The future!!!

What kind of future projects do i have in mind???

Graphic calculator

Just to learn simple maths and step it up by making complex software like algebraic solvers, formula translators and analysers and from there even make some graphics like plots, surfaces and more.
It is still more or less a idea, but it will be very complex from a software standpoint. I assume that i will build a interpreter on top of the calculator and use that as a soft of Virtual machine to make calculations more foolproof. All in good time, first i need a development enviroment.
I had in mind the following components:

A graphic display of 64 by 128 pixels.
A Large nonvolatile memory to store equations, data etc put in the SRAM adresspace of the AVR.
A ATmega1281 or ATmega2561 for the processor if i am going to integrate lots of the math library in the controller. Or a ATmega162 if i am just going to implement the VM idea.
A 5V stepup converter to make it possible to run the AVR at max speed of 20Mhz.
Small keyboard to input numbers and variables.

ASIP development board

At the university we had some classes about processor design, and specifically how to map languages and problems on specially designed processors. It was a quite interesting lecture and the term ASIP was used. Application Specific Integrated processor. I want to develop simple processors like that, but i dont have a suitable board that i know inside out. Maybe a sort of a copy from the Coolrunner2 development board from xilinx.
I had in mind the following components:

A 3.3V for power, maybe battery operated.
XilinX 95288XL or XC2R256/XC2R384 CPLD in TQFP144 package on a suitable converter
A 64K 16bit 3.3V nvram memory for the programs and data.
A External pinheader for attaching DAC's or ADC's or other devices.
40 pin headers on several places on the edges.

Rice car audio disruptor

One of my biggest gripes are the neigbours across the street playing loud music, there you are building something. In the background you hear the thump thump of cheesy trance music, and the rattle of various pieces of plastic not properly attached to the car. I hate it, all those cars... And i am going to do something about it.

Principle

Well how am i going to stop them. Various methods are possible, most are illegal or dangerous (explosives are not a option). But i got the idea from one problem we all heard once before, right before your cellphone goes off, you hear the low "bzzzt bzzzt bzzzt" noise. After a little research an looking on the internet, somehow the high frequency GSM signal is audible on the speakers. How?
Diodes and other active components are everywhere, and diodes have the property to demodulate radio signals, even those of GSM phones and other radio sources. So blast the audio polluter with a heavely modulated RF signal, like for instance a magnetron from a microwave? Maybe a bit overkill...

Construction

First we need the following things.

Source of RF radiation, 900MHz or higher
Directional antenna
Annoying modulation like a ramping 100Hz tone, or any song by the noize group "hypnoskull" or "merzbow", the last is particularly, strange.

RF source

A Gunnplexer oscillator, still need to aquire one. They are found in motion sensing radar's that are being phased out quickly. Several watts power needed.
Or i could just hook up a microwave tube from a microwave oven and use it in pulsed mode.

Directional antenna

A properly designed microwave horn.

Autonomous airplane

A small styrofoam airplane with some motors, batteries and a lot of sensors and some controllers to make a autonomous aircraft.
Connected via 433MHz link to a ground station for commands and telemetry.

8 channel logic analyser

I came across several situations that one of these would have saved me some frustration in trying to fix a non working circuit.
It will be a simple deal, a 74HCT244, a XC9572XL CPLD, 32Kib SRAM and a atmega8 microcontroller that controls the whole and downloads it via serial port.

1 or 2 channel oscilloscope

A digital scope is way out of my pricerange but i have sampled AD9283 ADC's for a 100MHz bandwith, i will probably replicate the logic analyser circuit, but i have to find something for the trigger circuit, it will be either digital or analog in nature. I also could use a beefy fast CPLD with lots of pins like a coolrunner or coolrunner2. But they are difficult to get a hold of.

80X86 mainboard adaptation

This project is basically to change the processor by a interface and a processor emulator. This is to facilitate my own processors in a compatible enviroment (like the PCI busses and such). To start with this project will get a older 8088 mainboard, to get some experience on how i could adapt it. And also how mainboard in general work (on a basic level).

AD9851 signal source

This project will have a AVR for control, and a AD9851 synthesiser for signal generation. It generates a sine wave that can be precisely controlled via the SPI bus of the AVR.

FPGA graphics engine

This project will use the SHARP LQ043 LCD display. My intention is to control this display and create a simple framebuffer with a sprite engine.

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Last update at: 24-07-2007