Some current and recent technical projects
Projects listed here are in a more-or-less completed state unless noted otherwise.
Apologies for the sparseness of content. This page will be filled in much more thoroughly, and individual projects will be documented, as soon as I have time...
Physics
- Nuclear Fusion Project
- The Nuclear Fusion Project (in progress)
Just a few more weeks! - Electrostatic precipitator
Electronics
- C.U.B.E.R.S.
- 40kV regulated DC power supply (part of the Fusion Project)
- Fast neutron detection system (in progress)
- C.U.B.E.R.S. (in progress): An electronic "twist" (ha, ha) on the classic cube puzzle. Makes use of the Atmel ATTiny26 microcontroller and the Maxim-Dallas Semiconductor MAX4329 LED display driver. Housed in a custom-machined aluminum chassis with a single push-twist knob for control. The PCB is probably the prettiest one I've made so far.
- RFID reader: A tiny, easily-reproduced RFID reader built from less than $10 in parts. (hardware and demo software finished)
- Alarm Clock Hacks
- Navy surplus Geiger counter repair: Replaced dead meter movement with one cut out of an analog multimeter
- CDV-700 Geiger counter retrofit for classroom use: added a simple filter and output amplifier circuit to each unit, built matching yellow external speaker units which attached to the units via Velcro
- "Rockets and Banners"
Robotics
- "The Seeker": A little 'bot created for a Destination ImagiNation challenge many years ago. Parallax, Inc. features it in the Customer Applications section of their Web site. Unfortunately, whoever edited my writeup inserted a lot of careless grammatical errors after I spent half an hour double-checking everything, so wherever you see something that doesn't make sense, just assume it was them! Here's a link to the page on the Parallax site. Please note that this project was something I did in middle school, so don't look at it as a representative example of my work...
Software, etc.
- GLEW-CMS (in progress): The software that runs this site
- Leland High School: Six Degrees Project
- Room monitoring and automation: Web Camera, environmental/security monitoring, remote device control...
- WalkingWebcam (defunct)
- Adapting a surplus touchscreen to a Linux PC
Misc.
- Underwater camera enclosure
- Argon laser beam, head-on
- Telescope mount for the Nikon D70
- Argon laser
- Milling machine cart with power control and safety interlocks
- Underwater camcorder housing
For now, see old static HTML page here...
Gag gifts and various bad ideas
- Laser Razor!
- Gravity detector
- Laser earrings
- HeNe Laser Pointer
For now, see old static HTML page here... - Laser razor
- The "Jon" clock
- Man Laser Extreme!
- Nintendo "Zapper" laser pointer
- Laser hammer
For now, see old static HTML page here... - The Reminder Brick of Knowledge (and/or Doom)
- The Blammo! Clock
Future projects
- Perhaps a Tesla coil – everybody already has one, but they are admittedly pretty neat
- Gamma spectroscopy system for neutron activation analysis. Obviously, the Fusion Project would have to be finished first for this to be useful... unless I come across a stolen neutron source at the flea market or something. Being pursued by the NRC would sure be exciting.
Other, much older projects can be seen at the old site (no longer maintainted) until I have time to add them here.
All content © 2005-2007 Greg Courville unless otherwise noted. I appreciate all feedback.