Fwd: thermal flashlight w/out arduino

[Jeffrey Warren]

Will makes a good suggestion (below) of ditching the arduino, to reduce cost, which we've been debating a bit at some of the thermal flashlight workshops. The counter-argument is that by using arduino we allow the design to continue growing. But maybe it's not mutually exclusive; for Parts & Crafts, it's be great to have a $15 version of the kit, while those who want to continue developing, adding knobs and features, etc. can keep using Arduinos.

The sensor is here: http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/technologies/semiconductors/analog/sensors/temperature/Pages/6266423-MLX90614ESF-AAA.aspx?IM=0

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: William Macfarlane <wmac...@gmail.com>
To: Jeffrey Warren <je...@unterbahn.com>

Can we figure out how to make the thermal flashlight without the arduino?

Is this just a matter of reproducing the arduino schematic + thermal
flashlight on a breadboard to use the built-in bootloader and
programming stuff and then removing everything that isn't the
microcontroller, sensor, and LED?

And then having this breadboard that we can stick an atmega in, upload
the software to, and test out and make sure it works?

Because it seems like it should be a $10 project, not a $40 one, if
you can just use the microcontroller instead of the arduino.

Obvs we can also get a PCB made if we want to.  And maybe we should?
It's a really good project that I bet would make a good Make/adafruit
style kit...

Also also, what is the sensor that you use if I want to order some?

--
-Will
www.partsandcrafts.org

[Liz Barry]

Leif has been promoting that idea as well, especially for what will become the retail kit version of the thermal flashlight.