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Author Topic: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner  (Read 8020 times)

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Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #15 on: January 31, 2017, 07:28:58 PM »
I was attempting to notify board members of a few Star Wars items I have for sale but apparently there are "rules."  50 days 50 posts or something like that. And of course my post was deleted.  Anyway, not trying to rip anyone off, was only selling some cool props.

On another note: I came up with a really cool prop based off my Version 3 laser blaster. Just finishing the arduino sketches and trying to write some sound programming to new sound boards.  I will start a new thread regarding that device, including tips on 3d printing and some legal stuff. 

37 more posts to go! :)  (can I 'bump' 37 more times?)

Offline Obi_1

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2017, 01:46:20 AM »

I saw the recent video, I wish I had such toys ~30 years ago  :cry: (same applied to lightsaber builds in general)! Did you ever try the lasers on a foggy day? I will definitely grap some of those lasers for my next build, HP leds are do not have the same focusedness so to say, they scatter the light all over.
Maybe too much to hope for, but are there RGB lasers ?  :azn:

I saw the extension unit under the main barrel. Does it have a purpose orit serves only the visuals? It looks great either way!

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2017, 08:03:30 AM »
Obi_1: Thanks for your comments! The extension under barrel is the PEQ (battery container, not functional laser target source)  This is the prototype. I have the printed all the parts to make two more which will probably go up for sale on ebay, if I ever get the time to do it. The hard part is machining all the aluminum parts and setting all the switches for proper contact. Also, i will probably NOT build 'Plasma Crystals' energy sources for the production models as that takes a long time and it is difficult to machine the G21(real Glock) stainless clips.

The lasers are well seen on foggy days, rainy days. It is a SUPER fun gun to mess around with and it looks great too.

Stay tuned for new project. Just finishing up some legal stuff.  Bought another 3D printer to speed production of parts.   

 
XRAD'S REAL LASER BLASTER III w/PLASMA CRYSTAL EFFECT pt. 2 - YouTube

« Last Edit: February 14, 2017, 08:06:53 AM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2018, 05:03:06 PM »
Hello All,

Just rediscovered my old Blaster build!  I have recently built a few Teensy 3.2 sbus PWM RC projects and it got me thinking about the good old laser blaster. I have always wanted more visuals with this blaster, so decided to try to build a working LIDAR room scanner and 'radar' display. All this will be packaged as a 'rail' snap-on device, so it should be pretty cool. Scanner should have a 30-ft or so range and work well in a dark room!  The LIDAR has a 100 scan/sec and the Teensy is a fast processor. Just have to update the TFT display quickly as well. There will be an automatic LIDAR scan head degree change, and hopefully, any slow movement of blaster back and forth will not interfere with the display image. 

Also spent some time with Tsunami super wav player board. It can polyplay 16 stereo/ 32 mono wav files at one time. Great board, but a little big for light sabers. Might fit a moderate sized blaster. Definitely work in larger props/displays.  Here is the Plasma Crystal image too. I designed the code and the 3D parts. Real semi precious crystal. Cool device.

See the vid:https://
PLASMA CRYSTAL? in Action - YouTube





« Last Edit: September 14, 2018, 05:13:06 PM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2018, 03:42:09 PM »
OK, so here is the basic set-up. TFT screen run by Teensy (great board!). The basic scan code for display is from Arduino Radar using Arduino Nano and TFT screen - Rima-Labs
Very nice tutorial. I had to modify it to get it to work with the Teensy. You will need several libraries as well.  Additionally, code modified to display 60 degree arc instead of 180. Faster transition and looking down a blaster barrel, I don't want to be distracted with stuff way off on sides, as well as the mechanical complexities of scanner housing interference. 

Future build includes possible distance sounds w I/O, adjustable range magnification (5,10,15 meter), and of course adapting the LIDAR to work with my set-up. Originally, code was designed for an ultrasound ping, which is too slow and has no significant range for the blaster set-up.

« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 05:07:11 AM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #20 on: September 16, 2018, 02:57:38 PM »
Coding part II and III complete. I combined the TFMini 'lidar' unit (14m range max) with a Teensy, and Adafruit 1.8"TFT.  FUN project. 

Forget the measly 50cm ultrasonic robot transducer range! I now have a real 10m range and screen adjustability for other ranges. Just need to design and 3D print a cool housing, add some greeblies, and create some sound effects. Of course, it's not real LIDAR, but actually infrared, so great in the dark, not so good in the sunlight.

Vid is of lidar shooting into a corner about 3m away.  I had to use strange distances like 6.5 and 3m due to the fact that I was lazy and did not want to code for more than three arcs, two of which are .66 and .33 of the biggest one(as the smaller two arcs are a % radius of the biggest one).  Easier to switch case this way (which also has to switch case for the signal 'radius(distance)'  without changing the display GREEN radius (currently at 100 little pixels).

Current uses 17% of Teensy3.2 memory, so plenty of room for other cool things!

see my youtube vid:

XRAD'S LIDAR w/10m Range - YouTube

« Last Edit: September 16, 2018, 03:10:15 PM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #21 on: September 22, 2018, 01:12:52 PM »
Got the sound working with the range, then my TFMini pooped out...not a very robust unit. First it lost the range between 6 and 10m, then it lost part of the Tx Rx... anyway, another in the mail somewhere..

XRAD'S LIDAR TFMini w/sound Arduino Teensy 3.2 ADA FXSound - YouTube

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2018, 05:40:41 PM »
New TFMini IR sensor and all is working again. Not a very durable unit.  Runs on 3.5v logic (which I was using).  Using an Adafruit FX soundboard.  I tried serial control but strange bug does not allow for serial control of track 00, and all tracks are shifted by one track registry (so 1 plays on 2, etc..) and I can only get a total of 6 tracks (mono and short play time). Also , serial control has limited functions (stop, play, pause) and not the easy control the button mode has such as loop, hold, etc... 

Therefore, I have to use 8 3904 transistors from Teensy 3.2 pinouts to run the grounds on the FX sound board to get all my sounds working.  More soldering, less code!

Anyway, the lidar housing is almost done, and fits right on as a rail attachment.  a few minor kinks to work out in the final LIDAR code then all together for paint and pics....

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #23 on: October 07, 2018, 10:18:09 AM »
Finally got the code working just right.  Nearly finished with the LIDAR housing. Going on my laser blaster pic rail. Here are some prelim pics:


Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2018, 01:46:48 PM »
Some more pics...LIDAR has its own 7.4v lipo supply.  Few parts to go. Works like a champ. Scans pretty quickly. Will post vid when done..



« Last Edit: October 07, 2018, 01:48:38 PM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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« Last Edit: October 08, 2018, 03:59:19 PM by Xrad »

Offline Xrad

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Re: XRAD'S Real Laser Blaster III with PLASMA CRYSTAL and LIDAR Scanner
« Reply #26 on: October 08, 2018, 04:16:25 PM »
One more pic. LIDAR shooting into corner 5-7m away.  If you want to build it, construction description , parts list, and link to my code are at:

XRAD'S REAL LASER BLASTER WITH LIDAR SCANNER by XRAD - Thingiverse

« Last Edit: October 09, 2018, 01:33:24 PM by Xrad »

 

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