Pixy

I just got my Pixy (CMUcam5) camera sensor in the mail today. Tried out some demo functions and was amazed by the tracking ability of the sensor. They are right about needing an object that really stands out. A saved the signature of a small red flashlight and it easily tracked dozens of red objects in its field of vision.

Hope to find a good use for it on a robot.

TL;DR: It's awesome.

Some Thoughts

I haven't written anything lately but I had some things I came across I wanted to record.

• Looking at how CPUs work: After I'm done with the CNC, I want to make a TTL CPU. I've been reading and looking at videos of other DIY CPUs and found it very intriguing. The connection between software and hardware is something I find fascinating and I have learned a lot recently about how this works.
• Differential Signaling: When reading about how computers work, I came across this term. It's such a simple way to get rid of noise: the signal that is transmitted is sent over two wires, with one signal being inverted. The signals are fed into an op-amp set up as subtractor on the receiving end. Any noise that is picked up will be picked up on both wires, and the noise is effectively subtracted away. The wanted signal is effectively doubled (V-(-V)).
• CNC: I'm still working on the CNC. I got the Y-axis pipes and drilled the holes in the pipe mounting blocks. I hope to get this done soon, and try out milling (or even 3D printing!).