Text LCD modules are cheap and easy to interface using a microcontroller or FPGA. To control an LCD module, you need 11 IO pins to drive an 8-bits data bus and 3 control signals. Most of the LCD modules are based on the HD44780 chip or compatible and the internet is full of resources on how to interface those.
FPGA Chip Interfaced With LCD Module: [Link]
The project starts with a commercial remote controlled car that has to be modified so that it can be interfaced with the Phidget controller. The easiest way to accomplish this is to modify the hand-held controlling unit to receive input from the Phidget controller instead of a human driver.
The end result is a .NET-controlled RC car with wireless camera for stealthy operations.
.NET controlled RC car with wireless camera: [Link]
The Gas Guzzler Meter is an attempt at putting an immediate dollar value on your current driving techniques: a digital meter that displays exactly what you’re spending as you motor along. Stomp on the pedal and see the bucks zoom out your tailpipe faster than a NASCAR driver competing for the Nextel Cup. This device will help you impress your friends, drive responsibly, and keep those dollars in your pocket.
Gas Guzzler Meter: [Link]
Why pay hundreds for a commercial Data Acquisition System when you can build the PIC DAS for less than $50.00? The PIC DAS is built around a Microchip PIC16C63A microcontroller and contains an 8 bit bidirectional Digital I/O port, 12 bit, 8 channel A/D converter and a 12 bit, 4 channel output D/A converter. It is perfect for quickly controlling any project on your workbench! Use the Digital I/O to sense switch closures with the help from the built-in weak pullups, control OPAMP’s, power supplies and the like with the built-in D/A converters.
Measure temperature or sense voltage or current with the built-in A/D converter. The real usefulness of this system is that it has a known simple to use interface that uses real ASCII commands over an RS232 link. This method of control saves programming time that would otherwise be wasted controlling the test setup, instead of actually doing the test.
PIC Based - Data Acquisition System: [Link]
The idea of an annoying beep device it’s pretty original and I’m sure it works on everyone. So here is how it works, the thing is damn small because it only contains the ATTiny2313, a piezzo speaker a resistor and a capacitor, thus beeing easy to hide; you carefully hide the device into a friends house. The device will start emitting a beep sound at random intervals of time. The time between beeps is anywhere within half an hour to nine hours.
Your friend will start looking for the source of the beep among his gadgets like mobile phones, tv, etc, not knowing that the beep is coming from the prank device. Just imagine yourself into this situation, it will drive you nuts :). And there’s another feature of the device, the small battery will last forever because the device only draws 200uA.
Annoying Beep Prank Device: [Link]
