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I think a lot of people are quite excited about the potential for module development.
Personally, I've got some SM32F4 and STM8S discovery kits and have been getting my head round coding for those. (The STM32 in particular will make you realise how spoiled you are working in C#!) Hopefully these will be a good starting point and provide a very cheap ST-Link tool too.
I hope to be milling my own PCBs for modules. Not sure yet if I'm up to the job of producing and soldering TSSOP/LQFP, but I guess I'll find out. SOIC has been the best I've done so far. It's a pity they're not available as DIP for initial tinkering. Aaron and ItsDan's prototype module may prove very useful.
Is it a bit sad that I'm off on holiday next week and am slightly irritated that I'll be on the beach rather than geeking out with the module stuff?
Personally, I've got some SM32F4 and STM8S discovery kits and have been getting my head round coding for those. (The STM32 in particular will make you realise how spoiled you are working in C#!) Hopefully these will be a good starting point and provide a very cheap ST-Link tool too.
I've played with both the STM32 Discovery and the STM8 Discovery boards and they are nice to work with. Going back to working with C after spending the last 7 years working with C# was a shock. I'm kind of looking at having a go at ARM assembler with the STM32. I don't know why but I just fancy it.
I hope to be milling my own PCBs for modules. Not sure yet if I'm up to the job of producing and soldering TSSOP/LQFP, but I guess I'll find out. SOIC has been the best I've done so far. It's a pity they're not available as DIP for initial tinkering.
RS Components in the UK have the STM8S105 in DIP format. I've just ordered a couple yesterday to see what they are like. Chris also posted a link to Proto Advantage as they have a TSSOP to DIP board. They will assemble the board and put the STM8S on it for you for a small fee.
Here are some of the modules I'm personally waiting for:
Ethernet / Wifi
SD/MC and MicrosSD modules
USB Host (for using keyboards and usb sticks)
Module prototyping module (Aron Chapman and ItsDan are working on this)
Motor Driver
Stepper Motor
Camera
Temperature and Humidity sensor
Barometric pressure sensor
GPS
Compass
More types of displays
RFID reader
RFID Writer
XBEE
What about the rest of you ... any modules that you are waiting for? (Or any that you are working on that you care to talk about?)
-Eric
Thats an awesome list!
Modules I'd like to see in addition to yours:
Text-to-speech module
Photo-eye sensor module
Range/ping sensor module (Parallax just released a laser range finder sensor, but it is SLOOOOOW)
3-axis Acceleromter/Tilt module
Big 64x64 LED Grid Module (An 8 x 8 x 8 LED cube module would be awesome)
A GPRS/CDMA module
Flux capacitor module
FTL/warp drive module
Holographic projector module
I didn't mention the last three on your list since I thought those are such obvious choices.
Regarding a LED Cube module ... that would be fantastic! I have been wanting to play around with one forever.
I would also love to see a IR motion detector module.
-Eric
Thats an awesome list!
Modules I'd like to see in addition to yours:
Text-to-speech module
Photo-eye sensor module
Range/ping sensor module (Parallax just released a laser range finder sensor, but it is SLOOOOOW)
3-axis Acceleromter/Tilt module
Big 64x64 LED Grid Module (An 8 x 8 x 8 LED cube module would be awesome)
A GPRS/CDMA module
Flux capacitor module
FTL/warp drive module
Holographic projector module
That's handy to know. I ordered from Farnell yesterday and they didn't have any. I didn't think RS would be any different. Anyway, I should probably man up and try TSSOP anyway.
Another thing, did I miss where the spec for the Go!bus (or maybe example native code) was posted? Taking a look at something like the RGB LED module code would be ideal.
Sorry, just realised I'm dragging the wishlist thread off track a bit. I have no idea what module I'll make yet, but I want to make something.
Anyway, I should probably man up and try TSSOP anyway.
I plucked up the courage to try it and have managed to get a TSSOP soldered to one of Sparkfun's adapters and it seems to be working. I managed to program the chip today and set it up to output it's internal clock signal and the scope is showing a good waveform.
I tried drag soldering but could not get it perfect so ended up soldering each pin with the finest soldering tip I had.
Great work! You have more patience than I ... wow.
I would love one of those.
-Eric
See, if we had an 8 x 8 x 8 LED cube module, then we could drive 8 of them from a single NDGO!, arrange those in a larger cube, and have an awesome 16 x 16 x 16 super cube! Obviously each would need its own power source...
Seriously though, what would be cool, and its probably one of those things that is either simple or impossible - a Go!Bus socket multiplexer module, that would allow you to connect up to x number of additional modules (2? 4? 8?), and be able to software select which physical module is "connected" to that port. In theory you could then chain these and with some clever coding, connect as many modules as you want, and switch between them on the fly. Use the same port for a button and an LED, if you dont need them both at the same time. If you were flashing an LED and sounding a repeating alarm on a speaker module, you could cycle between them and flash the light, beep the speaker, and switch back and forth and actually use them both "simultaneously" using the same port in that case. Or even connect 8 button modules, and sweep through them to "sample" if they are being pressed, etc...
Im pretty sure secret labs is way ahead of us and has thought along these lines already though, but it seems like it could be a cool idea.
Rapid switching between the modules is fine but I'm sort of hankering for using the intelligence on the module as a dispatchable task engine that runs as an independent coprocessor. Dunno that the 8S has the horsepower for that, but some of the boards have stronger CPUs. Like the Nwazet display module.
Optical mouse sensor, with a modified lens so it can be used as a (very) low resolution camera for basic machine vision. The most common sensors have SPI interfaces, so they're easy to use. See eg here and here (pdf doc).
Is there a maintained list somewhere of what modules Secret Labs is working on and what Modules nwazet is working on and the ETA? I think this would help people from trying to re-invent the wheel.
Also, I'd like to see a development module. Everything on it but the sensor and maybe a proto area to solder a few more components. Would help with quick prototyping.
Is there a maintained list somewhere of what modules Secret Labs is working on and what Modules nwazet is working on and the ETA? I think this would help people from trying to re-invent the wheel.
Also, I'd like to see a development module. Everything on it but the sensor and maybe a proto area to solder a few more components. Would help with quick prototyping.
For me my wishlist is:
an Ethernet module with SSL support
Multiple RFID reader modules, (legic, hid, mifare etc. all the major ones basically) be great for inteligent building projects/my day job ;-)
Bit bangable serial module to do variable bit serial
USB Host module
MIDI interface
Probably many more once my GO ! arrivies
We're waiting on the microchips right now. Once they arrive, about 3-4 weeks to manufacture and 1-2 weeks to get into distribution. Chips should be here soon. I'll keep you guys updated.