Our lineup this month focuses on Internet & Connectivity matters. With varied topics and approaches to web-enabling, there’s something for everyone in this issue. Additionally, we have a few engaging articles about projects that were entered in three recent design contests.

Jeremy Baugher and Stephen Fenwick give us the full story on Voyeur, which won Honorable Mention in the Zilog 2004 Flash Nets Cash Design Contest (p. 10). Voyeur is an eZ80Acclaim!-based system for displaying Internet content. Using a 5² × 7² frame and a Noritake 2 × 20 vacuum fluorescent display, Jeremy and Stephen created an aesthetic platform for viewing text from web sites. You might hang the system by your kitchen clock to get the latest traffic report on your way out the door, or in your home office to see stock market and weather reports. You’ll want to read about how Jeremy and Stephen converted web data for the alphanumeric display.

Lindsay Meek put his creativity to good use designing the Portable Web Server to enter in the Renesas M16C Design Contest 2005 (p. 51). Lindsay’s system for hosting web sites cuts down on the money and complexity usually involved in hosting a web site. Starting with a Renesas M32C/84 microcontroller, Lindsay was able to build an effective, low-cost system using a dynamic domain name system (DNS) service and a CompactFlash card to store the data to be presented on the web site.

Ingo Cyliax is back this month with a truly interesting article titled “Internet-Connected Sonic Anemometer” (p. 56). Ingo’s system is designed with a Rabbit RCM3000 development board and a Ubicom microcontroller. He walks you through the process of measuring wind speed. As Ingo explains, a sonic anemometer also can be used to measure the actual speed of sound in air. This in-depth article covers all the details.

I also wanted to highlight another fantastic project we’re featuring this month. I’m continually amazed by the ingenuity of entrants to our design contests. As you’ll see when you read about the Voyeur and Portable Web Server projects, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing an application. Richard Wotiz rounds out the contest showcase in this issue with an article about his Electronic Scarecrow, which won First Honor in the 2005 Freescale Wireless Design Challenge (p. 18). Whereas some entrants are inspired to develop something that’s universally helpful, others use the opportunity to create something specific to their needs. Richard was among the latter. Driven by a desire to rid his yard of foraging deer, he devised a technologically advanced way to deter them. His problem called for a unique solution because deer acclimate quickly. You can spend thousands of dollars on a new fence, but the deer will eventually figure out they can jump over it. So, Richard designed a unique deterrent—one engineered so that the deer couldn’t easily get used to it. When the system detects animals in the yard, it sets off a variety of sounds and turns on water sprinklers. The Electronic Scarecrow is built around Freescale MC13192 SARD boards.

I hope these projects give you some ideas for your own applications. Good luck!

jennifer.huber@circuitcellar.com