The goal of this project is to read a standard 6-dial analog natural gas meter. Data is captured using an inexpensive USB webcam, and processed (minimally) using Python. As I would like to be able to measure the amount of gas used on a minute-to-minute basis, directly reading the dials on the meter (by eye or computer) does not provide enough precision. That is, the finest enumerated dial reads increments of 1000 cubic feet, more than is consumed over several cold winter days. To get around this, rotations of the lower test dials are counted over successive images, and calibrated to correspond to overall.

• PCB artwork (in Eagle) with connections for 5 RGB LEDs.
• Firmware for a Microchip PIC16f887 microcontroller to interface between the FTDI 245R USB chip and a number of Texas Instruments TLC5940 constant current LED drivers.
• Python ctypes interface to libftdi.
• A simple Python interface to communicate color commands by USB
• Ongoing work includes an intuitive graphical user interface, music synchronization, and a reworking of the hardware to utilize switching constant current regulators.

No, I'm not on Facebook -- but I once was.

Some years ago, I did succumb to the Facebook peer pressure and joined the site. Unsure of any other value, this did cease the flood of invitations by email. Eventually, I added a photo, listed my contact information, and confirmed friendship with, well, my friends. In time, I became increasingly cynical: Why should I have Facebook friends when I can have real friends? Is Facebook only a popularity contest? Did I have an interest in spying on old pals' online social lives? (Simply, no.) Perhaps most importantly, how does publishing a network of my (virtual) friends erode my privacy?