My first 3D printed object

Nothing exotic for my first print, just a 5mm calibration cube.

My birthday gift

Well I broke down and let my better half buy me a 3D printer - Printrbot Simple 2014 Kit with aluminum bed and metal extruder mechanism. Here are some pictures I took during unboxing and the build.

Unfortunately I will have to wait a week to test the printing as 1 bolt was missing. I did very much enjoy the actual building (5 hours straight thru). I guess the maker in me will find the total experience greater for having done the build and then knowing exactly what is happening as I start printing objects with it.

It has been awhile...

I have not done posted in awhile, but have been working on my raspibot. I have started testing some python code to send control commands from a PC to the raspberry Pi controlling the robot. The PC runs python code to read a joystick and then transmit a command over a tcp link to the raspibot. The code is still in the early test stages. Below are some more recent pictures of the raspibot. I have redone the mount for the ultrasonic sensor and camera so that the viewing angle can be lowered or raised.

First the camera and sensor pointing down.

 Second the camera and sensor closer to level.

This is a rear shot and you can see the joystick.

When I get my python code cleaned up a bit I will post the github link.

DJI Phantom

Spencer Estabrooks, an indie filmmaker was kind enough to loan me his DJI Phantom quadrotor for a week. I helped him setup his gimbal unit to steady his GoPro for aerial filming. So today I did some adjustments and managed to get the seventh channel to control the pitch of the gimbal. Here is my first attempt at flying a quadrotor.

Yes, it came down uncontrolled, then I flew it back and then realized that the SD card I have can only store 7-8 minutes of flight, so I did not get the return flight on film. I will fly again tomorrow and film that flight.

Well a lot of first's today. First quadrotor flight, first video edit...

Well I was not happy with the strength if the trail wheel in the raspibot, so yesterday being a flood day (Calgary downtown is shutdown, no power) I rebuilt the raspibot chassis. See pictures:

So over the next couple of days I will work on the driver (python - nxt) code.

I have been working on my rapsibot. This weekend I got nxt-phyton installed on the Raspberry Pi Model a that will be commanding the Lego Mindstorm NXT that drives the robot (for now). I used some code from David Llewelld's Blog (hope I got the name correct) I plan on connecting from a PC/notebook or eventually another Raspberry Pi and joystick to remotely control my raspibot. One step at a time.

I cannot believe that I have not posted a picture of my most used Raspberry Pi setup.

This is the Raspberry Pi startup kit from adafruit Raspberry Pi Starter Pack - Includes a Raspberry Pi Computer, but of course the included case is their newer injection molded case :( I will have to get one of those soon.