Data logging using ez430-Chronos watch (Part 1: Firmware)

November 6, 2010 at 1:37 am | Posted in ez430 chronos, MSP430, My Projects | 50 Comments

TI provides sample program for data logging using ez430-Chronos watch.
However, the code only logs ambient temperature and altitude.
It does not log the triaxial accelerometer data.
So, I modified TI’s data logger sample project (CCS) to record x-y-z data.
Go to the bottom of this post for the link to download the code.

A simple Windows application is also written to setup the watch: date-time, sampling period (1s), and the datalog mode (ACCELERATION + ALTITUDE + TEMPERATURE).
This same application also download the data from the watch, save into csv file and plot them in separate graph.

Special thanks to Wonderful libraries: ez430chronosnet to talk to the watch and zedgraph to plot the data.

Current issue:
The watch only have enough memory to store up to 20 minutes worth of x,y,z,temp, and alt with 1Hz sampling rate.

Below is the sample data collected from playing Badminton last week.

Go HERE if you want to download the source code for the firmware.

I will release the code for the windows application on my next post.

ez430 chronos – Turn on display using accelerometer

October 24, 2010 at 9:58 pm | Posted in ez430 chronos, idea, MSP430, My Projects | 5 Comments

This is my first attempt creating a simple application for the ez430 Chronos watch.
I was trying to find out how to use the provided sample codes from TI using the Code Composer.

So, I had a simple idea to turn on/off the display depending on the orientation of the watch using the built-in accelerometer.
This application is a modification of the sportwatch sample application.

I know, I know. This is not so power efficient.
Look at the Estimated Battery Life from TI manual above, whoa… I would drain the battery in one and half months for continuous acceleration measurement. This simple application of mine is simply not practical using this watch.
But hey…, the idea is simple and it is a start to develop more complex application.

eZ430 Chronos unboxing & default firmware demo

September 12, 2010 at 9:45 pm | Posted in ez430 chronos, MSP430, My Projects | 3 Comments

I was so excited when receiving the TI ez430 chronos watch.
In this video, I like to share the unboxing and demonstrate the default firmware.

Hope you enjoy the video.

Screenkey RGB24T Driver using MSP430

August 22, 2010 at 8:36 pm | Posted in MSP430, My Projects, ScreenKeys | 3 Comments

Connecting the screenkey module to any microcontroller is not quite straight forward. It uses non-standard protocol to control the module.

Following the previous project, the Simple Response Time Game, I decided to built a driver using MSP430F149.
The driver would accept some commands using standard UART protocol and convert the command to screenkey’s protocol.

Schematics:

To test the driver, I hooked it up to PC using XBee Seria- to-USB converter that I purchased from Dontronics.

If anyone interested, I will try to release my screenkey source code.
I may need some time to tidy up the code. 🙂

iPhone 3G: Worth replacing the LCD

April 22, 2010 at 10:14 pm | Posted in Repair work | 2 Comments

My friend (also an engineer) dropped his iPhone 3G and cracked the LCD and touch panel.
He tried to replace the LCD and touch panel, but he failed and gave up.
He decided to get a new iPhone 3GS instead, and gave the broken one to me.

He told me that I would waste my money and time trying to fix it.
I replied to him, “I’ll show you what I can do.”

I bought the LCD assembly from Ebay (the supplier is from HongKong).
Sadly, the new LCD assembly has a crack on the LCD ribbon cable when it arrived. Possibly, bad handling during delivery.
I contacted the supplier and he re-send a replacement for the LCD part only to me with the shipping cost paid by me 😦

Replacing the iPhone LCD is a lot easier than replacing the NDS Top screen. It took me about 20 minutes to replace it.
However, you need to be careful when bending the ribbon cable. It can crack and the LCD becomes RIP.

So, what is the total cost? I estimated it would cost me about $80 for the parts, shipping and my 20 min time.
For some reason, the iPhone LCD is much more expensive than the NDS LCD.

🙂 Yay, now I have iPhone. Oh wait, I now have 2 iPhones cause I already have my own iPhone.
Well, I guess now I don’t have to share iPhone with my wife anymore. We now have one each!

Enjoy the video.

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