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May 8, 2008

SWARM @ Maker Faire


Hack-a-day posted up one of my favorite projects @ Maker Faire, SWARM!


Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 12:00 PM
Arts, DIY Projects, Maker Faire | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

The science and poetry of clouds

cloud1.jpg
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There's a Cloud Appreciation Society. Who knew? Lots of pictures, art, poetry, science, folk lure, discussion, etc. Cloud books, too (The Cloudspotter's Guide).

The Cloud Appreciation Society [Thanks, Patti!]

Related:

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | May 8, 2008 11:00 AM
Science | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Maker Faire wrap up @ SparkFun Electronics and new stuff...

Makerfaire-2008-5-S
Our friends at SparkFun Electronics have a fun Maker Faire wrap up and have some new things in stock... At Maker Faire I joked with Nathan the CEO, that SparkFun should do a credit card with a loyalty program, I'd totally trade miles for transistors.

Here are some of their latest products that looked interesting to me...

08700-03-L
The AVR-GSM.

08695-03-L
Series 2.5 XBee module with Wire antenna.

08703-03-L
The GPS stick.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 10:00 AM
Electronics, GPS, Maker Faire | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Craftsman 1470 piece tool set - only $8,600

 Craftsman-1470-Pc-Professional-Tool-Set
Craftsman 1470 pc. Professional Tool Set - Model H0259 @ Sears looks more like modern art than a tool collection - via DVICE.

A great collection of mechanics tools. Includes 300 pc. Base Essentials Set (33300), 198 pc. Professional Essentials Set (33198), 189 pc. Specialized Essentials Set (35189), 204 pc. Advanced Access Pro's Set (33204), 106 pc. Advanced Professional Tool Set (35106), 89 pc. Specialized Access Professional Tool Set (35086), 83 pc. Ultimate Fully-Polished Ratcheting Set (35183), 77 pc. Heavy-Duty Mechanic's Set (35079), 94pc. Auto Specialty Professional Tool Set (35098) and 130 pc. Professional Impact Set (34130). Catalog# 34131

Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 09:00 AM
Toolbox | Permalink | Comments (2) | Suggest a Site

The Cans Festival, stencil art fest

Banksycans3
Md Img 0677
Great article and gallery @ NOTCOT from the Cans Festival featuring BANKSY and 600 other artists...

The space itself opened with powder blue billboard with “GENTRIFY THIS” painted aggressively in black, which a mother explained to her young daughter behind me in line was “delightfully ironic”, a phrase that applied just as well to the work within and its interaction with the crowd. The audience was incredibly diverse and indeed, I think it was the crowd that I found the most interesting. We had the entire age range, there more than a few grandmothers admiring the walls and strollers and children marveling. And of course there were more than our fair share of hipster types. The range of cameras was equally impressive. I lost count of the number of cellphone cameras (and yes, iphones were disproportionately represented), but there were lots of semi and professional photographers on the scene, and even a good number of videocams and tripods. And an equally diverse range of camera styles, flybys, the sit and wait type, etc. The need to document and capture the art seemed as pressing as the need to get in to see it! And of course, there were stencils of photographers that needed photographing…

More:


Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 08:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming, Events | Permalink | Comments (1) | Suggest a Site

Fuzzy logic, McGyver, Fab Labs, and trippy glasses @ Maker Faire


Here's a video I did with boingboing.tv @ Maker Faire, we chatted with some of my favorite people and their projects from the Faire! Star Simpson's fuzzy logic, McGyver's creator, Fab Labs, and trippy glasses!

Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 07:11 AM
Maker Faire | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Maker Faire photos

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Img 1879
Img 1902
Another set of Maker Faire photos - these are from Doug!

Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 07:00 AM
Maker Faire | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Weird sound generator will make you ask for more

wsg_wood_3.JPG

The wood version of the "Weird Sound Generator" (pictured above), is one of a series of home built synths by Sascha Neudek. Really nice construction on all of the synths and he even sells them from his site which is pretty cool since they have a one-of-a-kind type look and feel.

Subtle Noise Maker

Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen | May 8, 2008 06:00 AM
Arts, Music | Permalink | Comments (2) | Suggest a Site

PIC based countdown timer makes you early

pic16f84-countdown-timer-for-pcb-exposure-unit.jpg

This PIC based countdown timer was used to control lighting for the Ultra-Violet exposure of photosensitive PCB material, although it would come in handy for many other applications, such as cooking, or even exercising. It also includes an audible alarm when the counter finishes and relays control to turn on or off the lights.

PIC Countdown Timer, [via]

Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen | May 8, 2008 05:00 AM
Electronics, Open source hardware | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Turn your old CDs and DVDs into LPs

cd-record-767481.jpg

This project by Aleks Kolkowski creates records by using a vintage record cutter to carve grooves into old CDs and DVDs. In his recent showing of the project at the Futuresonic Festival in the UK, visitors came by with sound files which he would carve into the discs and then give copies back as a playable record. Really nice remake of two technologies that are slowly dying out to MP3s.

[via], Aleks Kolkowski
CD-Recycled 45rpm

Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen | May 8, 2008 04:00 AM
Arts, Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Arduino and a tri-axis accelerometer


If there was only a write-up or source code available for this really interesting Arduino project. The only details are that it uses OpenGL and a KXPS5 Accelerometer. This looks like it could be adapted into a really fun game with just a little more code.

Posted by Marc de Vinck | May 8, 2008 03:00 AM
Arduino, Electronics | Permalink | Comments (2) | Suggest a Site

The iDeal: Robotic poker dealer


This robotic card dealer was made for a school project. Although it is a bit slow, it has a really nice natural "flick" to the cards. I am sure it could deal the cards faster with some tweaks.

Introducing the "iDeal". It's the worlds best automatic poker dealer! Perfect for your home poker games and fits on the edge of a table. Features include:
  • PIC microprocessor coded in C
  • Preprogrammable games such as texas holdem (shown in video), bridge, gin, omaha, etc
  • IR player position sensing using bicycle reflectors as indicators
  • Ultrasonic player distance sensing which determines how far to shoot the cards

Related:
324214993 90B4Ca5D20
Make your own poker table

Posted by Marc de Vinck | May 8, 2008 02:00 AM
Robotics | Permalink | Comments (1) | Suggest a Site

Walk - Don't Walk chair

13316_lg.jpg I really like this chair because it reminds me of living in NYC. This certainly qualifies for a remake with a $3700 price tag and a 16-week wait. I would want the "scuffed" version.
The chair can come complete with all the genuine scuffs and stains of its New York City roots or can come "squeaky clean" with a fresh coat of paint. The seating surfaces have been reglazed with one inch-thick polished resin, cushioned with felt suspension.

via TrendHunter - Walk - Don't Walk chair

Posted by Marc de Vinck | May 8, 2008 01:00 AM
Furniture, Green, Remake | Permalink | Comments (1) | Suggest a Site

CRAFT: 07 The Shoe Issue - On newsstands now!

Craft Promo Vol7
Nat has all the details about CRAFT 07 (she's also on the cover!)...

CRAFT: 07 is on newsstands now! We celebrates spring in high style, devoting our theme section to shoes! And can we talk here, who doesn't like shoes? Now you can crafty your own by learning two ways to mod Converse Hightops: knit one pair and swap the fabric on another. Fashion a pair of ribbon-tie sandals, open source shoes and build your own rollerskates. Plus, learn how to batik fabric, découpage a map on a coffee table, reupholster a chair, and build a set of portable speakers. See the full table of contents online. (And yes, that's me on the cover with our CRAFT mascot, my little pomeranian Lulu.)

Craft07Digitaledition
Take a preview of the issue with our Digital Edition. Subscribe today for only $34.95 (US) for 4 quarterly issues a year and also get full access to the Digital Edition.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | May 8, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements, Crafts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Paper Wars exhibition

paperwars.jpg

In London? Check out the Paper Wars show, opening May 15 at the Craze Gallery. It's themed around the papercraft AK-47 and features many pieces based off that kit, as well as other sculptures like the one above. Via Core77.

Related:

Papercraft AK-47 on CRAFT

Posted by Becky Stern | May 7, 2008 09:00 PM
Arts, Crafts, Paper Crafts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Seamless ice spheres

ice_sphere.jpg

Hipstomp at the Core77 blog writes:

In some of Manhattan's better Japanese-staffed bars, like Tribeca's underground B-Flat, ice cubes are noticeably absent; ordering your scotch on the rocks gets you a large ice sphere. With less surface area than the same amount of ice rendered in cubes, a globe of ice will melt more slowly, keeping your drink cold without making it watery.


As an industrial designer, your correspondent couldn't help but notice the parting line on B-Flat's ice spheres; after all, it has to come out of a mold. But now a company called Taisin has come up with a clever device for making a perfect ice sphere with no parting line.


How does it work? You sandwich a large chunk of ice in between the two metal pieces pictured above. As the ice slowly melts, gravity brings the top half to close over the bottom half, enclosing what ice remains in its spherical cavity. Because the ice is in the process of melting into its new shape as the top closes, there's no parting line. Clever!

Posted by Becky Stern | May 7, 2008 07:00 PM
Arts, How it's made | Permalink | Comments (12) | Suggest a Site

Max 5 software released

Max5 Patching

If you've been put off by the complexity of the Max/MSP multimedia development software in the past, you might want to give the new version a looksee. The developers have given the software a pretty major overhaul, visually simplifying much of the interface. - Max 5

Of course, the $495 price tag still remains an obstacle for most of us - there's always Pure Data as a free alternative for your next interactive art installation.

Posted by Collin Cunningham | May 7, 2008 03:00 PM
Computers | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Slot car cam

When I was a tween, I lived for slot-cars. Our small town outside of Richmond, VA had two slot car shops/tracks for a few years.

This video from Spain shows a race from fixed and car-mounted cameras. Really nice track too. And vroom-vroom sound effects.

Scalextric EXIN made in Spain [via]

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | May 7, 2008 02:00 PM
Toys and Games | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

Emergency party button!

Emergency Party Button

Holy Wow!

Basically, it is exactly what it sounds like; a button that instantly launches a party. When pressed, the blinds to my apartment close, the kitchen, hallway, dining room, and living room lights dim, the stereo starts blasting Haddaway - What Is Love, black lights turn on, laser lights start moving to the music, a strobe light goes on, and the fog machine starts up.

With another press of the button, the party is gone as easily as it started.
It may not be the most hi-tech thing in the world, but people sure as hell love it when they come over.

That big-red-button must be the ultimate coffee table conversation starter - spider-man & friends only wish they had it this good!

Build pics and info - Emergency party button [via Zedomax - Thanks, Max!]


Related:
international_party_machine.jpg
International Dance Party transforms to a booty shaking powerhouse

Posted by Collin Cunningham | May 7, 2008 02:00 PM
DIY Projects | Permalink | Comments (7) | Suggest a Site

Musical interfaces @ Maker Faire

Here's a vid showing just a few of the many musical interfaces on hand at Bay Area Maker Faire. There were so many cool instruments, yet so little time to play them all. It was truly awesome to see such a great turnout on the sonic front - big thanks to all who made it happen!

Posted by Collin Cunningham | May 7, 2008 01:00 PM
Maker Faire, Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | Suggest a Site

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Phillip Torrone.Phillip Torrone
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Tel: 707-827-7311


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Kip KayKip Kay
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itunes_p.jpg The Best of Maker Faire 2008 Check out all the fun and excitement at this year's Maker Faire in San Mateo, California. People from all over the world came to experience this amazing event. Take a look at some of the highlights and make plans... More...

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WOW! Thanks to everyone involved with Maker Faire Bay Area: attendees, makers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and crew...it was AMAZING! Over 400 Makers and 60,000+ attendees! Be sure to check out the photos @ Flickr, and our Maker Faire posts for all the action! The next scheduled Maker Faire is Austin: Oct. 18th & 19th, 2008 - Travis County Expo Center!

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