MAKE » Adam Flaherty

Component of the Month: The Switch

Adam Flaherty — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:20:33 +0000

Switches are a fundamental electronic component, they come in a variety of styles and configurations, and they have many different uses. From turning on a light to controlling a robotic arm, switches are the ideal control mechanism. At the physical layer, switches control the flow of information on the Internet and launch the rockets we send off into space.

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DIY Smartphone LED Ring Light

Adam Flaherty — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:00:20 +0000

A ring flash will get you a shot with uniform lighting without harsh shadows. Lighting blogger Simon Ellingworth whipped up this LED variant for smartphones using a UFO-style camping light, a cheap smartphone case, and some velcro. You’ll obviously have to tweak your settings to achieve the effect you want, […]

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Light Painting with a Thermal Flashlight

Adam Flaherty — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 10:00:01 +0000

Impressed with the Public Laboratory's Thermal Flashlight prototype, maker Max Justicz whipped together a nice self-contained version using an infrared thermometer, some RGB LEDs, and an Arduino housed inside a commercial flashlight enclosure to perform a little DIY thermal imaging.

3D-Printed Advent Calendar

Adam Flaherty — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 02:30:31 +0000

The first printed Advent calendar was produced in Hamburg between 1902-1903. Close to 110 years later, a maker from Minnesota, Peter Leppik, has updated this traditional seasonal register and brought it into the 21st century. His 3D printed Advent calendar is available on Thingiverse for all to download, print, and […]

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3D-Printed Audio Visualizations

Adam Flaherty — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:00:52 +0000

Ever wonder what a particular song looked like? Mexico City designers Realität have got you covered. Using Processing and a MakerBot, ‘Microsonic Landscapes’ are 3D-printed audio visualizations that offer a tactile experience to further explore your favorite tracks.

Waterproof Plastic Bottle DSLR Lens Case

Adam Flaherty — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:53 +0000

Got a telephoto lens without a case? Camera gear can cost an arm and a leg, so it's a good idea to protect your investment with at least a modicum of safety. If you're looking for something light on the pocketbook, but capable of protecting your kit, Instructables member marcellahella came up with this super cool case for your super zoom lens using a couple of plastic soda bottles, some dental floss, a foam pad, and a zipper.

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Easily Control Ambient Lighting with Your Smartphone

Adam Flaherty — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:00:25 +0000

If you're looking to jumpstart an ambient lighting project and could use a controller with out-of-the-box iOS and Andriod support, you might want to check out the iGloLEDset from MEA Mobile. They've currently got a 5V kit that comes with a nice iOS/Android app to mix color gradients on-the-fly from your mobile device. They're also working on a 12V version that should work with a wider lighting selection.

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The Quarterdeck Striker

Adam Flaherty — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:00:01 +0000

Inspired by a nutcracker gifted to him by his granddaughter, maker John Hilgenberg created a magnificent nautical themed wall clock called The Quarterdeck Striker. Baltic birch gears and a unique weighted movement work harmoniously to strike the bell every half hour.

3D-Printed Gun Fires Real Bullets

Adam Flaherty — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:30:41 +0000

The folks over at Defense Distributed, the home of the Wiki Weapon Project, have successfully fired an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a 3D-printed lower receiver. They were able to fire off only six rounds before the part failed, but some would consider that a pretty decent outcome considering it's composed of printed plastic. Now, the entire gun is not printed--just the lower receiver (the regulated part), but it's a good first step. Regardless of you stance on gun control (or conceptual lack thereof), this project is worth keeping an eye on.

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AirHarp for Leap Controller

Adam Flaherty — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 10:00:48 +0000

The Leap Motion 3D controller is gearing up for general availability, but some developers have already started creating interesting interactive apps for the device. Check out developer Andy Summers’ AirHarp app that takes advantage of the Leap’s accuracy to produce an expressive music app. [via Synthtopia] Filed under: Computers & […]