Giladon-line » Sustainability http://giladlotan.com/blog culture technology: bridging the gap Tue, 18 May 2010 00:29:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Solar Shades http://giladlotan.com/blog/2008/05/solar-shades/ http://giladlotan.com/blog/2008/05/solar-shades/#comments Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:27:08 +0000 http://giladlotan.com/blog/?p=341 There’s something so elegant about this project. In addition to liking the overall design, I really like the educational aspect of these solar shades – having kids learn about solar energy, and the importance of finding the most efficient angle as they turn the panels. On the other hand, it is still extremely wasteful, like [...]]]> There’s something so elegant about this project. In addition to liking the overall design, I really like the educational aspect of these solar shades – having kids learn about solar energy, and the importance of finding the most efficient angle as they turn the panels. On the other hand, it is still extremely wasteful, like many of these sustainable-artsy projects. “Lets gather solar power so that we can light up more LED’s…”
designer-proposes-veil-solar-shades-to-help-power-schools-engadget.jpg

We’ve seen plenty of unique implementations for solar panels, but none quite like these so-called VEIL Solar Shades from designer Büro North, which block out the sun’s rays just as well as they capture it. In addition to being light enough for a child to turn on a swivel (they’re designed specifically for schools), the shades would apparently also boast a pattern of LED lights on their undersides, which would indicate if they’re in the optimal position to gather the maximum amount of solar energy. No word as to when of if they’re actually going to put to use, but the project has apparently already received some funding by the Victorian Government in Australia, and it certainly seems like it’d find plenty of appeal beyond schoolyards.

(source: engadget)

[tags]solar,sustainable,energy,design,shades[/tags]

]]> http://giladlotan.com/blog/2008/05/solar-shades/feed/ 0 Faucetricity http://giladlotan.com/blog/2007/01/faucetricity/ http://giladlotan.com/blog/2007/01/faucetricity/#comments Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:53:44 +0000 http://giladlotan.com/blog/?p=104 Our assignment in sustainable energy was to work on producing electricity from a stepper motor. Hacking the life out of an old scanner I had lying at home produce two stepper motors. Connecting them to two diode bridges (rectifiers), turns the AC voltage generated by turning the motor into DC (diagram here – I used [...]]]> electric faucet
Our assignment in sustainable energy was to work on producing electricity from a stepper motor. Hacking the life out of an old scanner I had lying at home produce two stepper motors. Connecting them to two diode bridges (rectifiers), turns the AC voltage generated by turning the motor into DC (diagram here – I used the 4-wire circuit). Inserting a capacitor averaged out the current, and it easily lit an LED which was connected (as the load of the circuit).

voltage: with a 10 uF capacitor, range between 1.5 to 2V
current: average of 20-30 mA while turning the faucet, reaching a maximum of 50mA.

short video

]]> http://giladlotan.com/blog/2007/01/faucetricity/feed/ 0 Xbee setup for Solar Panel Network http://giladlotan.com/blog/2006/11/xbee-setup-for-solar-panel-network/ http://giladlotan.com/blog/2006/11/xbee-setup-for-solar-panel-network/#comments Sun, 12 Nov 2006 17:35:29 +0000 http://giladlotan.com/blog/?p=82 Solar Panel Link:

Description of what our objective is…

Xbee Radios:

Addressing:

3 layers: Channel, Pan ID and DL/DH

Short 16-bit addresses. The module can be configured to use short 16-bit addresses as the Source Address by setting (MY < 0xFFFE). Setting the DH parameter (DH = 0) will configure the Destination Address to be a short 16-bit address (if DL < [...]]]> Solar Panel Link:

Description of what our objective is…

Xbee Radios:

Addressing:

3 layers: Channel, Pan ID and DL/DH

Short 16-bit addresses. The module can be configured to use short 16-bit addresses as the
Source Address by setting (MY < 0xFFFE). Setting the DH parameter (DH = 0) will configure the
Destination Address to be a short 16-bit address (if DL < 0xFFFE). For two modules to communicate
using short addressing, the Destination Address of the transmitter module must match the
MY parameter of the receiver.

When an End Device associates to a Coordinator, its MY parameter is set to 0xFFFE to enable 64-
bit addressing. The 64-bit address of the module is stored as SH and SL parameters. To send a
packet to a specific module, the Destination Address (DL + DH) on one module must match the
Source Address (SL + SH) of the other.

AT commands:

  • +++ (no enter): places the chip in command mode
  • ATCN: exit command mode
  • ATWR: write configuration, so that the Xbee remembers the set parameters
  • ATBD: baud rate (ATBD3 – 9600 baud)
  • ATID: pan ID
  • ATDH: destination address (high)
  • ATDL: destination address (low)
  • ATMY: my address
  • ATSH: serial number (high) – this is a unique address
  • ATSL: serial number (low) – this is a unique address
  • ATDB: signal strength of the last RF packet received
  • ATPL: Power Level (default: 18dBm on the Xbee pros)
  • ATIR: Set sample time (ATIR0×0A – samples every 10ms)

Modes of operation:

Xbee I/O Commands:
IA (I/O Input Address) Command
The IA command
is used to bind a module output to a specific
address. Outputs will only change if received
from this address. The IA command can be used
to set/read both 16 and 64-bit addresses.
Setting all bytes to 0xFF will not allow the reception
of any I/O packet to change outputs. Setting
the IA address to 0xFFFF will cause the module to
accept all I/O packets.

PR – The PR command is used to
set and read the bit field that is used to configure
internal the pull-up resistor status for I/O lines.
“1” specifies the pull-up resistor is enabled. “0”
specifies no pull up.

bit 0 – AD4/DIO4 (pin 11)
bit 1 – AD3/DIO3 (pin 17)
bit 2 – AD2/DIO2 (pin 18)
bit 3 – AD1/DIO1 (pin 19)
bit 4 – AD0/DIO0 (pin 20)
bit 5 – AD6/DIO6 (pin 16)
bit 6 – DI8 (pin 9)
bit 7 – DIN/CONFIG (pin 3)
For example: Sending the command “ATPR 6F” will turn bits 0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 ON; and bits 4 & 7
will be turned OFF. (The binary equivalent of “0×6F” is “01101111”. Note that ‘bit 0’ is the last digit
in the bitfield.

Analog I/O commands support page

Complete Xbee Manual

Xbee Support Page Link

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