DIY Fireworks - Episode 01 Followup

Last week we showed you what can be done with a simple low cost data acquisition card, a little patriotic spirit, and a whole lotta fireworks.
http://www.youtube.com/waterloolabs#play/all/uploads-all/0/IzS42Ut64UM

Now its your turn to play along at home. Here we outline the steps you need to setup our handclapping POC in your garage and hopefully inspire you to come up with some awesome projects of your own.

For details, plans, and schematics check out our blog post.
http://waterloolabs.blogspot.com/2009/07/episode-01-computer-controlled.html

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• fireworks
• DIY
• waterloo
• labs
• waterloolabs
• engineering
• austin
• texas
• model
• rocket
• igniter
• labview
• 6009
• darlington
• pair

[jayschmidt123]

I Also use LabView to program

i am on a FRC team and we use ComPactRio for everything i never heard of the usb 6000 but i will look into it it seem less expensive and less space

[WaterlooLabs]

That's awesome Jay. You can definitely do this project with your CompactRIO and the modules for FRC. You should get some of your friends together and try it this summer.  Post a video response if you do!!

[arpace]

I might also mention that the circuit you built need not be that complex... unless you are just trying to hoc hardware and look cool doing it.

[arpace]

If you really want people to try your experiments, including those that are coders, or technicians educated in different fields that need a memory jog, or a visual crash course on how to tie it all together, you need to get more detailed with your videos, and not be afraid to have multiple videos on the same topic but split into parts, so those in the know can skip over to another section.

[arpace]

and why not introduce concepts of the math and engineering from a very basic level to an advanced level keeping in mind that to many people math and schematic symbols can seem quite cryptic.

[arpace]

EG How about everytime you introduce a symbol in a schematic, you explain for a few seconds what that symbol means...Or, go over how the code works, what languages you used, and more, and not just in your show notes... it should be in the videos, or even sub videos. You would get a lot more views, and a lot more hobbyists interested.

[arpace]

Beat matching is useful; yet, why not ignite the spark before the beat, at a precalculated interval per type of firework, in order to have the beat timed with explosion instead of just the ignition?

Another thing is that things in the video editing are cut a little too fast, and information is just thrust at the user Get a little more detailed, and get a little more in depth as to the why and how of things.

[EnronD]

Classic Stephen at the beginning! Very cool. This should be incorporated into next year's 4th of July event.