Projects With Ryan Slaugh: Helpful Circuits
In this video, I will show you a few of my most used helpful circuits. They involve using the 555 timer and the Operational Amplifier.
555 Timer
DIY Hacks & How To’s: Laser Tripwire Alarm
No security system is complete without lasers. We have all seen movies where the main character has to get past a high tech security system and there is always a room full of lasers somewhere.
So in this project, I show you how to build a laser tripwire alarm. All you need is a cheap laser point, a couple of mirrors, and a few dollars of electrical parts. With this you can cover an entire house with an array of light beams. If any one of them is crossed it sets off your alarm. And unlike in the movies, these lasers are practically invisible.
Touch Sensor Workshop with Mark Frauenfelder at Engadget Expand
If you make it to Engadget Expand in New York this weekend, check out Mark Frauenfelder’s workshop Sunday, Nov. 10, from 10-11am. He’ll be making a simple circuit using a 555 timer chip, an LED, and some wire and then creating touch sensor pads by painting them on a piece of paper with conductive ink. Once the paint dries, you hook it all together and watch the LED light up when you complete the circuit by touching the sensor. You will learn how to build the basic electronic circuit as well as tips and tricks for designing your own painted tough sensor.
555 Timer Weekend Projects
The 555 timer IC has been used in many of our Weekend Projects, from beginner-friendly breadboard experiments to advanced weekend-long builds.
555 Timer Contest Highlights
To mark the recent passing of Hans Camenzind, we are running a 555 mini-retrospective this week. Last year Jeri Ellsworth held a 555 timer contest in the categories of Artistic, Complex, Minimalist, and Utility. Here are some photos and schematics of the first place winners from that contest.
Top 10: 555 Timers
To mark the recent passing of Hans Camenzind, we are running a 555 mini-retrospective this week. Today I’ve rounded up some of my personal favorite 555 content from our archives, arranged in arbitrary top 10 order. Many of these are “fun” or “meta” 555 type posts. We’ll be following on later in the week with more circuit-specific 555 coverage. Stay tuned!
Putting Projects in Motion with the 555 Timer IC
Our latest project uses an array of parts to build three separate breadboard projects. Follow along as we put Projects in Motion, showing you how to control three different motor types with little more than a few components, wire, and a power source.
