LED brakeLight Project - need Help!

Accelerometer with a G meter in the cab and brake light that responds to deceleration?

My first thoughts would be...

Speedo pickup with an output frequency related to speed.

A frequency to voltage converter.

A A/D circuit to create a value in relation to speed

A PIC controller (some already have the A/D facility) and a bit of program which will look for sharp decrease in speed and output an LED(s).

Graham

If you use a PIC, then you can dispense with the freq-volt convertor and A/D and receive input straight from the vehicle's speed sensor. I alwayas thought brake lights should give some indication of how hard you are pressing the pedal. An accelerometer module from

Do you mean a "third" brake light, such as in the rear window of an automobile?

In what way do you want to react?

Probably not. :-) Do you know anything about programming? If so, you may wish to investigate using microcontrollers like a Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052, or ??? Depending upon the complexity of "fun things", a microcontroller may be the best route to go. OTOH, if you just want to make simple patterns, then there may be simpler ways than having to tackle the learning curve of a microcontroller. Of course, you only have to conquer that once. After that, you will wonder how you got along without them. Crack for engineers I guess. ;-)

Thank you all - you have popinted me in some good directions "Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052..." I have been thinking about a micro controller. I have done some programing and want to learn more. I lear best when I have an actual reason to lear. Due to all of your help here I have been reading more about Picaxe. What would be best? Basic Stamp, Picaxe, PIC, AVR, MSP430, 8052

I'm looking to controll up to 16 circutes to controll superbright LEDs. 12vdc. The basic running vs brake voltage is 6vdc vs 12vdc. I want some various running light modes such as roatation based on speed. I have yet to find out what the snowmobile's Speedo's output is. (Speedo = Speedometer NOT Some old guy wearing a Speedo! ;) I would think it is either pulse width or variable voltage. Since the snowmobile has a (too) comples onboard computer I would think it is pulse width. I'm now off to see if there are any news groups for microcontrollers. Looks to me like Picaxe might be the most helpful...?

Thanks all!

What kind of programming have you done? The BASIC Stamp is probably the easiest of the lot to get going on, but it is also going to be the slowest and least flexible. It's not bad, just BASIC. ;-)

You could do this with regular logic chips like a "decade counter". A hand full of diodes would let you turn the LEDs all on at once. Of course you could simlify the circuitry and have allot more fun with a microcontroller.

Pulse rate is another likely possibility.

Nothing wrong with this group for that. I haven't actually used a Picaxe, but I hear good things about them.

Heh. That's like asking "What's the best automobile?" You'll get all kinds of answers.

They'll all flash LED's (dunno about the superbrites), so it probably comes down to your preference for programming environments. And cost, of course. ;)