8 replies to this topic

[SamIsSoAwsome]

This is something I've been thinking about for a long time. If you are unaware a Raspberry Pi is a small computer ($40) that you can do pretty much anything with. With this I always thought it would be cool to use actual K'nex motors and to control them with a computer. This is that project.

So this is what my desk looks like....


Eventually I plan on being able to control up to 10 motors at a time as well as having a few light sensors I can use to tell things when to turn on and stuff. My first use of this will be probably to make a K'nex roller coaster station but I want to make it super versatile and be able to use it for everything I do from now on in the medium of K'nex. This is the final board as of now. It's far from being finished but it's getting there.


This is a one motor test I've been working on and I'm quite happy with the results so far.


Running this code I wrote it can go both directions and stop. My final code I hope to have different timers and stuff in it.


Here's a video.

[Ghostbuster]

That is nice, what H-Bridges are u using ??
I Made a Shield for the arduino mega and I can control 10 Motors aswell.
I'm very intrested how your project works out !

Give it a click ;P
http://i1164.photobu...zpshmuzuf7c.jpg

[Sorunome]

I hope you aren't powering your motors through the PI as that could fry it.
Are those ICs H-Bridges? If so then you are on the good side

[Maxlaam]

Hmm, a PI, this could be very interesting!

[Connector1o1]

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055596446229489549303819644288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091456485669234603486104543266482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748815209209628292540917153643678925903600113305305488204665213841469519415116094330572703657595919530921861173819326117931051185480744623799627495673518857527248912279381830119491298336733624406566430860213949463952247371907021798609437027705392171762931767523846748184676694051320005681271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235420199561121290219608640344181598136297747713099605187072113499999983729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881710100031378387528865875332083814206171776691473035982534904287554687311595628638823537875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989
Just in case you forget, it's a hard number to remember...
This looks like a really cool idea, very realistic too. I look forward to seeing how you put it all together.

[LaMbChOpZ]

^ like they say in school, no need to out past 10 digits (or 3, really).


Ahh, Raspberry Pi's. I haven't done any real work with them, but a lot of people on Thingiverse create cases and other Raspberry things with 3D printers. Looks like you don't need me to say it, but still, good luck!

Edited by LaMbChOpZ, 15 June 2015 - 02:08 PM.

[DDRman732865]

I was thinking of getting one of these, a few of my EE/CPE friends have one. I'm interested in what you do with this.

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055596446229489549303819644288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091456485669234603486104543266482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748815209209628292540917153643678925903600113305305488204665213841469519415116094330572703657595919530921861173819326117931051185480744623799627495673518857527248912279381830119491298336733624406566430860213949463952247371907021798609437027705392171762931767523846748184676694051320005681271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235420199561121290219608640344181598136297747713099605187072113499999983729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881710100031378387528865875332083814206171776691473035982534904287554687311595628638823537875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989
Just in case you forget, it's a hard number to remember...
This looks like a really cool idea, very realistic too. I look forward to seeing how you put it all together.

If you can tell me how we can calculate the value of pi to whatever accuracy we'd like, THEN I'll be impressed. Hint: it involves Taylor Polynomials of an inverse trig function.

Edit: Impressed is a strong word. I'll be satisfied.

Edited by DDRman732865, 15 June 2015 - 02:40 PM.

[ThisIsGabe]

I was thinking of getting one of these, a few of my EE/CPE friends have one. I'm interested in what you do with this.



If you can tell me how we can calculate the value of pi to whatever accuracy we'd like, THEN I'll be impressed. Hint: it involves Taylor Polynomials of an inverse trig function.

Edit: Impressed is a strong word. I'll be satisfied.

If i remember correctly, you literally only need 39 digits of pi to measure the circumference of the universe to the width of a hydrogen atom
https://www.youtube....h?v=FpyrF_Ci2TQ

Best of luck with your project!

[SamIsSoAwsome]

That is nice, what H-Bridges are u using ??
I Made a Shield for the arduino mega and I can control 10 Motors aswell.
I'm very intrested how your project works out !

I'm using L293D H-Bridges. 2013newestseller New 5 X L293d Stepper Motor Driver - Electric Motor Controls - Amazon.com
Thanks.

I hope you aren't powering your motors through the PI as that could fry it.
Are those ICs H-Bridges? If so then you are on the good side

No haha, I'm using an external power supply.

This looks like a really cool idea, very realistic too. I look forward to seeing how you put it all together.

Thanks.

Ahh, Raspberry Pi's. I haven't done any real work with them, but a lot of people on Thingiverse create cases and other Raspberry things with 3D printers. Looks like you don't need me to say it, but still, good luck!

Thanks, ya I just got one really for this reason but I like it a lot.

I was thinking of getting one of these, a few of my EE/CPE friends have one. I'm interested in what you do with this.

You should!

Best of luck with your project!

Thanks.

Here's a quick update.
I finished all of the wiring except to the actual motors. I'm using male and female connectors so I can plug in only the motors I need at any given time. I still plan on adding another board where I can do basically the same thing but with light sensors so I can control things with that instead of just timers.

I'll make a bigger update in a few days once I hopefully get the thing working.