Project Proposals

Bicycle POV LED

Examples:

http://www.instructables.com/id/RGBike-POV-Open-project/

Parts:

• 1x ATMega328p / ATMega168 microcontroller
• 1x TLC5940 / TLC5941, 16 PWM Ouput LED driver
• 16x Superflux RGB LEDs
• 1x A3213
• 3x PN2222, NPN transistors
• Assorted resistors, capacitors, tact switches and connectors (check schematic and board layout)

Gorilla Marketing

HonFest marks the beginning of the festival season. While its too late to get booth at any of these events its not too late to make our presence known. What if we had a workshop where we made some sort of gorilla marketing device. One way to go would be some sort electronic apparel, like an ambient orb hat or some kind of musical shirt, etc. Or it could follow examples of other gorilla marketers like the printing bicycle or a flashing LED signs (WARNING: Not sure if the Baltimore police are as reactionary as the Boston police.) Something simple, fun and easy to individualize. Why not tell people about the newly energized Baltimore Hacker community?

Ambient Orb

Examples:

• http://fightpc.blogspot.com/2008/03/arduino-mood-light.html
• http://www.instructables.com/id/Mobius_LED_Lantern/

Parts:

• 1 x Arduino or Clone ~$20-$30
• 1 x Some Sort of Difuser. i.e. Frosted lamp, saran wrap, etc. $0-A lot
• 1+ LED's high or low power
  • Low Power LED: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=105
    • Does not require extra parts
  • http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8718
    • High Power LED: External power source: http://store.gravitech.us/waadswposu12.html
    • Heatsink

Weather Instruments and Networks

Build weather instruments, assemble into a weather station using wifi, etc. Install around Inner Harbor, and "Northwest Harbor" (Canton). Especially wind and waves for sailors.

Instruments, compare with Ft. McHenry data http://opendap.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/stations/stationData.jsp?id=8574680 and http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/geo.shtml?location=21201

Feed data to:

• weather underground http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/index.asp
• Citizen Weather Observer Program http://www.wxqa.com/ and http://www.findu.com/
• NOAA http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/ & other programs
• Local marinas & sailing centers:
  • downtownsailing.org

Installation locations:

• downtownsailing.org at Baltimore Museum of Industry, Riverside/Locust Point.
• Marinas

Display stations

Build a small display station with LCD display from salvaged laptop showing wind, waves, sever-weather/radar, etc. for the Inner Harbor. Install at marinas, etc.

AM Radio Transmitter

You don't need any sort of licensing to broadcast on AM frequencies if your transmitter is 100 milliwatts or less. A transmitter with a basic wire antenna can get 50 to 200 feet of range, however a more substantial outdoor antenna can transmit as far as two miles. I would be interested in setting up an internet radio station and then using multiple transmitters to broadcast that station over AM around Baltimore. The transmitter stations would require enough computing resources to connect to the internet in some way, decode an internet radio stream, and output an audio signal to the AM transmitter. The transmitters themselves can be purchased for about $75-100 dollars, but it's possible we could construct a transmitter from plans for much cheaper. Five to ten well placed transmitters could cover a significant amount Baltimore city.

• Transmitter Information

Steps

• Setup a stream
• Build an Arduino/xbee that dials into the stream and outputs audio
• Connect audio with AM transmitter
• Build a nice case with antennae(s)
• Replicate and distribute
• Broadcast to the masses

Hacker Radio Broadcast topics

• Freeculture
• DIY discussions
• Copyright law
• Opensource
• Coverage of local events
• Creative Commons music show?