HackTrack

From Hackstrich

HackTrack is going to be a system to keep track of who's been spending time cleaning the lab (HackLab.TO) and award points and such for doing so.

Ideas

  • Lots of switches and knobs to flip/dial, LEDs to blink
    • 8 big toggle switches to identify which tasks you have completed
    • LEDs with each of these switches for ... something
    • Space beside each toggle/LED for a written label identifying what the task is
    • One of the toggle switches will have an associated selector knob for an 'other' option, knob to specify minutes put into lab cleanup or something like that
    • 20x2 LCD screen for feedback and because I like LCD screens
    • Three large red/yellow/green LEDs to give feedback on something (mostly because someone suggested it would look cool)
  • HID reader to identify members
  • Ethernet connection to send data to a message queue
  • Arduino to tie everything together
  • Acrylic front/back panels (as we can cut them on our lazzor), standoffs between them

Build Log

Before 2011-02-27

  • Put basic design together
  • Decided on the MiniProx HID reader that another lab member was going to be freeing up soon, designed front panel
  • ...found it wasn't going to be freed up after all
  • Redesigned front panel for the ProxPro HID reader that I had laying around
  • ...found it was really big and the acrylic i wanted to use wasn't big enough
  • Redesigned front panel for the ProxPoint Plus that another member donated to the project

2011-02-27

  • Optimized G-code output for front/back panels, cut final versions of both (back in opaque white, front in transparent blue).
  • Worked on a test of laser counterboring for the rotating selector switch nut (5 concentric circles at relatively low power repeated until enough material has vaporized)
    • Will do one more test next time, then counterbore the final panel
  • Test fit the following:
    • Toggle switches - fit relatively well, nut doesn't have much to grab but works well enough I think
    • Small LEDs - tiny bit loose in the holes, will need to tack them in with a bit of CA or something
    • Large 'traffic light' LEDs - fit perfectly
    • HID Reader - fits perfectly
    • LCD - need longer bolts than I had at the lab, but fit looks good other than that

2011-03-05

  • Tested laser counterboring a bunch, haven't done it on the final panel yet as I'm still tweaking it.
  • Fit most other parts to the front panel including LCD.
  • Started working on clock + data HID reader code for Arduino.

2011-03-06

  • Finished clock + data HID reader code for Arduino
    • What a horrible protocol!
  • Started working on Ethernet code for the system
    • Realized the LCD and Ethernet Shield both use the same I/O pins, doh!
  • Designed the HackTrack Shield for the Arduino, which gives:
    • 40 digital I/Os via I2C
    • LCD port that can be connected directly to the Arduino or to the onboard I2C GPIOs
      • Includes contrast pot, backlight resistors, etc.

2011-03-13

2011-05-24

Images

Design for acrylic case