Ask any home audio enthusiast and they'll tell you: there's nothing quite like precisely adjusting settings via a giant knob. However, they can't all be huge or our living rooms would be covered by the things. Enter the Puck: a wireless RFID reader that also contains an accelerometer, controlled by an
Arduino Mini and created by Eric Gradman along with Tyler and Brent Bushnell. RFIDs mounted to walls or other surfaces tell the PUCK what function to control, and then the accelerometer serves to increase or decrease the value as it's turned, truly turning it into a virtual knob. If you're done snickering, there's a video after the break showing one Puck controlling three separate light colors individually, perfect for dialing in the perfect mood or concert lighting -- if only it could dial down the amplitude of dude's
fauxhawk.
Update: We received a note indicating a grave factual inaccuracy in this post. We've been told that the hair depicted in the video below is, indeed, a genuine mohawk. We've yet to receive photo confirmation of this fact (the mood lighting in the demo is a bit too dark to tell), but in the interest of accuracy we're providing this update just the same.
Update 2: Photo proof received; mohawk confirmed. And a quite impressive one, too.
posted December 18th 2009 8:24AM
Not a bad idea, very cool.
Are the schematics and board available online? Or are they looking at marketing it closed source?
@Heliosphan
a smoke detector, whiteboard and pen, and a guy with 3 MAG flashlights and colored lenses...
As a profesional lighting guy I think the whole idea is kinda worthless. But neat at the same time.
the back end electronics to integrate this into a lighting system or AV box makes this unrealistic for commercial use.
This is a joke! An accelerometer to determine the angle and an RFID sensor to pick up one of the 3 signals... NOT revolutionary. Sounds more like something we did for SnG in Mechatronics. Also, "any surface" meaning any surface you can bury RFID devices underneath/within, and it would require your Big A** Table (aka Surface) to be flipped on it's side to work.
@Ess
I'd so hire you..
Or would I?
@Ess Now if you could only spell "its" properly, you would have sort of credibility as an educated professional. But you can't... Next...
@nrgz28 BURN!!! Ess is a dope
@Ess
accelerometers work in any direction, so the puck shouldn't have to be held vertically.
@pballinuyasha Please explain to me if he sat the puck on a flat horizontal surface and twisted it, how would the accelerometer sense a change in the direction of gravity?
The device in question uses the accelerometer to measure the gravity vector in relation to the puck, which is why the twisting motion works.
@nrgz28 If you base your perception of credibility on the presence of an apostrophe in a random post on the internet, then I don't value your opinion whatsoever. Go home.
My point still stands. Nothing significant here, just a cute trick.
Ever heard of a 3-axis accelerometer?
"It can measure the static acceleration of gravity in tilt-sensing applications, as well as dynamic acceleration resulting from motion, shock, or vibration."
Cool concept, project etc. It's good to see what began as an idea implemented into a final product; even though I think it's practicality is close to uselessness.
@Dee ITS! I think it's (not its) hilarious you didn't see the post reply DIRECTLY above you where Ess is made fun of for not using the possessive version. Wow.
Mohawks are for 6 year olds.
But can it do this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlRCGR10uBg
@nuck I was hoping it was a video of running Crysis. :P
As a replacement for standard hard wired controls such as light switches, etc., this sucks.
However, it seems to me that there might be a few good applications for something like this, especially in commercial buildings, where who can manage certain controls needs to be restricted, or not limited to a particular location.
For example, most commercial buildings have a lockbox over a thermostat. Imagine removing the controls from the thermostat and using one of these to control the temperature setting.
Or meeting rooms where a presenter needs to be able control things like lights, blinds, screens, etc., but a podium could be placed in many different locations.
My colorblind ass has no idea what just took place here....
@Dunwang That makes no sense! How could you ass, which has no eyes, be colorblind? Or even see at all!
I mean, it's kinda neat as a concept, but this is just another proof of concept, because every single thing this Puck dealie does will have to be separately created. It's neat that they've combined an accelerometer with an RFID reader, but I really don't think it's every going to turn into anything grand.
I see this being used very sparsely in places like museums.
I hate when people just immediately dismiss an new idea or product because they think it has no practical uses. In it's current form, it may be useless, but it's this kind of thinking "outside the box" that leads to new ideas and uses.
I for one think the concept is a neat idea and hope that it will develop into something cool and useful.
So he made a really expensive and over engineered potentiometer? Great job!
what the puck?
This has got to be a joke. It's hilarious. All of it.