By Antipodes

This project was created by Antipodes and presented at the 2013 Bay Area Maker Faire.  Rather than using a typical rail system, this MagLev train uses magnets alternating polarity to move it along the tracks. XBee radios allow for the train to be controlled remotely.

Detailed documentation can be found on the project page here.

And, in the video below, you can watch the train in use and get a walkthrough of all components involved.

This project, created by Team Wasps, is made up of four vehicles that can navigate around a course without any external input. Using a variety of sensors and XBees to communicate, the vehicles can safely navigate a four way intersection. The vehicles also include infrared sensors which allow them to avoid collisions with each other  or an object that is placed in their path. The robots are programmed through an Arduino sketch (C / C++). They use an NXShield, which allowed the control of LEGO NXT motors/sensors through an Arduino Uno. XBee radios and XBee shields were stacked on NXShield to communicate with Arudino Uno. The team won first place in the Junior Exhibition at RoboFest World Competition in 2013. In the video below, you can watch the vehicles in action.

By Markus Ulsass

Using a Thermal Camera and an XBee Series 2, Markus has made a wireless thermal camera. The camera is able to be controlled wirelessly to take pictures and then data is taking from the chip. In the future, he hopes to incorporate a GUI and webcam overlay for the project.

Below are pictures taken by the camera and check out his blog, Look Ma No Wires, for more fun XBee projects.

By Easton LaChappelle

Easton has created a robotic arm that converts hand movements into robotic motion. The motion of the arm is controlled by a modified Nintendo Super Glove, which sends a wireless signal via XBee’s to the robotic arm. The arm can even be controlled by the user’s brain waves using a hacked controller from the board game Mindflex. Easton’s invention was featured on Figure it Out this past November and you can watch the video below. The project earned him second place at the international science fair in 2012 and has even shaken hands with President Obama!

By AskZiggy

This home automation system uses natural language to control devices throughout your home using the NLU API. The mobile application inerprets and relays the incoming message to your home’s devices through XBee radios. In the video below, you can see a demonstration on how this can be used to control your home’s lighting.

By Meistervision

Meistervision has made an automated gardening system using an Arduino microcontroller and an XBee Radio. The Arduino is used to control the watering system and the XBee sends data to a desktop. Once the data reaches the desktop a python script reads it and posts status updates to a twitter account.  This indoor garden requires little work from the owner and is the perfect solution for anyone that wants a garden in the middle of the city. Below you will find a walkthrough video that takes you through each component involved in the gardening system as well as the twitter account of the garden.

Robogarden Twitter Account

By Quantum Robotics Inc.

Quantam Robotics has developed two controllers named the Q4 and Q2. These controllers use XBee radios to control various robots remotely. In the video below, you can see a demonstration of the controllers with a hexapod robot, a robotic arm, and a rover. The controllers have multiple joysticks, push buttons, and dial controls. For more information, visit www.quantumri.com or follow the Kickstarter campaign here.

By CKAB Tech

The pollux’NZ City project aims at creating a network of autonomous wireless network of sensors that uploads the measures on any data silos on Internet.

“There are two main components to the system. On the right is a base station which collects the data from the array of sensor, one of which is shown on the left. Each sensor runs off of a battery, but features a PV solar panel which keeps the power source topped off. It uses an Arduino to drive the system, and an XBee radio for communications. There’s a PM10 particle pollution sensor, temperature, sound, nitrogen, and oxygen sensors. The base station also uses an XBee radio to poll the network, but it’s not driven by an Arduino. They’ve gone with the ARM-based BeagleBone to manage the data.” -Mike Szczys, Hackaday

Read about the project on Hackaday
Check out the project’s summary page and GitHub repository  here.

By Akira

[Akira] looks to increase his urban canvas by tagging poles which some custom hardware. If you’re looking to add some art to a lamp post, height becomes a problem. That’s where this little guy comes in. The remote-controlled pole climber includes a marker that leaves a trail as the device climbs and descends.

The rig clamps around a pole, with omnidirectional bearings on three sides of the four-sided frame. That last side is occupied by a rubber wheel mounted at a bit of an angle. When the motor turns the angle of the wheel causes the jig to rotate around the pole and climb at the same time. To come back down the motor is simply reversed. XBee modules are used to make a rudimentary wireless control with a button for up and another for down. It looks like the marker is also mounted on a servo but we didn’t see a way to control when it is actually touching the pole. Perhaps you can figure it out by studying the clip after the jump.

Read on Hack A Day

By Digi’s own Dave Olson 

This XIG Stock Tracker or a “stock fortune teller” wirelessly provides real-time updates of the DIGI, or any, stock status using the XBee Internet Gateway for windows. Stock updates as soon as they happen– talk about a great office ornament.

Dave used an Arduino UNO, an Arduino XBee Shield, an XBee, XStick and a USB Serial Programming Board. He then set the AT commands for the XBee and XStick to sync them. If you’re creating your own, you can use this reference for the proper XBee settings.

Next, he downloaded and ran the XIG code for windows, located here. He selected the COM port that the XStick was plugged into. He plugged the XBee into the XBee shield and plug the shield into the Arduino UNO and connected the UNO to his computer with a USB serial chord. The Arduino code reads in and parses the DGII NASDAQ website. If the DGII stock is up pin 13 (green LED) is turned on. If the DGII stock is down pin 12 (red LED) is turned on. Green and red LEDs are connected to pins 13 and 12, respectfully. Dave finished the project by using a 9V battery and an enclosure that can be hung on the wall. Now it’s a real-time, wireless view of the Digi stock price status without any direct internet access.