Project Logs

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• Concept Renders

  eBender • 04/20/2023 at 08:11 • 0 comments

  And a quick update, it's been a while again.

  - I overhauled PCB#1 another couple of times and am about to order it now.
  - Updated components for longer lifespan, availability and overall structuring.
  - Optimized for low current draw in low power mode.
  - worked a lot on production structure and planning, part organizing, data structuring, brainstorming and 

  something exciting coming soon!

  Read more »

• [H6X] State of the build #6

  eBender • 12/10/2022 at 09:03 • 0 comments

  Alpha 11.0 to 11.2 - PCB Updates

  An update on my first testing with PCB design from version a11.0 to a11.1.
  First of all PCBway did a beautiful job manufacturing the PCBs! All errors and bugs are from my inexperienced design. Thanks to them for the support! 

  What worked:

  • ESP32
  • 240x240px LCD Screen
  • USB-UART Bridge programming (only with reduced speed)
  • LEDs
  • Enable-, Boot Buttons, Auto-Reset 
  • UV Sensors

  What i did wrong: 

  • the selected multiplexer PCF8575 only runs on 5v, but still worked on 3v3 as a LED sink
  • I2C bus was throwing errors at all speeds, probably trace interference
  • Serial upload threw errors sometimes, probably trace interference
  • selected wrong pins on ESP32 and TFT, had to bridge 2 to make it work

  Assembly of the previous version 11.0, which you can see here. It had an unfixable error with the USB-UART Bridge and non-available multiplexer, so i went on to the next one. (always double-check the schematics!)

  Alpha 11.1 Working:

  PCB#1 - Alpha 11.1 Front

  Back (manufactured by PCBway)

  Next up...

  a fully redesigned Alpha 11.2 and testable working prototype

  I got some help to do an overhaul of the entire pcb designs, to make sure they are properly designed and so i don't have to keep reiterating too many times. The power and lamp side with PCB#3 + 4 will have to wait for now.

  Design is already done and to be sent out to PCBway for manufacturing. Again, great gratitude to them for sponsoring, couldn't do it without them!

  Alpha 11.2 Changes to PCB 1 + 2:

  • path / power path improvement
  • change PCB#1 to 4-layer design
  • switched PCF8575 to PCA9535PW
  • switched screen from 240x240px LCD to rounded bare240x280px LCD
  • all remaining IO broken out
  • switched GPS to M86-M33
  • added dedicated power off control to sensors and peripherals for extreme power saving

  PCB#1 - Alpha 11.2 Front	Back
  PCB#2 - Alpha 11.2 Front	Back

• Render dump.

  eBender • 06/30/2022 at 13:00 • 0 comments

  Eye candy time!

  
  

  Quick update: 

  finished the design of PCB#1 (post coming soon) and sent it out to PCBway who were super fast and great! 

  It's been 3 weeks now, DHL decided to send the package on a little world tour (Shenzhen>Germany>Moldova>Romania>Italy>Germany) and now it seems to be stuck. But no biggie, i'm in Spain right now anyways, just hope i can persuade them to send it to me eventually. -.-

  
  more Renders after the fold:

  Read more »

• [H6X] State of the build #5

  eBender • 01/10/2022 at 04:04 • 0 comments

  alpha 11.0

  New design Sketches for custom PCBs:

  PCB prototyping, 3D printing, new designs.

  I hit power path and size limitations with my breadboard prototype spider for while...
  and then i was offered sponsoring by PCBway. love when things come together by themselves.

  So, i already started the PCB design and tests of the 3D printed enclosure.
  I scaled down the prototype a little bit. Basically temporarily taking out half
  of the battery, 1 sensor and the Spotlight LED. Makes it a much sleeker device
  and prototyping slightly easier. I can scale up again after the first successful PCBs.
  Gotta keep in mind that i want to keep it somewhat modular, space for expansion and user accessible.

  Change-log [a10.2 -> alpha 11.0]

  • temporary Size cut-down
  • switch to custom PCBs by PCBway
  • switch to 3D printing from Aluminium bracket design for now
  • switch to 4-way Joystick clickable with 2-Color LED
  • switch to BME688 T, H, P, AI Gas
  • switch to APDS-9250 RGB, ALS, IR Sensor
  • added MCU23017 I/O expander
  • added P82B715 I²C signal booster (if needed)
  • added MPU9250 back in (used to have I²C conflict)
  • removed VEML7700, BME390

  PCB#1 Design

  PCB#1 - ESP32, Multiplexer, Screens, User I/O, USB-C UART

  PCB#2 - Sensors, GPS, SD card reader

  PCB#3 - Power supply, BMS, USB-C controllers plugs, temp sensors

  PCB#4 - LED matrix diffuse, PWM Led controllers, temp sensors, Thermal Camera?

  thanks PCBway for sponsoring, excited to see the first one!

  Read more »

• [H6X] UI Video Update

  eBender • 07/12/2021 at 12:19 • 0 comments

  Progress:  66,9%      Hardware: v9       Code: a10.0

  quick video of almost the whole OS.

  * Time and Heart Rate BPM is not working correctly right now.

• [H6X] UI Update

  eBender • 05/24/2021 at 03:57 • 2 comments

  Progress:  66,9%      Hardware: v9       Code: v9.9

  I've been working on the UI and made some progress i want to share.

  Mainly Home and Menu Screens and some minor updates.
  I realised i haven't featured the Air Quality/indirect virus detection theory
  functionality yet, that will be getting its own post soonish.
  

  These are actual screenshots of the display (or photos rather, haven't figured out the eSPI screenshot readRect() code yet). Some pages are still cluttered and older, and i have yet to implement smooth fonts, but it's at a good state to show and explain.

  Read more »

• [H6X] State of the build #4

  eBender • 04/28/2021 at 23:27 • 0 comments

  Progress:  65,6%      Hardware: v9       Code: v9.8

  Change-log: 

  • implemented AMG8833 8x8px Thermal Cam
  • added Button2 library for Interrupt double-click detection
  • enabled INA260 Interrupt low voltage alarm to trigger system power off through Buck converter EN pin
  • removed pull-up resistors on all I2C sensors, keeping 10k main I2C pull-ups
  • bug fixes

  Issues:

  • detecting SD unmount or error inside Loop() not working anymore
  • removed MPU9250 for AMG8833 to work (I2C addresses)

  
  

  AMG8833 Functions:
  

  Using Algorithm from the Adafruit AMG88xx Library.

  Screen shows:    Center Point Value, Max Value, Min Value, fps,  Interpolation Time
  

  • LowRes Mode      30x28 Pixels Interpolated, 12 fps 
  • HighRes Mode     120x111 pixels Interpolated, 1 fps (+Auto-Exposure)
  • Full Screen burst mode    collects the highest value out of the full array
  • Center Point burst mode  collects the highest value out of the 2 center pixels

  Button Single-Click:    Trigger Burst Measurement (small 0.49" screen shows 3-sec countdown)
  Button Double-Click:  Toggle Measurement Area (Center Point, Full Screen)

  In HighRes mode i maxed out the Resolution so the frame Rate drops to 1. The Colour Temperatures are mapped to onscreen Min and Max Temps. Kinda works like a simple exposure compensation in a normal camera. The adjusted values get passed on to the LowRes mode if switched. Default temperature scale is 22C - 33C.

  It features a Burst Mode (Averaging Mode) to get a more accurate reading with the 8 bit sensor values, by averaging 50 samples over 3 seconds. Measurement will always be taken from the highest temperature seen by the Sensors inside the selected Measurement Area (Full Screen (64px) or Center Point (2px)).

  Issue: i can't, for the life of me, figure out how to access the full color spectrum to have smooth color transitions. I tried using the eSPI colors and a conversion method, but could only get it to work by accident with smooth colors going from dark blue to purple, and dropping 6 fps. no good. Could have something to do with the 16bit color mapping and how they are arranged in the array, since the actual 8x8 sensor values are 8-Bit, but the array only holds about 32 or 64 colors it looks like. i don't understand how to map the array correctly, or where to get a premade one.

  
  

  more after the jump:

  Read more »

• [H6X] State of the build #3

  eBender • 04/23/2021 at 17:18 • 0 comments

  Progress:  64,8%      Hardware: v9       Code: v9.8

  Update: Time for some pictures of Hardware implementation and UI progress:

  Progress with the UI:

  It's still not very beautiful, but already does almost everything that was planned. 

  Read more »

• [H6X] State of the build #2

  eBender • 04/23/2021 at 12:21 • 0 comments

  Progress:  61,4%      Hardware: v9       Code: v9.7

  Change-log:

  • replaced MLX90614 BCC with AMG8833 64px Thermal cam
  • added Sensirion SCD30 - CO2, Temperature, Humidity Sensor to support fairly inaccurate CCS811 & HDC1080
  • added secondary tiny 0.49" OLED screen (displays sensor & error data)
  • added additional INA260 Voltage & Current Sensor (15 Amps max)
  • added mini GPS Module in plans (not ordered yet, still researching - PA1010D ?)
  • added self-error checking/disabling for Sensors & SD reader
  • sped up code by a lot! (avg 80 fps)
  • made progress with UI/UX menu (new Debug & Info Screens, Charge Indication etc...)
  • implemented deep Sleep & low Power Modes

  Issues:

  • conflicting I2C adresses for RTC, MPU & AMG8833 (go Serial? or one has to go)
  • how to manufacture precise aluminium bends (r 1.75cm)
  • voltage still unstable bc of  janky breadboard/cables & too many components (occasional i2c errors) guessing  soldered connections and better wires will fix this

  Issues with the power Path/Charging:

  USB-C input needs 9v from wall charger to work, because i am using non-balanced 2S, 8.4v, 2A charging modules that don't boost the voltage.

  i tested multiple 2S charging boards TP5100 in parallel and i think it killed 2 of them. So charging would be limited to 1 charger with 2A max, which would take way too long (over 16h). Maybe going 2S was a bad idea, but it gives me the ability to toggle these (HW-313, 3A) voltage buck converters on and off via their enable pins. And voltage conversion differences between battery voltage and the component voltages are lower. (highest is 12v, lowest 3.3v)

  Having a balanced, protected 2S (3 terminal) buck-boost converter/charger supporting 7A with USB-C PD4.0 polling for voltage, input and output switch, would be a dream (MJ1 Batteries support 6.8A charge rate, which would take 6h30).. if my math is correct.

  I know designing a custom PCS with charging/power/protection/management features, sensors and as much as fits on it would probably be the best solution, but i don't have the expertise yet. Arduino and Alibaba modules it is for now. 

  unless someone wants to help?

  New Component / Feature Illustration:

• [H6X] State of the build #1

  eBender • 01/25/2021 at 22:26 • 0 comments

  Progress:  42,7%    Hardware: v7       Code: v7.3

  Issues:

  • Airflow, heat management, heat expansion of materials.
  • Getting my prototyping circuit up and running again. switched to a new breadboard and wires and now all the voltages have dropped.

  no idea how to tackle the charging path. Schematic &  more Details after the Jump

  Read more »

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