I really love the C.H.I.P. computers by NTC. Unfortunately, it appears they’ve stopped selling them as they are developing a new model. I currently have 6 of them and have some future projects coming up. While perusing the forums looking at battery options (the CHIP has a built-in LiPo battery charging controller), someone mentioned that the PS3 controllers used LiPo batteries. I just happened to have one sitting on a shelf so I cracked it open. Sure enough, the battery and connector is compatible with the CHIP. However, you have to switch the pins to correct the polarity! This is easy enough to do by yanking out the pins by lifting up the plastic connector.
I’ve also noticed that battery.sh, which gives you details about the battery, doesn’t actually give you the percentage. All the code is there at the end for it, except the output. I added this line to the end of the battery.sh file to get the percentage:
echo "Battery percent = "$BAT_GAUGE_DEC"%"
While I’m not much of one for the holidays, I do like to participate in the events. I especially enjoy the ones where I get to integrate technology with traditional items. For example, a few years back there was a pumpkin decorating contest. I “decorated” our team’s (I was the only one on our team that was interested) pumpkin with a Raspberry Pi inside and a monitor connected to the back of it while playing through a slideshow. I won a place that year and got a bunch of free food as a result.
Fast-forward to fall of 2017 and I’ve been told that the team I now reside in will be participating in the gingerbread house contest. Since my team is me and my boss, it looks like its completely up to me. I’ve never made a gingerbread house, so I thought I would have a little fun and throw in some technology… a WiFi hotspot that lets you control Christmas music!
Continue reading Gingerbread House WiFi Hotspot →
Technology tips and musings in the eyes of a nerd.