Hack a Day points out this sweet portable NES project using a cartridge as enclosure - (I'm guessing it wasn't a classic title) more pics on the Ben Heck forums - My first but awesome NESp

The "Oterp" by Antonin Fourneau is a prototype sound editor built inside a PSP console with an integrated GPS that allows you to manipulate sound in real-time based on your location on earth. The device also collects new sounds when it detects that you have arrived at specific pre-programmed locations on the planet, with the end goal of mixing the reality of our natural environment into video game music sounds. Pretty interesting idea and we will definitely be seeing more of this type of project with the advent of iPhone 3G and the addition of GPS into its digital audio, gaming, and video capabilities.

Oterp @ Media Lab Prado

This mobile Nintendo Wii station is built with an HD monitor powered partly by solar energy. Inside is a battery, power converter and solar panel that generates enough juice to power the Wii. Pretty cool idea for a portable console, although it might be hard to see the screen, not to mention the fact that you are playing video games outside when you should probably be playing "actual" sports since you are outside already.

Solar Powered Wii via Tom's Games

"Para Para Revolution" is like the famed "Dance Dance Revolution" game but instead of dancing on foot pads, players wear gloves with accelerometers that detect when they wave their hands and signal directions. Check out the link below for details on this project, including circuit diagrams and code samples.

Para Para Revolution

Interested in chiptune/GB music? Consider performing the simple 'prosound' mod on a Gameboy Color. By essentially rerouting the headphone jack, you'll lose some signal energy but attain a higher quality audio out.

- Game Boy Color ProSound Modification

- ProSound GBC on little-scale

[Updated - lose energy, not volume. Thanks, little-scale!]

Little-scale's extensive work with Sega sound synthesis brings this in-depth tutorial -

This tutorial is a step-by-step guide on how to make your very own 32KB Sega Master System cartridge. The cost is quite low (if you have a programmed EPROM or you are able to program your own) - I payed around AU$8 in parts for one of my carts as made in this tutorial.

These carts have been tested on a PAL SMS 1 and a PAL SMS 2.

The good news is that the cartridges use a re-programmable EPROM, provided that you have the appropriate facilities (EPROM programmer and EPROM eraser).

Although this mod won't be seen by many people because it's under the hood of a car, we still applaud this maker who managed to create a giant NES controller that sits on top of his car's motor. Playing a game with this controller might be difficult if you are driving, although you'll be the popular one at the tailgate party.

[via]

This homemade joystick built from wood and arcade style buttons controls a Neo Geo game system so that the maker wouldn't have to pay for the expensive AES joysticks. This is a great tutorial with tons of info and 2-part pictures of the build at the link below.

Universal Joysticks

Everything's better with LED's, right? Consider illuminating a time-honored game of strategy -

I had just picked up a cheap-o glass chess set at my local arcade for the low low price of only 15,000 tickets. The novelty of playing with glass pieces quickly wore off, and I wondered how I could make it better. The thought of illuminating the set seemed very appealing, but there were so many different ways that could be done.
[...]
The final design I chose (which will be explained in more depth in the next step), was to have each piece contain an LED that would be powered by a conductive board. The board is plugged into an outlet, so there is no need to worry about the power running out. While the pieces are on the board they are "live" and illuminated, and while off the board they are "dead" and dark.

Here's a nice tutorial on doing some logic analysis of a PS2 console controller using a Lantronix LogicPort: 34 channel logic analyzer. This way you can find out exactly how much wizardry and engineering goes into making some of the most popular console controllers of all time. And perhaps after you're done, you can build a better one.

Playstation 2 Logic Analysis

ElektroKraft created a new NES cartridge dedicated to percussive electro-goodness. Super Synth Drums turns the NES controller into an 8-bit sound triggering tap pad. And if you're underwhelmed by the cramped retro-style interface, check out this video of the DrumAxe touch countroller created for use with the cartridge.

- Super Synth Drums cartridge at Electrokraft

This "WiiMote Music Controller Suit" (called the "W_space") by Israeli-born, Netherlands based composer Tom Tlalim uses eight Nintendo Wii controllers to create and manipulate sound in realtime. Connected up to the body, each Wiimote senses a different aspect of the wearer's movement to produce songs in the sound software "SuperCollider", as he or she dances or moves through any space. Check out the photo gallery from the link below which shows the author "boogie-ing down" on a city roof.

TOM TLALIM, [via]

This PC based on the Mini-ITX board fits inside a case similar to the Nintendo Wii's white angular body. The computer sports a AMD Geode Socket and integrated processors, Intel Core 2 Duo (Merom series) with 945 chipset, and lots more features. Despite the heavy processing power, we just like how often we see casemods trying to resemble cases from other consoles.

Jetway makes a Wii-PC

Spore the much-anticipated game of lifeform design and development looks like it will be worth the wait. The Spore Creature Creator software has been released and I can say firsthand - it's a thoroughly fun and creative experience. The free demo software includes only a quarter of the total parts palette available in the full release - yet it's still tons a blast to play with.

By the way, the specimen seen above is a 'darrephuna' - and I quite enjoyed making him (though I'm still rethinking that color scheme) - Spore Creature Creator [via Kitsune Noir]

The making of a pinball game.

Pinball hall of fame - MAKE @ Vegas.

HOW TO - Make a Pinball Coffee Table.

Next time your alarm goes off in the morning and you switch it off, only to sleep through your important meeting that day, you might want to look into this nifty alarm clock. The 80s cube clock forces you to solve the puzzle before the alarm stops, so you need to be on your toes and ready for work extra early.

80's Cube Clock, [via]

Although this is this maker's first attempt at Roomba hacking, we applaud the fact that he is attempting to make his Roomba less robotic, and more manual. By connecting up a Wiimote to his Roomba, he has built the world's first "Wiimba" and has basically changed the entire automated system into an old fashioned vacuum cleaner of sorts.

Wiimote+Roomba=Wiimba

This nice little hack shows you how to replace the coin cell battery inside any Game Boy cartridge. This is necessary if your game cannot hold a save but plays fine on the machine. Just switch the battery, and presto, it's just like new again. Details at the link below.

Replace the Battery in your Game Boy Cartridge

Curiousinventor wrote a nice technical guide to working with ps2 controllers -

Despite the large number of guides already out there that describe how to communicate with a play station controller (or guitar hero), most do not cover all the details, or do so sparsely. We consolidated and tested all the info we could find in our new ps2 interface guide, including wiring connections, low and high level communication protocol. Also, MPLAB c source code for a PIC18f4550 is provided that demonstrates how to read all analog buttons (joysticks and button pressures) and control the vibration motors (works with the guitar hero controller, too). Most of the research was done while developing our MIDIATOR kit.

Related:
PS2 controller -> MIDI converter kit

This climbing wall / human size LED display called the "DigiGripper", has a few tricks up its sleeve. If you hold onto an illuminated dot, the dot retreats into the wall causing you to fall on your butt. The longer you hold onto the display, the quicker the letters change and the person who holds onto the display the longest becomes the winner.

DigiGripper (PDF), [via]

This modded Xbox driving controller uses duct -ape and elbow grease to integrate a chair into it's design. Although it's hard to know if you play this game seated with your feet controlling the steering wheel or uncomfortably perched on the back support for better alignment.

[via]

These homebrew Wiimotes consist of an infrared LED from RadioShack, a 1.5v button battery, clothes pins, electrical tape, optional chopsticks for support, and a few more choice ingredients. Check out the below link for the full recipe.

WiiMedia in $5 and 15 minutes, [via]

Todd Lappin, MAKE contributor and current guest blogger on Dinosaurs and Robots, has a strange collection compulsion that I don't share, but I can totally understand. He has a control panel fetish. Hey, now. Don't judge. Everybody is wired differently. Todd just happens to be wired to toggle switches, panel lights, and needle gauges. And he's not alone. There's an active Control Panel Flickr group, to which Todd just *happens* to be the most active contributor. In his D+R post, he drools all over this Titan 2 missile guidance console some guy found at a surplus store.

ICBM Guidance Panel Found at Surplus Store

Two German engineers have turned the Wii Balance Board into a computer input device for doing such things as flying over Google Earth and controlling avatars in Second Life.

Fly in Google Earth using the Wii Balance Board [via]

wigidy-wigetty-Woah, Nintendo DS homebrew software has come a long way!

DScratch is the first module made using my Protein engine - it's a little audio manipulation software running on Nintendo DS, which ables you to play with an .wav audio sample, a recorded audio sample or even audio streaming from DS's embedded mic; you can pitch, scratch, rewind, mute and apply effects on the sound. Moreover, DScratch sends MIDI through wifi connection, which ables you to control external applications, like a VJing software or audio sequencer, and can be motion-controlled.

Related:

Tracker for Nintendo DS, DS homebrew music roundup

DS synth/sequencer on its way

Texas-based artist/maker Paul Slocum has released a new version of his Commodore 64 synthesizer cartridge, "Cynthcart" which turns your Commodore 64 into a syntheziser that you can play like a keyboard. Version 1.2.4 includes 3 note polyphont, adjustable vibrato, portamento effect, dynamic pitch changing, a whammy bar, and more. Pretty nice way of retrofitting old equipment to turn it into something more useful than a doorstop for your den.

Cynthcart v1.2.4

The Midiator kit converts a Playstation 2 controller for MIDI use

• Supports official PS2 controllers, cheap knockoffs and wireless controllers
  
• Analog joysticks control pitch bend and several controllers (or whatever you want them to do)
  
• Buttons either trigger notes or toggle controller signals
  
• LCD and menu system for mode switching (controller vs. note triggering) and remapping the buttons. See the instructions below for more info, but you basically press
• start, the button you want to remap, and then up/down arrows to remap.
  
• Partially works with Guitar Hero controller... still working on this
  
• 3 LEDs for feedback: power, sign of life, and/or whatever else you want.
  
• Requires DC power supply 7-15 VDC, positive centered barrel plug.

Dave turned a Wii Guitar Hero controller into a full-on MIDI device -

From the time i started playing guitar hero this last Christmas (i know, i’m a little late to the party) I just couldn’t help but think what cool real instrument it would be. I saw the video of the band that uses the PS2 version through usb and knew people were talking to the wii-mote with bluetooth, but i wanted a real instrument, something that was self contained and didnt require a computer to be dragged along in order to make music. So the solution was to make it use midi , then i could use any synth in the world or do whatever i wanted.

- GHMC on Flickr

Related:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/04/the_guitar_zeros_maker_fa.html
The Guitar Zeros @ Maker Faire

In the Maker Shed:

MidiTron, unassembled kit

DC Boarduino

Andrew Salomone writes:

This is a portrait I made of Abraham Lincoln's face using a Scrabble board game and following the official rules used in Scrabble tournaments in order to do it. It's also a reference to a painting by surrealist artist, Salvador Dali.

He says he's working on this piece for an upcoming show, and the idea came from the Dali painting "Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea Which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln (Homage to Rothko)."

Related:

• Scrabble ring

• Scrabble Coasters on CRAFT

After hugely successful launches in Japan and Europe, Nintendo's Wii Fit exercise game is coming to the United States May on 19th, where it is sure to find sales success. But Wii Fit is hardly the first example of an attempt to meld videogaming and exercise -- it's not even the first fitness offering from Nintendo.