Hey guys. I just finished my spark-fun “inventors kit” w/ the Arduino, and am looking to start my first project!
Project goal:
Build a (light-up) light-saber that communicates wireless w/ a sound-system box.
Basic Functionality:
The light-saber will flicker when necessary: Example: hitting things, accelerating quickly, ect.
The sound-system box (separate from the saber) will make the appropriate saber-sounds as the saber moves through the air at different speeds and hits things.
so basically:
I want to make light-sabers that use an external sound-system, and not some cheapo speakers that are built-into the saber.
How I imagine it working w/ Arduinos:
A total of 2 Arduinos would be needed. (?)
1 in the saber (a small one) and 1 in the sound-system box (a normal-sized one… an Uno?).
The saber:
Houses: the small arduino, some sort of EL-wire and EL-wire PSU/Battery, an accelerometer module, and an Xbee.
The Arduino takes inputs from the accelerometer module, and uses those inputs to “flicker” the el-wire on/off.
The Arduino also sends accelerometer info wirelessley (through the use of an Xbee?) to the Arduino in the sound-system box.
The sound-system box:
Houses: the larger Arduino (Uno?), a 12V auto-battery, speakers, an Xbee, and some sort of MP3 shield.
The Arduino receives inputs from the Xbee (which means its basically taking inputs from the accelerometer module that is in the saber), and it uses those inputs and outputs signals to the MP3 shield, which will then output the proper sound-files to the speakers.
My problem:
I’m new to Arduino, and am very confused as to what I should be purchasing for this project. There are so many shields/modules/stand-alone components for Arduino (not the mention the huge variety of the Arduino boards) that i’m very over-whelmed as to what I should be purchasing.
How you can help:
I’d greatly appreciate it if you guys could suggest:
a) Which Arduino board(s) I should be using.
b) Which modules/shields/components I should be buying.
Basically I’m looking for help putting together a “purchase-list” of all the different components I will need to make this project a reality.
What do you think?
Thanks guys!