Magic Wand

Started working on the Magic Wand project.
POV. Persistence of vision is used here to create this magic wand.
Letters are created using the controlled switch on and off LEDs.

Please look at the video below.

I have implemented this using the guide provided

RFduino Installation in Ubuntu

RFduino now support Linux and installation is straight forward.

Step1: Open terminal in ubuntu by pressing Alt+Ctrl+T

Step2: Type the following commands

cd ~
mkdir Arduino
cd Arduino
wget http://downloads.arduino.cc/arduino-1.6.3-linux64.tar.xz
tar -xf arduino-1.6.3-linux64.tar.xz
sudo apt-get install default-jre

key in password when prompted.

No driver installation required for Ubuntu. 

Step3: Open Arduino by typing the following command

cd arduino-1.6.3
./arduino

The current version is 1.6.3. It will be different for different versions.

Step4: Select Menu File->Preference

 in the proxy settings change server to rfduino.com and keep other settings as it is and click OK.
in "Additional Board Manager URLs, add "http://rfduino.com/package_rfduino166_index.json" and click OK

Step5: Select Menu Tools->Board->Board Manager and in the window that is opened select RFduino and select install.

 It will take a while to download and install files there are 2 set of files one ~ 36MB and other ~52MB

Step6: Select Menu Tools->Board->RFduino

Step7: Select Menu Port->/dev/ttyUSB0

 USB menu item will be different in different machine.

Thats it.

Some examples can be found in Menu File->Examples section for RFduino.

Happy Programming.

Coffee cup using blender

Blender is an amazing 3D modeling tool.
Just started using it ofer 3Ds Max. I find it amazing.
I followed the below tutorial

And created the "hello world" 3D model.
It came out to be like this.

Why Windows 8.1 is a failed operating system to me

I am using windows 8.1 currently.

The following features make me not a big fan of this OS.

1) The wifi problem. 

     The wifi reluctant to connect at times when you most need. Need to disconnect and connect many times to get it working. From windows forums got to know that it is the driver issue and they do not have any intention to fix it. The same machine I dual boot for ubuntu which works perfectly. 

I have followed some tutorials how to make this work but no success. The Machine I use is Dell inspiron N5050.

2) The Update.

   When you just want an urgent mail to send, open the computer then I see this blue screen preparing to configure system do not turn off message. and since my internet do not work It keep on showing 30% for some time then get through after a waiting period. I never know that it has been successful or not. 

3) Full screen apps do not work.

 I had run in to situation that the full screen apps do not work.I just wanted skype but it was not happening and since there was a problem with internet struggle to update and after updation it started working.

4) Login issue.

The internet is never get success at the time of booting unless i continuously switch the wifi on and off. Hence Authenticating time is more and some times it do not recognise and sign me as guest. 

5) Privacy issue.

I had put profile pic of the system by taking a photo suing webcam and shocked to see it was changed my online live account too. 

Skype now use the system password. Once changed skype password using the instruction provided and shocked that my machine password was the one i had changed.

The usability and intuitiveness for the OS is minimum. Ubuntu on the other hand it is the prefered OS.

But stuck with windows because some application dependent. 

"Windows a Bad OS with good applications, ubuntu Great OS with limited/buggy applications"

Bluetooth 4 (Bluetooth Low energy- BLE) support for sony xperia M with android version 4.3

I was creating android app for RFduino.
RFduino has in built BLE, Bluetooth Low Energy, otherwise known as Bluetooth version 4.0
The example given in the rfduino.com was using Nexus 5.  given here http://www.rfduino.com/product/rfduino-android-application/
I choose the Hardware Sony Xperia M. In the technical specification it was mentioned it support BLE.
Android supported BLE from version 4.3 onwards. Build number 15.4.A.1.9.
but when I try out it seems the support was not there.
To test I used same application shared in rfduino site and it did not work when I scan for the device.
I used BLE Checker to test and it showed that BLE was not supported.

From Sony mobile forum (talk.sonymobile.com) came to know that there is a problem in the current firmware and would require a patch which is yet to be released.

But from this post I found the fix, which is quite simple. It turns out that adding permission for BLE fixes the issue.
Fix was given by pm_cz  In the following forum https://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-M-M-dual/Does-Xperia-M-support-Bluetooth-BLE/td-p/673259/page/8

Basically involve rooting the phone add the permission.

Below is the steps I followed:

Play with RFduino

Happy Newyear !!!
This is my first blog post in this year.

I have received my first RFduino board. thanks to Manu.

"RFduino: An Arduino shrunk to the size of a finger-tip and made wireless!"Some of the project ideas and details can be found from http://www.rfduino.com/
Documentation from http://www.rfduino.com/documentation/index.html

Installation for windows 8.1:
Step 1: Download the Library From http://www.rfduino.com/download-rfduino-library/index.html
Step 2: Download and install the Arduino IDE from http://arduino.cc/en/main/software note that IDE version to be downloaded is 1.5.X now the current version is 1.5.8
Step 3: Download and install FTDI drivers. depending on the OS and processor. 32 bit or 64 bit.
Step 4: unzip the library downloaded from step 1 and place it under Arduino folder under "hardware\arduino"
eg: c:\program files\arduino\hardware\arduino

Step 5: connect rfduino

Run arduino IDE and make sure Rfduino is listed in Tools->boards. Select the same and choose the com port for the RFduino. This can be found from the device manager.

Some samples will be listed in the Example section in File menu.

You may now program the RFduino and create some fun projects.

I will be creating some example projects and will post the same. 

Planning to do some thing as simple as lighting LED using android phone (Yes not using iPhone) with RFduino.

Some of the applications using RFduino from their site given below