The following illustrations demonstrate where the original ecig design came from and where it basically is today-
Lik Hon had originally loaded down the device with a liquid pump, lcd screen, piezo atomization vibrator, air flow sensor, capacitive lip sensor, and who knows what else. Now we have a simple heater jammed into polyfill with a microphone for activator. But it's not too late to capture some of the original glory (or go beyond). Here are the specs on the above microchip:
PIC10F206-
512 word flash memory
24 bytes ram
4 I/O
1 8 bit timer
1 comparator
wake-up from sleep on pin change
weak pull-ups on I/O pins
SOT-23-6 package (among others)
Let's say we build a modder's pcb with an intelligent controller on board. Then we have the luxury of getting as simple or as fancy as we choose.
The board measures 1.5" x .6" as it now stands. It would fit neatly (and painlessly) into a double AA box mod with a 14500 cell, with only four wires to solder in. Add a micro terminal strip and you wouldn't even need to solder the wires. I can flash program the chip, and solder up the components on the PCB.
If you want to get glorious, we could add battery level indicators, morse code LED flashing, a custom heating coil profile, a feedback circuit for fine tuning the coil output, sensors for coil brightness, etc. But to blow this thing out of the water, since we are already connected to a USB port for charging the battery, someone with USB HID protocol experience could program a little visual basic program that would allow total ecig control from your computer screen. You could tell the mod board what you wanted for coil output, and the board could upload useage data, battery level, etc. Oh yeah, the tactile switch would no longer be carrying the full amperage of the heater, just a milliamp signal to the micro.
At this stage, it is just a concept. The actual parts depends on input from anyone that is interested. The final PCB should at least be double-sided, solder-masked and silk-screened. These boards I had done off-shore for about $8 a set in 100 quantity, as a hobbyist from my home. Someone with electronic manufacturing company access could probably do better price wise, as a loyal boardhouse customer. Maybe $4 a shot for these tiny boards, the PIC is under a dollar, and a fancy PIC with USB and A/D built in for less than 3 bucks.
Lik Hon had originally loaded down the device with a liquid pump, lcd screen, piezo atomization vibrator, air flow sensor, capacitive lip sensor, and who knows what else. Now we have a simple heater jammed into polyfill with a microphone for activator. But it's not too late to capture some of the original glory (or go beyond). Here are the specs on the above microchip:
PIC10F206-
512 word flash memory
24 bytes ram
4 I/O
1 8 bit timer
1 comparator
wake-up from sleep on pin change
weak pull-ups on I/O pins
SOT-23-6 package (among others)
Let's say we build a modder's pcb with an intelligent controller on board. Then we have the luxury of getting as simple or as fancy as we choose.
The board measures 1.5" x .6" as it now stands. It would fit neatly (and painlessly) into a double AA box mod with a 14500 cell, with only four wires to solder in. Add a micro terminal strip and you wouldn't even need to solder the wires. I can flash program the chip, and solder up the components on the PCB.
If you want to get glorious, we could add battery level indicators, morse code LED flashing, a custom heating coil profile, a feedback circuit for fine tuning the coil output, sensors for coil brightness, etc. But to blow this thing out of the water, since we are already connected to a USB port for charging the battery, someone with USB HID protocol experience could program a little visual basic program that would allow total ecig control from your computer screen. You could tell the mod board what you wanted for coil output, and the board could upload useage data, battery level, etc. Oh yeah, the tactile switch would no longer be carrying the full amperage of the heater, just a milliamp signal to the micro.
At this stage, it is just a concept. The actual parts depends on input from anyone that is interested. The final PCB should at least be double-sided, solder-masked and silk-screened. These boards I had done off-shore for about $8 a set in 100 quantity, as a hobbyist from my home. Someone with electronic manufacturing company access could probably do better price wise, as a loyal boardhouse customer. Maybe $4 a shot for these tiny boards, the PIC is under a dollar, and a fancy PIC with USB and A/D built in for less than 3 bucks.
