Home brew electronic lean gauge

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by Snake

I think thats a great safety feature of your product. Letting the rider know how far NOT to lean in order to stay safe is much more important than testing the limits and crashing.

Indeed.
I could pick up a small device known as a "piezo buzzer" and make the lean gauge make sounds when you are getting close to the pegs too, or make sounds when you are at your desired max lean range, or the likes. Sounds are easy to make form these things and they are surprisingly loud! lol

Originally Posted by binlagin

I know you where thinking of using an Atmel microprocessor... that is what the Arduinos are powered from.

Have you considered picking up an Arduino for development in preparation to moving it to a stand alone microprocessor? I really like the idea of this lean gauge and gear counter, But I lack the experience of real microprocessor programing.

The Arduino takes care of 99% of the BS that I don't want to know anyways :P

You can get alot more analog and digital terminals and there might be more community support

I have a few atmel chips on hand here (AtMega8 and AtMega8 LV) on hand that I make breakout boards for because they are SMT and I had to solder the fine pitch QFP package to something to get it on a breadboard. When I am ready to convert the project to atmel I can slap it right on the bradboard and plug all the devices in and open up AVRISP or codevision avr or the likes and write the new code.

When it comes down to it I can actually program a straight stand alone atmel chip with the AVRISP programme thing. I just really don't like doing it. I'd save that for the final R&D of a product that would be for sale. It's not fun or easy at all. We'll save the intense programming for the full featured device. ( more buzzers, bells and whistles included when moving to a higher i/o count chip)

For now, I'm gonna try and finish the project on this little basic stamp 2.
Once this one is done and working I think we will have a proof of concept, that small hobby microcomputer designs have their place here, and that there is a few items missing from motorcycle electronics that we could use. As I've shown adding additional electronic features to a motorcycle doesn't have to consume much space at all.

I have actually never played with an Arduino yet. I'll have to look in to them when I get the time. I remember when they started to come out a few years back.

[alex.s]

Are you accounting for the angle of the road at all? if so how are you measuring it?

[ninja250]

Sort of hard to explain.
We're going to test all that here very soon.

It will know which way is up, assuming gravity stays the same. I'm not sure how it's going to react but my programming will have to iron anything out that I cant work out with vibration dampening.

I think as long as it knows where my center of gravity is it will know how far off I am from it. Or at least I hope. lol
We'll see! Part of the fun. Also why I don't break out the more sophisticated microcontrollers, until I'm sure it will work.

Either way the shifter part of this reads from buttons so won't be effected.

[ninja250]

Speaking of shifter switches..
I picked up some wire and some switches to try fitting to the bike. Also voltage regulators to try and smooth out the power into the circuit, although it's already designed to handle up to 15vdc.
Thought a small fuse block to the input power might be useful too.

[ninja250]

Finished up the face on the gauge.
You would just velcro this on to your dashboard, then run the wires behind your windscreen and tap them into power from the lights and then run the wires to the gear pedal shifter.

Now to make a switch bracket for the shifter switches..

[binlagin]

That thing is looking good!

[mike_sema]

nice read

[alex.s]

sweet build.
there may be more complications, however... if you're in a corner, leaned over, you're being forced down and toward the outside of the bike. an accelerometer would read this exact same force, and instead of giving you an accurate gravity vector, would give you a vector pointing out toward the side. (essentially saying you're leaning the wrong way) this would be perfect for logging side-to-side transition speeds, but i'm not sure how useful it will be for actual lean angle vs. road angle.
maybe one could incorporate laser/sonar range finders on either side of the bike to get a distance from the side of the bike to the road?

[ninja250]

I think the chip automatically accounts for gravity.
I can't tell for sure yet but it looks like it does when I spin it in my hand.
We'll see. I'm not exactly sure how it's going to react so I decided to add the shift gauge to make sure the project wasn't rendered totally useless no matter what.

Here's the unit finished for wiring to the bike. Needs a little connector on the wires and a pigtail installed on the bike with a connector so I can remove it in the rain, since it's not water proof. (this version anyways)

In case of disasters all the chips pop out for replacement.


The finished board


My mad soldering skills


Chips all back in


Once more from the backside


sealed up for testing


Wire chaffage protection


OK seriously I need to get these switches operating from the shift lever now. Everything else is ready to go.
If this little rig works we'll move on to bigger and better systems.

[ninja250]

Gonna see if I can get this thing installed on the bike.
It's not gonna be as easy as I had planned to get the switches working on the shift lever but I'm going to give it my best shot.

A bracket is going to have to be fabricated to hold the switches in very close proximity to the shift lever. These will be set up as limit switches to where they only trigger if the shift lever made it to absolute maximum.

If the gear shifter skips a gear, just switch to lean mode next time you are in neutral and then back to shift mode and it will reset Very basic for now.

I have a lot of thinking to do about how to get these switches mounted. This will be the hardest part of the project. Once done though it should be easy to replicate after I think up how I'll do it.


Also picked up the drill bits to drill my slides from the electronics shop while I was there.. made for drilling holes in circuit boards. They convert to #70 bits from .028" I was told. I will have to double check for myself since you can't believe everything you hear. "Measure thrice, cut once"

[ninja250]

Well, one step closer. Progress feels good no matter how little.
The gauge will handle 12-15V from the bike.
Just need to tap the gauge into switchable power now and mount it with a plug so I can remove it in the rain. Then on to the switches and programming. Can you tell I'm putting the switches off?

For a short distraction, here is a video of the gauge operating from the bike. No more 9V batteries.
You'll notice I turned the bike off and on while the gauge is on. This was to test if it would fry from power surging. I still might need more testing in that area but I put fuses all over and made the chips replaceable so we should be OK as far as meltdowns go. (Fingers crossed)

The LED's are going a bit crazy in the video but that's all a programming variable fix once the gauge is completely wired to the bike.

Looks good so far!

Link to original page on YouTube.

See what I mean about the gear indicator will reflect off the window like a HUD?


Looking back on this statement..

Don't be mad when I tell you I've never, ever once, taken a lick of school for electronics then.

I have not technically taken any electronics school. I was shown how to "properly" solder by the department of energy, but I already knew how to properly solder and really only picked up a few small tips from it. No other college or school for microcomputers, electronics design or the likes.

[binlagin]

*drool* that thing would fit perfectly into my foam dash insert...

[ninja250]

Check this puppy out. It's gonna work! lol
Take a close look at these two videos. Anything negative that the gauge is responding to (engine vibration) is fixable by tuning the variables! This thing is awesome.

First video shows it powers on and goes between the two programs.
Second video shows that it already knows it's leaned over if you turn it on when it's parked, and it also works great for leaning when no vibrations or external gravity are present. But that could change.

Still looking really good! I've barely programmed it yet. I have lots more in mind for the programming when all else is done! Need to add a connector and still need to hook up the shifter switches too. Almost there! I can taste it now.

Windscreen popped off for wire routing


hacking the harness under left fairing


adding fuse block for new gauges soldered on one side


One brand of connectors I trust (only when I install and pull (yank) test them). Decided to use the splice connector here because of the different sizes of the wires.. and this whole thing will be taped up and not free to move around anyways. Only one connection on the whole thing will be a splice connector so if gauge power goes out, there's only one thing it could be. All the rest of the wires will be soldered. Also, the bike still runs fine if this wire comes apart.


fuse block installed (add any size fuse, I'll be using .5-1A)


soldering in the ground tap to the ground splice


here's how all the magic happens. the special three way clamp grip


When you have mastered "the three way", it will look like this.


shrink the tubes and tape the harness back up




Now connected the gauge "hot" wire that I tapped from the stock gauges switched power source. Then plug tap wires into breadboard 12V reg test circuit to see if I fry anything. Nope! Looks good.


now taped back up the harness and strap the fuse block to it in a position so as to be water resistant.




And here's the result I have so far..

Link to original page on YouTube.

check out how it already knows it's leaned over when I power on the bike and the bike is on the kickstand. haha. I gotta "widen up" the lean variable and the vibration should go away and I'll get a real peg scrape limit variable going.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Can't wait to get the switches wired, the cable connector installed and the programming done! I want to test it out! I've put tons of work into this thing.. I'm ready to see some results!

I am going to aim my iphone video camera at it when I get it working and drive around the block!

[ninja250]

Ooooff!

I had a slight mixup. I checked everything on the circuit I taped into accept for the blinkers.

When I hit the left blinker on the gauge alternates on and off with the blinker. Right blinker was fine.
I think just one of the input power wires is off.

I had to crack the harness back open. I'm now chasing down some wires that are free to use.
Pretty sure I can undo the harness taps I made no problem.

There is no progress without failure. Because with failure you learn to progress.

I'll be working in to the night to fix it and have it working right again before tomorrow.. with blinkers.

Edit:
Wiring fixed already! right back on track. Let's hope that was the last bug for a little bit.
Re wrapping the harness again now.

[ninja250]

New wiring harness arrangement photo.
(New ground wire added)


Video showing operation with all switches and ignition and blinkers and headlight activated.
I just had a thought that this could be useful for making the bike automatically turn on/off it's blinkers if you lean it. One day maybe.
Think about never forgetting your blinker on again because the bike knows it returned to center. Never having to press the return blinker button again after a turn? hehe

Link to original page on YouTube.

Time to install the shift switches and make it count gears.

[randomwalk101]

Wow looks complicated and fun.
So it's still a lean gauge? For a moment I thought it's a gear display to show you what gear you're in.
Posted via Mobile Device

[zartan]

Geekoriffic!!!

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by randomwalk101

Wow looks complicated and fun.
So it's still a lean gauge? For a moment I thought it's a gear display to show you what gear you're in.
Posted via Mobile Device

When finished, it will do both.
I'm working on hooking up the gear shifting mechanism now.
It will tell you the gear you are in and with the press of a button transform into a leaning gauge. Press the button again and it goes back to a gear indicator. When I'm finished with it that is.
I can't figure out how to get it to do both at once, (multitask?) so I can do both independently instead by selecting between them.

The lean gauge is hooked up and working, although I need to make the bike lean more before the LEDs light up in the programming. As it is now, the bike only has to lean over a few degrees before the LED's reach the end of the "meter".
I will soon be fixing that to where the LED's light up at the end when the peg is getting close to the ground. A red lean will be a peg scraper or close to it. a yellow lean will be between that and green will be level. This is all minor programming changes and would only take me minutes to adjust. Since I consider it the easy part, I'm saving it for last and finish all the hard stuff I'm not 100% sure about first.

The red LED full lean could also be replaced with say a loud buzzer, so you actually know before you're about to scrape a peg. Why do I want this? Why not? =) My bike will have more blinking lights on it that actually do something. Heck, the gauge even resembles that freeky nightrider robot talking car thing somewhat. lol The whole thing draws practically no noticeable power compared to the rest of the electronics on the bike.

I was playing with the gear shifting switches a bit last night against the shifter lever.
I'm pretty sure I will be able to finish this gauge in full.
when I do I will post a video of it working as it should (with narration)

Figured I'd post everything between start and finish to give you an idea of what electronics research and development entails. Cool to see a circuit go from thought to finish.

[rockNroll]

Are you really gonna be looking at this gauge mid-corner to see if you're at a "safe" lean angle?

[randomwalk101]

Gear indicator func would be cool. So you'll detect a up click as one gear up and visa versa?
How do you detect neutral? Tap into neutral light and have the gadget reset to neutral is best I think.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Flow]

You, sir, have inspired me. I've been a Windows programmer for 12 years(VB, C, C++) and I've always wanted to expand into the real world but didn't have the inspiration. What's this language called? Study time again.

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by rockNroll

Are you really gonna be looking at this gauge mid-corner to see if you're at a "safe" lean angle?

No. when it's programmed it will display the last max lean angle achieved for several seconds so you have time to look down at the display after the turn.
Like how the Koso gauges display the last max RPM for a few seconds to give you time to look down at them.
Trust me, I understand you cannot look down at your dash in a peg scraping turn.
This was also stated earlier. The project still has a bit of work to be done on it.
I could replace the LED with a speaker. Then you'd know for sure the gauge was talking to you without even looking.

Originally Posted by randomwalk101

Gear indicator func would be cool. So you'll detect a up click as one gear up and visa versa?
How do you detect neutral? Tap into neutral light and have the gadget reset to neutral is best I think.
Posted via Mobile Device

When you are in neutral you flip the gauge to shift indicating mode. That's how it knows it's in neutral.
Not ideal for now, but it will work.
If I chose to redesign this later with more features, I will connect the neutral sensor wire to the controller. (Very possible indeed) As it is now, I am out of room on the controller for more accessories such as a neutral sensor. But it should work fine anyways.

Originally Posted by Flow

You, sir, have inspired me. I've been a Windows programmer for 12 years(VB, C, C++) and I've always wanted to expand into the real world but didn't have the inspiration. What's this language called? Study time again.

This language is insignificant.
Keep using C and work with Atmel controllers.
research the Atmel Mega8 microcontroller and the AVRISP programmer and software bundle.
When I'm done with this project, I will be moving it to those myself. (already have them on hand and have experience with them) Much more capable processors. I just needed a concept unit, as the small featured one I am making now will be.

[Flow]

Alrighty then, time to get me some documentation. Thanks a bunch, fellow. Sorry for the stupid question.

[ninja250]

Not stupid at all. I'm just trying to point you in a better direction.
If you'd like to research this insignificant language you will never use anywhere else besides basic stamps rather than use something completely universal and much more capable.. try some of these chips. the programming language and software is available for download free from that page.
Or you can use something more accepted as an industry standard in devices all over the world. But you'll have to spend upwards of $100 for the programmers alone and then buy a software package if you want more than 1kb of code space. (They can hold much more and you'll want it!)

If you get the TQFP package you can still actually solder it with a super fine pitch iron and a little skill/luck and everything you make will be tiny. Once set up you only pay like $4 for each processor. The only way for mass production.

[ninja250]

If you want to get really technical..
These are microcontrollers programmable in C.(Cygnal 8051f300) I can solder them too. $3 each.
They don't even have pins on them and some of the pads are completely covered by the chip, underneath it.
The tiny 12x12mm robot I posted a picture of in this thread previously was made from one of these.


Stick with using C as a programming language and you can use all kinds of good chips.
One of those little 3mm black squares above could handle a "gear indicator gauge" all by itself.

[randomwalk101]

Fawk!! my little brain is overwhelmed....

carry on

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by randomwalk101

Fawk!! my little brain is overwhelmed....

carry on

Just be careful what you eat because I might be putting computer chips in your Cheerios.
(If I can do it, the government probably already has)

On a serious note..all I have to do is mount two switches to the bike and program this thing and you'll see what I mean. Will take me a little bit but hang in there. I have to custom make a switch bracket to mount the switches with exact accuracy so they work right.

Think of these switches like the little click you hear when you press your front brake lever.
I'm putting those on the shift lever.

[Timm3h]

Wow, lots of progress!

Are you using a PIC to program it?

I must have somehow unsubscribed to this... I will have to get off my lazy ass tonight and get my project going again. Thanks for inspiration.

[ninja250]

The basic stamp 2 is programmed directly from a serial cable.
the Atmel AVRs and Cygnal 8051's are programmed through JTAG and I2C dongles.

PS
here is a picture of the bike hooked up to all kinds of wires for testing and programming.


Still trying to hold off on installing those switches but mostly because I'm installing other upgrades at the moment as well.
I'll get to it.

[250Rocket]

Wow, this is EXACTLY what i'm doing in school right now, except i'm building a racer robot and I'm learning from scratch along with my 3 partners. It's cool stuff. I'll post a picture of our first technical assignment. It's on the same breadboard.

[rustler753]

As an EE and ME engineer, I love this thread.

[ninja250]

Haha, that picture makes me want to go out and get a kitty.
I know he'd be all up in my wires though Engineers and kittens don't mix lol (just joking, cats own)

I always wished my schools were some of the schools that did the "stamps in class" programs. You're lucky you get to play with robots at school 250Rocket! I would have aced that class. Of course they had me in Physical Education and Home Ec. instead. lol

I think I've found out how I'm going to mount the switches to the shift lever.
I have two ideas, although one looks much more promising.
I think I might put two small little holes in the front sprocket cover and mount a small L bracket to hold the switches. I don't really want to put more holes in my sprocket cover, but if I ruin it I can always get another one and even redo the cut in the cover that goes around the shogun sliders.

Not getting too much progress done this weekend yet but a lot of brainstorming on the best way to mount these switches. Only thing that's holding me back now.

[ninja250]

OK I realize it may be hard to visualize the ideas flowing from my fingers to your screen.

Here's a picture of how I'm looking at mounting the switches on the shift lever.
Simple enough, right? Almost looks factory.
Only problem is the whole thing has to be set up with very precise tolerances.








Of course the actual piece will be made of aluminum or something like that.
Should be able to just drill one tiny hole in your sprocket cover, tap it, and screw this little switch right into place.
Never even notice it.

[randomwalk101]

Wow that switch is dope. Can't wait to see it in action. No more 7th gear searches
Posted via Mobile Device

[250Rocket]

Originally Posted by ninja250

Haha, that picture makes me want to go out and get a kitty.
I know he'd be all up in my wires though Engineers and kittens don't mix lol (just joking, cats own)

I always wished my schools were some of the schools that did the "stamps in class" programs. You're lucky you get to play with robots at school 250Rocket! I would have aced that class. Of course they had me in Physical Education and Home Ec. instead. lol

Well i'm at University as an Electrical Engineer. It's the only class where we actually do something practical. All the other classes are theory only. It's a nice change but a crapload of work. The teacher don't really teach us the stuff so we are just reading up on how to do everything, 4 noobs on a mission to build an Atmega8 controlled robot. We'll be moving onto IR and Ultrasonic sensors next week.

[ninja250]

You're very lucky man. I could only dream I had classes like that.
I tried to go to college but I just couldn't do it. I can't be taught by others, I have to learn it on my own with an interest in the subject. I guess like you are doing now. Not to mention I couldn't afford it on my own and had trouble getting student aid loans for one reason or another.

Everything I learned about electronics was from pure interest in the subject.
I've been ripping apart broken VCR's and stereos and stuff for as long as I can remember just to see all the cool little electromechanical mechanisms they contained inside like a little treasure box. I remember being like 5 years old and I had a little circuit board as a toy and was always interested in them. lol little did I know it was fiberglass and enchant chemicals and probably did more harm than good.

I started doing solar robots at like 15 y/o to get the idea of how non logic level components worked. I was soldering years before that at 7 years old when me and my friend burned my finger and left a gnarly scar playing with a soldering iron. Now years later I'm an expert solderer. Life is crazy like that.

I think it was meant to be. I can simply "do" electronics. I've always been interested in them and I can understand their language. Just like when I go bass fishing and call a spot a fish will be in before I cast over there and haul one in before letting it go again. My sixth and seventh senses.

I guess I better get off my yack and go pick up some steel or aluminum to fabricate this shifter switch bracket from before I tell you my whole life story. Gotta get some progress in here somewhere.

[randomwalk101]

dude, if you can do all this stuffs, you have already mastered the class "like that"

[ninja250]

I just wish I had the piece of paper those classes give that say I'm an engineer. Apparently I'm not an engineer until I have a degree.

I'm pretty sure these switches are going to work.
I shaped the bracket a bit and held the switches up to the bike while playing with the shift lever. It will be a matter of shaping the small metal bracket piece, represented in cardboard in the pics above. Then drilling and taping one well placed hole.

I can't help but wonder if I shouldn't try and use a magnetic hall effect sensor instead with a small magnet, but most of those type of sensors are often unreliable for long amounts of time. I figure these "limit switches" will last the longest, and be the easiest to replace if one fails.

[250Rocket]

Originally Posted by ninja250

I just wish I had the piece of paper those classes give that say I'm an engineer. Apparently I'm not an engineer until I have a degree.

That's the sad truth. That piece of worthless toilet paper means your "qualified". So somebody practical who doesn't have that paper but is a wizard in electronics is not as qualified as the one who has the paper but doesn't know **** because he cheated his way thru.

I'm forcing my way thru and hating every minute of formal eduction and the bullshit that comes with it. All for a piece of paper Got this semester, a short summer semester of 2 classes and then 1 more year. Come next summer i hope to have an iron ring.

[ninja250]

Finally picked up the rest of the materials to mount the switches.

I had to find screws the fit the switches perfectly so they wouldn't wiggle around. Turns out that screw size was 3-48. Also picked up some 3-48 nuts but forgot washers. The aluminum plate the switches and hardware are sitting on will be shaped into the metal bracket that holds the switches to the plate cover.

You also see some shrink tubing and a big connector. That is for connecting the gauge to the bike when it's raining etc. The shrink tube will cover the connector (hopefully). It will likely also cover the shifter switch assembly to protect it from rain.

Now I need take the time to put it all together as accurately as possible.
Wish me luck.
This won't be easy. I lack a bit of patience for my mechanical skills.