On 23/06/2011 20:32, Bob Blick wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:09 -0700, "William Chops Westfield" wrote:
>
>> I want to do something like this.  Some sort of convenient semi-
>> tubular piece of trash mounted on a discarded CD drive spindle motor
>> (or one at the top an one at the bottom?), perhaps with much of the CD
>> drive mechanics still intact.  Put it on the roof and measure the
>> output...
> Or flip it over so the armature is stationary and the motor body spins
> and you can have a wind-powered propeller clock.
>
> Here's a clock that uses the stepper motor from an Apple ][ disk drive
> for power, the motor body is spun by belt drive from the spindle
> motor(not shown):
>
> http://www.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20060416/NEWS/6=
04160379/1266/BUSINESS
>
> Or you could make a wind-powered LED anemometer :)
>
> But there'd be inaccuracy because of the load of the power generated.
>
> Cheerful regards,
>
> Bob
>

Cool!
On the cat door Bob - what exactly does it do and how? Does it ID the=20
cat(s) or do you only have one?
I'm asking because we are total "cat people" here (i.e. the cats own the=20
house and are tolerating our presence)
We already have an electric cat door purchased from a small L.A company,=20
but I was thinking it would be nice to know things like which cat (we=20
have 4) comes in/out and when, we have had a few situations where it=20
would be useful to have that information.
I'm thinking PIC with some wireless ethernet module to network, or cheap=20
radio module at either end to USB. For the ID it could be RFID, IR,=20
optical recognition, etc.
It's just a "rainy day" project idea, that will be filed alongside the=20
other hundred things I want to do when I have a spare minute, but any=20
info on your project would be appreciated.

--=20
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