SyberSlam #1 - Entry level robot fighting

The Enigmatic Electronics club has started a Robot Fighting League called SyberSlam!

Below is the introduction video to SyberSlam. Here we talk about the platform everyone

is starting with and what we are trying to accomplish. The base for our robots were

bought from Wal*Mart for $10.  Here is where they can be bought on Amazon for just a little more.
We got the idea to do this from a YouTuber we follow named GravityRoad. She had posted
a video of her at a competition called HeboCon and you can view that video here.

Here is what the SyberSlam Trophy is starting to look like

Here is the build progress video of some of the combatants.

Here is another build progress video of Steele machining some parts for mounting better wheels

SyberSlam #1 Competitors that have posted pictures on our Facebook page

Highlander Prime

Illumibot-E 

 SweetTooth

The Educator

We are hoping to start battling these robots in June or July so make sure to subscribe to our

YouTube Channel Here and check out our Facebook Page Here

Dumpster Diving - Episode 4 - Plasma Cutter

This week on Dumpster Diving with Enigmatic Electronics we dismantle a Plasma Cutter

We'd love to hear from some of you if you know what some of these components are.

We are hoping maybe some of these parts will be useful in a Tesla Coil project we are planning.

Please leave us a comment here or on our youtube video if you have any information on these parts.

Could this circuit be some kind of tank\oscillator circuit?

This looks like some kind of transformer...

 This board has some nice components to salvage for future projects

Check out the size of those capacitors! 

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Watch Dumpster Diving - Episode 4 Here

An Enigmatic Electronics Build - Power Supply from Junk

This week on Enigmatic Electronics we show off the power supply we built from junk parts.

Here's a scan of the diagram

Getting Technical With Tommy - The Game Show Buzzer

 

A game show buzzer created with 12V automotive relays and 52mm Arcade Buttons

 

There are a total of 9 relays here

Watch the video here

All That and a Bag of Chips - The Knight Rider Circuit

Building the Ultimate Knight Rider Circuit 

I've been working a lot with 555 ICs since I got into electronics about 6 months ago

I messed around with just about every circuit on This Website (www.555-timer-circuits.com)

I especially enjoyed the Knight Rider Circuit they have on that website, but I felt like it

could be better. So I started researching the 4017 IC trying to figure out what else it could do.

Then I came across a post on All About Circuits. I bookmarked the png schematic,

but unfortunately I didn't bookmark the forum post so I'm not totally sure who to give credit

to for this schematic:

This schematic did two things for the Knight Rider Circuit, it added more LEDs and

it added a fade off effect.  Now, here is the schematic I designed and built:

This circuit is not limited to just 9 LEDs, adding multiple 4017 ICs allows

for many possibilities. I've been getting into the Arduino stuff too, so I know

there are other options for this circuit.  I just find the IC chips a little more interesting.

The Circuit in Action

Thanks for checking out our blog
~Kilo

All That and a Bag of Chips - The Talking Gift Box

The Talking Gift Box

 

Items Needed for this project:

1. Gift Box - I used the box that the necklace I purchased came in. 
2. 5x7 cm prototype board
3.  64M bit MP3 Voice Module Serial SPI FLASH SSOP24 Amplifier MINI USB for Arduino
4. (4) momentary switches
5. 1uF Capacitor
6. 10uF Capacitor
7. 7805 Voltage Regulator
8. 220 Ohm Resistor
9. 4 pin header
10. 5mm LED and LED holder
11. Speaker with 4 pin female header
12. On/Off Switch

 The 7805 Voltage Regulator was scavenged from scrap parts we had in the club's shop

The piece of aluminum it is attached to made a great heat sink and wire organizer. 

This is the schematic I found to regulate the 9V battery down to 5V to power the MP3 Module

  Here is a great video that shows how the MP3 Module works:

A simple way to add MP3 playback to your next project

The maker of the video I mentioned above was nice enough to include the
instruction manual in his support files. This image of the pinout is from that PDF
This is a link to go to his support page

 I installed the buttons on the bottom of the prototype board so that they

can stick out of the top of the box and all the components can have room inside the box

 Finished all the wiring.

 I added Velcro to the bottom of the board to allow removal if I wanted to upload different sounds

 Finished the lid. The LED lights up to let you know when the circuit is on.

I got my son to add the sound effects.  He says "Ho Ho Ho" on the Santa Button

"Merry Christmas" on the Christmas Wreath button, "I Love You Mommy" on the Heart

button and "Bonsai!" on the Karate Kid button.

 I hid the speaker and 9V battery under the necklace

 All connected.

 See it in action.

All That and a Bag of Chips - The CHIPSmas Wreath

The Christmas Light Circuit

 

My original plan was to have two of these circuits running to add to the randomness of the lights.

 The Schematic of the Christmas Light Circuit

 Went for some festive colored wire and weaved it through some of the prototype

board for more of a decorative look

 Finished wiring the prototype board

 Prepping the RAM chips

The Heat gun made short work of the glue on those labels.

I drilled holes in 20 chips and inserted 5mm LED holders

I used small gauge wire to solder to the LEDs for easy wiring.

Foam core base

 Once I got the RAM into place I glued each one down to the foam core with hot glue.

I used more foam core for the back of the wreath to protect the wiring.

 

 Inserting and Gluing the LEDs in the RAM chips

 I made a small hole under the RAM to run the LED wire from the front to the back of the wreath.

 I ran 18 Gauge solid wire around the wreath for a ground. At each place I needed to attach an LED to ground I just whittled the protective coating off ground wire, twisted the LED wire around the exposed part and then soldered for extra strength.

Hard Drive arms make a great Christmas Star.

 

 Gluing down the hard drive stepper motors and Hard Drive star as ornaments. 

The CHIPSmas Wreath and all its glory.  

Watch the full video here

Thanks for stopping by our blog.

~Kilo (All That and a Bag of Chips)