RSSArchives: January 2008
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January 25, 2008
Intro to the Arrrr-duino - Best of Weekend Projects
The retro Weekend Project-o-thon continues!
Joe Grand and Bre Pettis join forces to become the Awesome Electronics Workshop and introduce you to the Arrr-duino! In this tutorial, you'll learn the basics of programming and setting up your arduino. Don't have one yet? You can get them in the Make: Store or build you're own! - Subscribe Link
Arduino in the Make: Store - Link
Posted by Bre Pettis |
Jan 25, 2008 08:00 AM
MAKE Podcast, Weekend Projects |
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Piezo Bow
From the MAKE Flickr pool - Member Ncgoth mounted a piezo contact mic on a bow used for upright bass. The results are delicate and detailed. -Link
"Bowlistening" sample -Link
Musical instruments are great candidates for modding. Adding functionality and novelty to a tool used specifically for personal expression is n excellent way revitalize creativity. Have you modified an old guitar/drumkit/bassoon/etc. in an unusual way that changes its sound or interface? Share your pics on the Make Flickr pool.
Related:
Build the Cigar Box Guitar with Piezo Pickup - Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jan 25, 2008 07:30 AM
Electronics, Music |
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The Experimental Interaction Unit (EIU) projects
The Experimental Interaction Unit (EIU) has a ton of great projects, some of them are a little dated now but still worth checking out... I really like the "LimeLight" project -
The anxiety of our new world demands our vigilant attention. We are drawn into the spiral of constantly filtering and interpreting the breaking news from across the globe, monitoring the state and activities in our local habitats, and drawing pragmatic conclusions of the current threat based on our findings. The solution is a personal tactical system capable of diligently and automatically monitoring complex local and global threat conditions, constantly updating its awareness of these hostilities, and presenting an ambient display to the local user of the current threat level: Limelight.The Experimental Interaction Unit (EIU) projects - Link.Limelight is a personal tactical system that removes the burden of anxiety associated with our continuous worry of emerging global and local threatening conditions. Using a collection of embedded sensors, local measurements of radioactivity and RF signals are continuously scanned for hostile patterns. Similarly, remote precursors of threats such as the appearance and frequency of specific keywords and discussions by various military, news, and independent sources are continuously monitored. The collected data is carefully analyzed and summarized as a visual output where various threats are mapped across a spectrum of illumined and pulsing colors.
Related:
The Experimental Interaction Unit (EIU) - Link.
i-Bomb - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 07:00 AM
Arts, Culture jamming, Electronics |
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Lunchbox laboratory creates distributed testing zones
The "Lunchbox Laboratory" a collaboration between Amy Franceschini (of Futurefarmers) and the Biological Sciences Team, National Renewable Energy Lab, is a prototype art project for a distributed research laboratory that allows for young scientists to test collected algae strains. The algae is collected and tested to confirm its function as a renewable energy form that can produce biodiesel to power automobiles and other devices as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Lunchbox Lab - Link
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Jan 25, 2008 06:33 AM
Science |
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Preamp kits
Fivefish.net DIY has a ton of great mic preamp kits for your music makers out there - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 06:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Kits, Music |
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Homegrown Morse Code Paddles
Make Flickr Pool member kc7fys shares some pics of his homegrown morse code paddles constructed of copper board, an eyeglass screwdriver, rubber bumpons, and loving care. Nice build! -Link
Related:
HOW TO - Make an Altoids tin morse code oscillator -Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jan 25, 2008 05:33 AM
Electronics |
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Low cost open source VGA compatible video card
Mikes writes in -
Since Make is all about great hardware projects, I figured I'd let you know about a project that aims to develop a fully VGA compliant video card in true open source fashion. Kerneltrap now has an interview online about the motivations behind the project, when the card will be available and what it's performance will be. With the first prototype already working after just a few months of development, it's a matter of time before developers can get their hands on one of these.Low cost open source VGA compatible video card - Link & interview with Michael Meeuwisse.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 05:00 AM
Computers, Open source hardware |
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Playstation 3 programming - Cell processor
MIT has posted all the materials from their Playstation 3 programming course, if you're interesting in learn how to program one or the cell processor click on through...
Students will spend several weeks learning about new multicore architectures and parallel programming patterns, and will design and implement projects to run directly on the new PLAYSTATION®3 consoles. The course will culminate in an exciting competition at the end of IAP, and prizes will be awarded to the best projects. The course will give students hands on experience in parallel programming in an exciting and relevant context.Playstation 3 programming - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 04:00 AM
Computers, Gaming |
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Molex connectors and terminal pin crimping explained
Here's a massive page on Molex connections and how to do terminal pin crimping, worth a read and a bookmark - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 03:00 AM
Electronics |
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Small DC motor tips
George has a great page of DC motor tips, he writes -
A small DC motor generates torque by creating an interaction between a fixed and rotating magnet field. The fixed field is supplied by high energy permanent magnets. The rotating field is created by passing a DC current through several different windings on the armature (rotating part) and timing which winding is powered through a device called a commutator. Power is applied to the armature by brushes which ride on the commutator.Small DC motor tips - Link.To understand how a motor responds to load, the motor itself is modeled by dividing it up into three major components. These components are the ideal motor, a back-EMF generator and parasitic resistance. These parts are really not physically separable, but for modeling purposes this is convenient.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 02:00 AM
Electronics |
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Styling a Mugi coroplast RC plane
neoJunk writes in -
I saw the Mugi twinwall polypropylene plane kit in Make Magazine and built one. This instructable will show you how to use colored packing tape to style a coroplast RC plane. Coroplast is a twinwall polypropylene fluted plastic kind of like corrugated cardboard except made of plastic not paper.Styling a Mugi coroplast RC plane - Link.This was my first Mugi style attempt and it took me about five hours including the time to photograph, expect a 10 hour commitment over a few days though. I've since added tape to the bottom of the model to make it easier to see in the air. The coroplast I used is translucent so LEDs can be added for night flying. It is possible to find all colors of coroplast but watch out for the thickness, get it too thick and it will be heavier and will require a larger model. I used 2mm coroplast I bought from the Mugi people.
If you are interested in Mugi planes check out mugi.co.uk, they are super helpful and cool to deal with. There is also a strong community of friendly people willing to help out with questions you might have. Search for them on Yahoo groups.
This is my first RC plane and although it is hard to fly it's darn near indestructible. I bit it hard from 300 feet and the Mugi stuck nose down in the dirt. It was ready to fly again as soon as I pulled it out of the ground! My first time out I crashed it so many times my motor shaft bent but the plane was fine. Get lots of extra props, they seem to break easily.
Related:
Mugi twinwall polypropylene plane kits - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 01:00 AM
DIY Projects, Instructables, Kits |
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Van Eck phreaking
Jason @ Hackzine writes -
In 1985, Wim van Eck published a paper which described how the state of a CRT monitor could be reproduced remotely based on the device's electromagnetic radiation. Van Eck or TEMPEST devices, whatever you prefer to call them, aren't just the secret sauce in your favorite science fiction, though for some reason there hasn't been a lot of amateur or open source activity here. I'm not sure why, but I suspect as software radios become more affordable, people will start experimenting more in this space.There are two open source Van Eck projects that I know of. The first, pictured above, is Erik Thiele's Tempest for Eliza project. By drawing specific black and white patterns on your monitor, Tempest is able to generate audible signals in the AM range. You can use Tempest to play an mp3 file that you can tune in on your radio.
Tempest for Eliza is a fun demo, but what about being able to read someone's monitor remotely?
There's a second open source project, called EckBox, that claims to do just this. By piping the audio from a radio through an 8-bit analog to digital converter, EckBox claims to be able to read this data from a PC parallel port and reproduce the image of an 800x600 monitor. Looking at the code, it seems almost too simple to be true. Likewise, the project hasn't been updated since June 2004 and there aren't many references or screenshots or words of success floating around the net. Anyone with a parallel port and an ADC want to give this a shot and let us know how it works?
More:
Further reading
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 12:00 AM
Culture jamming, Electronics |
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January 24, 2008
Office supply trebuchet
From the MAKE Flickr pool, a desktop trebuchet made from coffee stirring sticks, paper clips, string, zip ties, etc.
Office Supply Trebuchet - Link
Related:
- Lazyperson's Kaden Harris - Link
- The Eccentric Cubicle: The Philosophy of Improvisational Fabrication - Link
From The Maker Store:
Eccentric Cubicle by Kaden Harris
Price: $29.99
Buy: Maker store - Link.
Sample chapters: - Link.
Who says office cubicles need to be dreary? In this book, author Kaden Harris (creator of www.eccentricgenius.caEccentric Genius) introduces aspiring and die-hard Makers to a highly entertaining parallel universe of surreal office-based projects that are sure to pique the curiosity of even the most jaded office mates.
From desktop guillotines and crossbows to mood-enhancing effects and music makers, each project presents a different set of challenges and opens new avenues of Maker lore. There's a strong emphasis on the basic mechanical theories and principles of the devices presented in the book, as well as the fabrication techniques you need to use. But this is far more than a book of project "how-tos". Eccentric Cubicle offers oblique industrial design and fabrication philosophies, countless cultural reference points, and innumerable bad puns.
This book is a dream come true for you office-bound souls who are tech DIY enthusiasts, hobbyist engineers/designers, and Makers at heart. Imagine having your cubicle sport projects such as:
- A mechanical golfer Lucid dreaming induction device
- USB-powered bubble blower Fog machine
- A desktop guillotine
- And a whole lot more
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jan 24, 2008 06:00 PM
Retro, Toys and Games |
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DIY Video tape encoding station
Ryan writes in -
Here's a video tape encoding station I setup using some old gear I had laying around and a Neuros MP4 Recorder. I'm recording the tapes at 320 x 240 at super fine quality and the files produced are beautiful. As a bonus they play perfectly without conversion on both Zunes and iPods.DIY Video tape encoding station - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 05:00 PM
DIY Projects, Gadgets, Home Entertainment |
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MAKE on KQED
Our intern, Jacob McKenzie, is the star for a series of two-minute videos, which will air later this spring on the Quest program on KQED in San Francisco. He's doing a series of four builds based on projects from Make: Vibrobot, Biosphere in a Jar, Cigar Box Guitar, and the magnetic gun also called a Gauss rifle. Jacob is a mechanical engineering student at Berkeley and he's on break this month. Jacob is doing a great job. He had originally built all of these projects in the lab for the magazine.
KQED writes in -
Hi, this is Sheraz from QUEST. On behalf of Producer Chris Bauer and the rest of the crew, I want to thank Jacob, Dale, Shawn and the rest of the wonderful Make staff for a great shoot. If you're a fan of Make and smart, cool science stories, keep an eye out for the season 2 premiere of QUEST - April 1st at 7:30pm on KQED. We'll show our first Make segment on April 29th and roll out the other Make segments later in the season. Until then, please check out our story on the '07 Maker Faire.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 03:00 PM
Announcements |
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BBtv climbs into the Steampunk Treehouse
Xeni visits the Steampunk Tree House, a 40+-foot-tall interactive sculpture created by a group of artists in Oakland, CA, and assembled for the first time at Burning Man. More than 60 people helped to create it, and in today's episode, you'll hear from project participants Alan Rorie, Nathaniel Taylor, and David Shulman.
Steampunk Tree House - Link
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jan 24, 2008 02:00 PM
Arts, Retro |
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CarveWright wood carver mini-review
Betacrash writes in with a mini-review of the CarveWright wood carver we posted about awhile back -
I have a carvewright and the worst thing about it is the proprietary software. The software seems very stupid at first but then it seems kind of revolutionary. It definitely takes some reverse engineering to get 3d models to carve accurately on this thing, but it can be done. Look at www.liquidguitars.com You were unable to import vector graphics (DXF, DWG etc) but just recently one of the creative carvewright users made an application that can convert .AI files to carvewright files. That has allowed my creatiity with the machine to boom. The only software add on that you can buy for it now is a module that allows you to do V-carving (chiseled lettering).CarveWright wood carver in action (video) - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 01:00 PM
Toolbox |
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Arduino contest
The folks from Libelium sent in their Arduino contest, looks interesting -
It is a contest for everyone who believes in Open Hardware and enjoys hacking with Arduino. It is the time to show what you have done and share it with the Community! There are 3 different categories:Arduino contest @ Libelium Comunicaciones Distribuidas - Link.Common life hacks. Have you designed a remote-pets-feeder? A gadget for watering your plants? A GPS navigator for your bike? Or anything that makes your life easier?
Art hacks. Artistical installations, interactive objects... just show the limits of your imagination.
Robotics.The winner of each category will get one GPRS/GPS Module for Arduino. One of the exclusive and limited edition for Arduino whe are going to release.
It will let Arduino to connect to the mobile networks, make and receive phone calls, send and receive sms's!, give the GPS coordenates... A new level of modules for Arduino.
Related:
Arduino guide @ MAKE - Link.
Making Things Talk by Tom Igoe - the best book on Arduino! - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 12:00 PM
Arduino, DIY Projects, Electronics, Open source hardware |
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"Cloud" digital sculpture
Chris writes in with this AMAZING project -
London based Troika has been commissioned by Artwise Curators to create a signature piece at the entrance of the new British Airways luxury lounges in Heathrow Terminal 5. 'Cloud' is a five meter long digital sculpture whose surface is covered with 4638 flip-dots that can be individually addressed by a computer to animate the entire skin of the sculpture. It's really amazing and shots a lot of the technical process"Cloud" digital sculpture - Link.
Related:
Development process - Link.
Videos - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 11:00 AM
Arts, Made On Earth |
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Creepy cool computer junk masks
Check out these cool masks made from computer junk - [via] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 10:00 AM
Arts, Made On Earth |
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Page 8 of 26 << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 >>
Features and more @ MAKE!
MAKE @ The NYC Toy Fair 2008 - Covering DIY!HOW TO - Build the arms of assistance.
MADE in Japan - Part I.
MADE in Japan - Part II.
MADE in Japan - Part III.
Make store - Blinky bug kit - Blink!
Make store - Loud Objects Noise Toy Kit
Makers - MAKE Flickr pool contest. Win cool stuff!
Makers - Join the MAKE Facebook page - Meet other makers.
MAKE on Twitter - Tweet! Tweet!
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Current Podcast
AHAB High Altitude Ballooning - Best of Weekend Projects
mp4|mov|hd|3gp|3g2|itunes This week on Best of Weekend Projects, we look back at part two of the AHAB (High Altitude Balloon Adventure). In this epic Bre & Co. travel to Eastern Washington to launch a GPS and camera enabled balloon...
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