Measurement & Sensors
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iETHERNET DESIGN CONTEST WINNERS P. 30 • DESIGN YOUR OWN CONTROLLER CIRCUITRY P. 70 • PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC 101 P. 76 w w w . c i r c u i t c e l l a r . c o m CIRCUITTHE MAGAZINE FOR COMPUTER CELLAR APPLICATIONS #214 May 2008 MEASUREMENT & SENSORS Build An Ultrasonic Height-Sensing System Electronic Data Logging & Motion Analysis The coLinux Development Platform Making Sense Of Compiler Output Construct A Portable LCR Meter ATA Interfaces For I/O Apps 05> 7925274 75349 $4.95 U.S. ($5.95 Canada) C2.qxp 3/3/2008 11:16 AM Page 1 SERIAL TO ETHERNET SOLUTIONS Simple Ethernet connectivity for serial devices Works out of the box - no programming is required Device P/N: SB70-100CR Customize to suit any Kit P/N: NNDK-SB70-KIT application with low-cost $69 SB70 development kit 2-port serial-to-Ethernet server Features: Qty. 100 with TTL support 10/100 Ethernet TCP/UDP mode DHCP/Static IP Support Data rates up to 921.6kbps Web-based configuration Need a custom solution? NetBurner Serial to Ethernet Development Kits are available Device P/N: SB72-EX-100CR to customize any aspect of Kit P/N: NNDK-SB72EX-KIT operation including web pages, data filtering, or custom network SB72EX $139 applications. All kits include 2-port serial-to-Ethernet server platform hardware, ANSI C/C++ Qty. 100 with RS-232 & RS-485/422 support compiler,TCP/IP stack, web server, e-mail protocols, RTOS, flash file system, Eclipse IDE, debugger, cables and power supply. Device P/N: PK70EX-232CR Information and Sales | [email protected] Kit P/N: NNDK-PK70EX232-KIT Web | www.netburner.com $269 PK70EX232 Telephone | 1-800-695-6828 4-port serial-to-Ethernet server Qty. 100 with RS-232 support 1.qxp 4/10/2008 12:50 PM Page 1 35.?AD?%$PDF !- 2.qxp 4/2/2008 1:34 PM Page 1 3.qxp 1/30/2008 12:00 PM Page 1 ent Disp sc la e y r s o u l F m u u c a vfdV Graphic Display Value Approaching Character Display Prices A Display You Can Read From Any Angle RoHS Compliant ISO 9001 Certified 9001 140001 TS16949 Noritake 7000 Series MORE BUILT-IN FEATURES THAN YOU MAY EVER NEED... Up to 4 Independent Windows with Individual Control 8 Levels of Brightness Control Many Int’l Font Sets with 16 User-Defined Characters Built-in Screen Savers Easily Combine Text & Graphics on One Screen Many Filters Available to Match Application Horizontal & Vertical Scrolling Development Kit Available Proportional Fonts & Font Magnification DON’T COMPROMISE. Your application deserves VFD quality ... Noritake VFD Backlit LCD www.noritake-elec.com/51m Noritake Co., Inc. 2635 Clearbrook Dr., Arlington Heights, IL 60005 phone 1-800-779-5846 e-mail [email protected] Over 100 Years in Business Task_Masthead_214.qxp 4/9/2008 9:09 AM Page 4 TASK MANAGER DIY Measurement And Sensing Projects FOUNDER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Steve Ciarcia Jeannette Ciarcia During the past two decades, measurement and sensing technologies MANAGING EDITOR MEDIA CONSULTANT have become increasingly important in the daily lives of average con- C. J. Abate Dan Rodrigues sumers. Today, a typical American home has at least one measurement WEST COAST EDITOR CUSTOMER SERVICE or sensor system that features embedded technologies. Electronic tem- Tom Cantrell Debbie Lavoie perature-measuring systems, health-monitoring medical devices, CONTRIBUTING EDITORS CONTROLLER motion-sensing security networks, and interactive gaming systems are Jeff Bachiochi Jeff Yanco Ingo Cyliax common examples. Robert Lacoste ART DIRECTOR KC Prescott As most of our long-time readers know well, many of these technolo- George Martin gies were first developed by members of the embedded design commu- Ed Nisley GRAPHIC DESIGNER Grace Chen nity and then presented in the pages of Circuit Cellar. For instance, back NEW PRODUCTS EDITOR John Gorsky Carey Penney in Circuit Cellar Issue 2 (March/April 1988), we ran an article by Tom STAFF ENGINEER Riley about building a four-channel, temperature-logging system. In PROJECT EDITORS Gary Bodley John Gorsky Circuit Cellar Issue 26 (April/May 1992), we ran an article by our founder Ken Davidson Steve Ciarcia about building a “people tracking” system for his house. David Tweed Such IR systems are ubiquitous these days. More recently, we ran James ASSOCIATE EDITOR Koehler’s article about building a proton precession magnetometer Jesse Smolin (Circuit Cellar Issue 202, May 2007). These are only a few of the dozens of articles about measurement and sensor systems that we’ve published ADVERTISING over the years. 860.875.2199 • Fax: 860.871.0411 • www.circuitcellar.com/advertise This month, we present four new articles about do-it-yourself meas- PUBLISHER urement and sensor projects. I encourage you to read through each arti- Sean Donnelly cle and try your hand at at least one of these exciting projects. Direct: 860.872.3064, Cell: 860.930.4326, E-mail: [email protected] Starting on page 16, Gerhard Oberforcher takes you step by step ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Shannon Barraclough through the process of building a PIC-based ultrasonic snow depth sen- Direct: 860.872.3064, E-mail: [email protected] sor. Even if you don’t need to take accurate snow depth measurements, ADVERTISING COORDINATOR you can use the principles described in this article to build a measure- Valerie Luster ment system for various other purposes. E-mail: [email protected] Miguel Rusch’s prize-winning LCR meter will be a great addition to your workbench (p. 34). The meter enables you to monitor the analog Cover photography by Chris Rakoczy—Rakoczy Photography performance of any device under test. www.rakoczyphoto.com Turn to page 41 to learn how Steve Lubbers built a seizure-monitor- PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES ing system for his dog. Following Steve’s advice will help you design a CONTACTS truly 21st-century electronic data logging and monitoring system. This SUBSCRIPTIONS Information: www.circuitcellar.com/subscribe, E-mail: [email protected] project proves that you can use your engineering skills to monitor seri- Subscribe: 800.269.6301, www.circuitcellar.com/subscribe, Circuit Cellar Subscriptions, P.O. Box 5650, ous, life-threatening conditions. Hanover, NH 03755-5650 Address Changes/Problems: E-mail: [email protected] Jeff Bachiochi presents the last theme-related article in the issue. In GENERAL INFORMATION 860.875.2199, Fax: 860.871.0411, E-mail: [email protected] “Control Circuitry,” he explains how to build a controller that can interact Editorial Office: Editor, Circuit Cellar, 4 Park St., Vernon, CT 06066, E-mail: [email protected] with your favorite gaming console (p. 70). Using your design and pro- New Products: New Products, Circuit Cellar, 4 Park St., Vernon, CT 06066, E-mail: [email protected] AUTHORIZED REPRINTS INFORMATION gramming expertise to tweak an existing sensor-based gaming system 860.875.2199, E-mail: [email protected] can be an affordable alternative to buying the next expensive product to AUTHORS Authors’ e-mail addresses (when available) are included at the end of each article. hit the market. Once you’ve read through these engaging articles, be sure to check out CIRCUIT CELLAR®, THE MAGAZINE FOR COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (ISSN 1528-0608) is published monthly by Circuit Cellar David Lynch’s follow-up article on embedded Linux development (p. 52), Incorporated, 4 Park Street, Vernon, CT 06066. Periodical rates paid at Vernon, CT and additional offices. One-year (12 issues) subscription rate USA and possessions $23.95, Canada/Mexico $34.95, all other countries $49.95.Two-year (24 issues) sub- Wolfgang Matthes’s article on ATA interfaces (p. 60), Tom Cantrell’s intro- scription rate USA and possessions $43.95, Canada/Mexico $59.95, all other countries $85. All subscription orders payable in U.S. funds only via Visa, MasterCard, international postal money order, or check drawn on U.S. bank. Direct subscription orders duction to MAX II technology (p. 76), and George Martin’s article about and subscription-related questions to Circuit Cellar Subscriptions, P.O. Box 5650, Hanover, NH 03755-5650 or call “looking” into his C compiler (p. 83). 800.269.6301. Finally, take some time to study the amazing projects that placed at Postmaster: Send address changes to Circuit Cellar, Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 5650, Hanover, NH 03755-5650. the top of the WIZnet iEthernet Design Contest (p. 30). The projects range Circuit Cellar® makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility or liability of any kind for errors in these programs or schematics or for the consequences of any such errors. Furthermore, because of possible variation in the quality and condition of materials and workmanship of read- er-assembled projects, Circuit Cellar® disclaims any responsibility for the safe and proper function of reader-assembled projects based upon or from an innovative WIZ810MJ-based irrigation timer/controller to a handy from plans, descriptions, or information published by Circuit Cellar®. embedded server application that enables you to find airfare deals on the The information provided by Circuit Cellar® is for educational purposes. Circuit Cellar® makes no claims or warrants that readers have a right to build things based upon these ideas under patent or other relevant intellectual property law in their jurisdiction, or that readers have a right to construct or operate any of the devices described herein under the relevant patent or other intellectual property law of the reader’s jurisdiction. Internet. Congratulations to all of the winners! The reader assumes any risk of infringement liability for constructing or operating such devices. Entire contents copyright © 2008 by Circuit Cellar, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Circuit Cellar is a registered trademark of Circuit Cellar, Inc.