@. THE BEST PROJECTS
Downloads are available again from Google drive: << Click here >>.
Adding ESP32-CAM module to CARSON Easy Tyrann 200 Boost helicopter drone (UPDATED)
A toy helicopter is much more fun to fly with a digital camera. Lets find how to add, program and operate ESP32-CAM on a helicopter model.
Handy COVID-19 LED lamp
Suppose you have to test yourself with a COVID-19 RAT tester every two days. The test is luckily always negative and you feel well. There is a number of used COIVD-19 RAT testers to be discarded every week. Why not use just one of them to make a nice handy miniature COVID-19 LED lamp?
PIC32 USB to RS-232 Communication Bridge (ESP8266 example)
Microchip MCP2200 (based on PIC18F14K50 microcontroller) is probably the most optimized Microchip USB to RS-232 bridge, but it is hard to solder by hand and it only goes up to 921.600 bauds.PIC32MX250F128B is a 32-bit microcontroller in a classic DIP-28 casing, which is relatively easy to solder. It also goes up to 3.000.000 bauds (3 mega bauds), so it is also three times as fast. However, Microchip currently promotes PIC32 firmware development only through Microchip Harmony programming library, which on my opinion adds quite some programming overhead to USB CDC interface implementation. One solution is to use a non-Harmony development environment such as Microchip Application Library, but the library does not support newer PIC32 microcontrollers. So I decided to use PIC32MX250F128B for a start. The original MLA lacks configuration files for PIC32MX270F256B.
ADDING AN EXTERNAL ANTENNA TO ESP32 AND ESP8266 MODULES
An external antenna has far better characteristics than an inbuilt antenna on the upper part of an ESP module PCB. Most of ESP32 and ESP8266 modules have no antenna connectors, but you may still add an antenna. At first, it seems to be difficult to figure out exactly what to do, but Espressif Systems blueprints reveal how to switch to an external antenna, if you haven’t got an external antenna ready module. ESP8266 and ESP32 have similar inbuilt antennas, so an antenna mounting technique from this article may be used for both.
ESP32-CAM Secure Offline Video Recorder
ESP32-CAM module usually sends digitized video though a Wi-Fi network, which is vulnerable to a hacker attack. The module can also record offline video to a microSD flash memory card, when Wi-Fi network in unavailable, or extra security to prevent tampering with online ESP32-CAM modules is needed. Internet video recorder examples for ESP32-CAM also include Wi-Fi FTP server functionality, which makes the camera vulnerable to a hacker attack, or enables an intruder to locate the camera with a Wi-Fi scanner device. However, a new ESP32-CAM module firmware provides video recording functionality without Wi-Fi connectivity. A simple hardware modification also provides a software controlled micro switch for controlling camera operation. Let’s get to work!
Programming ESP8266-13 with MCP2200 USB to TTL RS-232 communication bridge
PIC32 REMOTE CONTROLLED ROBOT PROJECT: PRECISELY CONTROL YOUR ROBOT FROM UP TO 90 METERS
One great thing about LEGO robotics is that you are able to assemble almost any kind of robotic platform that previously exited only in your imagination. The other great thing is that you can start with only 2 LEGO M-motors and search your LEGO brick box to find other parts... But you may build other electronics entirely by yourself. And it is much cheaper that buying LEGO NXT controller. You also have much more freedom to program a PIC32MX270F256B microcontroller in C or C++ programming language. Microchip Harmony library is also a great programming tool that makes programming a PIC32 microcontroller almost too easy to an experienced firmware human programmer. PIC32 platform also gives you much more options to attach a variety of sensors... Here are the assembly instructions and a photo gallery... It is funny to build electronics and mechanics as well. The robot is also a great toy for kids and it costs much less the parts at a LEGO shop.
LEGO REMOTE CONTROLLED TRUCK v2.4
LEGO remote controlled truck v2.4 has a more reliable cog transmission... Read more here.
Read the Programming guide to get an overview of the project, but there is much more...
RKM V3 TV Stick firmware upgrades and repairs: Making a USB 2.0 OTG male type-A to male type-A cable and flushing ANDROID OS or Linux image
There is a variety for USB OTG Cables in the internet hardware stores, but none of them has two male USB-A type connectors that we need to flash RKM V3 TV Stick inbuilt SSD. Why? Computers each have their own power supply and should not be powered from a USB host. However, USB 2.0 type-A connectors only have 4 pins which make it impossible for a PC to indicate an OTG connection request to another computer hardware logic. Read more...
LED lighting controller
Low voltage LED lighting controller offers numerous new and innovative possibilities of home lighting control and automation. Lighting may be controlled from a smartphone, tablet or home computer via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, or via a IR remote controller
Raspberry Pi 4b – remote on/off control with a Wi-Fi device
Raspberry Pi 4b have a global enable pin which can easily be connected to an ON/OFF switch on their casings. With an addition of a small ESP32 board and a 3.3 V voltage regulator the global enable pin may also be operated remotely via a Wi-Fi device.
I assembled a remote on/off Raspberry Pi 4b controller from an ESP32-ROOM module, a LM317T voltage, a BC109C transistor and a small number of capacitors and resistors. BC109C or a similar low power transistor is used as a voltage level adapter form 3,3 V to 5 V. It is important to note that the global enable pin operates on 5 V, but ESP32 module operates on 3.3 V (max. 3,6 V).
The remote on/off Raspberry Pi 4b controller is pretty useful for preventing a young teenager to hang on the Internet all the afternoon after returning from the school...
Secure ESP32 PC USB Projects Internet Radio with wired Ethernet connection
The original ESP32 Internet radio project (https://github.com/Edzelf/ESP32-radio) is based on Wi-Fi networks, but an article ESP8266 and ESP32 WiFi hacked on www.Hackady.io webpage specifically addresses the dangers of hacker attacks on ESP32 and ESP8266 modules through Wi-Fi. I therefore come up to an idea of building an ESP32 radio with a much safer wired Ethernet connection to Internet. I started with the original source code and modified it to connect to the Internet through LAN8720A Network module. However, I also added IR remote receiver, display, rotary encoder with a button and an ON/OFF button.
Raspberry Pi 4b attached ESP32 module with programming and control option
There is a variety of development boards with ESP32 modules that once can program and run through a USB to RS-232 interfaces. But ESP32 and other Arduino compatible modiles may also be programmed and run with a Raspberry Pi (preferably Raspberry Pi 4b or Raspberry Pi 3b).
John Deere IoT TRACTOR MODEL
decided to convert an old discarded tractor model with a trailer and a broken remote controller to IoT. Luckily the original Silan Microelectronic RX-6B receiver-controller chip outputs can be overridden by a wire connected to the battery power supply voltage, which activates one of 6 control outputs. A pair of digital outputs on RX-6B receiver-controller is used to control each motor’s speed and rotation direction through an PNP-NPN transistor bridge. So, it would be a waste of time and money not to use electric motor control transistor bridges on the tractor model’s original PCB, while the RX-6B receiver-controller has to be replaced by wire connections to a new ESP8266-13 based controller.
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