Tales for Makers: Real-World Projects to Modify, Hack, and Reinvent (Maker Innovations Series)

Ray Badmington's son Tommy has disappeared in a strange amusement park in the near future of Los Angeles. Explore the world of the BDTH6159 Amusement Park, hosting strange characters and incredible mechanisms, with Ray as he searches for his son. You'll find clues that help him, but also face unfamiliar technologies. Technologies you'll interact with and can even build in the real world today. This book springs the support of Element14.com, one of the largest Maker communities in the world. As the plot twists and turns and you follow along on Ray's adventures, you'll find each story beat matched with a specific application topic. Everything Ray interacts with will offer a real-world, complete experiment that can be modified, hacked and reinvented. Projects will introduce you to the use of distance sensors; managing stepper motors; creating an environmental sensor; working with sound; and programing languages, such as C/C++, Python, MicroPython, Java Script, and more. Each project covers not only different technologies, but also different approaches based on user-level. So whether you're a weekend hobbyist or a full-time engineer, you'll learn something new as you quest along with Ray. By the end of this book, you'll discover all the secrets of the BDTH6159 Amusement Park and have learned how to tackle a vast array of engaging and exciting Maker projects. What You'll Learn Who This Book Is For The projects are designed at various levels of complexity to engage any kind of Makers from hobbyist to professional engineer. Table of Contents About the Author Chapter 1: Make a Graphical Cryptex with Arduino Nicla 1.1. Arduino Nicla Sense ME 1.1.1. Nicla GPIO Pinout 1.1.2. It’s Arduino! 1.1.3. Other Components 1.2. Programming the Nicla Sense ME 1.2.1. The Header File 1.2.2. The Program Source 1.2.3. A Slice of Python 1.3. The Cloud-ready Servers 1.3.1. The NodeJS Backend 1.3.2. The React Frontend 1.4. Using Postman to Test the Server APIs Chapter 2: How to Maintain a Secure Rollercoaster 2.1. A Vibration Simulator Made Easy 2.1.1. The PCB 603C01 Sensor for Industrial Applications 2.2. Raspberry Pi to Process Realtime Data 2.2.1. Analog Specifications 2.2.2. Digital Specifications 2.3. The Data Processing Software 2.3.1. Using LabVIEW for Data Processing 2.4. Making a Cheap Piezo Sensor Chapter 3: The Scary Mirror 3.1. The Magic Mirror Platform 3.1.1. The MagicMirror2 Platform Architecture 3.2. Push the Mirror Beyond the Limits 3.2.1. PIR Sensor 3.2.2. Pi Camera 3.2.3. Audio Effects 3.2.4. Lighting Effects 3.3. Making the Mirror 3.3.1. Preparing the Frame 3.3.2. The Internal Cardboard Block 3.4. Electronics, Wiring, and Powering 3.4.1. Power Supply Issue 3.4.2. Driving Large Arrays of Neopixel LEDs 3.5. The Software 3.5.1. Arduino UNO Sketch 3.5.2. Raspberry Pi Software Collecting Contextual Media Running Multiple Tasks on Startup 3.5.3. MagicMirror2 Configuration and Modules Chapter 4: Machine Learning with a Drone 4.1. The Tello Drone 4.1.1. Programming the Drone 4.1.2. Autopilot Software The JSON Script File The Log File 4.2. The Arduino Nicla ME 4.2.1. Assembling the Sensor Acquisition Device 4.3. Nicla Bluetooth-Web Communication 4.3.1. Customizing the Nicla Dashboard The Go Webserver The JSON Mapping Files The Custom Dashboard 4.4. Data Acquisition with NodeJS 4.4.1. NodeJS Architecture Interactive Dashboard 4.4.2. The Final Data Structure Joining the Sample Files Chapter 5: Introduction to Neuton.ai 5.1. The AI Platform 5.2. Machine Learning Workflow 5.2.1. Dataset Creation 5.2.2. Dataset Normalization 5.2.3. Model Training 5.2.4. Prediction 5.3. The Neuton.ai Framework 5.4. Creating a Solution with Neuton.ai 5.4.1. Step-by-step Solution 5.4.2. A Few Words on this Use Case 5.4.3. Step 1: Upload the Dataset 5.4.4. Step 2: Train the Dataset 5.4.5. Step 3: Download the Ready-to-Use C Library Chapter 6: Introduction to MIDI 6.1. The Trick Is MIDI 6.2. The MIDI Protocol Essentials 6.2.1. MIDI Communication 6.2.2. The Protocol Format 6.2.3. General MIDI (GM) 6.3. Arduino and the MIDI Library 6.3.1. The MIDI Library Header Chapter 7: Crafting the Cardboard Drum 7.1. Cheap and Recycled Stuff 7.1.1. Adopting an Alternative Technology Requirements Using Load Cells 7.2. Creating the Structure 7.2.1. Strong Parts The Pads 7.2.2. Fixing the Load Cells Wiring the Circuit Making the Case 7.3. The Sensors Software Chapter 8: A Sound Sampler with Raspberry Pi 8.1. Project Requirements and General Approach 8.1.1. External Hardware 8.1.2. Features List 8.2. The Sampling Session 8.2.1. Connecting the MIDI Keyboard and Audio Card 8.2.2. The Sampler Box 8.3. Project GUI Design 8.4. Cython and Other Prerequisites 8.4.1. What Is Cython? The Cython Programming Language 8.4.2. Why You Should Use Cython 8.4.3. The Graphic Library 8.5. The WAV Samples Organization 8.5.1. Banks Definition 8.5.2. The JSON Parameters File 8.6. The Application 8.6.1. The Application Functions Audio and MIDI Callback Chapter 9: The Sand Machine Part 1 9.1. The Idea 9.1.1. Mathematics Why Cycloids? Coordinate Representation 9.2. Mechanics 9.2.1. The Sand 9.3. The Design 9.3.1. From Draft to Components Chapter 10: The Sand Machine Part 2 10.1. The Top Box 10.1.1. The Octagonal Dome Assembling the Sand Dome Assembling the Lighting Painting the Sand Dome 10.2. The Neopixel LED Controller 10.2.1. The Arduino Software Chapter 11: The Sand Machine Part 3 11.1. The Bottom Box 11.1.1. Top Side 11.1.2. Putting the Box Together 11.1.3. The Magnet Support 11.1.4. Completing the Build 11.2. Controlling the Movement 11.2.1. The Arduino CNC Firmware 11.2.2. What Is G-Code? The Language 11.2.3. The Most Important G-Code Commands G00: Rapid Positioning G01: Linear Interpolation G02: Circular Interpolation Clockwise and G03: Circular Interpolation Counterclockwise Measure Units Working Plane Selection G28: Home Positioning Mode M Commands Chapter 12: The Sand Machine Part 4 12.1. Software Architecture 12.2. G-Code Parametrization 12.3. The SandControl.py Application 12.3.1. Imports 12.3.2. Business Logic 12.3.3. Extra Functions 12.4. Class: SerialControl 12.4.1. Low-level Methods 12.4.2. The Dataclass Data Model 12.4.3. High-level Methods 12.5. Class: Logger 12.6. Class: driverGCode 12.7. Class: MathCircularFunctions 12.7.1. The Mandala Curve Methods Chapter 13: Upcycling a Rotary Phone 13.1. Investigating the Parts 13.1.1. Upcycling, Not Restoring 13.1.2. Removing the Ring Bell 13.2. The Rotary Dialer 13.3. Embedding Audio and Controls 13.3.1. A Circuit to Control All 13.3.2. The Breadboard Shield 13.3.3. A Minimal Interface Chapter 14: The Rotary Phone Software 14.1. The Python Application 14.1.1. Constants and Control Parameters 14.1.2. The JSON Configuration Files The comments.json File The playlist.json File 14.1.3. Event-driven Application The initGPIO() Function 14.1.4. Callback Functions 14.1.5. Triggered Events 14.1.6. Low-level Functions Chapter 15: Chess with Arduino UNO R4 15.1. The R4 WiFi and MINIMA Boards 15.1.1. UNO R4 WiFi Specifications 15.1.2. UNO R4 MINIMA Specifications 15.2. Computers Playing Chess 15.2.1. A Note on the Chess Algorithms Alpha-Beta Pruning Bitboard Algorithm Evaluation Algorithms Chess Engines 15.2.2. Interfacing Chess Computers and Humans The Universal Chess Interface (UCI) Notation 15.2.3. A Move Representation Method 15.2.4. The Arduino Chess Moves 15.2.5. The Arduino Chess Engine 1975: Rockwell 6502 1976: Zilog Z80 The First Personal Computers Age The Work of Peter Jennings The Microchess Porting 15.3. Arduino Chess Software 15.3.1. The Header Files The MatrixChars.h File The ChessMessages.h File The WiFiAccess.h File The ChessEngine.h File 15.3.2. The Application Functions The Setup() File The Loop() File Chapter 16: Chess Player Interfaces 16.1. The MINIMA Board and the ESP32-S3 16.1.1. Communication Software 16.1.2. I2C Tasks Distribution 16.2. Physical Computing: the Distanced Pawn Project 16.2.1. Making the Chessboard The Chess Pieces The Checkerboard 16.2.2. The Game Controller The Circuit 16.2.3. The Controller Software MKR 1010 Access Point OLED Controller Client Connection Chapter 17: The Radio Magic Upcycling 17.1. Tuner Mechanical Upgrade 17.1.1. Making an Auto Tuning Upgrading the Mechanics All Wires in One Connector 17.2. Auto Tuner Controller 17.2.1. Requirements What We Get 17.2.2. The Circuit and PCB 17.3. The Controller Software 17.3.1. Hardcoded Parameters 17.3.2. The Program Initial Setup The Main Loop The Interrupt Vector Function Index df-Capture.PNG My Road Home is the moving and unique story of a secular Jewish boy from North London who was converted to Christianity after surviving his tumultuous teen years, and told by the church and his family that he was no longer Jewish. At thirty-six, he was ordained into the Anglican Church. Nine years later, he reluctantly visited Israel, where he had a life-changing encounter with God. While praying at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem he believed God spoke to him, saying, Michael, you are Jew first.This encounter led Michael on an exciting new journey which eventually led to his being appointed rector of Christ Church in Jerusalem. Michael believed this was the final chapter of his road home. But years later, when forced to leave his position, he and his wife applied to make Aliyah (become citizens of Israel). Miraculously, their request was granted in six weeks time; and so began the true final chapterand maybe the happiestof Michaels life.Sadly and unexpectedly, Michael died in 2012. This revised edition tells the story of his last years and the amazing details of how God brought his life full circle. It also tells the moving story of how the Lord helped his widow, Fran, face a future without him, in The Land of Promise.