Windell Oskay

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  • in reply to: combining multiple objects so that eggbot sees it as only one #21204
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    You can either post *a link* to it here, or contact us by e-mail– our address is visible here:  http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/about

    in reply to: I need some peggy advice please. #21181
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    The Peggy 2 (or 2LE) can do it, but it is indeed overkill. Probably the most straightforward way to use it would be to wire up 6 rows rows of 10 LEDs each, meaning that you’d need to run a total of 16 wires to the Peggy.

    The Peggy 2 is 11.320×14.875″ in overall size:

     http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/tinykitlist/75-peggy2

    You might prefer to use the Peggy 2LE instead, as it is smaller (9.625×5.9″) and lower in cost:
    http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/tinykitlist/157

    The Peggy 2 comes with a 3xD battery holder. One can be added separately to the Peggy 2LE as well: http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/partsmenu/552
    I’d estimate battery lifetime under this set of circumstances as about 150-250 hours if the LEDs are on all of the time, and 2-5 times that if the LEDs are flashing intermittently.  I’d certainly recommend turning it off when not needed or (much better) using a plug-in power supply.
    Since you don’t need all that many LEDs, and they don’t need to be on all the time, you might consider using Charlieplexing, directly from a microcontroller, to drive the LEDs instead.   For 60 LEDs, you could do this with a microcontroller board like our Diavolino, using 9 digital output lines to drive a hand-wired matrix.  For a bit more about Charlieplexing, see our article about how the Bulbdial Clock works:
    in reply to: combining multiple objects so that eggbot sees it as only one #21202
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    > So for a more complex figure (I don’t know how to show one like you did) one would need to go through a lot of convolutions. 

    Yes, but only in cases where you’re starting from vector artwork made with white fills– and that’s a little less common than you might think. (The only case where we usually see this being an issue is when people start with poorly made vector clip art.) 
    If you have a specific graphic that you’d like advice on how to prepare for use with the Eggbot, please feel free to either post a link to it here, or contact us directly via the contact form or e-mail. We’d be happy to help.
    in reply to: Octolively-flexible connectors & programming #21184
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    Yes, the pins can be bent by up to about 10 degrees, while still maintaining a good connection.  If you need to bend more than that, you should probably consider how the things will connect together prior to assembling the connectors onto the boards.

    The program can be altered to do almost anything, although true randomness is hard to achieve on a microcontroller. The Octolively is normally used in a mode where each LED responds to the stimulation at that site, however it does not necessarily need to be built with the sensors, if you do not need them, and your program will not expect them.
    in reply to: MeggyJR – power-on display problem #21205
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    Okay, column #5 – the column directly under LED D4, is really “Row 4” in the matrix, starting with row 1 on the top (your right hand side) and working down. Row 4 is at pin 23 of the LED matrix socket, and is controlled by transistor Q3, through resistor RB3, from pin 11 of the microcontroller. 

    So, check those points for a possible missing solder joint.  See also a previous forum post on the topic:  http://www2.evilmadscientist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=5352
    in reply to: combining multiple objects so that eggbot sees it as only one #21200
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    If I understand correctly, you mean this situation:  

    If so, you can prepare the drawing for the eggbot, like so:
    in reply to: combining multiple objects so that eggbot sees it as only one #21198
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    The Eggbot draws with a pen, and consequently it is designed to only draw lines. It does not, on its own, see fills.   The guideline that I posted above will allow you to see where the lines are in your drawing, and therefore, what will actually print.

     (If you want to fill regions, please see our tutorial on creating filled regions:
    http://wiki.evilmadscientist.com/Creating_filled_regions
     If you want to fill a region in with white ink, that’s certainly possible, so long as you have a white pen to use.  Otherwise, it sounds like what you really want to do is to use the Path>Difference operation to subtract a white-filled region from a black-filled region.
    in reply to: combining multiple objects so that eggbot sees it as only one #21195
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    I’m not sure exactly what the situation is here. To preview what the Eggbot will actually draw, select all, and then ungroup everything. Turn the fill type to “no paint” (none), and select a consistent stroke width, say 1 px. Then, you’ll see all the same lines that the Eggbot will. 

     If you want to draw the outline of a set of path objects, you might try using the “Union” operation under the Path menu to combine them together.
    in reply to: PRINTING FONTS #21193
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    It sounds like you may have had some extraneous lines or artifacts in your file that the Eggbot was trying to print, outside of the template area. 

     A couple of things that you might try: 
     – Import your file into Inkscape as an EPS drawing, rather than SVG. Illustrator SVG sometimes seems to have issues. 
     – Check for extraneous lines or artifacts within Inkscape before printing. From the menu, select View>Zoom>Drawing, to show the full extent of items on your page. Then, Edit > Select All to highlight everything on the page.
    in reply to: PRINTING FONTS #21191
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster
    If the text comes into Inkscape as a set of curves (rather than as editable text), you do not need to do anything to it.
    If the text comes into Inkscape as editable text (rather than as a set of curves), you’ll need to convert it to curves before plotting.  To do so, first select the text, and then from the Path menu, choose the option “Object to Path.”
    Can you say in which way the “Eggbot started to act weird?” 
    in reply to: PRINTING FONTS #21189
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    Inkscape natively handles the fonts already installed on your PC, and can write with them using its built-in text editing tools.  

    The Hershey Text extension only *adds to* that set of fonts.  The fonts that it contains are “engraving fonts” (by Mr. Hershey) which your PC cannot natively handle, because they are defined by the stroke width, rather than as an outline that gets filled in.  These font types are so different that it is not possible (by any means) to convert an engraving font to or from an outline font.    
    So, to answer your questions directly: 
    (1) No, Hershey Text can only handle genuine engraving fonts.  
    (2) While you cannot print system fonts from within Hershey Text, you are *not* limited to the fonts provided by Hershey Text.  Inkscape handles your system fonts directly (and in many ways better), with the “normal” text tools.
    in reply to: eibotboard on raspberry pi #21187
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    Here’s a project using an EiBotBoard and a RPi:

    So, it is possible, certainly.  In that project, it enumerates as /dev/ttyACM0.
    You might try connecting a few times, and you might try unplugging it and back in again.
    in reply to: Alpha Clock 5 – GPS support #21163
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    FWIW, we’ve had pretty good luck with just the ultimate GPS breakout, without any external antenna.

    in reply to: Octolively-flexible connectors & programming #21182
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    A set of Octolively panels can be misaligned by about 10 degrees per connection, to fit along a curved surface.  If a steeper curve is needed, you can use a ribbon cable (or individual wires) to connect them together. If you know in advance of building them exactly what configuration you will need, that can enable the use of more compact flexible connections.

    One of the default eight programs does have the LEDs normally lit, and then dimming when a hand moves over.  It is also possible to reprogram them to modify this or the other programs as you see fit.

    in reply to: Motors hot when idle #21185
    Windell Oskay
    Keymaster

    The Eggbot motors use a similar amount of power whether or not they are turning, since the coils in stepper motors are continuously energized whenever power to the motors is turned on.

    If the motors are getting excessively hot, you may want to adjust the motor current down.  There’s a “sweet spot” in terms of motor current, where the drawing quality is best (not too much current, not too little current) and the motors tend to run at a reasonably-warm medium temperature.     
    For instructions on how to adjust the motor current, see here:   http://wiki.evilmadscientist.com/Making_your_first_plot#Drawing_on_your_Egg
Viewing 15 posts - 1,291 through 1,305 (of 1,518 total)