For this build I am using the following parts:
Audio System In between taking breaks and waiting for parts to arrive, I
started looking at ideas on how to produce sound on the droid, and I
was not happy with the idea of a cycling MP3 or WAV track. It needed to
seem alive, it needed to be Dynamic. So I started to research
information on how to do this. The first ideas came from what the R2-D2
guys were using, but I was not up to spending $160 on a sound board.
Then I started to think of how I could use a PDA to do the job. If they
can play MP3s, WAVs, and Midi files, why not! I first turned to an old
Palm IIIx in my drawer, but it had no sound capabilites, or wireless
(bluetooth) so that idea went out the window... Then I thought about
Cellphone-PDAs, and I had an old T-Mobile Wing (sporting Windows 6.1pro and plenty of space on a
MicroSD card), it also had bluetooth, and thus I began to work from there. I found a great little freeware Sound Effects program, it gave me
16 audio tracks that was simple enough to customize myself. I quickly took one of the many mouse droid pics and made icons for
the program, and then added icons for 3 music tracks. Once I did all of
the audio editing I uploaded it to the phone and edited the config files to make it work accordingly. From here I started to work on a way to get the audio from the
cellular phone PDA to a speaker via wireless bluetooth. In my office was an old Soyo bluetooth headset that was able to convert from a standard earpiece to something that resembled a tie-clip microphone with a ear plug speaker. It had about a 2 foot cord between the earphone and the main part with the mic built into it. So with the ear plug disconnected I chopped off the ear plug and soldered the wire on to a 1/8th inch mono headphone plug. This then plugged into the input of a Radio Shack Mini Amplifier speaker, and gave me some really nice clear great audio. Here is a video clip of how it works, and what it all looks like.
More info and help on the Sound Effects setup can be found at this thread: http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mouse_Droid_Builders/message/1615 The top greeblies are done thanks to a great write up by Darryl S., one of the guys in the Yahoo! Group. The plans can be located at: http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mouse_Droid_Builders/files/Mouse%20Droid%20Top%20Details/ When looking at these pictures keep in mind, I am not done to both the circuit boards and the greeblies, and this picture will need to be updated. At this point the boards now have their chips and some more items, but they need to be modded to fit the role and physically fit onto the mouse droid top case.  I know these boards are not 100% screen accurate there is a reason for
it. I want my droid to stand out a little from the others droids they may be around. It is something I found out the hard way when I started with Radio Control Airplanes. To many planes in the air that all look the same spell trouble for all of the pilots. Finally Assembled and trooped! Well, I was lucky enough to be able to finish the droid up enough to get it out to the 2009 Phoenix ComicCon. This was a very nice event, and it is growing in size, so much that next year it is being moved into Downtown Phoenix into the convention center of the Marriott. The Arizona 501st Legion Dune Sea Garrison & R2-D2 Builders group that were there was fantastic to hang out with. I will go on to become part of both groups because they just that great to be around. I was also lucky enough to catch Peter Mayhew (the actor who played Chewbaka) off guard with the droid. I quietly rolled it up to his feet, and then started laying down the audio tracks to make the Mouse Droid scream, his reaction was priceless, and I only wish that someone had recorded it. It would have been an awesome video. Here is a couple of pics from the Con. These two droids had a lot to talk about. Then again Movie Stars always do!  The Con staff got mad at us, and told us to take the droids outside, they were getting to much attention indoor at the entrance, and it was becoming a fire hazard. LOL We complied without issue, but my Mouse Droid gave them an ear full (and caused people to laugh).  There was a guy who made a doll it look exactly like himself, even down to the clothes, he called it "Mini-Me". He politely asked asked for a picture with the MSE, and I could not refuse. Not only that I could not resist taking a picture for myself as well.  Myself at the controls in my Star Wars themed attire.  |
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Radio Control >
Star Wars Mouse Droid
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How to build a MSE
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