Special Effects Project Idea.

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
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Hi there, I'm new to using the arduino and am very much looking forward to reciving mine soon. Everywhere in the UK that supplies them seems to be out of stock...

I'm intrested in using an arduno to help me with a University project i'm conducting.
I am building a chair that sits on a platform and can move like a flight simulator.
My hope is that i can use a 'Wiimote' to controll the chair's movement. By sensing the movement with its accelerometer.
I have a few questions about this project.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks. Ollie

  • I am going to be controlling solonoid valves; Does anyone have any experience of doing this? (any threads I could be reffered to?)
    Is it possible that I will need to use relays in order to have enough power to controll these solonoids?

  • I know the Wiimote uses bluetooth to transmit the infomation from the accellerometer. What is a simple way for me to get my Arduino to recive this infomation?
    Will I need to connect a bluetooth reciver to my arduino?

Many Thanks

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You could perhaps consider using a wii nunchuck instead of the wiimote itself. If you go to the main arduino site, and then go to the playground, theres quite a lot of information regarding the nunchuck.

If you want to use a wiimote because of it's wireless...ness... then perhaps you could use a laptop with bluetooth to read and process the accelerometer data from the wiimote, and then pass commands over USB serial to an arduino which would control the solenoids/whatever.

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Thanks combatdave.
Ideally, i'd like to use a wiimote because it is wireless.

If I were to use a laptop or computer with bluetooth, would i need a piece fo software to convert the infomation the bluetooth understands into a format that could be read by the Arduino?

Thanks.

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