Another doodad with help from the laser

[Doug Griffith]

This one's a test platform for a few Arduino projects I'm working on. It has removable daughter platforms for easy changing out of sensors, interface components, etc...

The whole thing was designed to fit in a case hence the handle cutouts on the sides. This makes development much easier than having a bunch of components floating around on the workbench. Plus, I can drag it around and go over details with my business partners.

In case you are interested, it's part hydroponic controller, part photography light controller.

Clockwise from lower left:
Small color LCD (for testing)
Real time clock
Power regulator
Banana jacks
Battery
2 line LCD (for testing)
Temperature / humidity sensor
LUX sensor
Fire sensor
Rotary encoder with LED ring indicator
Logic level converter
Arduino Mega 2560 (bottom)
Ethernet shield (middle)
Low voltage bluetooth shield (top)

This is about half done. Not shown in the photo are the C02, PH and water temp sensors, numerous relay modules, and a large color touchscreen interface.

Arduino is an awesome prototyping platform. It's right at home in the maker movement right next to laser engravers.

Oh, programming is more or less a reduced set of C.

[Mike Null]

Even though there isn't a single thing I understand I'm impressed.

[Jiten Patel]

Doug, plan on growing some of those naughty plants hey!!! looks very clean and composed.

[Steven Cox]

I'm with Mike on this one, we have a saying here in Australia and this gadget fits it perfectly, "WHAT THE...."

[Doug Griffith]

It's a bunch of electronic modules that are wired together using 2 large white breadboards and jumper wires. Mounted to a laser cut platform to keep everything in it's place.

I was thinking of creating a fire detector that would be mounted inside the laser. In theory I could find the magic "condition" using a flame sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, and a smoke sensor. Combine it with a C02 solenoid and an actuator to pop the lid open. Maybe even an alarm and a call to the smart phone. It wouldn't be rocket science. The tricky part would be preventing false alarms. With some invasive wiring to the laser mother board, I'm sure the laser head could be sent to home as well.

I'm going to give this a shot this summer.

[Dee Gallo]

Doug, your brain scares me.

[David Rust]

...With some invasive wiring to the laser mother board, I'm sure the laser head could be sent to home as well...

Now I'm really impressed... I am very interested in how you get the laser head back to Colorado with some invasive wiring!

[Doug Griffith]

Or California in my case! For the Epilog I might just close the circuit on the stop button followed by the reset button.

[Mark Ross]

Doug,

I have designed commercial smoke alarm equipment. You will want to go with a dual technology smoke alarm (both ionic and photometric) to get the number of false trips down to a minimum. Anyone who has a smoke detector mounted in a steamy environment can tell you about false alarms from steam.

[Doug Griffith]

Doug,

I have designed commercial smoke alarm equipment. You will want to go with a dual technology smoke alarm (both ionic and photometric) to get the number of false trips down to a minimum. Anyone who has a smoke detector mounted in a steamy environment can tell you about false alarms from steam.

Thanks Mark. I know false tripping will be my biggest hurdle. I may even need to take a tiered approach where the response action increases with the risk. Start with an alarm that increases tone as readings get higher, then stop the job, then pop the lid, and so on. I'd also need to put a big red temporary kill switch to deactivate and reset the alarm system. Should be fun.

[Bill Cunningham]

Will it auto hide/camo everything when the cops show up?

[Doug Griffith]

Will it auto hide/camo everything when the cops show up?

Actually, here's where we're headed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmq9SPPgUpc

[Bill Cunningham]

Actually, here's where we're headed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmq9SPPgUpc

Ahhh ...shoooore..I believe you.. yup I do..huh huh..

[Doug Griffith]

Ahhh ...shoooore..I believe you.. yup I do..huh huh..

Have you ever seen 170 acres under glass?
http://www.houwelings.com/files-2/why-greenhouse.php

[George Brown]

Great! Lettuce that you can smoke