Smudge and Lorelei's Scratch Built Complete Helmet Electronics Adventure

[TheLorelei[TK]]

Hello! I'm undertaking a helmet electronics project what I'd consider mostly from scratch (no components pre-wired together). I'm near-novice level; it's not that I've never wielded a soldering iron, it's just that the last time I did I was 12. Fortunately a good friend is an electrical engineer working in the field who can both explain things five times in a row AND lend a hand with stringing everything together. Phew.

 

THE CURRENT (lol, electrical jokes already) PLAN:

My voice changer will be a Teensy 3.2 coupled with the audio adapter shield and Bluetooth module as per TK Talkie's delightfully detailed V3 directions. A PJRC prop shield LC will act as amplifier for the little speakers which I'll be setting in my hovi mic tips. I'll have [many] helmet fans ('cause I'm here for a good time, not a sweaty time) on an independent circuit to cut down on electrical noise within my audio system, most likely powered by a rechargeable USB battery. I'll experiment with lavalier microphones behind my neck seal, and will probably integrate a hearing assist system down the road. 

 

Disclaimer: this project is in between invention and re-inventing the wheel. People sell similar pre-built components and systems! I've just been spoiling for an electronics project so I want to do it all myself.

 

This promises to be quite the adventure for my ANH stunt bucket Smudge and me. Come along, if you dare.

[Frank75139[501st]]

Waiting anxiously


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[shashachu[TK]]

This is awesome. Electronics is a huge blind spot for me and I've always wanted to learn. I did manage to make the fans myself but that's about the extent of my abilities.

 

How many fans are you planning on  using? I use the standard 2 fan setup (mounted at the edge of the frown and pointing up at the eyes) and I haven't (yet) found myself wishing I had more. There are at least a few guys in my garrison who don't use fans at all, which seems like madness.

[TheLorelei[TK]]

On 12/27/2018 at 6:28 PM, Frank75139 said:

Waiting anxiously

Hang in there, Frank.

6 hours ago, shashachu said:

This is awesome. Electronics is a huge blind spot for me and I've always wanted to learn. I did manage to make the fans myself but that's about the extent of my abilities.

 

How many fans are you planning on  using? I use the standard 2 fan setup (mounted at the edge of the frown and pointing up at the eyes) and I haven't (yet) found myself wishing I had more. There are at least a few guys in my garrison who don't use fans at all, which seems like madness.

Why hello, Sha Sha! Right, a skills blind spot I want to explore - that's exactly what this is.  Good for you for making the fan setup! Did you use squirrel fans? Nice to know you're happy with just two (and oh my, how do they use no fans at all??). I haven't decided how many I'll use yet; I've heard having one on top of your head pointing down towards the back is nice for clearing gathered heat and humidity though. And I'm not sure how I'll like having fans blowing up my face so I'm anticipating a bit of placement testing and modification anyway.

[shashachu[TK]]

Yup - these ones from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EL938E6/ You can see the final setup here: 

Actually on my last troop of the year my fans stopped working, and I realized one of the solder points on the switch had broken. But they lasted a dozen troops over the year until they had to be repaired, so I was reasonably happy with that.

 

Re: fan on top of your head, that sounds delightful, but my helmet has to sit right on the top of my head, otherwise I can't see out of it, so I don't have any room for a fan on top. 

 

As I'm sure you're realizing, you'll be continuously tweaking your armor.