Difference between revisions of "Treadle computer"

Revision as of 12:51, 18 April 2014

Overview

A treadle (foot pedal from an old sewing machine) powered computer. Got the idea from The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. The idea of a user powered computer seems like a great way to stay on task when one sits down to use it. You'll sit down and type up that e-mail instead of watching youtube videos for a half hour.

Needed

• treadle
• low power computer
• low power display
• small battery or capacitor bank
• circuit to detect the absence of voltage in and send a signal to the computer to hibernate to disk.
• serial connection to computer

Design options

Direct

• configure wheel as a generator

Belt driven

• configure wheel to drive a motor with a belt

Notes

• I'll be obtaining a donated Singer treadle powered sewing machine on 08/16/2013. Researched low power displays and came up with three possible solutions: pixel qi 10" ($299), mimo 710s 7" displaylink display ($140), or pico projector (~$200 and would require shading on the desk) --strages (talk) 10:17, 13 August 2013 (CDT)
• AOC E2251FWU 22 - Inch Widescreen USB LED Monitor
• latest-ish Ubuntus are fully displaylink compatible
• 5V computer hardware comparison
• another low power ARM computer
• '84 Ford Ranger alternator is the cheapest alternator to be had.
• MarS board

Final design

References

• Jean-Paul Tarit's treadle computer
  • direct drive?
• Muckle LLP's treadle computer
  • belt driven