Flapping Rate Meter
Circuit Board & Instructions

The Flapping Rate Meter project was featured in the Summer and Fall 2007 issues of our newsletter, Flapping Wings. Here we are offering the bare circuit board and the instructions reprinted from the newsletter. The enclosure, microcontroller, LCD, and other components are not included, but the instructions will tell you which items you need and where to buy them.

This device allows you to measure the flapping rate of an ornithopter using either of two methods: In audio mode, the device calculates the flapping rate by listening to the fluctuating gear noise. In aux mode, you can connect an external sensor to the device. This would be used in situations where the gear noise is less distinct.

This is a fairly advanced electronics project which requires soldering and knowledge of electronics. You should consider this project if you think you will enjoy building the device, seeing how it works, and maybe trying your own improvements on the device.