Neat project. Some technical details of the presented hardware version I looked up after watching the video: They're transmitting a constant frequency signal for 30us, generated using an integrated VCO (MAX2752), so techncially not a chirp (which they acknowledge in the paper). Each unit has a different Rb value for a different VCO control voltage and therefore a different VCO frequency. The VCO is on for 40us, the RF switch is there only to cut out the first 10us while the VCO's output settles. They're currently using 2.04-2.11GHz (that is, the current hardware is designed to be set to a single frequency in this range), mostly to keep the antenna size reasonable. They're using an SDR for reception and checking a 2MHz band for each cricket, to account for drift in frequency. Current range is up to 40 feet (~12 meters, line of sight). Anyway, the basic idea of a self-powered light sensor working as a kind of voltage-to-frequency converter is neat and they've presented a bunch of potential applications.
3:50 is allready a thing in automatic welding goggles. but they use a solar cell to provide power and a ir / uv sensor to control the attentuation but their circuir is dumb and usually only is able to turn on/off the lc glass, not attentuate continously
Not all are solar powered, many take batteries. Also they go from dark to nearly black, whereas eyeglasses need to go from as clear as possible to only somewhat tinted, so I imagine the exact type of LCD used is important. Also the fact that these are based on a low power RF link means fewer wires in wearable devices if the sensor and what it controls are remotely located.
If I understand it correctly and based on the circuit diagrams shown, the glasses don’t use an RF Link, rather they modified the Cricket circuit to drive an lc instead of generating a radio burst.
@@chrismofer Tech that originally came from how to protect bomber pilots for flash blindness in nuclear war. Helmets were design to have very fast acting light attenuators in their visors. Definitely beat wearing an eye-patch over one eye (so if you did get blinded you could switch to your other eye) or flying with flash curtains and only instruments.
If those glasses can work while inside a car, count me in, because I stupidly paid for transition lenses once. They were great while I was outside, but as soon as I got into the car where the UV light was blocked, they did nothing.
Amazing idea. To scale it up, I'm curious how much bandwidth and selectability you need/get with hundreds or thousands of sensors. Perhaps this circuit could be made in CMOS and miniaturized.
@@LittleRainGamesthey showed in this demo how miniature it could get, about four square millimeters; they just haven't actually built one that small yet. all you'd need is a base station able to handle that many signals.
The usual trouble with sensors is bringing them power. This is very fascinating
Neat project.
Some technical details of the presented hardware version I looked up after watching the video:
They're transmitting a constant frequency signal for 30us, generated using an integrated VCO (MAX2752), so techncially not a chirp (which they acknowledge in the paper). Each unit has a different Rb value for a different VCO control voltage and therefore a different VCO frequency. The VCO is on for 40us, the RF switch is there only to cut out the first 10us while the VCO's output settles. They're currently using 2.04-2.11GHz (that is, the current hardware is designed to be set to a single frequency in this range), mostly to keep the antenna size reasonable. They're using an SDR for reception and checking a 2MHz band for each cricket, to account for drift in frequency. Current range is up to 40 feet (~12 meters, line of sight).
Anyway, the basic idea of a self-powered light sensor working as a kind of voltage-to-frequency converter is neat and they've presented a bunch of potential applications.
Exciting prospects for lightweight designs 👍
3:50 is allready a thing in automatic welding goggles. but they use a solar cell to provide power and a ir / uv sensor to control the attentuation
but their circuir is dumb and usually only is able to turn on/off the lc glass, not attentuate continously
Not all are solar powered, many take batteries. Also they go from dark to nearly black, whereas eyeglasses need to go from as clear as possible to only somewhat tinted, so I imagine the exact type of LCD used is important. Also the fact that these are based on a low power RF link means fewer wires in wearable devices if the sensor and what it controls are remotely located.
If I understand it correctly and based on the circuit diagrams shown, the glasses don’t use an RF Link, rather they modified the Cricket circuit to drive an lc instead of generating a radio burst.
@@chrismofer Tech that originally came from how to protect bomber pilots for flash blindness in nuclear war. Helmets were design to have very fast acting light attenuators in their visors.
Definitely beat wearing an eye-patch over one eye (so if you did get blinded you could switch to your other eye) or flying with flash curtains and only instruments.
Very cool! Reminded me or all the self powered haptic work we used to do a decade back. Thank you for sharing and the project page is excellent!
wow. ultra low power stuff like this is so cool
Hell yeah cool asf
dependant on output power, these could be great for ham radio beacons / rescue beacons
If those glasses can work while inside a car, count me in, because I stupidly paid for transition lenses once. They were great while I was outside, but as soon as I got into the car where the UV light was blocked, they did nothing.
The automation applications for this are interesting. I'll have to do some reading on what your signaling protocol looks like.
Oh man, I’ve been wanting fast changing transition lenses for years. Sign me up!
And with an override switch for the occasions when you need it to NOT transition rather than having to bring a second non-treated pair.
3:40 so basically self dimming welding goggles?
Cricket in the cricket ground.
Oh man, how many inventions can you cram into a solar powered radio thingy?
So very cool ❤
Amazing idea. To scale it up, I'm curious how much bandwidth and selectability you need/get with hundreds or thousands of sensors. Perhaps this circuit could be made in CMOS and miniaturized.
I dont think it would scale down. Its basically a solar panel.
@@LittleRainGamesthey showed in this demo how miniature it could get, about four square millimeters; they just haven't actually built one that small yet. all you'd need is a base station able to handle that many signals.
The glasses example may be fast to respond to intensity changes, but don't they always attenuate the light by at least half?
Very cool.
this is neat!
Nice
yo this is awsome
A truck equiped with a radio passes your car and your sunglasses go black 😂
no? the glasses don't transmit or recieve RF, they power the photochromic cell instead
Consider me subscribed to this channel 🦗, awesome demo
It could be handy for detecting nuclear blasts
we already have listening stations and satellites for that
Cool, but I like turtles.
Worst project 😂😂sorry but its true but i love the glasses
Self-powered and light powered are not the same thing.
Bruh give me an example of something self powered that doesn't have an energy source 😂
Self powered in this case is meaning no battery or wires
I feel like in this case it could be argued so, because the sensor is always functional, given it senses light.
Nice