Pyro DIY - Fireworks Ignition Control System using Parallax SX48!
You know when it comes to New Years and Independence Day, you always get to see some really exotic, beautiful fireworks. Well, all those fireworks are nowdays controlled by an ignition control system but here’s how to make one for yourself.
At the heart of my firework ignition system is an SX48 running at 50 MHz. I was able to make full use of the SX’s 36 IO pins. Thirty lines are dedicated to the 30 channels. Two lines connect to a MAX233 chip for serial port control. Another line is connected to a 7805 (TO-92) which monitors the state of the arming key. The remaining 3 lines are used to communicate with the PIC A/D converter via an SPI interface. The system was built with cost as an important factor. At $10 the SX48 Proto board was an easy choice with its incorporated 5V regulator, led and all the difficult surface mount soldering already done for me. I also designed 2 pc boards using the freeware version of Cadsoft’s Eagle. The interface board connects the SX48 Proto board and contains the MAX233 chip, A/D converter and 30 LEDs to represent the state of each of the 30 channels.
via hackedgadgets, DIY Page
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Loading ...DIY - How to Make Match Box Fireworks!
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Here’s a fun DIY you can do using bunch of matches. You will need like 20 boxes of matches to do this.
This thing does look pretty powerful so be careful and don’t burn your hand!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Zedomax New Years Countdown 2008 San Francisco!
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Remember last year’s countdown? Well, this year, we didn’t get to count down as San Francisco decided not to I guess. Regardless, we did get some footage of the fireworks near Bay Bridge. We were actually at the Fishermen’s Wharf and that’s why the fireworks seem far away. Next year, we will be going closer to downtown.
Like history of New Years? Check out how crazy we went last year with New Years countdown videos here.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...LEGO NXT Fireworks Robot
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Cool, someone made a Lego NXT Fireworks Robot!
This autonomous NXT robot will light multiple fireworks in a sequence - while the family sits back and watch the display!!
It uses a MINDSTORMS NXT, two light sensors (one for navigation and other to detect a lighted fuse) and an Ultrasonic detector (to adjust the torch arm height depending on the height of the fireworks fuse wire. It uses three motors - two for motion and and the third for the torch arm elvator.
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