Miskatonic Institute of Technology

Miskatonic Institute of Technology
(click on emblem to learn more)

15.1.13

Site update!

I have just update the looks of my site www.numca.gr.
Do check it out!
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/numca.gr

12.4.11

To keep things in perspective.

Here is a chart of the annual dose from ionization radiation from various sources:

I hope it will ease your radio-phobia,
but remember;
even though Science does not lie,
Corporates and Goverments
do.

31.10.10

A brake for the Military Service

The time has come,
to serve do my Military time.
See you all in 9-months!!

6.6.10

A-SIM hits front page @ http://www.x-simulator.de/forum/ :D

Nice day today!
A-SIM hits front page in the X-SIM's homepage.
It's the forum of the software it is used to read values out of any simulator.


Fairly big smile :D

4.6.10

Cursor :)

Just for fun:

It is a mouse cursor. Right click and Save Image As to download it.

24.5.10

DIY Projector. 1024x768, 250W. ~100 Euros.

I just finished building a DIY Projector. I used a 3M 1680 overhead projector, a CTX PV700 17" TFT display, some wood and 6x 6mm 12Vdc fans. The outcome was quite a surprise! Good refresh rate, BIIIIIIIG screen but not as bright I was hoping. Alas, I was very pleased from the performance of a ~100 Euros projector!!

(click on thumbnails for larger images)
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Read more to see more pictures of the process...

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Read more to see more outcome pictures...

Ελληνική δημοσίευση: DIY Προτζέκτορας, 1024x768, 250W. ~100€


4.5.10

Hotas.gr - Greek flight sim site.

I was browsing the web and fell upon this very interesting site. Moreover, i found out i was used as a software reference in their DIY joystick! :)

Check it out: Hotas.gr - Wotan Throttle D.I.Y (4 άξονες & 4 κουμπία)

29.3.10

A-SIM video

Here is a demo-video of how A-SIM works.



Unfortunately i do not have an efficient way of showing the airflow through a camera..

25.3.10

A-SIM: Create airflow to feel the airspeed you fly/drive

I finished building a project i had long time in mind.

It is called A-SIM and it is a serial-interface peripheral which reads airspeed and sideslip values from the game through X-SIM and simulates what the air would feel like in an open cockpit. To create the airflow, it uses computer fans. In my case, it outputs around 4.25 m3/minute (~150 QFM), which is quite a lot. I have used it for IL2 open-cockpit airplanes, but it can be used for racing simulators too.


It is based on the PIC16F887, powered by 12Vdc, drives up to 4 PC fans(!) and its total cost is below 20 EUROS.

With 4 PC fans one could get around 10 m3/min, you would need goggles to face the screen!
(Schematic and .HEX file published)

11.3.10

ICARUS ONE kit for J.A.K.

On Tuesday i shipped another console to J.A.K. from the Nederlands. Being a true Dutch, J.A.K. requested a Fokker G.I. to be engraved on the console, so i did it. The result was great!

J.A.K. suggested buying only the console box, with all the internal electronic connections done by him, so he bought it as a "DIY-kit". 

The cost was less than the 1/3rd of a finished ICARUS ONE, so he came up with a very economical package.

Some more pictures:
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JYETECH oscilloscope case

I finished designing a case for my oscilloscope. It was bought from JYETECH.COM as a kit, so it did not come with a box.
I created a box from black plexiglas, and housed it in. I added an internal 9v battery (PP3-type) to be able to use it as a mobile instrument. I also fitted a POWER ON/OFF slide-switch and a BACKLIGHT ON/OFF switch to extend the battery life time. Finally, I created the connections for easy RS232 serial interface with a computer, to extract screenshots from the oscilloscope and a plexiglas cover for the fragile LCD screen.


Here are some more pictures:





The total cost of it was around 12 EUROS.
Please contact me if you are interested in one.
numca.of.csatgmail.com

3.2.10

http://mouthfulofspikes.blogspot.com/ : "Tο εν'αρχίδι τριβει τ'αλλο.."

το εν' αρχιδι τριβει τ' αλλο..

we are always asked
to understand the other person's
viewpoint
no matter how
out-dated
foolish or
obnoxious.

one is asked
to view
their total error
their life-waste
with
kindliness,
especially if they are
aged.

but age is the total of
our doing.
they have aged
badly
because they have
lived
out of focus,
they have refused to
see.

not their fault?

whose fault?
mine?

I am asked to hide
my viewpoint
from them
for fear of their
fear.

age is no crime

but the shame
of a deliberately
wasted
life

among so many
deliberately
wasted
lives

is.

το εν' αρχιδι τριβει τ' αλλο..

23.1.10

See you on Feb 12th..

Miskatonic's team (ie me) will be taking a time off, to concentrate on the exams.
I'll be back!

(~12.Feb.2010)

9.1.10

Electronic schematics (.pdf downloads).

Are you looking for electronics schematics?
  • TVs
  • Mobile phones
  • UPSs
  • Radios
  • Amplifiers
  • everything else 
JUST SEE THIS THREAD:
http://www.hlektronika.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=46495

From Russia with love..

Thank you Mystaki G

1.1.10

PC power supply modification. ATX PSU hack with regulated variable voltage and LCD voltmeter.

I needed a PSU (Power Supply Unit) for my electronics projects, so I modified an old ATX PSU (computers' power supply unit). It outputs a total of 400W and has a regulated variable voltage output of 1.25V to ~21.75V (DC).
Click here to see the full slideshow
I used a LM317 voltage regulator, some switches and the original PCB of the PSU. The project turned out to be extremely easy to build, minimum soldering, finished it in 1 day!

The original PSU was  a Τ & P MEIJI, Model: MEIJI 400-ATX (400W) and it now outputs:
  •  +3.3V, 28A
  • +5V, 40A
  • +12V, 18A
  • -5V, 0.3A
  • -12V, 0.8A
  • Vvariable: 1.25V - 10.75V or stand-alone 1.25V - 21.75V
Ελληνική δημοσίευση: http://www.hlektronika.gr/forum/showthread.php?p=337521#post337521

Read more for more photos and schematics...

7.12.09

USB powered Nintendo Wii Remote (Wiimote)

Here is a simple but safe way to power your Wiimote through a USB port, eliminating the need for AA batteries. It is easily done, even if it is your first electronics project!

    (click on the photos see full size photos)


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Here is PCB which can be used for the board:
and the same PCB file in printable PDF


Some more explanation:
  • This mod is based on a LM317 voltage regulator, which takes the USB's 5V and outputs 2.8V, ready to be used on the Wiimote. It DOES not destroy your wiimote, the only "hack" is a hole to pass the usb cable through (and an optional LED "power-ON" indicator light).
  • LM317 comes in these packages and the pinouts are as shown:
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4.12.09

Coming soon

  • PC power supply unit (PSU) hacked to be used as bench power supply
  • USB-powered Nintendo Wii Remote (Wiimote)
  • AtMega16-base USB joystick
  • PIC-based PWM fan controller
  • Hall-effect sensors on the pedals

4.11.09

MiniStick V2


I am creating a PCB board for my Flight Console "ICARUS ONE" and i have been a whole week without it! I could take no more without IL2, so i started using my old  MiniStick. But soon i felt it was not good enough... So, i did a brand new PCB (it's PCB-age for me now, THANK YOU MENIO!) and hooked up a BU0836 to it, directly on board. I also added 2 new high precision joystick-potentiometers and some more buttons.


Now it features 8 analog axis:
  • Aileron
  • Elevator
  • Rudder
  • Right Engine throttle
  • Left Engine throttle
  • Prop.pitch
  • Flaps
  • Brakes
..and 12 buttons, with integrated software-controlled trim on all axis.


Here are some pictures:









Click on the thumbnails to see larger pictures



















more pictures here: