Multi proyectos 0057

cascata is an Arduino Waterfall display program built using the Arduino and the Sparkfun Color LCD Shield. It has a selectable 0-4 kHz or 0-2 kHz audio range, and can display a waterfall, a spectrum graph, or both. It features variable attenuation and automatic DC centering.

The Arduino Code Generator attempts to convert any Grasshopper definition into Arduino compatible code (C++) on the fly.  It works by detecting components that are ‘upstream’ from the Uno/Mega Write component.  The Code Generator checks the component ID against a library of custom C++ functions which then get added to the code if there is a match. The code can be simultaneously saved as a .pde (Arduino Sketch) file to be opened in the Arduino IDE.

In addition, there is also a new Upload to I/O Board component which allows you to upload any sketch (could be from the Code Generator or any other sketch) directly to your Arduino board from within the Grasshopper environment. A lot of stuff happens behind the scenes with this component.  Essentially it creates a dynamic MakeFile and calls a shell application to convert the .pde file into a .cpp (C++) file and then into .hex code (machine readable code) to be uploaded to the microcontroller. Note: WinAVR is required to be installed on your machine in order to properly upload sketches to your board.  You can download the latest version here.

Fancy a home with some stylish and geeky home improvements? OK, you’ve got the geek gear. You’ve got the geek garb. But have you got the geek house? Read on as GeekTech shows you how to make your home into something friends would be envious of, using cool DIY projects or hacks.

What can you do with it?

Cool apps include:

• DNA Sequencing – PCR is used to generate enough DNA for the sequencing run. You can have a look at some of your own genome!
• DNA Barcoding – Determining the species based on DNA. Can be used to identify plants, screen for agricultural pests, investigate airplane bird strikes, and check that sushi is legit. What about testing your food to see if they contain GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)?

The Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR, is a method of replicating DNA. It is capable of taking a small amount of DNA, or even a single molecule, and amplifying (copying) a specific region exponentially, such that once the reaction is finished, there may exist up to 2³⁰ copies of each starting molecule (do the math — that’s more than a billion!).

This is important because DNA of interest often exists in quantities too small to detect, or may be mixed in with other DNA. For example, an accurate test for HIV must be able to detect a single virus particle in 50,000 cells. PCR is able to do this by targeting a small region of DNA that is specific to the HIV virus. If the virus exists in a sample, amplification will occur which can be easily detected. If no virus is present, no amplification will occur.

The specific region of targeted DNA is determined by how the reaction is setup, based on the specific “PCR primers” added to the reaction mixture. Virtually any sequence of DNA can be targeted.

References

[...] Tele-Present Water installation draws information from the intensity and movement of the water in a remote location. Wave data is collected in real-time from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data buoy station 46075 Shumagin Islands Alaska. The wave intensity and frequency is scaled and transferred to the mechanical grid structure resulting in a simulation of the physical effects caused by the movement of water from this distant location. The installation uses MAX/MSP to drive an Arduino mega running servo firmata. It uses 11 x 24volt dc motors with drivers for the movement.

The hardware is pretty simple. There’s a 2m programmable LED strip inside an acrylic tube, which is controlled from a small receiver and battery pack. A laptop PC with a wireless Xbee link sends the image data to the scythe at a specified time.

This summer I wanted to combine my two loves of plant science and engineering. Thus I am constructing my very own greenhouse in my backyard. I am an undergrad, and as any former student knows, this means I move around constantly, and I am not always around to take care of my vegetable garden. I love my plants but since I am moving back to school in July, and my family is unreliable, I need a way to make sure that they are taken care of. Enter Arduino!

I have constructed an automated watering and temperature system. This includes sensors that will turn the systems on only when needed. This is essential when the ever-changing New England weather demands some intelligence in watering and heating patterns.

I want to document this project on Revolt Lab so that anyone who is also in love with vascular (or nonvascular) plants can join me and we can nerd out together! This is my first project using an Arduino so I am using wonderful articles from MAKE and Instructables as very helpful templates. Already the Instructables, MAKE, and Ladyada blogs have been ridiculously helpful so, worry not biology nerds, you too can show the engineers just how awesome we are!

The experimental device is actually called the PossessedHand, and controls your digits by shooting small electric currents into your wrist via electrodes strapped to your forearm. The PossessedHand runs on an Arduino micro-controller, and can auto calibrate itself to make sure it is twitching the corrects fingers and muscles inside your hand.