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Brainstemmods

I2C

Two resistors must be removed from the Brainstem if you are going to avoid blowing up the Gumstix when using I2C . The resistors are marked R5 and R6 on the Brainstem. These are surface mount parts, so they are a bit of a pain to work with. Fortunately it's easier to remove them than to solder them on in the first place. After the soldering iron has heated up, clean the tip on a moist sponge -- you don't want to add more solder. Apply the iron to one side of a resistor for about 15-20 seconds (keep the tip directly on the solder), then heat the other side of the resistor. Gently push the resistor with the soldering iron. It may take a couple of attempts, but eventually it will come free. When you're done, just make sure that there aren't any solder bridges. The idea is to get the solder on one side very hot so that it stays molten while you heat up the other side.

Power

Since we are using the servo power to power the camera, we must solder a jumper so that the battery will power the servos. The jumper is small piece of wire attached to two pads on the back of the Brainstem. This is a two-person job.