HackTrack

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

• Finalized HackTrack Shield, ordered parts and PCBs.

2011-05-24

• After major customs delays, boards and parts are here for the HackTrack Shield
• Assembled first HackTrack Shield and started writing code for it, seems to work

Images

Design for acrylic case