WhizzyWriter

Let's Make Robots Robots
1

Well, if Servo Writer is a robot, then so's WhizzyWriter.

Here's the motor. This was the X-axis motor from a printer (the one which pulls the print head across the paper). I have attached a disc of white plastic to it as the reflector for the optical position sensor.

WhizzyMotor.jpg481×500

This is an aluminuim U section mounted to the motor. Two screws were screwed into section, one on either side of the motor shaft to fix it in position. Note the black line drawn on the "reflector" and the multicoloured wires from the sensor.

WhizzyMount.jpg500×486

This is the PCB. Couldn't be simpler. 5-way edge connector for the In-Circuit Serial Programmer (ICSP), 8 LEDs and 8 resistors. (Oh, and a pic.) I added 2 resistors and the cable for the opto sensor after this photo was taken.

This is the full machine. The motor is just clamped in a laboratory retort stand. (Doesn't everyone have a couple of these?) Note the batteries at the other end for balance.

WhizzyStationary.jpg500×499

WhizzyWriter whizzing and writing.

WhizzyWorking.jpg497×500

And, of course, just to fulfill the requirements...

WhizzyWriter01.jpg500×500

Technically and mechanically, this one's complete, and I'm marking it as such, but I'm going to continue to work on the software (posted above). I want to make it scroll a message and do some other fancy tricks.

14-Dec-2008: Final, final, final update (maybe): New video. New software build (containing COMPLETE ASCII 8x8 font with characters 33 through 127).

Oh, yeah. Here are the uppercase and lowercase portions of the font.

WhizzyFontLC.jpg500×500
WhizzyFontUC.jpg500×500

 

 

 

Displays a message or pattern

  • Control method: Serial (RS-232)
  • CPU: PIC 16F628
  • Power source: 4x AA cells (2 sets of)
  • Programming language: Microchip PIC RISC assembler
  • Target environment: indoors
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://community.robotshop.com/robots/show/whizzywriter
2

Hee hee … staying up late

Hee hee … staying up late BOA ? Nice work I like it… I’m guessin 6 LED’s on a stick, pulsing at the right time? How did you make the rotary connection? Or maybe no rotary connection if everything, including power is mounted on the stick.

I have been meaning to build me one for my bicycle - like these … Spoke POV

Did you use one of your PICs for this?

Nice work !

3

Beautifull!! I always
Beautifull!! I always wanted to build one Spoke POV. Did you make it on your own or tried some kit like the ladyada have?

4

Don’t eat the Northern Irish Yellow Snow
Could be wizzy writings.

5

That is just so wrong. And

That is just so wrong.

 

And funny too.

6

In the pipeline (!)
Actually, I have planned a wizzy-writing robot for the challenge. I just need an old fire extinguisher.

7

Kit? KIT!?!?!?

Please, don’t use such FOUL language in my blog!

Kit, indeed!

:slight_smile:

8

Patience

I was just too pooped to documrent it last night.

“LEDs on a stick.” Hmmm. Crude, but accurate. I think one could do quite a respectable font with only 5 rows. As it happens, my design has 8. I’m only using 6. Future expansion and all that.

Re the connection, I cheated. The battery is whizzing round at the other end of the “stick” as a counterweight. The motor has a seperate battery.

I think I will move to a 10-way bushing, though. I fancy printing some circular tracks on a PCB to see how well that works.

Next task is to add some rotational feedback so it “knows” when to start the message.

9

:smiley:
:smiley:

10

BOA and Jack Kirby make

BOA and Jack Kirby make their own chips with layers of silicon and germanium - picture here - which they mine out of their respective backyards.

11

Me like!

"Next task is to add some rotational feedback so it "knows" when to start the message."

That would be awesome! Then you could make a text scroller out of it… Looking forward to seeing more!

12

Rotational Feedback
Opto sensor added so the message always starts in the same place. See second video.

13

How did you get it to make
How did you get it to make sure the letters always appear in the same spot? Did you use an encoder or some other evil magic? KIT KIT KIT KIT KIT sorry I had too… KIT!

14

You said "kit"

Opto sensor.

15

Where did you procure said
Where did you procure said sensor. You caught me not reading all the comments.

16

Any old one…

You could pull one out of a floppy drive. I got mine here. Almost any of the listed ones will do the same job.

Here’s the component.

17

this one is on my todo list
this one is on my todo list

18

Drill a hole
I may let you be the first to drill holes and install a backlight as suggested by CTC.