Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
I've looked at the tutorial for the firewalker shoes and it is not real clear regarding the mounting of the Neo Pixel strings. Specifically not sure if the Neo Pixel strings have wires connected to them and if these can be used on the shoes. The wires seem to be quite large and not sure how you would run these wires to the Flora without them really standing out. Just wondering if the Neo Pixel strings come with the necessary wires attached to be used with the Firewalker Shoes and if not what specific wires or ribbon cabling are required? Also there are no pictures that show the routing of these wires from the Neo Pixel string to the Flora Processor. Another issue is that the Neo Pixel Strings use three wires. One is ground and the other is the voltage source and the last is the control signal for the strings. There is no mention in the tutorial what pin on the Flora the signal wire goes to. I looked at the software listing and it looks like it is pin 6. Any pictures on the routing of the Neo Pixel wires to the Flora on the Fire Walker Shoes would be much appreciated or a clarification of the routing. Also clarification on the wiring used from the Neo Pixels to the Flora Processor on the Firewalker Shoes would be appreciated. Thanks Much.......Rick B.
- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23940
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
They used conductive thread but you could also use the silicone wire.
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Thanks for the reply. Do you mean that the neo pixel strings have conductive thread soldered to each of the three wires going to the neo pixel led strings for the shoes? Also some pictures of how the wires or thread from the neo pixel strings are routed to the Flora processor would be extremely helpful. Have not worked with conductive thread before. Can it be soldered. Anyone that has actually built the fire walker shoes and could provide a couple of pictures showing the routing of the neo pixel strings to the flora and some details on the neopixel led string wire connections to the Fora would be exyremely helpful. The tutorial for the shoes is lacking in these areas. Any help (preferably via pictures) would be much appreciated......Thanks Much....Rick B.
- bekathwia
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:18 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hiya, I worked on this project! Did you take a look at the circuit diagram?
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... it-diagram
Wires are indeed soldered to the input end of the NeoPixel strip. If you're lucky enough to get a strip from the beginning of a reel, it may have wires already connected to the input end that you may use. Although mentioned in the "test circuit" page:
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... st-circuit
a more in-depth look at how to solder wires to NeoPixel strip can be found in this project page:
https://learn.adafruit.com/bandolier-of ... -neopixels
Our conductive thread cannot be soldered and is only used in this project for the velostat step sensor, as it is not recommended for more than ~20 pixels (too much current).
There are pictures in the tutorial of the routed wires on the shoes, but the wires used are color-coordinated to the shoes and may be hard for you to see. Here's a few good ones:
https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/10625
https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/10667
Hope that helps, let us know how it goes!
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... it-diagram
Wires are indeed soldered to the input end of the NeoPixel strip. If you're lucky enough to get a strip from the beginning of a reel, it may have wires already connected to the input end that you may use. Although mentioned in the "test circuit" page:
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... st-circuit
a more in-depth look at how to solder wires to NeoPixel strip can be found in this project page:
https://learn.adafruit.com/bandolier-of ... -neopixels
Our conductive thread cannot be soldered and is only used in this project for the velostat step sensor, as it is not recommended for more than ~20 pixels (too much current).
There are pictures in the tutorial of the routed wires on the shoes, but the wires used are color-coordinated to the shoes and may be hard for you to see. Here's a few good ones:
https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/10625
https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/10667
Hope that helps, let us know how it goes!
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hello Bekathwia,
The pictures are a great help. I was wondering if you have a photo of the neo pixel led wires as they are routed to the flora? The color of the shoes are black and was wondering if you could recommend a good thin three wire cable product that we can use for the neopixel strings and I will purchase from you all.....Thanks Again...Rick
The pictures are a great help. I was wondering if you have a photo of the neo pixel led wires as they are routed to the flora? The color of the shoes are black and was wondering if you could recommend a good thin three wire cable product that we can use for the neopixel strings and I will purchase from you all.....Thanks Again...Rick
- bekathwia
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:18 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hi Rick, yep there are photos of that process here:
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... -led-strip
look for the three-wire ribbon cable as it routes from the neopixel strip to the flora in the photos on the second half of that page. As mentioned on the "test circuit" page and on the "tools and supplies" page, you can either use some ribbon wire from our premium jumpers (just peel off a section containing the three colored wires you like, we used grey-white-black):
https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=premium+jumper&b=1
and you can also use three pieces of silicone coated wire if you like: https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=silic ... r+wire&b=1
Hope that helps!
https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-l ... -led-strip
look for the three-wire ribbon cable as it routes from the neopixel strip to the flora in the photos on the second half of that page. As mentioned on the "test circuit" page and on the "tools and supplies" page, you can either use some ribbon wire from our premium jumpers (just peel off a section containing the three colored wires you like, we used grey-white-black):
https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=premium+jumper&b=1
and you can also use three pieces of silicone coated wire if you like: https://www.adafruit.com/search?q=silic ... r+wire&b=1
Hope that helps!
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hello,
Just wondering if super glue can be used to attach the neo pixel strings to the shoes and what if any would be the drawbacks of doing so. Thanks much....Rick B.
Just wondering if super glue can be used to attach the neo pixel strings to the shoes and what if any would be the drawbacks of doing so. Thanks much....Rick B.
- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23940
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Super glue is quite brittle and tends to loosen when flexed.
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hello,
I made the Velostat sensor for the firewalker shoes as you show in the firewalker tutorial. Instead of using conductive thread I used 30 guage silicon wire as mentioned above in this thread. I stripped the wire and taped to one side as shown in the tutorial and did the same for the other side so everything looks as it does in the tutorial picture for the sensor. When I test it with the test program it doesn't work very well at all. there is hardly any change in resistance when putting quite a bit of pressure on the velostat material. Not sure if it is the silicon wire that is the issue or something with the velostat itself. The velostat material doesn't seem to be very sensitive at all to pressure. Not sure what is up. Any help would be much appreciated.....Thanks Much.....Rick B.
I made the Velostat sensor for the firewalker shoes as you show in the firewalker tutorial. Instead of using conductive thread I used 30 guage silicon wire as mentioned above in this thread. I stripped the wire and taped to one side as shown in the tutorial and did the same for the other side so everything looks as it does in the tutorial picture for the sensor. When I test it with the test program it doesn't work very well at all. there is hardly any change in resistance when putting quite a bit of pressure on the velostat material. Not sure if it is the silicon wire that is the issue or something with the velostat itself. The velostat material doesn't seem to be very sensitive at all to pressure. Not sure what is up. Any help would be much appreciated.....Thanks Much.....Rick B.
- rbonari
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2015 1:13 am
Re: Firewalker Shoe Tutorial
Hello,
I got the sensor working pretty well by putting two pieces of velostat together and taping one wire to the top piece and the other wire to the bottom piece. I got the calibration to work and I have it trigger at a value of about 27 according the the serial monitor. I tried the actual firewalker software and when I put a value of 27 in for the trigger value and then I put a value of 50 in for hysteresis, the leds come on when I take pressure off the heal and go out when I put pressure on the heel. This is opposite to what is supposed to happen. The way the firewalker software reads the sensor value is different from the way the test program reads it. The firewalker software uses some filtering where as the test or calibrate program does not. Not sure why the results using the firewalker software are different from when I use the calibration software. Also when the leds come on they come on for a short time and then go out. No leds light when I put pressure on the heal and when I take pressure off the heal the leds only come on momentarily and then go out. The neo pixel strings are not mounted on the shoes yet as I want to make sure all works before attaching to shoes. Any help would be appreciated.........Thanks Much !!!!! Rick B.
I got the sensor working pretty well by putting two pieces of velostat together and taping one wire to the top piece and the other wire to the bottom piece. I got the calibration to work and I have it trigger at a value of about 27 according the the serial monitor. I tried the actual firewalker software and when I put a value of 27 in for the trigger value and then I put a value of 50 in for hysteresis, the leds come on when I take pressure off the heal and go out when I put pressure on the heel. This is opposite to what is supposed to happen. The way the firewalker software reads the sensor value is different from the way the test program reads it. The firewalker software uses some filtering where as the test or calibrate program does not. Not sure why the results using the firewalker software are different from when I use the calibration software. Also when the leds come on they come on for a short time and then go out. No leds light when I put pressure on the heal and when I take pressure off the heal the leds only come on momentarily and then go out. The neo pixel strings are not mounted on the shoes yet as I want to make sure all works before attaching to shoes. Any help would be appreciated.........Thanks Much !!!!! Rick B.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.