Nunchuck!

While working at my research fellowship, I am provided with the opportunity to demo some of the stuff I'm doing to high schoolers next month. I wanted to do something interesting, and decided to use the Wii nunchuck as an example of an interface device that is used with the I2C that I implemented. As of now everything is working great (it's cool to get consumer electronics, especially video game devices working). I plan on writing a small java terminal game where the player is controlled by the nunchuck. Something more interesting than seeing data from the nunchuck. I'll have pics up tomorrow.

It's always slow at the beginning of the semester.

Nothing new really going on. I do have FAT32 down and hope to have a SD card breakout board ship to my house soon so I can start learning how to interface with that. Hope to be able to setup a simple SD Card reader, possibly have an interface through UART to my PC for a terminal style interface. I am pretty disappointed with the resources for learning how to navigate the FAT32 filesystem. It came down to 2 sites I used to learn it, the official specifications given by Microsoft (which are in some other language) and a guide by this guy that was not specific enough for me. After creating a partition on my hard drive, zeroing it, and putting FAT32 on it, it finally became clear to me. It's pretty simple when it's all laid out for you.

First round of Exams are over

Last week I received all my test grades back. First the good news, 94% on my Calc 3 test. Hurrah to Vectors! Now on to Physics...64%! 

When I saw this test score, I had this feeling of grief that I really screwed up. This was made even worse because I snuck a view at someone elses test grade as I walked in, 84% on his. As we went over the test, I realized one reason why I did so bad, I wrote the answers to one question on the wrong part of the test, and he never marked it off. Thankfully he allowed me to get the extra 12 points for it, boosting my grade to a 76%. Unfortunately, I discovered two days later that the equations sheet I was handed for the test was missing half the equations! I lost at least 5% of my test grade due that. I showed this to my professor the next day, but he showed me in the top right corner that it said "Page 2 of 2." Although it isn't exactly fair, I don't hold it against him for not compensating for the lack of that half of the equations sheet that everyone else was able to use. I gained a life lesson from this experience, I need to be very proactive about making sure that I get what I need, to check these things over, and I know I can make up for it in future tests (afterall, my test score was 3rd highest in class, not counting those lost points from missing half the equation sheet). Furthermore, he did provide an extra credit lab that I was able to complete for an extra 5 points (which essentially, or at least for the most part makes up for that test goof up). Overall my professor is pretty cool, and I enjoy his humor.

I received a 88% on my Statistics test, and have an A in that class. I still have to play catch-up on the papers for Art class (behind one week), and need to finish 3 sections of Math homework tomorrow, along with finding time for Physics. Overall, this semester is doing fine, and although I'm pretty pressed for time during the week, I am enjoying it. All this commotion is helping pass the time, 5 weeks have already passed!

I have some plans for the new XMEGA 8-Bit AVRs coming out sometime later this year, or early next year. I'm going to limit my classes as much as possible next semester, probably will only take a C++ programming course, Engineering Physics 2, Introduction to Linear Algebra, and Introduction to Differential Equations. I hope time isn't constrained for that semester, I really want to play with my microcontrollers!

Too much work

Math consumed my entire weekend. I have no time for my electronics. I'm bummed. Next week is 3 tests, I still have 3 more chapters to finish homework wise in Calculus 3 before I will be ready for Wednesday's test, the teacher crammed in 4 chapters last Thursday. Engineering Physics test also coming up, should do well, but still have homework for that to finish also (2 chapters). Statistics is my one salvation, I hope. I have to do some homework for it, which will be due either Thursday or next Tuesday, but the problem is that it requires the lab which is open at the worst times for me. Hopefully I can do it all on Wednesday. Typically the first string of tests sets the mood for how things will be in the future, and gives me an accurate idea of what the teacher's expectations are for us. Wish me luck!

Updates with Pictures!

I decided to upload several pictures to show what exactly my little area looks like. I keep my soldering stuff off to the side, since what I mainly do deals with plug in prototyping and breadboarding. I realize my area is messy, but I do get things done.



This is my desk's electronics section, situated to the right of my computer. Since most of what I do involves interfacing the computers to program the microcontrollers, it works out to be a great spot. I'm thinking about putting a table next to my desk, but my parents probably won't like that idea. As you can see, my power supply is still being used to its fullest, making that $50 investment so worth it. You can also see my programmer and my STK500 and some paperwork.


Heres a closer shot of my microcontroller, GLCD, and the power supply. As you can tell it is extremely messy with wires, but as far as I'm concerned if they are connected right then why bother wasting time neatening it up. As you can see there is a Slurpee positioned right next to a power supply and sensitive electronics. I did not put that there, and I only realized it was there after I started taking pictures.


Here is the JTAGICEMKII that I bought recently. This thing is amazing, and was totally worth the investment. In fact, the debugger came in real handy earlier.

Just thought I'd include a picture of the STK500 since it is lying right next to the JTAGICEMKII. On the far right you'll see the header that connects to the JTAGICEMKII, which is very nice for quick programming and debugging.


And finally, a picture of my GLCD in action. Unfortunately when moving all the equipment for the electronics lab renovations at my college I forgot to backup all the programs onto my flash drive. I spent today redoing the entire program, and was able to make a better version of it. I next want to make it go through images like a slideshow, and that will require use of the PROGMEM feature of the AVR to prevent each picture from being loaded directly into RAM upon startup. Each 128x64 pixel monochrome image takes up 1024 bytes, or a quarter of the RAM.

Well, there it is, my work area. It isn't much, but it will be much once I get the STK600. I can't wait to move onto more advanced areas such as GPS, Wireless communication, Color GLCDs and 32 Bit processors.

Good News!

Sparkfun's GLCD

The other day I was awarded, by Mr. Harrill, the "Outstanding Student Award" for Electronics and Computer Technology. I was honored by him two days ago at the Meyer theater and my family attended (including my sister's boyfriend). This honor is definitely a resume booster. On top of that, I received a call the same day for a potential job. I was out when I was called, and had to call back. I go in for an interview on Thursday, after all my finals are finished. I'm really excited, if I am able to get the job this will be my first real job in electronics. I also receive my Electronics and Computer Technology Associates Degree after I finish this semester, and I expect to have at most one B for this semester (in Sociology). This has been a great week, and I'm really happy.

In addition to all the important things, I also have finally gotten a GLCD to work properly. Mr. Harrill purchased one a few weeks ago and unfortunately it only came with a single page for a datasheet that gave a potentially wrong pinout. The darn thing wouldn't work after 3 hours, and after extensive debugging of the program I checked the wiring over again. I happened to touch the controllers on the back of the GLCD and noticed they were extremely hot. After that fiasco I went and bought my own off of Sparkfun since they provided heavy documentation (to note I was the one who told Mr. Harrill to buy the faulty GLCD from Mouser). The Sparkfun GLCD used the same controllers and after plugging everything in the program worked great. As of now it is a very simplistic program that displays a line (simply to test the thing). I intend on making a quick picture displaying program for it after I finish with finals this upcoming week. It should be great for the presentations we (Mr. Harrill, Alex and I) do for the Electronics section at various High Schools. Mr. Kelly and Alex suggested a simple game, which I probably will end up doing. A simple scroller where you control a horizontally stationary sprite that navigates through a path, similar to this.

Over this weekend I have to wrap up studying and any leftover homework. If we manage to box up most of the lab (for the lab renovations) before the weekend I will be able to finally start reading K&R. Ugh, 8 classes with 8 tests next week. Thankfully I only have 19 credits next Fall semester, the free time for personal projects and a possible job will be amazing. Below is my schedule for the Fall,

ART-155-01 (13466) Art Appreciation
MECH-102-01 (13902) Manufacturing Processes
MATH-162-02 (14052) Introduction to Statistics
PHY-251-01 (14065) Engineering Physics I
MATH-271-01 (14061) Calculus III


Don't mind the Art Appreciation, that's for the Computer Engineering Degree. After all, I need to be "well rounded." :)

Pictures and a Video of my Simple DVM Project

Today I took some pictures and a video of my DVM project. I really wish I had potentiometers to calibrate this thing, oh well, this is more of a learning project than anything else.

A picture of the DVM in action!

A view of the entire circuit, although the voltage dividers are kind of hidden behind the LCD display.




This video shows it in action. This circuit uses a ATmega644 microcontroller.

Attachments,
Picture of Assembler/Simulator: http://salgat.googlepages.com/simulation.JPG

Project Folder including Source Code: http://salgat.googlepages.com/AVRDVM.zip

Updates on my Life

Just wrapped up a project I have been working on the past 2 mornings. I wanted to learn both ADC and the 2x16 character LCD, so I found a suitable project to incorporate them both, a simple DVM (digital voltmeter). The result is quite pleasing! In under 300 bytes I made a simplistic program that outputs "Voltage: XX.XV". The internal 2.56V reference isn't working for some reason, so I just used two 330 Ohm resistors in series to half 5V into 2.5V. If you take that along with the divide by 10 resistor network for the ADC input and the 10% tolerances of the resistors, it becomes understandable why it isn't perfect in accuracy (at lower voltages, the accuracy is within .1V, while at the upper limit around .8V). Since I knew anything beyond the tenths place wouldn't be close to accurate, I chose to use only 8-bit accuracy for the conversion. The program runs great and the display updates ~4 times per second (although this restriction is strictly aesthetic). The total cost of this high impedance DVM with decent accuracy is around $10, and higher accuracies will be obtained once I find more accurate resistors and fix the internal reference voltage problem.

I wish I could say that my devotion to my electronics is equivalent to my devotion to my school work. I have neglected all my school work this entire spring break, and now have 3 days left to play catch up. I hate to say hate, but I am absolutely sick of all my classes not related to my major electronics. Sociology, Business Management, and Economics in particular are becoming a nuisance. I find myself diverting almost all my attention from electronics to maintain my performance in those classes (although I do admit that I spend almost all my time on Friday-Sunday on Video Games, but that is to keep me sane through the rest of the week). As much as I love school, I dislike classes that while provide some life-long benefit, tend to be unnecessary. $1,400 and ~140 hours of my time going towards those classes, I hope that later in life they make up for their cost.

Another class that I have an aversion to is Visual Basic Programming. Although the class is neither required nor necessary by any means, I still decided to take it due to the many employers out there asking for experience with it. I absolutely enjoy programming in Assembly. The feeling of absolute control over what I am doing is amazing. My comparison between learning Assembly and learning Visual Basic is the difference between learning Math and English. I don't receive the same enjoyment from designing windows and programming in a manner where the computer does everything for me. I suppose it's the syntax that gets to me. Assembly on the AVR consists of 120 instructions. That's it, no more, no less. Visual Basic consists of thousands of different rules and instructions, all of which I have to learn. I have never liked English class, and I did poorly in my Intro to French Class. I am not surprised that I have a B in Visual Basic. I have found that the greatest challenge in taking 24 credits this semester is not the work, but the lack of interest. Last semester was heavenly, all electronics classes and a math class, which is why I could handle 23 credits with all A's. This semester however, I find it hard to find any interest in 5 of my classes. The possibility of several B's this semester is strong, but I'll probably drudge through it and increase my grades anyways. After all, I really would like a Scholarship or two for Lawrence Tech.

Nearing completion of my book, very anxious!

5 Chapters left, or roughly 100 pages to go until I finish Learning Python(the book). I'm very excited, soon I will be able to move onto Programming Python and start to do some real programming. Unfortunately with all the excitement of finishing this book comes the anxiousness of wanting to start the next book. I started reading Learning Python the second week of this month(9th or 10th, can't remember which), and after 3 weeks I am already becoming very familiar with the language. My hopes are to have this book finished by Wednesday. Chapter 25 is really short, some 10 pages long, so I will probably finish that tonight, leaving me with 4 chapters to read over the next 3 days. I will be able to read two chapters at work Tuesday, so I can almost guarantee finishing by Wednesday.

My second year of college(and fourth semester) starts next month also, August 30th, two days after my birthday! With only a month left until school I feel a need to start moving through my Python studies a little faster, this fall I have 23 credits, and although the only concern is Calculus 2 as far as difficulty, I am still kind of weary about having so many classes. Heres a list of the classes I have(in no particular order),

1. ELEC-133-01 = Circuit Analysis
2. MATH-172-01 = Calculus II
3. ELEC-211-01 = Med Voltage Power Dist Systems
4. ELEC-137-01 = Microprocessors
5. ELEC-134-01 = Electronics II
6. ELEC-130-01 = Introduction to PLCs
7. ELEC-126-01 = DC Motors and Controls

7 classes in total, thank goodness they are all classes I will enjoy. I love electronics, and math is an awesome subject, so I should be fine this upcoming semester. If homework is the equivalent to what it was last Winter when I had 17 credit hours, then I should have plenty of time on the weekends to continue studying Python. Thank goodness, even with so many credits, that I could maintain having Friday off. The extra money saved from not having to drive 35 miles on Fridays really helps.

I'll probably get back to my book in an hour, going to grab something to eat soon and just browse some of my favorite sites, such as Digg, Slashdot, AllaboutCircuits, and so on.