAKE



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