Circuit Cellar Ink 274
May 2013

Table of Contents

2


Mary Wilson

HTML Task Manager

A Sensory Experience

10


CJ Abate

HTML New Product News

17


David Tweed

HTML Test Your EQ

18


Donald Kunzig
Robert Kunzig

Wi-Fi-Connected Power Monitor

Design Delivers Energy Data

Brothers Robert and Donald Kunzig built a Wi-Fi-connected device to monitor a home's power usage. This article details the hardware and software they used for the accurate, easy-to-use monitor that can retain data even when power outages occur.

Download: 274-Kunzig.zip

26


Fergus Dixon

Build an Embedded DNA Sequencer

This article describes the challenges involved with building an embedded DNA sequencer. The design includes a motor controller, a light sensor amplifier, and an injector driver circuit.

34


Jesus Calvino-Fraga

The S2S Dongle

A Serial Port-to-SPI Programmer

You can build a serial port-to-SPI bridge programmer that functions without a preprogrammed microcontroller. The design is easy to prototype on a breadboard. It functions by directly translating asynchronous RS-232 signals to the synchronous SPI signals required by a microcontroller of your choice.

Download: 274-Calvino.zip

42


Brian Millier

G-Code CNC Router Controller

Part 2: Axis and Host Control

The first part of this article series explained how to build a microcontroller-based G-code controller for a CNC router. It showed how to use G-code language to program a CNC machine and motion control electronics. Part 2 describes two of the design's functional blocks: the axis controller and the host controller.

Download: 274-Millier.zip

Questions & Answers

48


Nan Price

Engineer, Author, and Innovator

An Interview with Clive "Max" Maxfield

Clive "Max" Maxfield is an engineer who has written more than a half-dozen engineering books, contributes to several blogs, and enjoys learning and relating information to others. Max and I recently discussed his journey from hardware design engineer to prolific book author and blogger, some of his ongoing projects, and his outlook on the future of embedded technology.

Above the Ground Plane

52


Ed Nisley

Hall Effect Sensor Calibration

Engineers design circuits based on parameters in datasheets, but sometimes the parts don't match their specifications. Ed bought some cheap Hall effect sensors, tested them, and discovered a mismatch. In this column, he generates a known magnetic field to calibrate the sensors and describes how they performed.

Download: 274-Nisley.zip

The Consummate Engineer

56


George Novacek

Testing and Testability

Part 1: Design a Dedicated Tester for an Electronic Device

You must consider your electronic device's final testing before the product ships. Designing testability into a product increases its reliability, reduces manufacturing cost, speeds up production, and decreases the cost of repairs. This article describes how an inexpensive dedicated tester can help thoroughly test your product.

Download: 274-Novacek.zip

From the Archives

60


Mikhail Galeev

Construct a Hand-Held Radiation Monitor

If you're a safety-conscious homeowner, then you've probably equipped your house with safety devices like smoke detectors and burglar alarms. But shouldn't you also protect yourself from radiation? If you're interested in doing so but don't want to spend a fortune on a machine, then you can follow Mikhail's instructions and build your own.

From the Bench

68


Jeff Bachiochi

Build a MIDI Communication Device

Part 2: MIDI Output

The first part of this article series described how to build a hardware circuit to monitor the MIDI traffic (message protocol) sent between MIDI devices. This article shows how to produce MIDI-compliant output, which enables you to record MIDI tracks or play music through a PC's sound system.

Download: 274-Bachiochi.zip

76

Crossword Puzzle

79

Crossword Puzzle - Answers for Issue 273

80


Neil Cherry

Tech the Future

Linux Home Automation

FTP Directory for INK 274

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