Chris have sent his latest project where he built an airsoft turret system that can be controlled with TV remote. Pan and tilt are controlled with couple servo motors that are connected to PIC18F4520 microcontroller. Microcontroller accepts commands from IR remote by using IR receiver that accepts standard 38kHz modulated signals.

Airsoft gun is fired by activating separate fire motor that gets signal from dedicated microcontroller pin via transistor. Whole system is assembled inside plastic Tupperware dish that serves as a base and dome. Airsoft part is taken from generic fully automatic airsoft pistol. Why not add a laser pointer and start real fun…

ARM microcontrollers are very successfully positioned microcontrollers in the market. Billions of them are used in all areas where control, data processing in interfacing is needed. ARM microcontrollers has evolved in to high level product that provides high processing power with minimal clock frequency and power usage.

Practically all major manufacturers are developing their own line or ARM processors that share same standard core functionality and variations between MCUs starts with peripherals and other external features. ARM microcontrollers are really cheap and powerful that makes them attractive to use in almost all applications. They successfully taking place of smaller microcontrollers like ARM or PIC. Hobbyists also are taking them over. Read more »

This frequency counter is very compact that fits inside RS232 connector. Parts aren’t soldered on any PCB but directly on PIC chip so everything would take minimal space. So frequency counter can be plugged directly to RS232 interface which also provides a power for chip. The only thing you need to do is to start any terminal program and feed signal to input.

frequency counter gives a resolution of 1kHz for MHz range and 1Hz for kHz range. So its simple and can be carried around. If your computer lacks a COM port it can be connected via RS232 to USB converter.

LED cubes are pretty common projects that actually are quite easy to build. The only need is a patience to solder LED diodes nicely in to cube. Usually hobbyists build cubes out of mono-color LEDs, but this one is different. It is built of RGB LEDs that makes lots of wiring and soldering. This is an 8x8x8 RGB LED cube so totally 512 RGB LEDs or 512×3=1536 individual LEDs to be controlled.

Hardware part took quite time to accomplish, but results are amazing. Such creation requires some processing power to display real time transitions, so it is controlled by PIC32 MCU which sends commands to LEDs via TLC5940 -16 channel PWM drivers. So as usually every LED of cube is addressable individually.