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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Metric Blue Assembled
Metric Blue is now assembled sufficiently for operational testing. There was a bit of a tense moment when I discovered that I had connected the 9v battery lead to the voltage regulator’s 5v row, but miraculously nothing got fried. Though … Continue reading
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Micro Servo Gear Pry Tool
In the process of converting a micro servo to continuous rotation, it is necessary to open the housing and pry the gears off the servo base one at a time. However, my fingers are just too big and clumsy to … Continue reading
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Tagged continuous rotation, conversion, micro servo, robotics
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Metric Blue Test Phase
A quick trip to Vetco this morning, and I got some 22uF ceramic capacitors to replace the electrolytics that I was using in Metric Blue’s circuit. The LED blinked on cue. Success! Then the screen read test was getting error … Continue reading
Troubleshooting and Fault Isolation
The freshly-breadboarded circuit for my new robot, Metric Blue, isn’t working. When the switch is flipped, the servos make a little noise for an instant, indicating that power is getting to them. But the LED never blinks the ‘ready’ signal. … Continue reading
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Why Breadboarding is like Hiragana
In the Japanese writing syllabary known as hiragana, stroke order is important to properly compose the characters. Likewise, in building a bread board circuit, it’s important to figure out the order of installing the wires and components. Otherwise you find … Continue reading
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Grisbot in metric
I decided to completely redraw minigrisbot in millimeters instead of inches, and it went much, much faster. Friends don’t let friends design robots in English units. (Pouring ale is another matter.) But why re-design something that’s already designed? In case … Continue reading
Grisbot with new courses
Here are three obstacle courses, which can be selected by choosing the corresponding icon at the top of the screen: I’ve been thinking about adding different modes, such as following a flashlight beam. If you have any ideas for what … Continue reading
Laser Cut Parts Variation
The breadboard and battery holes should have been the exact same size from (Blue) Babe to Goldie. Instead, on Goldie the holes appear to be a quarter inch too small in width. Why? I revised the part, but I don’t … Continue reading
How to stick resistors in breadboards
Not like that. Like this: Also recommended: Cup your hand over the clippers when you snip the unbent lead even with the bent, which sounds metaphorical but will in practice keep little metal bits from flying hither and yon.
Engineer Zero 