Public Lab Research note

This is an upgrade for thermal-flashlight. Try building it and report back how it goes.

Common-anode LED thermal flashlight casing and circuit diagram

by lmc6399group | February 13, 2015 04:09 | 229 views | 3 comments | #11580 | 229 views | 3 comments | #11580 13 Feb 04:09

lmc6399group was awarded the Basic Barnstar by Rehanamark for their work in this research note.

A redrawn circuit diagram of the thermal flashlight described here: http://www.publiclab.org/wiki/thermal-camera

If you follow their materials list under Build Your Own > parts list, you will be purchasing a mini-breadboard with no power rails which does not match up to their diagram. This diagram provides support for a breadboard with no power rails.

The 3 separate pieces connected only by wire (battery, breadboard, arduino) can be cumbersome to use as a flashlight. Our guide at the bottom of the page linked here provides instructions to build an external casing that holds everything together as a single unit with only the LED and thermometer exposed. The case still provides easy access to the circuitry if needed.

I made this Help out by offering feedback!

People who made this (0)

None yet. Be the first to post one!

I did this Help out by offering feedback!

People who did this (0)

None yet. Be the first to post one!

3 Comments

  
cfastie commented over 4 years ago

This is the best story ever of jumping into a Public Lab tool and making it better. This great video should be embedded in the research note above: http://thermalflashlight.weebly.com/our-story.html.

Really well done.

If you had to do three things to make your flashlight even better, what would you want to do?

Chris

Is this a question? Click here to post it to the Questions page.

Reply to this comment...


  
mathew commented over 4 years ago

Reply to this comment...


@cfastie We would probably add a gradient of colors (in the code) to indicate more varied temperatures than just hot/cold. Given how close we have to hold the LED/thermometer to a surface to detect temperature, we would have to add a lens over the LED to blend the RGB colors. We might also look into adding a display of the specific temperature or interface for the user to specify the threshold temperatures at which the LED reacts.

Reply to this comment...


Login to comment.

Share

Public Lab is open for anyone and will always be free. By signing up you'll join a diverse group of community researchers and tap into a lot of grassroots expertise.

Sign up