Electronic die project

[johnboxall]

Hello everyone
I have documented another beginners' project using an Arduino bootloader and a few other parts to make an electronic die.
If this is of interest, please have a look at http://wp.me/pQmjR-VX
have fun
john

[NiHaoMike]

I would recommend using a spring in a metal tube instead of a mercury switch.

[JohnS_AZ]

Nice project.
I think the mercury switch is fine, especially the encapsulated one that you used.

BTW.. the video wouldn't load for me. The problem is probably on my end, but thought I'd mention it in case others have the same issue.

[johnboxall]

Nice project.
I think the mercury switch is fine, especially the encapsulated one that you used.

Thanks JohnS_AZ

Yes, the switch is quite solid. I remember selling the glass ones years ago at Dick Smith Electronics, we hid them behind the counter for safety (with the 16550 UARTS and blue LEDs...)  

[johnboxall]

Just checked my privacy settings on Youtube and Vimeo for the die video clips, they're all public.
Maybe try again in a minute or two?
cheers
john

[JohnS_AZ]

Very often, it seems, embedded videos don't load for me when I'm looking at non-US sites. It happens all the time with Dave's. You might want to consider a small text link directly to the youtube video under your embedded video window.

[johnboxall]

Very often, it seems, embedded videos don't load for me when I'm looking at non-US sites. It happens all the time with Dave's. You might want to consider a small text link directly to the youtube video under your embedded video window.

That's odd, the site is on wordpress.com, which is hosted in the US; Youtube in the US AFAIK.
Anyhow, I'm on youtube.com/tronixstuff or vimeo.com/tronixstuff - everything is up there in those two sites.
'night
john

[johnboxall]

Had another lash at the die without using microcontrollers - http://wp.me/pQmjR-ZS

[House91320]

It would be cool to use an accelerometer, and make it the size of a die but that would be a bit hard.

[johnboxall]

It would be cool to use an accelerometer, and make it the size of a die but that would be a bit hard.

That would be quite possible, but the power supply would be an issue. With a custom PCB and SMD everything, you could probably get it down
to around 15mm^3, using those tiny hearing-aid cells.

[TheDirty]

Oddly a 3 axis accelerometer is cheaper than those mercury or ball switches.  An MMA7455 is $2 in singles.  MMA7660 is only $1.50, crazy.

SMD, but I remember saving up my money to buy some of those first MEMs accelerometers.  They've dropped so much that they are as cheap as passives.  I buy a few just to add to projects for no reason but something like tap sensing/control.

[sonicj]

neat.

this reminds of a box of "electronic ice cubes" i have in storage. they were from a spring break promo a few years back. exposed electrodes would short when wet and light the LED inside the cube. im sure i'll hack 'em up into something one day...

check out pin vises if you don't already have one. much easier to drill precision holes by hand vs a dremel. unibits are great for large clean holes.
-sj