# Arduino PKE Meter Electronics WIP **URL:** \ **Category:** PKE Meters\ **Created:** [January 27, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172 "2010-01-27T05:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/1 "2010-01-27T05:09:00Z")
Hello everyone! As some of you may know, I have been working on a [PKE Meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter). I obtained a shell in a trade and I have been working on it in my free time. ![image](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/3X/3/c/3cc9f81bdce0f11d6b594d8536549c1a2d722b0b.jpeg) ![image](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/3X/f/3/f3c8e4033bfdd0cf3620c9c6b256d9238a94746f.jpeg) As you can see, not much going on inside of it right now. Well, after surveying what our community currently has in terms of electronics for the PKE meter, I decided to design my own, using an Arduino. I decided to go this route because of how the Arduino can greatly simplify things such as the servos. I really wanted to have the same functionality as the original prop. That means the speed of the lights will be controlled by a thumb knob on the under side of the meter, have 2 different display settings, and have the height of the wings controlled by resistive touch switches. There is also not a lot of room within the PKE meter so I decided to use a 5v Arduino Pro Mini 328 board, from [Sparkfun](http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php). As of now, I have the LEDs set up for the 2 different screen displays, with their speed controlled by a potentiometer. You switch between each set of LEDs via a switch that will be on the face plate of the PKE meter, eventually. Here’s my first video of how this is coming along: [![](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/3X/6/6/668f3e5d321324f73a8fe55f38ea08b4118aeff7.jpeg "Arduino PKE Meter part 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyypLU3P9n8) Sorry it is not flashier, but since I am just prototyping right now, each set of LEDs are just in a straight line. I just ordered the rest of the parts I need for this project, so I will continue to update this thread with more videos. Eventually, the goal is to develop a DIY so others can replicate this. So, enjoy for now. . . there shall be more in the weeks to come! ---
**Author:** ![GhostGuy](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/9fc29f/32.png) [@GhostGuy](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/GhostGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/2 "2010-01-27T15:54:06Z")
Cool. I’ve been considering using arduinos in my own projects as it would allow me to do whatever I wanted with the lights and sound and it would save me a ton of work. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Wobbaz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Bob\_Wobbaz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Bob_Wobbaz)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/3 "2010-01-29T00:11:28Z")
Boy, I really need to get down with learning adruino… this looks like a fantastic start. Have you got the adruino to activate motors when the lights increase? I was planning on making a game PKE using a pre-bought light kit for the arms and my iphone slotted in the front playing a video of the screen playing but this is convincing me the other way. ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/4 "2010-01-29T00:45:24Z")
I’m trying to get this to function the same way the real [PKE meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter) prop does. On the prop, the lights’ speed was controlled by a knob on the underside of the prop and the wings were controlled by 2 resistive touch switches on the front. When one switch was held, the wings would go up half way. When the other switch was held, they’d move to full. There was also 2 different display settings, one was a straight line and the other was an arch. You switch between the 2 with a large switch underneath the screen. This is how I am trying to make the electronics for my PKE meter. But with the arduino, you could easily program it to have the 2 resistive switches control the wings, having one make them go up, the other down. And with that you could have the lights move faster as the wings got higher. I’ll be posting another video soon, I just want the servos done before I make it. Then all I need to set up are the wing LEDs which won’t be hard. I’m just waiting on some resistors for those and I should be done prototyping the electronics. After they are done, I will make a schematic and post along with it a parts list and the arduino program. ---
**Author:** ![zeta-otaku](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/zeta-otaku/32/186411_2.png) [@zeta-otaku](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/zeta-otaku)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/5 "2010-01-29T01:52:10Z")
The way you want to do it is pretty much how the hyperdyne kit is set up too. ---
**Author:** ![BSjohnson](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/bsjohnson/32/115_2.png) [@BSjohnson](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/BSjohnson)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/6 "2010-01-29T02:23:02Z")
mburkit, this is awesome! I will definitely be following your progress! ---
**Author:** ![ChapterMasterTuShan](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ChapterMasterTuShan](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ChapterMasterTuShan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/7 "2010-01-29T03:44:56Z")
Wow Matt, you figured all this out yourself? Neat! 😛 It’s looking really good so far! ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/8 "2010-01-29T14:31:40Z")
> [@zeta otaku](#): > > The way you want to do it is pretty much how the hyperdyne kit is set up too. From the videos I’ve seen, it seems like the contact switches on the hyperdyne kit just make the servos either go up or down. Mine will either make them go half way up, or all the way up then when let go, the wings will go back to their starting position. As for the speed of the lights, I can’t tell from the videos that are posted of the kit if they are controlled by a knob or if they are just tied in with the height of the wings. > [@ChapterMasterTu'Shan](#): > > Wow Matt, you figured all this out yourself? Neat! 😛 > > It’s looking really good so far! I would like to take this moment to thank both [ChapterMasterTu’Shan](http://www.gbfans.com/fans/chaptermastertushan/) and [jackdoud](http://www.gbfans.com/fans/jackdoud/) as they both have been consulting with me on this project. P.S. screw you TJ . . . ---
**Author:** ![Ron\_Daniels](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/ron_daniels/32/12_2.png) [@Ron\_Daniels](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Ron_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/9 "2010-01-29T15:01:57Z")
I miss the quack quack. ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/10 "2010-01-29T15:23:02Z")
Haha, well Ron, now I’m messing with a buzzer that goes “beep beep” instead. Sorry to disappoint ☹ ---
**Author:** ![zeta-otaku](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/zeta-otaku/32/186411_2.png) [@zeta-otaku](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/zeta-otaku)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/11 "2010-01-29T16:54:26Z")
> [@mburkit](#): > > > [@zeta otaku](#): > > > > The way you want to do it is pretty much how the hyperdyne kit is set up too. > > From the videos I’ve seen, it seems like the contact switches on the hyperdyne kit just make the servos either go up or down. Mine will either make them go half way up, or all the way up then when let go, the wings will go back to their starting position. As for the speed of the lights, I can’t tell from the videos that are posted of the kit if they are controlled by a knob or if they are just tied in with the height of the wings. AH! Totally misunderstood your exact plans 🙂 sorry… but yeah, I had a hyperdyne kit for a short while. The lights are directly tied to the position of the wings. The higher the wings, the faster the lights and faster the beeps (it has a very basic PC speaker built in… which is more of a chirp than anything else). seeing as I have two PKE shells, I am VERY interested on how your system turns out 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/dec6dc/32.png) [@WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/WeeMadHamish)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/12 "2010-01-30T15:45:35Z")
Nice to see the Arduino getting some more love. It really is a handy little prototyping system. I plan to make a hybrid movie/video game PKE with an Arduino controller. The potentiometer will control pretty much everything… wing position, light speed, and the bargraph display. ---
**Author:** ![Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/gareee/32/5994_2.png) [@Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Gareee)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/13 "2010-01-30T15:55:37Z")
Hmmm.. I think I’ll hold off on our pke shells until you complete this, to see how expensive and hard it is to accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/14 "2010-01-30T17:55:07Z")
Okay, here’s the second official demo video of my Arduino [PKE meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter) electronics. Since last time, I have added several more parts to the electronics: - 2 different screen settings - indicator LEDs for each screen - resistive contact switches - LEDs that show which switch is hit - servos for the wings [![](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/3X/9/6/9607e6787da825e1e6d51bec67540f766414b04d.jpeg "Arduino PKE Meter part 2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-psW2jq4_E) I have not fine tuned the speed of the wings yet, so they are a little fast; and I haven’t received in the mail what I need yet for the wing LEDs. But once I get them, I will just about be done with prototyping the electronics! ---
**Author:** ![Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/gareee/32/5994_2.png) [@Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Gareee)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/15 "2010-01-30T17:57:45Z")
Sweet! We just got our shells a week ago, so now I’m wanting to do this as well! ---
**Author:** ![toylord](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@toylord](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/toylord)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/16 "2010-01-31T01:35:08Z")
Matt rules. That’s really all that needs to be said. ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/m_burkit/32/187890_2.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/17 "2010-01-31T01:55:39Z")
Thanks Paul! Honestly, I just wanted an accurate [PKE meter](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/mattel-pke-meter), that’s all. I’ve seen others do it and I figured I’d take a stab at it. ---
**Author:** ![toylord](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@toylord](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/toylord)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/18 "2010-01-31T04:53:15Z")
Well I only have 2 things to say to that. #1 I plan to copy anything you do so keep up the good work. #2…If my P.K.E. Shell ever arrives…I’ll let you know. (grumble grumble paid in august grumble grumble) - Paul ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@Cornelius](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Cornelius)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/19 "2010-01-31T10:17:07Z")
Wow! Looks really nice. If your PKE turns out to be more movie accurate than Hyperdyne’s, I will probably end up being more interested in how you did it than considering buying a Hyperdyne (if available at all, that is 🙂 )… ---
**Author:** ![Ron\_Daniels](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/ron_daniels/32/12_2.png) [@Ron\_Daniels](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Ron_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172/20 "2010-01-31T18:03:33Z")
Wonderful, keep on truckin Matt. [Next page](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/arduino-pke-meter-electronics-wip/13172.md?page=2)