My pet trick didn’t turn out exactly how I planned but it was close.  The biggest problem is that I ran out of time to really spend on Arduino code.  The code I ended up with works fairly well and is very simple:

Continue reading →

Documenting the work I did yesterday. There was still a lot to do.  I made these pieces with grooves in them as the basis for the frame, so I could discreetly hold the electronics.  This was way harder than it sounded.

I had to finish the frame, cut out the cat parts, build the electronics and write the code for the Arduino.  I started putting the frame together, which was really hard.  I was using the wrong frame clamp.  When I tried the other one it was a lot easier.

Continue reading →

Last Thursday I did some more testing on building the circuit for my stupid pet trick.  I forgot to document it so I’m uploading it now.  First off, I needed to do the lab for building a high current load in order to power my very bright (turns out almost too bright) LEDs.  I used a voltage provider guy to test it.  It was hard to figure out exactly how the transistor works but I eventually got it going through trial and error.  After that I added a potentiometer to the circuit to test changing the power going to the LEDs to fade in and out.

See this work:

Continue reading →

I started testing the ideas for the design of my stupid pet trick today, starting with the IR sensor.  I couldn’t find the one I was looking for at the computer store:

Instead I got these, the SEN 00241:

I’m not sure if they work as well, but I like that they are smaller and more discreet.  It seems like they will work with just a couple of holes in the front of the frame, instead of a big black brick being visible in the front.  Though, so far I can’t tell exactly what the best angle for sensing is.  See this video where I use my cell phone to dim an LED:

Continue reading →