I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Tag: Arduino

The incredible micro-controller board from Italy that’s inspired so many projects and spin offs and that I’ve been trying to master and use for ages.

Phoenard

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This device has been with me for seven years now, and so far I have never found a reasonable use for it. Most recently I tried to get it working again with a few ideas of what I might use it for. I bought this, or rather funded it on Kickstarter, and now, sadly, the company that made it has long gone. These things happen of course, all too frequently.

As a device it has a lot of potential, but potential doesn’t always equate to actual usefulness, or at least that is always the case with me. I have a few ideas about using it, or possible uses for it, but right now, as I’ve decided to revive it, I cannot seem to get it to work at all. Which is somehow typical.

I have a sense that this happened the last time I tried to revive it. I will continue to try and get it running again, but it may be that it has simply had its day.

I backed Thumby on Kickstarter

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I backed this even though I really try not to back tech stuff these days. It always feels like I end up with a device that I really don’t need and then eventually sell it. However, this was reasonably priced and just such a cool idea. Plus, I had been thinking about devices that sit alongside your keys. This certainly fits that description.

Over the last few years I have pulled back from backing things on Kickstarter, at least backing technology projects. This is in no small part due to the experience of backing blocks smart watch, which failed to deliver anything at all, but also as I backed too many projects where I subsequently never used the final product.

However, I couldn’t resist Thumby. It is so cool that I have made an exception. I do expect that I will struggle to be able to use it. Especially with a screen of that size and eyesight that is less than great these days. But maybe it will be fun, and maybe, just maybe, it might even be useful. Although I am not holding my breath on that.

The device itself can be programmed using the arduino IDE, which is cool, and, whilst I am nothing like a good programmer, I am at least familiar with it. I doubt that I will write much original code for it, but I might amend something that others have written to make it suit my needs. Maybe.

According to Kickstarter it is due to be shipped later this month. When it arrives I’ll post something about it with some pictures I expect.

Arduboy (and a little retro comparison)

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I got this last week, which was much sooner than I’d expected to see it. It is tiny. About the size of maybe 3 or 4 credit cards stacked on top of each other. That’s why I thought it would be interesting to see it with a Rex 6000. Of course the Rex has a lot more memory than an Arduino and is of course designed to be a PDA where the Arduino nor the Arduboy is. Even so, it’s an interesting comparison.

When I get some time I’m going to try and see what I can make with the Arduboy as you can code to it via Codebender. So that’s really the next step.

Happy Arduino and Genuino Day

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Interesting that it’s changed now from just Arduino day. I wonder how long before it becomes just Genuino day? I guess it will happen eventually.

So today is a day when people do strange things with small microcomputers. That’s excellent. I might even find some time myself to do something. I had planned to go to an event, but it ended up not being possible sadly, so I will have to satisfy myself with some home tinkering I expect.

Getting the mCookie up and running

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mCookie Microduino USB
mCookie Microduino USB

One of those tech things that can annoy you by just not doing what you want it to. But, at last I’ve got the basics up and running. It’s a nice kit though, with a lot of possibilities, and that’s what I’m really looking forward to now.

mCookie Microduino OLED screen and parts
mCookie Microduino OLED screen and parts

Especially what I might be able to do with the OLED screen, and also the speakers too.

mCookie Microduino components
mCookie Microduino components

The audio components look good too, and the audio stuff is going to be my focus, although bluetooth could be useful as well.

mCookie Microduino sensors
mCookie Microduino sensors

When I got this kit (quite a while ago now), I got the full range of sensors too.

mCookie instructions

So now I really need to get into reading this and then move forward.