TheSamba.com :: View topic - Arduino programmer: InfoGauge Vanagon project

Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:50 am

Well, this is scary, but I have been mulling this over for months, and it's probably time. I think reaching out the community is the best way to go about it.

I have been developing a graphic display to capture our Vanagon's heartbeat to use in lieu of a dash full of gauges. There have been hundreds of hours and quite a few hardware revs to this point and I think I'm getting close. I have most of the software written for displaying the data, but feel that there are much better software people out there and an open effort might give us something much better than I can do alone.

What you're seeing is the raw unit here. I have yet to develop a case and decide on a good place to mount it. Probably be 3D printed or vacuum molded. The picture does a really poor job of showing the color and it still has the protective plastic on it, so it looks pretty shaggy, but in real life, it is vivid and pleasant.

The unit is based on a Arduino on steroids called a Teensy 3.2 http://pjrc.com/store/teensy32.html that is based on an 32 bit Cortex M4 processor. Supremely well build and supported https://forum.pjrc.com/ and hugely powerful. The display is a 2.8" touch screen and the processor has plenty of horsepower to do way more than I am capable of doing alone.

Currently, the data display is working and I'm trying to implement the alarms and expand the functionality.

I have hard programmed to read and graph:
Oil pressure,
Oil Temperature,
Coolant Temperature,
Trans Temperature,
and EGT.

It also diaplays (but not graphs):
Fuel pressure,
Coolant Pressure (to monitor system integrity),
In and Out Temperature,
Fridge Temperature,
Air Tank Pressure, and
Battery 1 and 2 voltages.

If someone gets ambitious, these, and others could all be selectable choices.
Current work is on getting settable alarms on all of the readings.

The temperature sensing is based on solid state sensors (-67°F to +257°F) and should be accurate to less than a degree. (0.5C). http://www.ebay.com/itm/121458027297?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
It consists of a ~3"x2"x1.5" head unit (in the picture) and a remote connected with a RJ45 cable. Pressures are measured with these http://stores.ebay.com/Industrial-stuffs/Pressure-Transducer-/_i.html?_fsub=2911276017.

Currently I have 8 analog and 12 digital i/o unused, so there are plenty of opportunities to control things (like a trans pump, Sodo). The temperature sensors are on a 1Wire bus, so they are practically unlimited (>20).

Most of this will be greek to 99% of the users here, but for the few that want to help develop it, it will be like crack, and the end product should benefit us all.

THIS IS IN DEVELOPMENT, SO IT WONT BE A PACKAGED SOLUTION IMMEDIATELY. I need to do vehicle testing, and I'm sure some more versions of the hardware and added protection.

The plan is to do the hardware for a cost, and let the software be open to all who want to expand or take it a different direction. It is currently looking like the hardware will have a cost less than a handful of gauges and be so much more capable, and not dominate the dash. Of course all of this is subject to how much of a PITA it becomes, I already have mine.

So, No promises, just a pretty involved project that might benefit a lot of us if it flies. I am sure that the functions will come online a few at a time, so those that are comfortable uploading an Arduino can change as updates and mods become available.

Suggestions and critiques welcome if they are friendly and serious. I can take better pictures and the main and aux screens that are already in place and update the progress here, or just connect through PM's depending on the interest. When they are to the point of being viable, I'll probably create a website and put something on the classifieds.

"and now for something completely different..."

Mark

Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:48 am

Color me impressed!

This is so far beyond my electrical capabilities that I simply stand in awe!

I bet you can fix photocopiers too? :lol:

Dave

Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:34 am

I like. I like. Good to see projects like this. Great job!

I have been thinking of creating a post and ask if anyone have taken the advantage of all these powerful microcontrollers that are so common place nowadays.

Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:35 am

Mark,

This is great stuff. Count me as one very interested.

Cheers

Alistair

Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:20 am

Sweet :!:

Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:53 am

That's awesome Mark! I can imagine using that, adding just 1 or 2 features every few months, for years. Always another project. I do like lots of info, but I don't like lots of gauges on a classical machine (personally). Also whenever I buy into one style of gauge, guarans the style will 'change' and I'm a cheap bastard who can't replace old gauges to match the new ones added.

Would be kinda nice if the Arduino could mount under the back seat, and output Bluetooth to a smartphone or iPad. Could use an old smartphone for a remote display. Could sit on the ashtray, but you could move it back into the living area. Watch inside, outside temps, battery levels, geek out to the max! Of course I absolutely HATE fussing with bluetooth that won't connect after some inevitable upgrade.

Sun Apr 10, 2016 1:46 pm

Interesting that you mention bluetooth. The original concept was to use it, and I got the parts to implement it, but decided that for primary control, it may not be the most reliable and the fussiness might be a hassle. Also, I wanted it to just be there without getting out my phone every time I got in the van. I could see getting lazy for "that short trip" and not seeing something useful. I could definitely could be added as an aux display, but then I'd have to learn how to program for Android and iPhone. For now, I'll just work at get it running and someone can add it later. And yes, Keev, I have fixed photocopiers, and robotics, and industrial control systems. For now, I just burn dirt.

For those not familiar with Arduino, here is a quick summary: A company in Italy decided to use an industrial microprocessor and package it in a way that it was accessible to people not familiar with the process of developing for them. At the user level, the software is "canned" in a way that relieves you from knowing a lot of the gory details by smart people. That paradigm led to and explosion in the Maker and artistic communities, and lots of support. A guy named Paul Stoffregen developed a board called Teensy that has a hugely larger processor and still fits with the Arduino concept. The software programs are termed Sketches and are loaded with a free program through a USB port.

The InfoGauge brains are fitted behind the display, and in fact the reason it's as thick as it is is mostly because of the connectors.

The impetus for this project was the fact that I wanted to monitor the trans temp and was looking where to comfortably mount the gauge. As I looked at what was available for gauges, I was dissapointed at what it would cost to outfit with what I wanted, and the quality was dubious. Then I wanted to watch In and Out temperature to see how the AC was doing, then if fridge was cool, then a clock,.... Well, you can see how this was getting out of hand and it would start look like the cockpit of an airliner designed by drunks. I had momentarily considered a data acquisition system, but that costs really big bucks (read: Racepac and MoTeC for insyncro) I had stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once, so I figured I could do this. That was many months ago and has become a pet project. If no one is really interested, well, I'll have one and be happy. If it solves problems for others, I'll share and we'll all be better for it.

This setup can be be pretty powerful and be expanded to do much more, but I just don't want it to be a life project for myself. The possibilities are menus that allow you to pick which parameters you want to show, multiple pages of obscure readings, check-in and downloading wirelessly when you get home, data acquisition, trending,....well, you get the idea.

For now I just want to get a basic system installed, debugged, and ruggedized to show and alarm what I have already laid out. Like I said, you are all welcome to come along for the ride. It might pan out, it might not, but I will have one.

Welcome to the circus...

Mark

Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:25 pm

Hi Mark,

This is awesome ! I love this kind of projects.
I believe you still have the original engine (2.1 WBX) ?

JB

Sun Apr 10, 2016 4:51 pm

Love the concept!
Will you be able to change the display settings to show less or more readings, and change the font size accordingly?
If not I think I would like a larger screen.
Following with interest! 8)

Sun Apr 10, 2016 5:31 pm

Really cool man! I'm a software engineer, and was dreaming to do something similar.
But I only juuust purchased my westy, so there's a laundry list of things I need to do first to make it safe and in mechanically good shape.
Maybe in due time I can join in this fun.

Sun Apr 10, 2016 5:45 pm

The project is intended for my '87 Syncro Westy. I have put probably 150k on the 2.1 that was in it and it finally threatened to throw a rod a 310k. Run it for 15 minutes and get the oil light on idle down. I think I got my money's worth out of that one. Technically it still ran, but it didn't have much left.

I have a Subi 2.5 that is going in it currently, along with stupid amounts of other things that need to be done.

The question about fonts and selecting which things you want to see is valid. making those things is definitely possible, but what you don't think of is that there has to be more pages, memory and coding used to get them selectable. Larger screens are available, but they weren't what I was after at this point. Fitment issues, distraction, and cost were where I started.

Right now, I'm selecting those things when I program them, which is much easier. Options could be added, but you come to the point of diminishing returns unless this becomes a class project. Say I add 10 fonts, and make 25 variables available, the question is how much value is my time? If I spend 20 hours programming that, can I charge more? probably not. I am providing the platform and the settings that appeal to me most, the whole point of this is to get others to build on it. When they do, it will become better.

I'm not a software engineer, I am a controls person that has been playing with microprocessors for a while. Version control, and maintenance with others is going to be a new area for me. I suspect that there will have to be a repository if more than a few people get involved. This is all wild and woolly and there will be a learning curve.

Mark

Mon Apr 11, 2016 2:54 am

Shut up and take my money!!

I'm commenting to stay connected on this. Nice work!

Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:04 am

May I suggest you post this on the 80-90 forum that is popular with Brits and Europeans. I have seen interest in this in the past but I don't recall anybody bringing the project to fruition.

Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:18 am

Thanks for the interest.
Going to the 80-90 forum is probably a good idea. If it pans out the way I think it will, it could be used on many platforms and have interest outside our Vanagon world. One of the things for that to be successful is for it to have the ability to change parameters watched. That is in the future, but a ways in the future if not done by someone changing it at program time.
I'm working to make it a stable platform before I get too widely spread and the place it is now is testing and expansion. If I can attract a couple of interested parties that can sort out my ugly code, we might have something.

Approaching this as a hobby thing because I wanted one, but it very well could have wide appeal. Then we can all start fighting about who did what, and I'm not looking forward to that. These, and other questions are what have me up at 4:30 in the morning trying to sort out if I let pandora out of his box. Oh well.

BTW: here is a better listing of the processor's features: https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/teensy31.html

Mark

Mon Apr 11, 2016 11:44 am

boroko wrote:
If I can attract a couple of interested parties that can sort out my ugly code, we might have something.

...Then we can all start fighting about who did what, and I'm not looking forward to that.

Can solve both of these problems by doing it open-source, licensing it as GPL or MIT and putting it on github. Then you'll get easy collaboration + code review + version control etc.

Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:13 pm

Quote: Can solve both of these problems by doing it open-source, licensing it as GPL or MIT and putting it on github. Then you'll get easy collaboration + code review + version control etc.

I will likely do just as you have mentioned, but I am used to getting code there, never posting it, and I'll have to set it up for that. Some learning to do.

Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:17 pm

Could you post a parts list?

Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:18 pm

I would love to contribute to the design of the interface.

Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:30 pm

The parts list is not finalized as it is still being tested in the real world and will probably need some more toughening. Basically, there is a Teensy 3.2 processor board, 2 custom PCB's with regulators, signal conditioning, and connectors.

I'll get some pictures of the different screens and the boards so it will give everyone an idea of what we're looking at. Adafruit uses the MIT license, so if it's good enough for her, its probably good enough for me.

Mark

Mon Apr 11, 2016 12:40 pm

This thread is now watched and bookmarked... Very interested to see where you go with this, my exp with arduinos is limited, but the potential is endless.

My wife's already had dreams of the same sort of thing, so you've got a headstart.