LED Throwie Talkie

Maker Fair Mashup: G.R.L. LED Throwie + Cybords = Throwie Talkie

During the 2006 Maker Fair the Graffiti Research Lab was demoing their LED Throwies and Pat & Ward Cunningham were demonstrating Cybords. While talking someone made a comment about wanting to give the Throwies a voice. Ward & Pat took a simple ATtiny45 chip and added it to the mix to give the LED a voice. Computerized Throwie Demo

Step 1: Get the Supplies

You will need:
<ul><li>10mm Diffused LED
<li>Programed ATtiny45 Computer
<li>CR2032 3V Lithium Battery
<li>1/2" Dia x 1/8" Thick NdFeB Disc Magnet, Ni-Cu-Ni plated
<li>1-inch wide Strapping Tape
</ul>

For a more complete parts list see: LED Throwies instructables page

Comments

[Razoracanine]

can i use audio amplifier?? it is the same..

[zerozz]

Here is my modified version of the Throwie Talkie actually sending Morse code over the air waves on ham radio. This project has been a lot of fun and I am still coming up with ideas for it's use. It's not just for decorating a bus and it's not expensive trash. Some people just don't have an imagination. :)

Image 1:
http://pages.prodigy.net/kg0zz/mini_digital_cw_keyer/mini_digital_cw_keyer1.jpg

Image 2:
http://pages.prodigy.net/kg0zz/mini_digital_cw_keyer/mini_digital_cw_keyer2.jpg

See the video:
http://pages.prodigy.net/kg0zz/mini_digital_cw_keyer/mini_digital_cw_keyer.wmv

[hannahheartsyou]

ham? I LIKE HAM!!!!!!!!!!

[mettaurlover]

AND CHEESE!!!!!

[Tobita]

I *hate* green eggs and ham...

[mettaurlover]

Agreed. And I don't even know why I said what I did above. I guess I was high on sugar.

[robby worthless]

where can buy rogramed ATtiny45 Computer?

[jpr55]

How do I get the ATtiny13v programmed? Not sure I understand that step. Can anyone help? I have a son who is learning Mores Code and this would be a fun way to either drive him crazy or help speed up the learning process.

[godofal]

easiest is (for me it is) a ghetto programmer, u can make one cheap and u will probably (if ur hobby is electronics) have the stuff (except maybe the Dsub connector)

all you really need is a computer with a paralel (printer) port.
check this instructable, its what i based mine on:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ghetto-Programming%3a-Getting-started-with-AVR-micro/
and mine, wich is basically a cradle that i can change the connections on:
http://www.instructables.com/id/ghetto-programmer-improvement/

[jjam100]

this is wicked ill make one right away

[agis68]

interesting project for further analysis. You see that makes me to think about to built a led flasher that sending SOS with a bright LED that blinks with the appropriate rate and u can see for far away. Now if you pack this in a water proof kit then this is life saving project and anyone will have it when travels with any surface vessel. Think about it!

[blackfister]

Interesting throwies. I have a question/comment/propousal.... Having seen the throwies, and this talkies... I understand there is a sound frecuency that only people under age 24 can hear, I have a mean idea, that is to make many throwies that emit a sound in this frecuency, and hence clean areas of young people. Is this possible? Any one knows how to do so? anyone intested in teaming up if this is possible? martin

[jeb3518]

I know exactly what your talking about. I'm in my late twenties and apparently haven't lost that part of my hearing yet. In fact, my dentist uses a new high-frequency sonic drill now for cleaning teeth. Every time I go, I get this painful very high frequency squeal in my ears. I asked him about it and he said that a few of his younger patients have complained about it too. If there really is a young person sonic "deflector" or whatever, it would drive me insane, and I would avoid that place like the plague. In fact, I wouldn't mind loosing that ultrasonic part of my hearing. The only time I notice it, it's either really annoying or just flat out painful. Although, maybe it is useful and I just don't know it because I've always had it and don't know what it's like without it. Oh well.

[alliegator555]

actually i rememeber reading somewhere that some shops in some countries do do that and i do think its a bit rude but unfortunately i can understand y u would want ppl my age out some places...

[sgt.paper]

were do u get the program thingy?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[MrZim4]

doesnt it need a speaker to be able to hear the voice?

[temp]

it's sending it out in morse code, so the led turns on and off.(in morse code language) The whole "let the led throwies be heard" Just means allow some way of sending a message.

[MrZim4]

ok that makes sense...

[Derin]

Instructables does not allow HTML coding in guides(there is a secret way though),instead you use Wiki formatting.

* Lists are done* like this.* They turn out * pretty much like* EXAMPLE:

• Lists are done
• like this.
• They turn out
• pretty much like
• EXAMPLE:

[motorbreath]

whats the point of this

[IDTL]

Fun.

[YummyPancakes]

The point of everything is fun! XD

[ollis118]

Yummypancakes your youtbe account??

[YummyPancakes]

TheCh0senGamer, and proud of it. If that's what you were asking.

[america_sly]

i would like to know whre to get all this

[raykholo]

maybe a morse code decoder using a photoresistor would properly finish off this project...

[twitsl]

I would add a piezo to it so it can actually talk!!!!!

[Arbitror]

That is one

BIG

LED!
^{Or you just have small fingers!}

[mettaurlover]

or maybe the LED is just closer to the camera. you ever think of that?!? sorry, i'm going crazy with sugar and caffine right now.

[wackyvorlon]

I was thinking, you could make it a fair bit smaller using the SOIC variant.

[rmd6502]

A really interesting mod for this would be to add iDropper (don't have the URL handy, but "iDropper LED" returns it as the first link) functionality, which lets you use the LED as an input device (!). You could then, for example, change the blink pattern after deployment, or sync a whole wallful of throwies for additional impact. I believe Digi-Key has the attiny11 in bulk quantities for about a quarter apiece...

[Ian01]

It gives your comment as the first link, and nothing else relevant. So, what's an iDropper?

[technodude92]

http://www.merl.com/papers/docs/TR2003-35.pdf
Read through it, it's 19 pages but very interesting.

[pcunning]

Using the LED as an input device and using a cheaper chip are two things we are looking into for future Talkies. (We also have some other ideas - more to come)

[rotor]

what would be actually interesting would be to use these things as random data storage that you can pick up with an iDropper. This might actually make the placement of them interesting beyond the "ha ha, this is going to irritate someone" aspect of it that everyone seems so enchanted with.

[technodude92]

HEY! great 'ible. simple, clean looking finished product. i love it(+)

[DarkStar851]

Takes away from the simplicity of the Throwie idea. Good luck making these in bulk to throw on a bus! :)

[zerozz]

For the newbie (like me), this is how I made this project. Although this project is quite simple to make, you will spend a lot of time learning something new. If you would like to take time to learn how microcontrollers are programmed and enjoy a challenge then you'll love this project. I went the less expensive route and followed the link on Ward's web site and bought the UsbTinyIsp programmer kit. After building the kit, I then downloaded the software and drivers for it and followed the UsbTinyIsp manufacuturer's instructions on how to burn a hex file to the Atmel Attiny45 chip and how to wire a "target board." Next, I had to learn how to "assemble" the files. I then downloaded the Atmel AVR Studio 4 (click the AVR Tools link in Step 2) and read the file for beginners, http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/prod_documents/novice.pdf . After reading this file, the morse.asm file began to make much more sense to me. All I had to do then was copy and save the bynase include files (from Ward's web site) to the Atmel App Note folder on my computer and paste the text from morse.asm file to a new project in AVR Studio. The Atmel novice tutorial will guide you in creating the hex file for you to burn to the chip. When you save the files, you may need to rename them, i.e. to save "bynase2.inc", click "save" then select "all files" for the file type and save as "bynase2.inc" instead of "bynase2.inc.txt". To find the Include files on your computer after installing AVR Studio 4, just search your hard drive (C:) for all files ending with ".inc", (i.e., Click Start, Search and enter *.inc). After finishing this project, you'll be well on your way to learning new microcomputer programming skills! :)

[kennerow]

How long does the battery life last?

[songbirdspectre]

im not sure with voice, but most LED lights last two weeks on this type of battery. :)