I built the Electrostrat project to experiment with the idea of having on-board effect built in to a guitar. I had an old strat type guitar laying around, and had been looking at the DIY projects on the Electrosmash website, when I realized that an Arduino UNO fits exactly perfectly into the tremolo spring cavity on the back of most strats. From there, I built a custom shield based on the Electrosmash Pedalshield UNO schematics, and modified my guitar to make room for all the new hardware. I added an effect selector switch, kill switch, on/off switch, and auxiliary knob to the front on the pickguard. I had to do some routing on the guitar body to fit all those parts. The end result is a guitar with 6 built-in effects. Pretty fun!

EXPANDED TECHNICAL DETAILS

Precision Electrophoresis Control

Electrostrat is an open-source scientific instrument designed for Gel Electrophoresis, a fundamental technique in DNA and protein analysis.

• High-Voltage Regulation: The Arduino controls a specialized DC-DC boost converter, allowing users to set a stable, precise voltage (often 100V-300V) across the gel tank via a digital interface.
• Constant Current Mode: The firmware includes a safety loop that monitors the current. As the gel heats up and resistance changes, the Arduino adjusts the power output to maintain a constant current flow, preventing the DNA samples from blurring or "melting."

Scientific Interface

• Timer and Alerts: Features a programmable countdown timer on a Character LCD. Once the run is complete, the Arduino automatically cuts power to the high-voltage leads and triggers a buzzer, ensuring consistent results across multiple experiments.