Archive for the ‘SM2258 - Creative Electronics Workshop’ Category:
Subscribe to the comments for this postWiiflash issues with the Wiiolin
So the Wiiolin is due on tueday and I still have to iron out many bugs. The main problem is the fact that the wiiflash server does not want to work anymore on my Windows7 machine that I plan to use for the presentation.
I have used different Bluetooth Dongles: Integrated HP, external no-name USB dongle
I hqve tried different Bluetooth Stacks: the MS7 default bluetooth stack, the Bluesoleil 6 stack and the Toshiba Stack and none of them seem to play nicely with Wiiflash.
After trying on my linux box that the wiimote was still functional using wmgui, I tried with my mac and it would simply not send any commands to the wiimote while it would still get the information from the wiimote, thus giving me only one-way comminication.
I have it finally working using a very early version. The current version of wiiflash is 4.5 and I will be using a un-numbered version (probably the first one) in console mode. It works very nicely.
my communication protocol has been implemented on the arduino side and I am trying now to get it to work properly on the Flex application I am building as a front-end.
more on tuesday after presentation…
So… what’s wrong?
A well due update on the project.
Since I am too busy with FYP recently i have not had much time to concentrate on my final assignment.
So far done:
- Violin with embedded wiimote, LEDs, amplifier and microphone.
- Arduino with connection to LED and wiimote
So far failed:
- Communication between wiimote and arduino
- software
how to fix the failures:
- communication:
I changed my method of connection and decided to use a more “analog” aproach. Instead of using the twi provided by the IC2 protocol of the wiimote, I will simply use commands to turn the LEDs of the wiimote on and off. This way i will send code to the arduino using a home-made protocol that goes as follow.
It will be a cyclic protocol based on 300ms delays between data transfers, a “begin” tag for syncronisation and a “data” tag on each 3bit packets defining if we are in the middle of a sequence or not.
Since i have 8 leds to turn on and off I will define the data as follows:
111 - begin
011 - turn on LED 1 and 2
011 - turn on LED 3 and 4
011 - turn on LED 5 and 6
011 - turn on LED 7 and 8
the first bit set to high will be only for the begin packet
the first bit set to low will be for all other packets
the second and third bits will be used for data. high turning on… low turning off.
trying this afternoon.
- software
well… gotta get started some day… i guess…
will be done by the presentation date.
new cheesy name + progress
new name: Wiiolin.
Pretty un-imaginative, i know.
current progress:
more or less on schedule. Hardware is done, software to be done.
Integrated amplifier included in the violin, to power the XLR output + speaker.
The violinwas also stringed up and glued back together.
Chopping up the violin and carving groves for cables
Chopping up the violin and carving groves for cables
couple ideas for the class project
semi analog/semi digital musical instrument
based on arduino, wiimote and an already modified violin that is fitted with LEDs
use: Arduino, Processing or flash, glove pie
Analog items use: potentiometers, switches, photocells, piezo
Maybe the way that this would be original is the way that the sound is modified by the “symbiosis” between the violin and the player.
Some links from Class
- http://www.ladyada.net/
- http://evilmadscience.com/
- http://evsc.net/v7/doku.php
- http://hamletbon.net/
week 6
We are being taught how to solder a circuit built on a breadboard to a perforated prototyping board.
The plan is to move the amplifier of last week to the board and put the board in a milkbox with the speaker.
The plan being for the other students to be able to play music from it on the go. They will still use 9v battery.
As shown in class I have changed the project slightly, put it in stereo and removed most of the buzz. I also used 5v USB power instead of the battery power.
To remove the buzz from the speakers I simply went and read the comments on the articles on Jose Pino’s website (http://josepino.com/circuits/?mini_amplifier_lm386). In the comments I could find that other people were encountering the same problem and recommended to use a 0.01uF capacitor in parallel to the speaker poles. I used a 0.1uF capacitor since i only had that on hand and it worked out all-right I put one on each speaker and we were good to go.
The overall soldering of the project was easy, but I would not say that it was a clean soldering job. It was a good saturday night project.
Below are some pictures of the new project:
