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- Jun 22, 2011
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Here's an idea I had the other day. I'll probably never build it due to lack of skill and tools, so here it is in case someone wants to give it a shot.
It'd be a large host with a rotating front. The front would be attached solely to a DC motor, which would be on the back part, wired to an ESC controlled by an Arduino.
The front would consist of many aixiz modules inside small heatsinks, placed just like the barrel tubes of a mini gun. They'd be joined by 3 circular plates, the first two made of Al with holes for the heatsinked modules, the last one would be a PCB glued to the back of the driver/heatsink/module assembly. Each module would have it's own driver attached and each driver would be soldered to two poles on the PCB, like a huge pill (all external poles would be at the same radius and receive + voltage, all internal poles would be at a smaller radius and receive - voltage).
The back part would have the motor in the center. Above the motor there would be two spring-powered metal "brushes" set at the same radius as the PCB connectors, to provide power to whichever driver is at aligned at the top during that moment. All drivers would have to run on the same input voltage.
Each time a laser is at the top it will be briefly connected to the battery through the brushes (and a mosfet, to allow PWM) firing up for a moment, just like a mini gun does with bullets.
I'd use the highest power available of single mode diodes of various colors and a sensor to determine which one is on top at any given moment.
The Arduino could be controlled with buttons and a screen to make the pulsed beam change color like a projector - by controlling RPM and if each laser will be provided power while it's on top.
Not sure if I explained well enough. I could make a quick drawing if anyone wants one.
It'd be a large host with a rotating front. The front would be attached solely to a DC motor, which would be on the back part, wired to an ESC controlled by an Arduino.
The front would consist of many aixiz modules inside small heatsinks, placed just like the barrel tubes of a mini gun. They'd be joined by 3 circular plates, the first two made of Al with holes for the heatsinked modules, the last one would be a PCB glued to the back of the driver/heatsink/module assembly. Each module would have it's own driver attached and each driver would be soldered to two poles on the PCB, like a huge pill (all external poles would be at the same radius and receive + voltage, all internal poles would be at a smaller radius and receive - voltage).
The back part would have the motor in the center. Above the motor there would be two spring-powered metal "brushes" set at the same radius as the PCB connectors, to provide power to whichever driver is at aligned at the top during that moment. All drivers would have to run on the same input voltage.
Each time a laser is at the top it will be briefly connected to the battery through the brushes (and a mosfet, to allow PWM) firing up for a moment, just like a mini gun does with bullets.
I'd use the highest power available of single mode diodes of various colors and a sensor to determine which one is on top at any given moment.
The Arduino could be controlled with buttons and a screen to make the pulsed beam change color like a projector - by controlling RPM and if each laser will be provided power while it's on top.
Not sure if I explained well enough. I could make a quick drawing if anyone wants one.
