Chad Francis

Golden, CO ยท 720.583.JEDI

"Microsoft isn't evil, they just make really crappy operating systems."

Linus Torvalds

 Projects

raspi-ruxpin 4
Control a creepy old teddy bear with a Raspberry Pi
jmri-client 2
node client to connect to a JMRI xmlio webservice this allows basic control of a model railroad layout via DCC
indigo-foscam 0
Indigo plugin to control Foscam webcams
indigo-pushover 0
Indigo plugin to send push notifications via Pushover.
indigo-yamaharx 0
Indigo plugin to control Yamaha RX-V receivers
indigo-client 1
node wrapper to facilitate communication with Indigo home automation server

 Interests

Disc Golf
I've been playing this fantastic game for over 20 years and have competed in more than 150 events across the country (and world). I am a proud supporter of our local disc community and am a member of the Mile High Disc Golf Club, one of the largest organizations of its kind in the country. More recently, I have had the honor of being sponsored by Millennium Golf Discs, makers of some of the best discs on the planet!
Home Automation
I am an avid enthusiast; constantly tinkering with new and different ways to make our home more convenient (and fun). In the past, I've used Indigo Domotics as the "nerve center" of my smarthome, contributing several Open Source plugins to that ecosystem. However, I've recently migrated to Home Assistant as is both free and highly-extensible.
N-Scale Model Railroading
During our trips to Japan, I was immediately enamored with the exquisite detail and efficiency of their train systems. Upon returning home, I sought to replicate that joy at a scale that would fit neatly into a corner of the basement. Over the last several years, I've been adding little bits and details to a miniature Japanese-themed layout. Combining my passions, I've also toyed around with controlling the trains digitially via the Java Model Railroad Interface.
Talking Robots
Several years ago, I came across a project that entailed resurrecting an old Teddy Ruxpin and controlling it with modern technology. I have since acquired 4 of the bears and have made my own version. It's been a lot of fun to tinker with and, although a little creepy, certainly has made a lot of people giggle.
Nixie Tube Clock
I've always been fascinated by retro technology. A few years back, I bought a kit to make my own desk clock that uses nixie tubes to display the time. Unfortunately, I'm not the greatest at soldering and mangled a surface-mount soldering task while assembling the kit. Although this has been languishing in my abandoned projects drawer, I sincerely hope to revive it someday.