Hi All,
Can you please offer me some advice: I want to build a bog standard circuit to operate my treadmill speed and incline. Now although this sounds complicated, the idea is actually dead simple.

I have FOUR push buttons One for Speed Up, One for Speed Down, One For Incline Up, and finally, One For Incline Down.

I want to automate this, possibly using an IC 555 circuit? that will simply "make" the push button contacts, as if "I" was actually pressing the buttons myself.

It would need to be timed, and able to operate the FOUR seperate commands, over a period of say, 20 minutes, using a relay output. REMEMBER, these commands are simply a "Make" or "Break" command to operate the individual switches. It is also worth a mention, that I would need to build in several repeat commands, over the said period (Not Just A One Hit)

First of all, have I got the right idea, or is this NOT possible?

If it is can you please give me the initial steps to getting me started, as I really don't know where to begin!

Really Appreciated Guys,
Ray.

 

Dead simple? Microcontroller.

Ken

 

Come on Ken......Tell me a bit more mate..
Ray

 

Actually,
I have done a bit of surfing on your recommendation and I have to admit it sounds EXACTLY what is needed, so Thanks Again Ken.....BUT, it also sounds incredibly difficult to do, is this right?

Ray.

 

The easiest μC to learn and the least expensive to get started with is the PICAXE family. www.picaxe.com

 

Actually,
I have done a bit of surfing on your recommendation and I have to admit it sounds EXACTLY what is needed, so Thanks Again Ken.....BUT, it also sounds incredibly difficult to do, is this right?

Ray.

Micocontrollers are indeed a fierce beast to tame, however, there are beginner-friendly devices that abstract the difficulties away, namely, the Arduino, the PICAXE, the BASICstamp, there are some others, but these are the most popular. Arduino is the one with the most hobby-user support, as there is a library to do almost anything you could want. There are tons of tutorials and other stuff to get someone started....

 

Actually,
I have done a bit of surfing on your recommendation and I have to admit it sounds EXACTLY what is needed, so Thanks Again Ken.....BUT, it also sounds incredibly difficult to do, is this right?

Ray.

The switching switches with relays or transistors is the easy part. To build from discrete ICs, like the 555, will take a very detailed description of what you want to do, in what order, and what times....and no "also worth a mention"-ing afterthoughts. It gets very hard to modify single function circuits. Also, 555s don't work well for long time periods....like 20 minutes.

Speed and ramp changes by timing alone, without feedback will lead to cumulative errors in repeat cycling.

Though microcontrollers, like the PICAXE, may seem a little daunting, but they give you a great deal of versatility...and cheap and easy to get up and running. The PICAXE was designed for middle and high school students.

I happen to like the PICAXE too. For slow speed functions they far outshine the Arduino and Basic Stamp when you look at the chip cost.

Ken

 

You could use a 555 monostable with a MOSFET hooked up like a switch

 

Really "REALLY" Helpful.......

Can't Thank You All Enough.......

Bit of reading to do eh!

Ray.