Fun with steppers (From serial mouse to stepper)

[Konstantin]

Hi all.
Look at this fun little project about interfacing a serial mouse to steppers to a well known plotter toy.



Etch a Sketch

We created a project in which a user could control the movement of an Etch A Sketch using a typical serial mouse. The public was introduced to the EAS in 1960 and since then it has stayed virtually the same. This nostalgic toy is recognized by many generations and we decided to put a new spin on the device. Most Americans are familiar with the two knob design which allows a user to control the movement of a stylus by turning each knob. The left knob controls horizontal motion and the right knob moves the stylus vertically. Turning both knobs at the same time causes the stylus to draw out a diagonal line. We decided to mount a stepper motor on each knob and control those with the Atmel Mega 32. By connecting a serial mouse to the microcontroller and using our line drawing algorithm, we could move the stylus directly by moving the mouse. The ability to record movements and play them back is available for creating more interesting designs. In designing this project, we decided to create something that was a mix of mechanical and electrical components and would ultimately be fun to use. Using an EAS would be a throwback to our childhood but adding the mouse also revitalized the toy. Many students who saw us working with the EAS were immediately interested in what we were doing because it is such a popular childhood toy. Though the control of an EAS with a mouse is not necessarily a practical project, we thought it would be a good way for us to practice our engineering skills and would be something entertaining to do.

Konstantin