Enchanted Cottage Project

[Andy from WorkshopshedParticipant @andyfromworkshopshed]

As briefly mentioned in the MEW 236 I won my trip to the New York Makers faire by entering a design competition. This was run by Element14 so was mostly about embedded electronics.

I took a simple cat gut based weather house and swapped out the mechanism with a 3D printed one based on the Watt's linkage so the motion would be linear. The figures had magnets fitted to their bases so you'd not see how they were moving. The house was extended to fit in some electronics and the weather was read from the internet. By knocking on the roof you could get an upto date weather reading.

The choice of electronics was driven by what was provided by sponsors Atmel and Infineon.

One of the key requirements was to blog about progress and over 16 weeks I submitted over 50 articles. Each of my main articles was accompanied by a story about the characters Hans and Matilda my young meteorologists and how they rebuilt their cottage and defeated the wolf who was trying to intercept their secure IOT communication.

System Overview

http://www.element14.com/community/community/design-challenges/enchanted-objects/blog/2015/06/24/enchanted-objects-design-challenge–system-overview

Detailed conclusion

http://www.element14.com/community/community/design-challenges/enchanted-objects/blog/2015/06/25/enchanted-objects-design-challenge–and-they-all-lived-happily-ever-after

Edited By Andy from Workshopshed on 07/12/2015 09:58:37

[Andy from WorkshopshedParticipant @andyfromworkshopshed]

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Blimey, you earned your trip, Andy!

Neil

[Andy from WorkshopshedParticipant @andyfromworkshopshed]

Yes, a lot of hours went into what from first appearances is quite a simple project. I did realise up front that it would be a challenge writing weekly for 16 weeks so I planned it all out and wrote articles in advance for the weeks I was on holiday.
For most of the project the driving force was just wanting to get it all to work, near the end when a lot of people had fallen behind and there was just 5 of us still blogging I realised that I could actually win. It was not till after the announcement was made that I found out that the flights and hotel were included as otherwise it would have been a bit of a white elephant of a prize.

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

That's absolutely amazing, well done!

Regards,

John.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

You're our answer to Dr Zeuss. When does the book come out

Neil

[Andy from WorkshopshedParticipant @andyfromworkshopshed]

Perhaps I'll write a book on this

encased in steel and drilled with bits

bound with wire and welded string

on making things and engineering

with circuit boards and flashing lights

and tables and charts to read at night

Perhaps I'll write a book or three

but not right now, I'm off for tea

Edited By Andy from Workshopshed on 08/12/2015 17:00:28

[Dave Powell 2Participant @davepowell2]

Sir, I salute you, that is absolutely brilliant. Like the poem too.

[Andy from WorkshopshedParticipant @andyfromworkshopshed]

Thanks for the kind comments, I hope you enjoy the magazine article too.

[Author]

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