Next Generation Tricorder

[directorcass]

Thought I would show this off. While not really a "model kit", it was glued together, puttied in areas, sanded, painted, and lights added. What it is is a Playmates Next Generation Tricorder toy from 1993. Some of you may have had this or still do. The downside was it had one blinking light and the screen lit up. You had to push a button to hear a 3 second sound clip. The toy is a bit smaller than the "real deal", but very close though.

This now has 52 LEDs (!!!), a continous sound loop, and a magnetic reed switch in the body (magnet in the lid) just like the real prop had. Two of the pics came out blurry, but I left them in the album anyway. The other pics are good. For those familiar with the PM Tricorder you will see in the pics of the back side how much modification was done to the body.

Enjoy the pics.

http://picasaweb.google.com/116877382961...nTricorder#

Again, click on a pic for a large version.

[erospawn]

Looks pretty cool!! This would be a good application for a PIC microcontroller... make the lights do all kinds of things and through switches and programming along with creating sound effects... Only pointing that out because I've gotten into PIC programming.. specifically for things like this...

[directorcass]

I have seen people stuff all kinds of things into Tricorders. Everything from re-programed Game Boy screens to IPods and such. The lights I added were made by a guy on the RPF. He only made about 20 sets I think and they are all gone. He builds a bunch, sells them, and then when demand is high he will do another short run.

Oh, it's also powered by two 6v batteries. It uses a common ground between the two batteries but the positive from one battery goes to the large main board. The positive of the second battery powers the two smaller boards. I haven't tested the boards to see how much juice they are pulling but with just one battery it drains pretty quick.

[erospawn]

(04-05-2010, 12:43 AM)directorcass Wrote: I have seen people stuff all kinds of things into Tricorders. Everything from re-programed Game Boy screens to IPods and such. The lights I added were made by a guy on the RPF. He only made about 20 sets I think and they are all gone. He builds a bunch, sells them, and then when demand is high he will do another short run.

Oh, it's also powered by two 6v batteries. It uses a common ground between the two batteries but the positive from one battery goes to the large main board. The positive of the second battery powers the two smaller boards. I haven't tested the boards to see how much juice they are pulling but with just one battery it drains pretty quick.

Yeah, sounds like PICs being used.. they take a max voltage of 6 volts. PIC's are used to control everything from stepper motors, stop lights... are used in heating and air con controls and robots... Basically, they are mini computers that you program to do what you want.. You just need to have a knowledge of electronics for interfacing components to the micro-cpu and programming experience..

[directorcass]

(04-05-2010, 12:50 AM)erospawn Wrote: Yeah, sounds like PICs being used.. they take a max voltage of 6 volts. PIC's are used to control everything from stepper motors, stop lights... are used in heating and air con controls and robots... Basically, they are mini computers that you program to do what you want.. You just need to have a knowledge of electronics for interfacing components to the micro-cpu and programming experience.

What did you just say????? All I know is to hook two wires to a battery and hook the other end to a light bulb!

Well, honestly, I do know a bit more than that. I have not really experimentd with anything other than LEDs and power supplies. I do have a few 555 timer chips I bought a year or two ago. I got them on a bread board but that was as far as I got!

[427 Cobra]

OOOOOoooo.....Pretty lights! I love the colours, and the brightness of this one.

~ Cobra Chris

[directorcass]

Thanks for the comments guys. Now that my hands are almost back to normal I can start modeling again. I have since upgraded this Tric as well. I ditched the two 6v batteries. One was running the large board and the other was running the smaller boards with a common ground for all the boards. The boards just drained the batteries to quick. I switched to a single 9v battery instead. This really boosted the intensity of the lights! I also had to add a larger speaker to handle the jump in power. The 9v blew that little one right away. The run time is also much better now as well.

I have to finish a project for a member of another forum first and then back to my stuff. Staying with the ST theme, I want to do a hero cricket phaser from TNG. Kits pop up on the Bay from time to time for hollow kits. There is also a great tutorial for adding the electronics from the enormous Playmates version to it. Surprisingly, it will fit!

But the first order of buisness will be to finish my SD! I should have the custom wood stand soon as well.

[JAWS]

Nice work. You guys have a new section for this stuff & I hope to see lots more.