Iron man motorised faceplate electronics tutorial!!!
- Thread starter 7sinzz
- Start date
michaudtime
Well-Known Member
Thought I would share with you guys, I'm messing around with the coding for my helm. I used bits and pieces of separate parts of my testing codes so I haven't tested it all together so it probably won't work completely when plugged in. Figured it would help some people since we are all learning 
Rough Helmet Program - Pastebin.com
*Forgive my crappy spelling I commented my code quite a bit so I could follow it.
Rough Helmet Program - Pastebin.com
*Forgive my crappy spelling I commented my code quite a bit so I could follow it.
michaudtime
Well-Known Member
Lol, ya I suppose that would help, I've been working with a Arduino Duemilenove. the pins can be set however you want, you can just adjust the pins I set up as variables. The accelerometer I'm using is a MMA8452Q break out board that I got off sparkfun. Like I said I'm pretty noobish when it comes to this stuff, I found this that super helped me out because of the prebuilt libraries.
My planes are to move from the Duemilenove to a pro mini because of the size. But I'm still trying to figure out my power requirements. I've got a 5V Mini that I may try to make work wish me luck
My planes are to move from the Duemilenove to a pro mini because of the size. But I'm still trying to figure out my power requirements. I've got a 5V Mini that I may try to make work
wish me luck
michaudtime
Well-Known Member
The electronics side is where I'm lacking lol so I'm sure I'll have like a zillion questions about that when the time comes
here is a vid of the code running on my bread board... as you can see I'm not running nearly enough power for it the leds are SUPER dim lol. but it's a start right?
anyways here it is.
Feb 27, 2013 4:30am | Facebook
(let me know if that doesn't work... stupid facebook lol)
and here is a pic of it.
here is a vid of the code running on my bread board... as you can see I'm not running nearly enough power for it the leds are SUPER dim lol. but it's a start right?
anyways here it is.
Feb 27, 2013 4:30am | Facebook
(let me know if that doesn't work... stupid facebook lol)
and here is a pic of it.
xl97
Master Member
How many leds? and how many leds per pin are you trying to use?
you can really only (safely) drive 1 led per pin.. as the Arduino can only give around 20-40mA (max) per pin..
otherwise you'll have to use a transistor to turn on/toggle/fade your group of leds with the Arduino (and powered directly from battery pack)..
I posted about this a couple posts back (also posted a board layout)..
you can really only (safely) drive 1 led per pin.. as the Arduino can only give around 20-40mA (max) per pin..
otherwise you'll have to use a transistor to turn on/toggle/fade your group of leds with the Arduino (and powered directly from battery pack)..
I posted about this a couple posts back (also posted a board layout)..
IronLeoMan
Active Member
i think it is great he showing his works everyone here should do that was well
7sinzz
Well-Known Member
I totally agree ironleoman. It's good to see other people's work on this. Nice to see an accelerometer in action too.
This thread has had many thousands of views. Surely someone must have completed a helmet by now using tips from this thread? We'd really like to see. Lurkers, we won't bite.
This thread has had many thousands of views. Surely someone must have completed a helmet by now using tips from this thread? We'd really like to see. Lurkers, we won't bite.
michaudtime
Well-Known Member
Lol ya I just did a bunch of reading about transistors and all that good stuff so I ordered a few and will post what I come up with after I get them wired up.mfrom what I'm reading though my code for it shouldn't change the PWM signal that I'm using for the LEDs right now should open the transistor in much the same way. Still looking how I'm going to power it. I've got a small 3.7v (I think) LiPo battery. Now if I use a 5v step up breakout board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10968) should that be able to power the pro mini 5v the LEDs and servo right?
Oh on a side not I looked through the sounds (thank you btw) and didn't see the clank sound for the helmet as it closed. Does anyone have that one?
Oh on a side not I looked through the sounds (thank you btw) and didn't see the clank sound for the helmet as it closed. Does anyone have that one?
xl97
Master Member
correct.. the transistor will work more or less the same way things are set up now.. but allow you to use more leds (as they are powered by the battery pack and NOT the Arduino pin... make sense?)
Yes.. you can PWM through the transistor too..
I have never used a step-up/booter board before.. (so I cant comment)
however.. I can say I dont think this would be MY approach..
1.) I just use a correct or ABOVE rated battery pack.. (ie: the '10440's' pack I posted about before.. gives you +7.4v rechargeable pack.. smaller than 2 x AAA batteries)
2.) Dont know the Li-Po battery pack you are using... does/can it give enough current to drive all the leds, accelerometer, Arduino board itself..etc..etc??
The regulator on the Arduino board can handle the +7.4v battery pack no problems.. without any 'trouble'..
when you get to the leds/transistor... use the correct resistor to get it to the current/mA you need for the leds without over driving them..
Yes.. you can PWM through the transistor too..
I have never used a step-up/booter board before.. (so I cant comment)
however.. I can say I dont think this would be MY approach..
1.) I just use a correct or ABOVE rated battery pack.. (ie: the '10440's' pack I posted about before.. gives you +7.4v rechargeable pack.. smaller than 2 x AAA batteries)
2.) Dont know the Li-Po battery pack you are using... does/can it give enough current to drive all the leds, accelerometer, Arduino board itself..etc..etc??
The regulator on the Arduino board can handle the +7.4v battery pack no problems.. without any 'trouble'..
when you get to the leds/transistor... use the correct resistor to get it to the current/mA you need for the leds without over driving them..
michaudtime
Well-Known Member
Awesome thanks for the certification. As for the battery this is what I have laying around.
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/341
As for the battery this is what I have laying around. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/341
xl97
Master Member
well that looks fine for current..
I still have no clue about the booter/step-up...
and using it with a +5v logic based Arduino board..
(maybe have a +3.3v Arduino?... and use the step-up for the servo's?)
I would check the voltage drop across Arduino/transistors to ensure there is enough for the leds too
or use two batteries!
I still have no clue about the booter/step-up...
and using it with a +5v logic based Arduino board..
(maybe have a +3.3v Arduino?... and use the step-up for the servo's?)
I would check the voltage drop across Arduino/transistors to ensure there is enough for the leds too
or use two batteries!
zman88a
New Member
Here is my "version 1" setup so far, I have a 5V voltage regulator powering all the external components from a seperate battery and the eye led arrays controlled via an NPN transistor. I'm thinking the battery xl97 recommended will power everything nicely.
I will most likely replace the servos with higher torque metal gear servos when actually installing it. At the moment I have them both configured to control just the faceplate, one to lift it, and the other to control the angle so that it remains "flush" with the helmet (similar to xRobots method).
A lot is still in the design stage. I'm not sure if I want to keep the button or use some other kind of trigger. I'm also thinking about adding another servo to control the back of the helmet to make it either lift up or push out so I can get it over my head in instead of using magnets.
I will keep everyone updated on my progress. Hopefully soon it will get warm enough here and I can start to fiberglass my helmet to install this stuff to.:lol
I will most likely replace the servos with higher torque metal gear servos when actually installing it. At the moment I have them both configured to control just the faceplate, one to lift it, and the other to control the angle so that it remains "flush" with the helmet (similar to xRobots method).
A lot is still in the design stage. I'm not sure if I want to keep the button or use some other kind of trigger. I'm also thinking about adding another servo to control the back of the helmet to make it either lift up or push out so I can get it over my head in instead of using magnets.
I will keep everyone updated on my progress. Hopefully soon it will get warm enough here and I can start to fiberglass my helmet to install this stuff to.:lol
xl97
Master Member
Here is my "version 1" setup so far, I have a 5V voltage regulator powering all the external components from a seperate battery and the eye led arrays controlled via an NPN transistor. I'm thinking the battery xl97 recommended will power everything nicely.
I will most likely replace the servos with higher torque metal gear servos when actually installing it. At the moment I have them both configured to control just the faceplate, one to lift it, and the other to control the angle so that it remains "flush" with the helmet (similar to xRobots method).
A lot is still in the design stage. I'm not sure if I want to keep the button or use some other kind of trigger. I'm also thinking about adding another servo to control the back of the helmet to make it either lift up or push out so I can get it over my head in instead of using magnets.
I will keep everyone updated on my progress. Hopefully soon it will get warm enough here and I can start to fiberglass my helmet to install this stuff to.:lol
everything looks good/great to me..
and executes everything posted about in this thread.
(correct LED array IMHO.. (resistors and trans)
powering BOTH servo's from external power source
regulating the power source to the servo's..etc..etc..etc
caps on the regulator to have a nice stable +5v regulated source.
really the rest is just personal taste/touch... if you want to use a button or something else... doesnt matter the base code is there.
good job!! :thumbsup
phillyblunt1913
Active Member
I need a 1800 number to call for help, followed the simplist of instructions and I am getting a blinking light on the uno and I don't know how to add data to the uno.
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