by Bryan Bergeron, Editor by Bryan Bergeron, Editor
DEVELOPING
It’s summer time and — especially if you've been cooped up all winter — time for outdoor activities. Because
electronics experimentation is traditionally conducted
indoors on a benchtop, you may put your hobby aside
until after summer vacation. However, it needn't be the
case. I'm not suggesting that you duplicate Benjamin
Franklin's experimentation with kites and lightning, but
there's plenty to do outdoors. For example, if you're into
sports and training, there are any number of circuits you
can build and then perfect outside — from timers for track
and force sensing plates for impact sports, to radar guns
for baseball.
If you're into drones and flying, then there are dozens
of drone kits and hundreds of model airplanes and
helicopters that you can build and modify — from adding
a GPS system to an onboard video camera. My current
favorite in miniature cameras is the GoPro series,
especially if you're within range of a Wi-Fi hot spot. The
remote control unit is easily duplicated, allowing you to
design a control system that fits your particular needs. For
GPS, there are several sub-$100 units available from
SparkFun and other sources.
Don't forget that water and electronics often mix well.
Whether you're installing a wireless water alarm system for
your basement or to detect a stopped-up storm gutter,
there's plenty you can do to improve your home. Last
summer, I installed a weather station — complete with the
usual detectors. For a twist, I added a Geiger-Muller tube
and alarm to detect and notify me of an increase in the
ambient radiation level. So far, I haven't detected any
peaks in radiation.
If you're into tanning — or avoiding skin cancer — then
consider an ultraviolet level/timer. It'll tell you when to flip
over or when it's time to reapply your sunblock,
depending on your goals. For supplies, consider an
inexpensive UV filter made from a pair of sunglasses and a
UV detector made from an inexpensive photodetector.
Alternatively, consider an analog UV detector breakout
board from SparkFun ($12). You'll also need your favorite
microcontroller to process the analog signal and provide a
suitable alarm.
As a final suggestion, consider repurposing or
processing the signals from one of the popular
physiological monitors on the market. For example, there's
the Polar heart rate monitor
interface also available from
SparkFun ($60). Together with a
microcontroller, you can develop
any number of training routines for
yourself or others. You'll need to
program your maximum heart rate
for your age, target value, and other
parameters that you can look up in
any good training manual. You
might consider teaming up with a
personal trainer if your knowledge
of physiology isn't up to your
abilities in electronics.
Whatever your outdoor
interests, there's certainly a place for
electronics. Now, get out there and
get moving. NV
PERSPECTIVES
6 July 2014
Getting Away From the Bench