Gareth's blog

Its been bugging me for a while now on finding a way to detect the position of a Stepper motor, because it good to find its position before powering up !!! ...Yes....

So in a Nutshell :-

Hidden inside the ESP32 package tin foil hat is a "Hall Effect" sensor ....go figure!!!.

A simple analogue read Hal=halRead() , reveals values from -255 to +255 (however 12 bit is possible accessing the Hall-effect chip via i2c)

Usage list :-

The easiest/quickest way to control Stepper Motors is by using generic 3D printer boards/shields.

These circa £6.00p boards can control up to 5 Stepper motors + 3 FET power outputs.

This Shield simply piggybacks onto an Arduino Mega.

ESP32-BirdCAM has been deployed, using MRL OpenCV/service and base Yolo settings.

One of the test subject's could not resist the bait. Not bad for first live data.

Just for the records I hate cats !!!!

The ESP32-Cam (WiFi) is a generic low cost module, I made a support board for it so it can take 2xAA lithium 4.2v batteries (with extra 5v regulator) or in this can below they can be replaced by a switch and a 500ma fuse (3D printed). The Module anyhow accepts either 3.3V or 5V via the correct pins.

Rounding things off, good news is the PS4 left handed controller is finished and in transit ... with Merlin in tow.

My game controller skills were good enough to shoot a "Striker Mech" in the rear-end (not the best place apparently).

It is quite a comfortable grip and I was able to play for a couple of hours.....per day...for a week...just to test...

The "D"  pad (aka directional pad NSEW ) is now operational.

Here it is being tested in the Blender Game engine, practising my turbo jumping.

Mounted the DIgital Switches permanently with epoxy resin so no turing back now.

The Top Joystick is also operational, the blue carriage can be rotated so the user can adjust for optimal comfort.

ToDo List :-

(1) Top "D-Pad"  (awaiting tactile switches)

(2) Four Game buttons (aka Square/Circle/Triangle/Cross using conductive switches)

Custom Joystick for people who have use of only one hand.

edit :- (Gareth :-)

This is the first integrated working part of the controller aka "The Menu System" that enables the basic housekeeping of the Playstation 4.

MRL is helping a great deal for debugging using the Joystick service.

Workio - First "Live" testing of the top trigger finger mech.

The concept "Hori" uses is so simple and would make a great finger pressure sensor for InMoov.