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Controller Box (Power Side)
This is the controller box. This side is where the power from the battery(red/black) is supplied and where the power to the actuator coil(black/balck) is provided. I also implemented a power switch for prototyping purposes.
Controller Box (Data Side)
This side is where the data I/O is located. The 3.5 mm stereo jack is used for the Hall-effect sensor. The gray 10 pin ribbon is for programming the MCU and the D-sub (DE9F) is used to interface with the serial port on the laptop.
Controller Box (overhead View)
This is the overhead view which shows all of the components in the circuit shown in Figure 9 of the write-up. The 40 pin DIP IC in the center is the ATMEGA-16 microcontroller. Next to it is the LED bar for diagnosis. The top left is the 5 Volt regulator. The top right with the aluminum heat sink is the transistor which supplies current (3amps) to the coil. The bottom right is the RS-232 chip which is design for serial communication. In the center at the bottom is the dual op-amp circuit. Finally on the bottom left is the accelerometer.
Controller Box (Assembled)
This is the box fully assembled.
Acrylic Encoder Disc
This is the acrylic encoder disc with the steel plugs in place.
Encoder/Sensor Mounting

This is a neat picture which shows you exactly how the encoder is mounted and where the sensor is located. It doesn't show the sensor, but it is mounted in the washer on the left. As the wheel and encoder spin, the sensor remains stationary. When the steel plugs pass by the Hall-effect sensor, the signal is generated. The timing is all handled with the MCU.
Development Platform
This is the development platform for the rudimentary stages of the project. Have to make sure it works without wasting gas.
Development Platform (Complete)
The long nights testing and troubleshooting were done right here in my garage. I had plenty of water, a heater, my laptop, my controller, and a nice big truck battery.