What the heck is PIPduino?

Introducing PIPduino

Our Jeep's steering servo controller, with this icky baseboard, was missing something. What?

Power and ground rails and a voltage regulator, that's what. So I made a 'duino clone with features for Putting In Projects and called it PIPduino.

• Color-coded power and ground rails for each analog and digital pin, 
• Dedicated I2C bus with 4 ports and pullups,
• Combo SPI / ISP connector, 
• Serial/FTDI connector,
• Onboard voltage regulator, and
• Flexible power options.

Goodbye shields. Use low cost breakout boards instead.

Before PIPduino (ick). And after (ah, much nicer).

Available soon on Tindie.

Discovering Linux Mint 14 EOL

A little over a year ago, I converted to Linux Mint 14 for good, leaving Windows (mostly) behind.

Despite some initial bumps (and whining for which I remain deeply embarrassed), I've been quite happy with it and it is an excellent platform for my hobby electronics and robotics as well as for general use.

In the process of reworking my backup strategy, my attempted installation of rdiff-backup with apt complained about unsigned packages. Then bombed out...

Welcome, Hero Jr

After the AVC, my focus has shifted to four-wheeling my Jeep on Colorado mountain trails, making repairs, getting the fuel injection system tuned, and getting through emissions tests. I'm working on an automotive-ready 5V power supply that I'll be using with some upcoming projects including a Vehicle Speed Sensor Buffer.

I haven't forgotten about robotics, don't worry. In fact, a new robot has come to live at Bot Thoughts laboratories: this slightly dusty, cute, diminutive blue Hero Jr. very generously donated by a local robotics hobbyist, Michael Schievelbein. Thanks, Michael!

They were computer beige and red from the factory.

I think this will be a great demo robot for the Northern Colorado Maker Faire in Colorado or if I don't make that deadline then definitely Robots at the Hangar next April. Let's have a closer look...