I'm taking a very small step from the portability of other designs. My primary objective is to create a design for desktop spectrometer that is small enough to be portable but large enough to be very adjustable.

To date I've built four simple spectrometers and the one thing in common with all of them is that due to the experimental state of this project I've found myself building, rebuilding and adjusting the camera, focus, gradients, lights and slits. 

I'm nowhere near delusional enough to think that this will be my last design and that I won't eventually end up breaking it apart to play more. :-)

I have the following goals to make this spectrometer as dynamic and especially accurate as I can:

1. Adjustable camera angle.
2. Adjustable camera position on both the X and Y axis.
3. Adjustable lens focus (without the need to manually turn it).
4. Multiple gradient selection. 
5. Adjustable light intensity w/dimmer and interchangeable bulbs.

With those goals in mind, it's time to see what we got in the old junk boxes. I came across the following gems:

1. Arduino ATMega328
2. Parallax Standard Servo
3. Assorted nuts and bolts
4. Threaded rods
5. Assorted gears and pulleys
6. Flat-black spray paint
7. Sheets of matte-black cardstock
8. A few pieces of MDF plywood (<1/4" thick)
9. Xenon puck light
10. Miscellaneous wires and pieces (will be pictured if used)

As it's getting pretty late, I'll leave it at that for now and create some research notes with images and sketchup tomorrow.

Nite!