Using a chipKIT WF32 and a Raspberry Pi to set up fan control for XBOX

Has your XBOX ever overheated due to excessive use? If so, have you ever wondered what you can do to stop it?

In a fan-control project--developed by Austin Stanton after his XBOX 360 died--this is exactly the issue he is trying to correct. Once he finished grieving for his lost gaming system, Austin was able to focus on how to fix the problem so that his next system doesn't die. After doing some research, he suspected his entertainment system was the culprit, not allowing enough heat to escape.

Austin decided that the best way to regulate the temperature was to regulate the airflow, which he achieves by using two fans and a servo; the servo was positioned so it would open a door (to increase airflow). A chipKIT WF32 monitors temperature and operates the fans, while a Raspberry Pi was controls the WF32 over Wi-Fi by means of two switches.

Pretty good sleuthing on Austin's part, I'd say! You can check out the details on the Digilent blog, where his project is broken down into two posts. The first one describes how to set up fan control using LabVIEW, and the second one describes how to add a Raspberry Pi to the whole thing.

Good luck with all your DIY life hacks!