Miskatonic Institute of Technology

Miskatonic Institute of Technology
(click on emblem to learn more)

7.12.09

USB powered Nintendo Wii Remote (Wiimote)

Here is a simple but safe way to power your Wiimote through a USB port, eliminating the need for AA batteries. It is easily done, even if it is your first electronics project!

    (click on the photos see full size photos)


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Here is PCB which can be used for the board:
and the same PCB file in printable PDF


Some more explanation:
  • This mod is based on a LM317 voltage regulator, which takes the USB's 5V and outputs 2.8V, ready to be used on the Wiimote. It DOES not destroy your wiimote, the only "hack" is a hole to pass the usb cable through (and an optional LED "power-ON" indicator light).
  • LM317 comes in these packages and the pinouts are as shown:
    Photobucket

4.12.09

Coming soon

  • PC power supply unit (PSU) hacked to be used as bench power supply
  • USB-powered Nintendo Wii Remote (Wiimote)
  • AtMega16-base USB joystick
  • PIC-based PWM fan controller
  • Hall-effect sensors on the pedals

4.11.09

MiniStick V2


I am creating a PCB board for my Flight Console "ICARUS ONE" and i have been a whole week without it! I could take no more without IL2, so i started using my old  MiniStick. But soon i felt it was not good enough... So, i did a brand new PCB (it's PCB-age for me now, THANK YOU MENIO!) and hooked up a BU0836 to it, directly on board. I also added 2 new high precision joystick-potentiometers and some more buttons.


Now it features 8 analog axis:
  • Aileron
  • Elevator
  • Rudder
  • Right Engine throttle
  • Left Engine throttle
  • Prop.pitch
  • Flaps
  • Brakes
..and 12 buttons, with integrated software-controlled trim on all axis.


Here are some pictures:









Click on the thumbnails to see larger pictures



















more pictures here:


20.10.09

10bit PWM PIC servo controller

Here is the source files of my PWM project. Both Assembly and HEX files.
Hope you find it helpful. It offers full 10-bits resolution of the PWM designed to be used with servo motors.
http://users.ntua.gr/mc03003/My_PWM_Stergios.rar

PIC servo controller

Finally i managed to drive my SG5010 digital servo using a PIC (pic16f887)




Here is my code in Mikrobasic:
program MyPWM_numca
' * Description
' PWM library was unable to drive the SG5010 digital servo, so i am writing
' my own program. It will read Analog from PORTA.0 and it will create pulse
' of apropriate width every 20ms in PORTC.2
'
' * Test configuration
'     MCU:            P16F887
'     Dev.Board:      44pin demo board
'     Oscillator:     internal 4Mhz
dim temp as word

sub procedure WAIT(dim temp10 as word)
dim i as word
i = 0
for i = 0 to temp10
delay_us(1)
next i
end sub

main:
ANSEL = 000001          ' Configure AN0 pin as analog
TRISA = 000001          ' PORTA is input
TRISC = 000000          ' PORTC is output for pulses
TRISD = 000000          ' PORTD is output for temp

while true
temp = ADC_READ(0)
PORTD = temp
PORTC = 000100
delay_us(400)
WAIT(temp div %1000)
PORTC = 000000
WAIT(1000-temp)
delay_us(18600)
wend
end.

Here are the files of this project.

Ελληνικό post: http://www.hlektronika.gr/forum/showthread.php?p=328745#post328745

9.10.09

Elevator Trim Wheel added.

Saitek's X52 was fitted a multiturn elevator trim wheel. I used LEGO gears and a large LEGO motoX wheel with the tyre, to give a aircraft-like look. (click on photos for larger view)


Pedals upgrade! v1.3

I just finished upgrading my rudder pedals. They are now using pneumatic rods for centering.
(click on photos for larger view).



22.9.09

My SIMPSON Moto-X Helmet!

I just finished decorating my Simpson motoX helmet:
(click on photos)
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Hand crafted from red vinyl adhesive sheet.

20.9.09

Aviation Questions & Answers


Aviation humor 101
Originally posted by The_Stealth_Owl:


Q: How hot is the blades of a Me-262 while at ful power?
A: Depends. The compressor section blades get hot and the turbine section blades get pretty f***in' hot.

Q: What planes have metal covered control surfaces?
A: There are millions of aircraft designs. Be specific.

Q: What happens if you accidently go to space in a WWII plane?
A: cant happen. CAN'T HAPPEN. Can't happen.

Q: What happens when you break the sound berrier?
A: you suddenly go faster than the speed of sound.

Q: If you go to fast, could your windsheild break?
A: Yes. It happens. Ever notice how a crack spreads on a car's windshield the faster you go?

Q: Are they using any WWII planes today?
A: Yes. but "using" is limited to put-putting around.


Q:Whitch planes had an area for luggadge?
A: How much luggage? All airplanes have a space for the pilot's tote bag. Well, most anyway.

Q:What happenes when a plane gets struck by lightning when its grounded?
A: Lightning will pass through it and discharge into the ground.

Q: How many volts are in the aircraft bateries?
A: Most aircraft systems work off 12 or 24 Volt batteries.

Q: Did they have LEDs back then?
A: The first led was invented in the 1920's. However they did not become a practical electronic component until 1962.

Q: What planes had guncams?
A: Lots. The list would be shorter if you had asked which airplanes didnt have guncams.

Q: Did they carry a gun in teh cockpit?
A: Pilots are military officers and have a sidearm as part of their dress. Wether a pilot decided to bring a gun with him his cockpit or not was up to him.

Q: How heavy was a fully loaded Pilot?
A: Beer is a liquid based on water. Water weighs 1kg per liter. Seeing as pilots probably drank 3-4 pints of beer a night, a fully loaded pilot would weigh about 10-15 pounds more than his given weight. Well until he went for a pee or threw up in the garbage can behind the mess.

Q: Were the planes fire-proof?
A: Fuel, oil and surprisingly, aluminum burn very well. So no.

Q: How heavy was a fully painted aircraft?
A: Paint should add about 5-6% of the total weight to an aircraft.

Q: What planes had AC?
A: AC is a standard feature on all aircraft. Generally it is activated by opening the window above 12000 feet.

Q: What planes had cockpit cussions?
A: The ones that the pilots did not have to sit on their parachutes.

Q: What did the pilot do if he had to go to teh bathroom?
A: some aircraft had relief tubes.

Q: What did he do when he was hungry?
A: He ate.

Q: what did he do when he was bored?
A: imagine what it would be like if he wasnt.

Q: Did they play I-Spy using the radio?
A: probably not.

Q: How many planes had radio?
A: all the ones with antennae.

Q: What planes could hang by the prop?
A: none.

Q: Was teh YP-80 stealth?
A: If the germans werent looking, then yes.

Q: What if the Pilot got thrirsty?
A: He drank.

Q: What did he do if his throttle stick broke?
A: 2 options....at full throttle, turn back home and shut the engine off to land. If stuck at idle, turn home or towards friendly territory and land in a field (forced approach).

Q: Which planes had a defroster?
A: What are we defrosting? Chicken?

Q: Which planes had fire extinguishers?
A: Engine fire extinguishers or in-cockpit fire extinguishers?


Q: Should I stop, or keep going?
A: Stop.

there... I answered all your questions. Now go outside and play. Or if in school, turn off the computer and go learn something from a teacher.

6.8.09

Photos of "ICARUS ONE"

"ICARUS ONE", brand new console for "SuperJEW"

I just finished my first console to-sale:

I am very excited by the result!!

26.7.09

Σήμερα έκοψα την πρώτη κονσόλα προς πώληση!

23.6.09

Youtube video of Flight Console

My new video of the Flight Console!
No music, as "natural" as it gets to show how it works..

18.6.09

Upgraded pedals (v 2.1)

I dismantled the pedals to paint them but the sample paint was bad, and I did not proceed to paint it. But it gave me the opportunity of taking some better shots of the pedals and upgrading the braking mechanism.

Wide View 4

Wide View 3 Wide View 2

Potentiometer Close-up 4 Potentiometer Close-Up 5

Base Setup Pedals 1

Bearings and Springs Spring rods and Pneumatic Rods

Assembled Pedals 2 Assembled Pedals 3
All photos here: http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa220/klapatsimbanos/Pedals/?start=all

I would like to thank my Professor N.P.Petropoulos, for helping me out with the machinery work. Without his help, i would never have been able to build this with my bare hands :D