PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius™

WHIP UP SOME FIENDISHLY FUN PICAXE MICROCONTROLLER DEVICES "Ron has worked hard to explain how the PICAXE system operates through simple examples, and I'm sure his easy-to-read style will help many people progress with their PICAXE projects." —From the Foreword by Clive Seager, Revolution Education Ltd. This wickedly inventive guide shows you how to program, build, and debug a variety of PICAXE microcontroller projects. PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius gets you started with programming and I/O interfacing right away, and then shows you how to develop a master processor circuit. From "Hello, World!" to "Hail, Octavius!" All the projects in Part I can be accomplished using either an M or M2 class PICAXE processor, and Part II adds 20X2-based master processor projects to the mix. Part III culminates in the creation of Octavius—a sophisticated robotics experimentation platform featuring a 40X2 master processor and eight breadboard stations which allow you to develop intelligent peripherals to augment Octavius' functioning. The only limit is your imagination! PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius: Features step-by-step instructions and helpful photos and illustrations Allows you to customize each project for your purposes Offers all the programs in the book free for download Removes the frustration factor—all required parts are listed, along with sources Build these and other devious devices: Simple mini-stereo jack adapter USBS-PA3 PICAXE programming adapter Power supply Three-state digital logic probe 20X2 master processor circuit TV-R input module 8-bit parallel 16X2 LCD board Serialized 16X2 LCD Serialized 4X4 matrix keypad SPI 4-digit LED display Countdown timer Programmable, multi-function peripheral device and operating system Octavius—advanced robotics experimentation platform L298 dual DC motor controller board Each fun, inexpensive Evil Genius project includes a detailed list of materials, sources for parts, schematics, and lots of clear, well-illustrated instructions for easy assembly. The larger workbook-style layout and convenient two-column format make following the step-by-step instructions a breeze. Make Great Stuff! TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists. McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics 2010 Contents 12 Foreword 16 Acknowledgments 18 Prologue 20 Part One: PICAXE Basics 24 1 Introduction to PICAXE Programming and Projects 26 Choosing a PICAXE Processor 26 Interfacing a Project with Your Mac or PC 27 Using RevEd’s Free Programming Editor or AXEpad Software 28 Programming in PICAXE BASIC 29 Breadboards, Stripboards, and PC Boards 30 Project 1 “Hello World” 31 Debugging a PICAXE Project 37 2 Introduction to Stripboard Circuits 38 Designing Stripboard Circuits 38 Tools for Stripboard Circuit Construction 41 Project 2 The USBS-PA3 PICAXE Programming Adapter 44 Hello Again 46 3 Designing and Building a +5V Regulated Power Supply 50 Designing a +5V Regulated Power Supply for Breadboard Circuits 51 Project 3 More Power, Scotty! 56 4 Hardware Overview of the PICAXE M2-Class Processors 62 General-Purpose Variables 63 Storage Variables 64 Special-Function Variables 65 Project 4 Cylon Eye 68 5 The Ins and Outs of PICAXE Interfacing 74 PICAXE I/O Interfacing 74 Setting Up an Interrupt Routine 79 Project 5 Mary 83 6 Introduction to ADC Inputs on M2-Class Processors 88 Voltage Dividers 89 Project 6 A Three-State Digital Logic Probe 93 Part Two: PICAXE Peripheral Projects 104 7 Introduction to the PICAXE-20X2 Processor 106 Advanced Features of the 20X2 Processor 106 Project 7 Implementing the 20X2 Master Processor Circuit 109 8 Infrared Input from a TV Remote Control 116 Reception and Transmission of Standard TV IR Signals 116 IR-Based Serial Communications 117 Simple IR Object-Detection 117 Experiment 1: A Simple TV-IR Input Circuit 118 Experiment 2: Interfacing the IR Circuit with the Master Processor 121 Project 8 Constructing the TV-IR Input Module 124 9 Interfacing Parallel LCDs 130 Understanding the Basics of HD44780-based LCDs 131 Experiment 1: Interfacing an HD44780-based Parallel LCD 133 Project 9 Constructing an Eight-bit Parallel 16 x 2 LCD Board 137 Programming Challenge 141 10 Serializing a Parallel LCD 142 Receiving Serial Data in the Background 142 Project 10 Constructing a Serialized 16 x 2 LCD 144 11 Interfacing Keypads 160 Decoding Matrix Keypads 161 Project 11 Constructing a Serialized 4 by 4 Matrix Keypad 168 12 SPI Communication 178 The MAX7219 8-Digit LED Display Driver 178 Project 12 Constructing an SPI 4-Digit LED Display 181 Learning to Count 191 13 Background Timing on the 20X2 Processor 196 Using Timer1 on the 20X2 Processor 196 “Deconstructing” a Matrix Keypad 198 Testing the “New and Improved” Keypad 200 Project 13 Constructing a Countdown Timer 202 14 Constructing a Programmable Multifunction Peripheral Device 210 Project 14 The Evil Genius Multifunction Peripheral Device 210 15 Developing Software for the Evil Genius MPD 226 Understanding the 20X2’s Built-in Comparator Hardware 226 Testing Our Comparator 1 Configuration 229 “We Interrupt This Program to Bring You a Keypress!” 229 Project 15 A Simple MPD Operating System 232 Part Three: Octavius: An Advanced Robotics Experimentation Platform 236 16 Birthing Octavius 238 Understanding Octavius 241 Project 16 Building Octavius 244 17 Driving Octavius 248 H-Bridge Motor Control Circuits 248 The L298 Dual H-Bridge Driver 249 Project 17 Constructing an L298 Dual DC Motor Controller Board 251 18 Programming Octavius 262 The MaxBotix LV-MaxSonar Ultrasonic Range Finders 262 Who’s in Charge Here? 267 Project 18 Hail, Octavius! 273 Epilogue: What’s Next for Octavius? 276 Index 278 A 278 B 278 C 279 D 279 E 279 F 280 G 280 H 280 I 280 J 280 K 280 L 281 M 281 O 282 P 283 R 286 S 286 T 287 U 287 V 288 W 288 0071703268,9780071703260 Part One: PICAXE Basics Chapter 1. Introduction to PICAXE Programming and Projects Chapter 2. Introduction to Stripboard Circuits Chapter 3. Designing and Building a +5V Regulated Power Supply Chapter 4. Hardware Overview of the PICAXE M2-class Processors Chapter 5. The Ins and Outs of PICAXE Interfacing Chapter 6. Introduction to ADC Inputs on M2-class Processors Part Two: PICAXE Peripheral Projects Chapter 7. Introduction to the PICAXE-20X2 Processor Chapter 8. Infared Input from a TV Remote Control Chapter 9. Interfacing Parallel LCDs Chapter 10. Serializing a Parallel LCD Chapter 11. Interfacing Keypads Chapter 12. SPI Communication Chapter 13. Background Timing on the 20X2 Processor Chapter 14. Constructing a Programmable Multifunction Peripheral Device Chapter 15. Developing Software for the Evil Genius MPD Part Three: Octavius: An Advanced Robotics Experimentation Platform Chapter 16. Birthing Octavius Chapter 17. Driving Octavius Chapter 18. Programming Octavius Epilogue: Whats Next for Octavius? Index