Microcontroller thread #4!!!

greetings everyone,

now that I have finished my embedded system design class, I feel like the world of microcontrollers is my beotch. now I just need a project... which is where you fine people come into play. I need ideas.

also, here is my project(scroll to the bottom):
http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/courses/326/hof06.htm

here is a video of my teammate playing Stepmania with our Gamecube to USB adapter. I am just looking good it the background:
http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/courses/326/hof06x.htm

what do you folks think would be a cool project? I was thinking about doing this:
http://www.rickard.gunee.com/projects/video/pic/howto.php

or maybe something robotic. perhaps a milling machine (crude one) with a stationary drill (on/off controlled by MCU) and XYZ controlled by a couple of motors attached to a carriage. I could start by making hard coded coordinates, and maybe later make it understand G-codes (common milling language). however, that would be hard to do, maybe something simpler to start.

EDIT:
List of ideas so far:
1. Obstacle avoiding robot (IR transmitter/receiver to see walls)

 

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well u could do a project of launching a model rocket and using the microcontroller to record the data from altimeter and perhaps send and store it to the EEPROM

 

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didn't someone talk about that project a few months ago? was it you?

that does not really sound good. its sound like an expensive project, and all I would learn is how to get data and store it to flash/EEPROM. I would not mind learning how to store and recover data with flash/EEPROM, but maybe with a different project.

 

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well...whats ur budget?

 

depends on how awesome the project sounds. I will be willing to pay more if it sounds fun. also depends on if there are things I can reuse, like stepper motors or something. lets say $80max +/- awesomeness and re-usability factor.

 

80$max? :bugeye:

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it is not an absolute limit, don't forget the awesomeness and re-usability factor. also, I am broke ass college student that will be working 40+ hours a week, its not like I am going to do something extremely complex.

additionally, I already have a microcontroller board, so that cost has already been absorbed.

 

How about a robot that dreams?
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/857
( http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/conte...am&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT ) If you have access to Science.

Or course, this entails some nifty software, but cool as hell.

 

make a cokroach that moves in appropriate direction when it senses there is an obstacle ahead.

 

too complex.

 

don't cockroaches already do that?

 

Or how about a robot mouse that flees from perceived danger? Then you can have people chase it around the room trying to kill it with a hammer, when cornered, it will whine and cry.

See how effective you can make the 'simulated' fear response.
And see how many people can finish the poor little beastie off...

 

mechanic cockroach. microcontroller directs the initiation of a motor and direction it crawls to, as well as receives input from laser sensor

 

ohh, I see. I have already done that in EGR226 (I just finished EGR326). I guess I could make a better robot than the one they had us use in my class. I will put that on the list.

 

dont quote me on this. do not mention me in relation to this. Make a male sex toy with embedded microcontroller, connected to pc the toy initiates when the female on the other side chat desires so at specific rate that she wants to do it. Once again forget I ever said this.

 

already been done:
http://www.extremerestraints.com/televibe--phone-internet-controlled-sex-kit_573.html

 

ok heres a fun one: scissors that got a microchip in them and open and close unexcepctingly thus when someone uses them they randomly will cut off a finger...thats of course should be used as a weapon...like given to Iraqis so they can use it for free

 

It would be pretty cool if you eventually got to where you could mill out small replacement parts from plastic, aluminum, or brass to replace broken parts of appliances and machinery.

 

I thought 3D Cad printers do that already

 

sure, if you want to pay 100grand