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New LED bike wheel lights (as seen @ Maker Faire!)...
The Monkeylectric m132s is a revolutionary bike light that keeps you visible - and in style. Its ruggedized design is perfect for daily commuters, urban cyclists, casual evening riders, BMX, festivals - anyone that wants to be visible after dark and not feel like a second class citizen.The m132s creates full color graphics on your spinning bike wheel, and it provides outstanding visibility. The all-weather design is affordable and installs in minutes on Road, City, Cruiser, Mountain and BMX bikes. The lighting effects can be easily customized anytime to fit your style - mellow to extreme.
The m132s sets a new standard for bike lighting with brightness, visual quality, effects sophistication, user control and durability that far exceed what has previously been available.
Here's the section on hacking...
Are you a hardware or software hacker that wants to customize your Monkeylectric? It'll void your warranty, but we'll help!Here's the hardware schematic for the m132s to help you on your way: m132s Schematic.
Here's some simple hardware hacks you can do yourself:
The m132s ships with a standard Atmel AVR 10-pin connector that you can use if you want to reprogram the m132s with your own code - experienced embedded systems hackers only!
- swap in a lithium battery (the existing low-battery warning is perfect for a lithium-protector - just make sure you turn off the power when you start seeing it)
- make handlebar mounted control buttons by using magnetic switches in parallel with the on-board buttons
- power two units from one set of batteries
- mount the batteries on opposite side of the wheel from the unit, to balance the weight
And there's a "Let it Glow!" contest on Instructables now.
Related:
Spoke POV is an easy-to-make electronic kit toy that turns your bicycle wheel into a customized display. The project includes a free schematic design, open source software for uploading and editing stored bitmap images, and a high-quality kit with all the parts necessary to build your own.
Anyone ever heard of a STP16L596?
Hey Dan, what chip are you actually using? :)
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Looks like the chip is the STP16CL596. Seems they left the "C out of the schematics.
Looks like you can get them for about $1 a piece.
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Integrated-Circuits/LED-And-Display-Drivers/16-bit-LED-Display-drivers/72932/kw/
Monolithic, low-current 16-bit shift registers designed for LED panel displays. The STP16C(L)596 contains a 16-bit serial-in, parallel-out shift register that feeds a 16-bit D-type storage register. In the output stage, sixteen regulated current sources are designed to provide 15-120mA contant current to drive the LEDs.
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yeah its stp16cl596, you can get them at digikey and elsewhere
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Hokey Spokes: http://www.hokeyspokes.com/ have been around for several years, do much the same thing, and cost less.
Of course they are only monochrome LEDs, but you can program in text messages.
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I just posted a review of these lights, including a full comparison with Hokey Spokes, on my blog.
http://blog.greaterbayshell.com/2008/05/24/review-monkeylectric-m132s-led-bike-light/
I shot a few videos and photos of the lights in action, and include those in the review.
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