Gallery, Projects and General > The Design Shop
Concept for anemometer......
John Hill:
An anemometer to show the wind speed and direction is always an interesting project! This project is for a simple device which displays the wind speed and direction on your PC or maybe that old laptop you have on the top shelf.
The concept is simple:
An old PC keyboard is ratted retaining only the small printed circuit board and the attached cable. The wind direction vane is connected to a multi position switch which you modify to allow 360 degree rotation. The wind speed rotor is connected to a simple switch (a magnet and reed would be good).
The direction switch is wired each position to pads on one edge of the keyboard PCB. The common connection from the switch goes to the wind speed switch then back to another connection on the PCB.
If we plug that keyboard into a PC and turn the speed rotor the PCB will send a series of character to the PC and if we move the direction vane the character will change.
All you software has to do is translate character to direction, you will easily be able to find a 12 position switch so that will be 30degree resolution which is plenty good enough for this sort of instrument. Counting the number of characters per time interval will give you the speed.
You will probably have to extend the cable for the keyboard somewhat!
Have fun.
kwackers:
What about keyboard auto repeat? Can you turn that off?
John Hill:
--- Quote from: kwackers on December 19, 2010, 05:58:54 PM ---What about keyboard auto repeat? Can you turn that off?
--- End quote ---
I believe you can turn that off in Windoze in the disability options.
Bogstandard:
Still not as easy as the piece of string for a weather station.
Holding onto the top end.
If it is dry and perfectly still, it's a nice day.
If it is swinging side to side, it is windy.
If there is water dripping off the end, it is raining.
If you can turn it the wrong way up and it is still stiff, it is freezing.
What more do you need?
Bogs
John Hill:
So true Bogs but this is Madmodders, you should post that one on the macrame board! :med:
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version