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• Weekend Project: Ultimate LED Fan Sign
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• Weekend Project: Vortex Cannons
• Weekend Project: Vortex Cannons (PDF)
• Weekend Project: Scanner Camera (PDF)
• Weekend Project: Scanner Camera

As always Bre, another hilarious video!

great video...
For those who would like a cheaper solution to reading RFID tags, here is the code for using the same Parallax RFID on the Arduino, an open-source platform that is roughly equivalent to the Basic Stamp and 3X cheaper.

http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Learning/PRFID
http://www.arduino.cc

So the post from danielj kind of filled in what I was going to post on. You guys seem to push Arduino a lot around here yet we've had two weekend projects on basic stamps yet non on Arduino. I have an my first Arduino coming in the mail this week and I'd love to see some great fun beginning projects from you guys on it.

Oh and I'm sorry if that sounded like I'm complaining about free fantastic content that is entertaining and informative at the same time. Keep up the great work!

Hey danielj and Myrddinthegeek, I hear you on the arduino boards. I'm ordering some this week. We'll have one more Awesome Electronics Workshop with the basic stamp and then we'll play with some other microcontrollers.

Thanks for your feedback, I still like the basic stamp as an easy platform, but I'm psyched to get into the arduino boards and play.

A fantastic use for this technology would be for the blind. Imagine a reader cane loaded with pre-programmed phrases. RFID tags embedded in the sidewalk or signposts or walls could provide location or option info, beyond the GPS level to more of a signage level. "Menswear", "Subway Entrance", "Produce Aisle", "Gate 34, Left", "Fire Exit", "Ladies Room", "Elevator", etc. On products using RFID instead of barcodes, a text reader could tell a blind person the name of any item in the store. Ideal for proof of concept would be a place like Disney World or a World's Fair or a large trade show. They could loan the reader canes at the gate. I'll bet RFID manufacturers would provide equipment for a high profile proof of concept demo like that free of charge.

Hey Guys!
Great video, and great technology too. Now, I'm trying to find a place to ask a geeky question about the rfid reader... MY company issued badges made by HID. I am hoping that kind of badge can be read by this rfid reader. If so, I can use the same badge to open the door at my house.
By the way; it looks like you guys are having way too much fun!

Keep IT UP
Tom

@Tom:

Hi! Glad you like the videos :)

The Parallax RFID reader we use in the video only works with EM Microelectronics EM4100-family of read-only tags. The HID cards ARE RFID, but use a different protocol, so it won't work with that reader. You might be able to pick up a reader directly from HID. Also, check out some really great work by Jonathan Westhues on HID/RFID stuff: http://cq.cx/prox.pl

Have fun!

-Joe

Hey Joe,

Is the code for this project posted online somewhere?

Thanks,

Sky

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/04/rfid_and_texttospeech_mod.html

Yup, right there!

I need someone to make one of these RFID readers with a text to speech applications. I will pay for it. I just need a few changes to the application.

please email me tmanwade@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Trent

If you would like to know more about RFID I find this rss RFID directory, check the RFID videos http://www.radio-frequencyid.com/videos.html
also cheap RFID products.this is a great RFID Tag idea!

Is there a way to connect the emics text to speech module to an arduino?

in your video you say you hook the text to speech up to your data base. Where to talking about the EEPROM, because it would be sweet to find out how to set the basic stamp up to a mysql database.

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