World's most overkill flashlight.

[wchill]

It's the world's most overkill flashlight! (In progress.)
Parts purchase in 3 weeks, then it's soldering + cutting + destroying + gluing + fun :yayds:

Features:
-Altoids tin
-Arduino Duemilanove
-10000mcd RGB LEDs (make any color) + green charging LED
-Rechargeable 2000mAh 3.7V Lithium Polymer battery
-MAX8903A-based 2A LiPo charger (USB/wall wart)
-Color LCD screen
-4 button input
-USB OTG microAB port (3in1 functionality: MintyBoost to charge other devices, charge flashlight, reprogram flashlight)
-Real time clock with loud alarm buzzer
-Light/temperature/vibration sensors
-Expandable! (445000mcd RGB LED blaster controlled by WMOF, or how about a wirelessly controlled LED lantern?)
-Dynamo/solar panel compatible

Okay, rant over. I'll post up some pics later. I almost have a CAD model done.
(Total cost of all parts above: $200+!! I accept donations!

)

 

[redact]

just had to have an arduino in there didn't you?

 

[BoxShot]

wchill before I even think of donating to you can you shine it in your eyes for a good 20 seconds 1 minute to test its overkillness. Then tell me how your eyes feel.

 

[raulpica]

How are you going to fit an arduino in there?

It's gonna be MASSIVE

 

[wchill]

raulpica: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/04/a...ltoids_tin.html
Everything I'll be using will be as space-efficient as possible.
The screen will be mounted on the top of the lid with standoffs, giving me a bit of wiring room underneath the screen's board.
On the other side of the lid, I'm going to attach a protoboard so that I can fit my own custom circuits easily.

BoxShot: Sure, I'll do that... at minimum brightness hehe

mercluke: The Arduino is driving the screen and LEDs, plus any extra stuff I add on. Like the 445000mcd RGB LED blaster addon.

 

[8BitWalugi]

I'm sorry, but I'm not much of a hardware guy, just interested in the project.

But, what does and Arduino do?

 

[wchill]

Arduino = 8-bit (heh) microcontroller used in tons of DIY electronics projects, providing general I/O, serial, hardware PWM, analog inputs, etc.

 

[BoxShot]

By the way are you just doing it for the hell of it?

 

[wchill]

By the way are you just doing it for the hell of it?

Nah, I have a broken MintyBoost lying around that I can fix in about 5 minutes, plus all my flashlights are broken.
Plus, no one has a flashlight like mine

 

[BoxShot]

By the way are you just doing it for the hell of it?

Nah, I have a broken MintyBoost lying around that I can fix in about 5 minutes, plus all my flashlights are broken.
Plus, no one has a flashlight like mine

I'll take that as a yes.

 

[wchill]

By the way are you just doing it for the hell of it?

Nah, I have a broken MintyBoost lying around that I can fix in about 5 minutes, plus all my flashlights are broken.
Plus, no one has a flashlight like mine

I'll take that as a yes.

Okay, sure

The only real challenges here are fitting everything inside (possible), some small-as-fuck SMD soldering and devising a space-efficient LiPo charging circuit. Maxim-IC's evalulation kit for the MAX8903A is $60 + shipping... too much ehhh...

 

[raulpica]

raulpica: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/04/a...ltoids_tin.html
Everything I'll be using will be as space-efficient as possible.
The screen will be mounted on the top of the lid with standoffs, giving me a bit of wiring room underneath the screen's board.
On the other side of the lid, I'm going to attach a protoboard so that I can fit my own custom circuits easily.

Oh, I thought you were going for some custom "tube" design

 

[Matthew]

good luck

 

[Edgedancer]

I think the question we all want to ask is, "Does it have bluetooth?" If not, it does not fit the definition of "overkill."

 

[Mei-o]

This better be overkill enough to cut a person's hand and be coveted by an evil emperor from space!

 

[gameboy13]

If DOOM was ported to it, it would then be "overkill."

 

[naglaro00]

Make a batman distress signal

 

[wchill]

I was going to make it a touchscreen, but decided not to due to it adding an extra $100 to the project cost. Maybe in a future upgrade.

What would I do with Bluetooth? I don't have space for a module in the design either.

 

[FAST6191]

I have to ask why the lights are rated in milli candelas when they are in the 10^0 range but oh well.

Same problem with the "Rechargeable 2000mAh 3.7V Lithium Polymer battery" but aside from that I got (an admittedly NiCd) battery at 3.6V and 4Ah from an old emergency/power failure florescent tube light the other month, I am sure it will work but it does seem somewhat low (especially with the extras you are adding in there).

On the other hand I did once watch a couple of the Beverly Hills Cop films:

 

[Edgedancer]

I was going to make it a touchscreen, but decided not to due to it adding an extra $100 to the project cost. Maybe in a future upgrade.

What would I do with Bluetooth? I don't have space for a module in the design either.

Who cares if it has no use at all. Its freakin bluetooth. Every electronic device should inplement it in one way or another.