NOTE: There are changes coming to the RiCino Lap Counter which are not yet reflected in the source. These changes will affect the way the transponder communicates with the Reciever. These updates will be backward compatible, and will not be required if you do not wish to implement them.
Until further notice, this project is a Work in Progress, and should be handled with care
The RiCino Lap Counter is an Arduino based, open source infrared RC Lap Counting System, compatible with the industry standard Zround software. It is ideal for small scale indoor racing (Mini-Z), but could be used for any type of scale sport.
RiCino Lap Counter was originally created by Lisergio. The name RiCino is a portmanteau of RC + Arduino and it was coined by Lisergio. The extra "i" between the R and C was added for phonetic reasons.
Features
- Arduino based Receiver with Infrared Sensors
- Large number of transponders (over 60.000 ID's)
- Works with the industry standard Zround software
- Scalable to any track width
- DIY instructions
- Dirt cheap to buy parts and build on your own
The Lap Counter System
The RiCino Lap Counter system is comprised of two main components, the Receiver and the Transponder. Each has it's own hardware and software.
Receiver
The receiver can be built as a modular and expandable system, which can scale depending on the track size. The two main parts are the Decoder and the Sensors.
Decoder
The main decoder is an Arduino (ATmega328P) based module, running the custom RiCino Lap Counter software.
Sensors
The RiCino Lap Counter is designed with scalability in mind. You can add as many Infrared Sensors as your track requires. Usually, you'll need a sensor every 70cm for a 50cm high bridge.
Transponder
The transponders are based on a single ATtiny85 chip design and are programmed to emit a single 2 byte HEX code, delivering over 60.000 unique ID's.
Requirements
USB Driver for Arduino
Your system might also require specific USB drivers for the Arduino. You can search for specific versions or download and try the ones that worked for us, for our Arduino Nano v3.
Programming the Transponder
When programming the ATtiny85, there are two things you need to take note of:
- 8MHz Bootloader: Make sure you first set it to the correct bootloader - "ATtiny85 @ 8MHz (internal oscillator; BOD disabled)".
- Arduino 1.0.5: For some reason, the only Arduino Application that worked with my ATtiny85 was Arduino 1.0.5. If you run into trouble, try using this version when programming your transponder. Download previous Arduino releases.
Zround Software
The RiCino Lap Counter v2 is compatible with the Latest ZRound Suite (v1.15 and up). Download it at the official Zround Website.
Transponder Code Generator (Coming Soon)
Each Transponder is programmed to emit a unique 2 Byte Hexadecimal code (eg. 0x1B39). When you programme your own transponders, it goes without saying that you should create each transponder to emit a unique code. Doing this on a local scale is easy. But we're building a tool to generate, catalogue and register every unique code used for the RiCino Lap Counter. This way, no two transponders will ever be the same, no matter where you are in the world.
All you need to do is visit our website, request the number of codes you will need, and we will make sure you get absolutely unique numbers. You will need to register with a valid email address in order to prevent abuse, but that's it.
Coming Soon