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Archive for August, 2014

Handheld XV-11 LIDAR with STM32F429 and MATLAB

August 26th, 2014 35 comments

The XV-11 LIDAR unit

The XV-11 LIDAR unit

To make our robots even more autonomous we would like to investigate the world of Laser range finding using LIDAR technology. Unfortunately for the users who want to try out LIDAR it’s a very expensive technology to get your hands on.

Throughout the years though Vacuum Clearner robots have evolved a lot, both in the algorithms gettings better but also in the use of more advanced sensors. Lately the Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum System included a small range (0.2m to 6m) LIDAR with 1 degree precision and a resolution of a couple of centimeters. As this vacuum cleaner only costs around $400 makes it a bargain to get hold of a LIDAR if just you could disassemble the robot and use just the LIDAR.

Luckily for us there was put up a bounty for people “hacking” the XV-11 LIDAR and a new hacking community had begun: xv11hacking – LIDAR Sensor http://xv11hacking.wikispaces.com/LIDAR+Sensor
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Categories: ARM, STM32 Tags:

IoT featured soccer table

August 24th, 2014 1 comment

IoT table from top

IoT table from top

Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the big electronics subjects throughout the world this year.

To show the capabilities of custom IoT devices and to help a local LAN-event organisation, TheBlast, we offered the help to create an Internet enabled soccer table.
Thanks to generous donation by Tuborg Fonden we were able to buy a brand new soccer table for us to modify.

We modified the table by adding two touch displays for user interaction, a barcode scanner for user registration. Inside the table we installed two score detection IR sensors and a ball release system, made by using a motor/wheel from an old Roomba robot. Finally we installed 5 meter of RGB LED strip to light up the playfield.

When scores is detected they are immediately registered online, to be displayed on the LAN-event website, where score timetable and all previous matches can be found.
This post will describe the features of the final table and how it was developed.


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Categories: ARM, STM32 Tags: , , , , , ,