Concepts for upcoming projects

Ok so I've come up with a few new ideas for projects I'd like to play with.

The Bluetooth Joystick Project
Concept and scope of use:

To create a handheld, usb powered game pad using the joystick kit from sparkfun.com with a Bluetooth modem in order to connect to my Droid Incredible Smartphone to play The Legend of Zelda on my phone's SNES emulator.  

Parts:

Both of the following items have already been purchased from Sparkfun Electronics.

Joystick Shield Kit

sku: DEV-09760

Description: The Joystick Shield kit contains all the parts you need to enable your Arduino with a joystick! The shield sits on top of your Arduino and turns it into a simple controller. Five momentary push buttons (4+ joystick select button) and a two-axis thumb joystick gives your Arduino functionality on the level of old Nintendo controllers

Bluetooth Modem - BlueSMiRF Silver

sku: WRL-10269

Description: The BlueSMiRF Silver is the latest Bluetoothwireless serial cable replacement from SparkFun Electronics! This version of the popular BlueSMiRF uses the RN-42 module which has a bit less range than the RN-41 module used in the BlueSMiRF Gold. These modems work as a serial (RX/TX) pipe. Any serial stream from 9600 to 115200bps can be passed seamlessly from your computer to your target.

Notes:

The basic problem is that the SNES emulator works great but my big thumbs cover most of the touchscreen and its difficult to use the on screen controls.  The idea for this project being, if can use my Ardunio to take the input from my joystick and buttons and then output those commands over bluetooth in a way that my SNES emulator will use them.  We will see how it all turns out when i get my parts in the next week.

Bonus points:  If the concept works, repackage it and see if its viable to use the phones battery over usb to power the joystick.

The Speedometer Project

Concept and scope of use:

To create a Digital Speedometer with a Odometer and Compass functions.

Parts:

Serial Miniature LCD Module 1.44"

sku: LCD-10090

Description: The uLCD-144(GFX) is a compact and cost effective  display module using the latest state of the art LCD (TFT) technology with an embedded GOLDELOX-GFX2 graphics processor that delivers ‘stand-alone’ functionality to any project. Powerful graphics, text, image, animation and countless more features are built inside the GOLDELOX-GFX2 chip.

Im actually buying this as individual parts instead of a kit.  

GPS Shield

sku: GPS-10102

Description: Adding GPS to your Arduino has never been easier. The multiple GPS receivers attach easily to the shield, and with the example sketch, you will be able to locate your exact position within a few meters.

20 Channel EM-406A SiRF III Receiver with Antenna

sku: GPS-00465

Description: The EM-406A GPS module from USGlobalSat based on the spectacular SiRF StarIII chipset. This complete module is built upon the same technology as the ET-301, but includes on-board voltage regulation, LED status indicator, battery backed RAM, and a built-in patch antenna! 6-pin interface cable included.

Real Time Clock Module

sku: BOB-00099

Description: This a custom designed module for the DS1307 Real Time Clock. The module comes fully assembled and pre-programmed with the current time.

Notes:
I really liked digital speedometers.  For example, like the ones currently in the Honda Civics.  Personally, I really don't understand why car manufactures don't utilize them more.  The old analog gages are completely outdated.  Seriously, its 2011, time to come into the future.  The Idea of this project is create a digital speedometer with extra features to use in my car, without input from the cars sensors.  This way i can use the project in a number of different situations.  I'll use the GPS receiver to get location data and time from the navsats.  Then take the data to show direction, speed, location(optional), distance traveled, date and time.  Then output that data to the LCD screen. You might be wondering why I even included the RTC chip since time-of-day and date can be received from the GPS data. The DS1307 RTC chip also has 56 bytes of non-volatile RAM. I'm using these registers for storing the trip meter and odometer values so they can be restored between power cycles.

Bonus points:  If the concept works, repackage it in a waterproof box and see if its viable to use alternative energy to power the device, be it wind or solar power.

The Nixie Clock Project
Concept and scope of use:

To create a clock using Nixie Tubes to display the time while also using wireless to keep the clock updated to the correct time. 

Parts:

Description: 50 mA NIXIE TUBE POWER SUPPLY 

OGI LUMEN provides this heavy lifter high voltage switch mode power supply pre-assembled. 

It is currently offered in a 50mA output version, adjustable from 150 to 220 VDC, from a 9 to 16 VDC source. There is sufficient power produced by one 50 mA NIXIE TUBE POWER SUPPLY to drive twelve NIXIE DUO boards (twenty-four IN-12A nixie tubes). Our 12 VOLT AC/DC ADAPTER will easily drive this nixie tube supply. 

Description: NIXIE DUO and NIXIE DRIVER KITs

Whoa! The NIXIE DUO and NIXIE DRIVER together for the first time!

nixie tubes, and all the other bits you'll need. The NIXIE DRIVER prepares a NIXIE DUO to receive serial input from an external microcontroller (Arduino), and power from a NIXIE TUBE POWER SUPPLY. You can further string these assemblies end-to-end for rows of humming digits. 

Description: NEON LAMP

Neon glows orange-red within these lens topped beauties. We've got hundreds more for when nothing but neon is the answer. 

WiShield 2.0

This is the shield you need to get Wi-Fi connectivity to your Arduino-based project! This shield provides 802.11b connectivity and is a direct drop-on plug-and-play solution to your Arduino Diecimila/Duemilanove/Uno.

The second revision of this board has all the components in surface mount form.  The new and exciting feature of the second revision of this board is the addition of a 16Mbit serial flash for storing web pages and other data!  This additional storage space can be used for storing more complex and feature rich webpages, as well as sensor type data to be downloaded at a future time

Note:

What is a Nixie Tube?  A nixie tube is an electronic device for displaying numerals or other information. The glass tube contains a wire-mesh anode and multiple cathodes. In most tubes, the cathodes are shaped like numerals. Applying power to one cathode surrounds it with an orange glow discharge. The tube is filled with a gas at low pressure, usually mostly neon.  Nixies were used as numeric displays in early digital voltmeters, multimeters, frequency counters and many other types of technical equipment. They also appeared in costly digital time displays used in research and military establishments.  They have been made obsolete by LED technology.  In this project, I want to try to make a clock with a coldwar feel to it.  That and the added feature of always being up to date even during daylight savings thanks to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's time feed.

Bonus Points:  Make a nice wood cabinet for it so I can show it off in my living room.
Secondary Bonus Points: Backlight the tubes with leds similar to the following: