Design for gas meter reader using optical mouse chip

Hi All

I thought you'd be interested in my design for a gas meter reader using an optical mouse chip.

http://www.rotwang.co.uk/projects/gasmeter.html

It uses an Arduino Nano connected to an ADNS2610 to image the dial on a mechanical gas meter. I developed some image processing code to resolve the angle of the dial. It seems to work very well.

Comments welcome.

 

daveb's picture

Re: Design for gas meter reader using optical mouse chip

Is no-one interested in this? I thought people would be interested in reading gas meters.

Robert Wall's picture

Re: Design for gas meter reader using optical mouse chip

Don't panic - I've added a link to this thread into my private FAQ file, and when someone asks, I can point them here. I thought it was a very interesting and novel solution.

Maybe interest is limited because, from what I can tell, gas meters without a magnet or an optical reflective spot are becoming a rarity.

davidoff's picture

Re: Design for gas meter reader using optical mouse chip

Hey! It's interesting for to check out this device. In my point of view, it get good function. However, You should improve the design..The board should be cleaner.

Robert Wall's picture

Re: Design for gas meter reader using optical mouse chip

"Submitted by davidoff on Sat, 11/07/2015 - 07:20.

Hey! It's interesting for to check out this device. In my point of view, it get good function. However, You should improve the design..The board should be cleaner."

I don't think daveb is interested in tidying the design up if it works OK for him. If you, davidoff, want to clean up the board and make one for your own use, or to sell, then I don't think there's anything stopping you. You mustn't criticise and tell someone what they should do when they've taken the trouble to write up and publish the information in the spirit of Open Source for the benefit of all.

As a consequence of the comments that you have made, I wouldn't blame daveb or anyone else if they didn't bother to publish and kept the information for themselves. Why should they share if all they get is "you should do this, the board should be that"?

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