Not sure if you meant this as a joke (a laser cutter is probably harder to come by than a 3d printer). But back in my day for things like this we simply used a jig saw to cut out parts from wood or plastic. Anything more complex would need several pieces cut out and glued together.
The author says the device is a USB modem. So, under Linux, the author could have simply written a udev rule to use the name "whiteboard" for that particular USB modem's device file.
The writing on this one is much nicer! Add selective erase so only one character is (usually) ever erased and you've got yourself a very neat novelty clock.
Let's say someone wanted to learn how to do this. Not just follow a step by step guide, but actually learn how to do this. Where would you find a good resource?
This of course depends on what you know already (CS or EE background?), but the easiest way would be to use an arduino. You'd need to have some electronics knowledge (basic circuitry, servo motors) and be able to do some embedded programming (PWM, ADC/DAC, interrupts/timers)
You would need to control a pair of servos. Arduino is the easy way. Some trigonometry to convert x-y positions to the two arm angles. The connectors to the pen are linkages.
I am currently building a whiteboard plotter myself, though a much larger scale.
Feel free to send me questions and I can send you pointers on where to research next.
There are three parts to learn -- the electronics (handled by an Arduino and a few servos), the mechanics (for this design, it's not too complicated -- you could make do with popsicle sticks and some screws if you had to), and the software. The tricky bit with the software is the math. The arms, when free to spin around their centers, can be considered circles. You'd want to learn the geometry of circles and, specifically, how to find the intersection of two circles. The joints on the arms are where the circles meet.
I'm working a new version of my mobile testing robot that looks very similar to this clock. Haven't posted the code, yet, but I did have to go back and re-learn some trig and circle geometry to make the simulator. http://youtu.be/qRzrm4zx82g
A good starting point might be to use Lego + Mindstorm (or Lego + Arduino). You get to use various off the shelf mechanical parts and you get to re-use the Lego parts in your next project.
Yup, that's a fine suggestion, too. I used to do all my prototyping with Lego Technic pieces... Years later, when I needed parts that Lego didn't make (like for connecting servos or Arduino), I used Lego dimensions to create my own 3D printable (but Lego compatible) parts.
You could probably build a similar thing almost out of the box (BYO marker and whiteboard) and you can replace the various parts with your own bits as you get more advanced.
I suppose if you knew what you were doing going an Arduino is a cheaper option though.
Using a home presence API (like Nest's), this thing could also abstain from updating the time until you were home or in the same room as it. That could dramatically reduce wear and tear.
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[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 33.5 ms ] threadIf you own a 3D printer, there is a model up on http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:248009.
Time to meet your local hackerspace perhaps?
http://i.imgur.com/0AtSlry.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_pwzqPk6Gg
[EDIT] whatever it has been done before:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pen+plotter+whi...
But this of mechanic is certainly unique and adds a lot of clumsy robot charm.
Wonder how easily you could store human inputs with a kind of (reverse) Pantograph type device for reproduction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantograph
I've made one that describes the process, if you are interested: http://goo.gl/Ykq88g
It's hilarious how while it's writing it looks like two small arms cupping the marker. Slap on a smiley-face sticker and you're ready to go to market.
[0]: https://wessonblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/hitchhikers.j...
I was thinking the same thing. I envisioned a Muppet head and arms would do the trick.
I liked the erasing style. Bit clumsy like a toddler.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:248009
EDIT: Just saw the super interesting comment bellow linking to a reddit thread where it calculates the theoretical values of ink usage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcniyQYFU6M
We want to make ones that sit vertically on our actual whiteboards and run off more permanent power-supplies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Doodle
I am currently building a whiteboard plotter myself, though a much larger scale.
Feel free to send me questions and I can send you pointers on where to research next.
I'm working a new version of my mobile testing robot that looks very similar to this clock. Haven't posted the code, yet, but I did have to go back and re-learn some trig and circle geometry to make the simulator. http://youtu.be/qRzrm4zx82g
You could probably build a similar thing almost out of the box (BYO marker and whiteboard) and you can replace the various parts with your own bits as you get more advanced.
I suppose if you knew what you were doing going an Arduino is a cheaper option though.