LED brakeLight Project - need Help!

[[email protected]]

Ok - is there any place I can get a tutorial on how to make my own LED
brake light?
At the moment I'm dreaming big and it would have 8 circuts and do fun
things while in running mode and have the flashing/solid attention
getting brake.
This is NOT for an on road app and I want it to be able to react to
speedometer input.
I saw a few other post here on LED controllers.
Is there a better place to ask?
Thanks

 

[default]

Ok - is there any place I can get a tutorial on how to make my own LED
brake light?
At the moment I'm dreaming big and it would have 8 circuts and do fun
things while in running mode and have the flashing/solid attention
getting brake.
This is NOT for an on road app and I want it to be able to react to
speedometer input.
I saw a few other post here on LED controllers.
Is there a better place to ask?
Thanks

Accelerometer with a G meter in the cab and brake light that responds
to deceleration?

 

[Grey]

Ok - is there any place I can get a tutorial on how to make my own LED
brake light?
At the moment I'm dreaming big and it would have 8 circuts and do fun
things while in running mode and have the flashing/solid attention
getting brake.
This is NOT for an on road app and I want it to be able to react to
speedometer input.
I saw a few other post here on LED controllers.
Is there a better place to ask?
Thanks

My first thoughts would be...

Speedo pickup with an output frequency related to speed.

A frequency to voltage converter.

A A/D circuit to create a value in relation to speed

A PIC controller (some already have the A/D facility) and a bit of program
which will look for sharp decrease in speed and output an LED(s).


Graham

 

[Anthony Fremont]

My first thoughts would be...

Speedo pickup with an output frequency related to speed.

A frequency to voltage converter.

A A/D circuit to create a value in relation to speed

A PIC controller (some already have the A/D facility) and a bit of
program which will look for sharp decrease in speed and output an
LED(s).

If you use a PIC, then you can dispense with the freq-volt convertor and A/D
and receive input straight from the vehicle's speed sensor. I alwayas
thought brake lights should give some indication of how hard you are
pressing the pedal. An accelerometer module from www.sparkfun.com would
make that quite possible.

 

[Anthony Fremont]

Ok - is there any place I can get a tutorial on how to make my own LED
brake light?
At the moment I'm dreaming big and it would have 8 circuts and do fun
things while in running mode and have the flashing/solid attention
getting brake.

Do you mean a "third" brake light, such as in the rear window of an
automobile?

This is NOT for an on road app and I want it to be able to react to
speedometer input.

In what way do you want to react?

I saw a few other post here on LED controllers.
Is there a better place to ask?

Probably not. Do you know anything about programming? If so, you may
wish to investigate using microcontrollers like a Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC,
AVR, MSP430, 8052, or ??? Depending upon the complexity of "fun things", a
microcontroller may be the best route to go. OTOH, if you just want to make
simple patterns, then there may be simpler ways than having to tackle the
learning curve of a microcontroller. Of course, you only have to conquer
that once. After that, you will wonder how you got along without them.
Crack for engineers I guess. ;-)

 

[[email protected]]

Thank you all - you have popinted me in some good directions
"Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052..."
I have been thinking about a micro controller. I have done some
programing and want to learn more. I lear best when I have an actual
reason to lear.
Due to all of your help here I have been reading more about Picaxe.
What would be best? Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052

I'm looking to controll up to 16 circutes to controll superbright
LEDs. 12vdc. The basic running vs brake voltage is 6vdc vs 12vdc. I
want some various running light modes such as roatation based on
speed.
I have yet to find out what the snowmobile's Speedo's output is.
(Speedo = Speedometer NOT Some old guy wearing a Speedo! I would
think it is either pulse width or variable voltage. Since the
snowmobile has a (too) comples onboard computer I would think it is
pulse width.
I'm now off to see if there are any news groups for
microcontrollers. Looks to me like Picaxe might be the most
helpful...?

Thanks all!

 

[Anthony Fremont]

Thank you all - you have popinted me in some good directions
"Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052..."
I have been thinking about a micro controller. I have done some
programing and want to learn more. I lear best when I have an actual
reason to lear.
Due to all of your help here I have been reading more about Picaxe.
What would be best? Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052

What kind of programming have you done? The BASIC Stamp is probably the
easiest of the lot to get going on, but it is also going to be the slowest
and least flexible. It's not bad, just BASIC. ;-)

I'm looking to controll up to 16 circutes to controll superbright
LEDs. 12vdc. The basic running vs brake voltage is 6vdc vs 12vdc. I
want some various running light modes such as roatation based on
speed.

You could do this with regular logic chips like a "decade counter". A hand
full of diodes would let you turn the LEDs all on at once. Of course you
could simlify the circuitry and have allot more fun with a microcontroller.

I have yet to find out what the snowmobile's Speedo's output is.
(Speedo = Speedometer NOT Some old guy wearing a Speedo! I would
think it is either pulse width or variable voltage. Since the
snowmobile has a (too) comples onboard computer I would think it is
pulse width.

Pulse rate is another likely possibility.

I'm now off to see if there are any news groups for
microcontrollers. Looks to me like Picaxe might be the most
helpful...?

Nothing wrong with this group for that. I haven't actually used a Picaxe,
but I hear good things about them.

 

[Randy Day]

Thank you all - you have popinted me in some good directions
"Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052..."
I have been thinking about a micro controller. I have done some
programing and want to learn more. I lear best when I have an actual
reason to lear.
Due to all of your help here I have been reading more about Picaxe.
What would be best? Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052

Heh. That's like asking "What's the best automobile?"
You'll get all kinds of answers.

They'll all flash LED's (dunno about the superbrites),
so it probably comes down to your preference for
programming environments. And cost, of course.