Subscribe! RSSDo you SPEAK VISUALTM? - Speak in pictures, movies, games and maps - with a graphics processor from NVIDIA® you can speak the one language that never needs translation - NVIDIA® has teamed up with MAKE and created the "Modification Station" a special section on MAKE that celebrates "SPEAK VISUALTM" - from PC mods to amazing motion graphics this section will have some of the most amazing mods and visuals you've ever experienced. But that's not all - together, NVIDIA® and MAKE bring you the "SPEAK VISUALTM" contest. If you're a Maker who has an amazing PC mod, gamer station or PC hardware creation you can win amazing prizes -- from a new computer to the latest graphics cards from NVIDIA®. Not a PC modder? That's ok, if you do motion graphics, data visualization or anything that uses a graphics processor to bring your imagination to life you can enter too!
iDoor, the iPhone controlled hydraulic dorm room door
Maker Chris Varenhorst's iDoor is a hydraulic door controlled by an iPhone or when security isn't a concern, a secret knock. Cobbled together from scrounged parts including a PIII running Ubuntu and a Phidget 8/8/8 control board, the door is opened with a hydraulic actuator that taps into the sink in the room.
Life at MIT can be tough. With all the problem sets, and projects taking up time, when I come back to my dorm room to crash, I don't want to waste time opening doors myself! That's why my room is outfitted with an iPhone controlled hydraulic door opener and unlocker. Just tap the "iDoor" app on my phone's home screen, and the door opens for me. Its 2009 after all, about time we stopped carrying around shaped bits of metal to open up locked doors.
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Jul 7, 2009 06:00 AM
Electronics, Mods, iPhone |
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3G on Dell Mini 9
Some mobile carriers have started selling subsidized netbooks with integrated 3G radios. If you've already got a netbook and enjoy the form factor, but would rather not have to plug in a dongle, here's a quick run-through for integrating a Novatel EU850D 3G radio into a Dell Mini 9 that should give you an idea of what such a project entails.
How-to: 3G to Dell Mini 9. Not so easy way.. [via jkkmobile]
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Jul 3, 2009 03:30 AM
Computers, Mobile, Mods, hacks |
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Blogging epic kludges
The latest addition to my feed reader is There, I Fixed It, a site collecting fantastic and hilarious examples of jury-rigging in daily life. My favorite so far is the point-of-use hot water heater shown above, but the "Franken-chair" has to take a close second. Thanks to Melody for steering me to it.
Posted by Sean Michael Ragan |
Jun 28, 2009 09:39 PM
DIY Projects, Mods, hacks |
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G4 Cube with LEGOmotion
I though this was especially cool until I discovered that there's no G4 left in the G4 Cube -- the LEGO mechanics, sensors, and control take up the entire inside space. Still cool, tho. Maybe a single-board computer could squeeze in there?
Transforming LEGO Apple Power Mac G4 Cube [via Hacked Gadgets]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Jun 25, 2009 06:30 AM
Mods, Robotics |
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Wood & brass iPod Mini
Instead of letting it fall by the tech wayside, Josh D recased his old iPod in lovely wood & brass -
My finished wood ipod mini. This has been such a fun project for me. It's handmade (with special thanks to my 8yr old dremel) from Australian red cedar, Camphor Laurel for the clickwheel, brass plates, brass screws and the guts from the first ipod i ever had.More pics in the Flickr photoset.[via Boing Boing Gadgets][…]
I wanted to not use any glue at all with the wooden shell, and fortunately i was able to secure it all together just using the brass screws. Especially because I'd like to be able to replace the ipod's battery in the future, and possibly add a higher capacity flash hard drive.
The wooden clickwheel is simply stuck down on the sensor with very thin double sided tape.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jun 23, 2009 05:00 AM
Mods, iPod |
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DIY Turntable filter
YouTuber puffhandy turned this old record player into variable filter for audio effects. A photocell inside responds to light passing through any holes drilled into the platter. Of course it's very possible to create this type mechanism using a small DC motor + opaque disc but the above would make great use of an otherwise unwanted component. [via Matrixsynth]
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jun 19, 2009 10:00 AM
Electronics, Mods, Music |
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Toy piano modding
Creme DeMentia shares info on modding the familiar toy piano -
Like many of you who are reading this, I spend a lot of time in thrift stores. I have come across some older toy pianos in my thrift store adventures. Toy pianos are actually pretty serious and widely used musical instruments. They have a very distinct sound and you’ll be surprised how often you will hear them used once you recognize their timbre. They are also somewhat valuable and sought after instruments, believe it or not.
A piezo contact mic + jack provide a signal fit for effects/amplifying. After re-alligning the instrument's tines, he also added a handle so the back panel could be removed and played like a thumb piano - get the deets over at GetLoFi.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jun 19, 2009 08:30 AM
Mods, Music |
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How-To: Scalloped guitar frets
Pandaman0529 shares his steps for a very interesting guitar mod -
So what exactly are scalloped frets? Scalloping a fretboard is when you remove wood from the fretboard so that when the guitar is played, the fingers only contact the string, not the wood underneath, eliminating massive amounts of friction. It is much easier to bend strings with a scalloped guitar, and many guitarists do claim that scalloped fretboards allow you to play faster, as minimal contact with the string is needed.I've never playedone of these necks, but I'm guessing it would be rather bouncy - that kind of momentum could boost one to prog-solo speeds in no time. Pretty straightforward (if a bit tedious) process with sandpaper + metal files - see the instructable for more.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jun 18, 2009 06:00 AM
Mods, Music |
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Nokia N95 accelerometer in Blender 3D
Marco Rapino, a developer working at the Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research at HSE in Helsinki, has developed a prototype controller using the accelerometer in his Nokia N95 smartphone, some Python, and the Blender 3D content creation suite.
The application is structured in this way:
- Mobile client, a python script which reads the accelerometer data and sends it via bluetooth to the pc
- A server that runs on your pc and shares the data with the BGE through a local UDP non-blocking socket
- A Blender script which handles the cube rotation in the BGE using the n95 accelerometer's data
Source and examples available here
N95 accelerometer with Blender [via BlenderNation]
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Jun 15, 2009 03:30 AM
Cellphones, Mobile, Mods, hacks |
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Extreme corpse motorcycle
Check out the attention to detail on this custom bike by Blue Flame Alley. Via Street Anatomy.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 12, 2009 12:00 PM
Arts, Mods, Transportation |
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Android/XP Frankenbook hybrid device
The Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan have cobbled together from existing parts a truly unique device. It's part netbook, part tablet. They started by gutting an HP Mini 1000 and replaced the Intel Atom chip with a Via processor running XP SP2. They then removed the standard display and replaced it with a tablet of the same size running Android. Pop the tablet out of its holder and you've got a fully functional Android tablet. Slide it back into the base with the keyboard and you're running XP.
via howtobemobile
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Jun 9, 2009 06:00 AM
Computers, Mobile, Mods |
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Roger Wood's Klockwerks
Tucked away on an unassuming post-industrial avenue in Toronto, Canada, is Roger Wood's Klockwerks. A self-identifying Steampunk clock-maker, Wood is a collector and fabricator of romantic artifacts and oddities. As an artisan of fantasy his work is an amalgamation of timepieces and neo-Victorian aesthetic. If you're familiar with the Klockwerks Chronulator, featured in Make: Online last December, this glimpse of his shop is a rare in-depth revisiting of a true Steampunk visionary.
For more photos of his shop check out the Flickr set.
Posted by Peter Horvath |
Jun 8, 2009 11:30 AM
Arts, Mods |
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Make: Projects - Thermochromic Maker's Notebook
Here's an easy hack for your Maker's Notebook that's sure to get noticed: Buy some thermochromic liquid crystal (LC) film and attach it to the cover! Originally I bought LC film from US suppliers and tried gluing it on. I tested three different adhesives (3M Super77, DAP Weldwood Contact Cement, and Elmer's Craft Glue) and ruined one notebook and several pieces of film before discovering this self-adhesive LC film available from MUTR in the United Kingdom. (The 30x45cm size is necessary.) It works great! I cut two rectangles [5 3/8" (13.65 cm) x 6 7/8" (17.46 cm)] using a swing arm paper cutter, peeled off the protective backing, and carefully smoothed the film in place on both front and back covers, first with my fingers, and then using a rolling pin. See the video for some cool thermochromic effects.
Subscribe to the MAKE podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v file.
Posted by Sean Michael Ragan |
Jun 5, 2009 07:00 AM
Chemistry, MAKE Podcast, MAKE Projects, Mods, hacks |
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"Eyes-Free" Android interface
The MIT Technology Review website has an article highlighting the work of T.V. Raman and Charles Chen, two Google engineers working on an eyes-free interface for Android called Marvin.
"We are building a user interface that goes over and beyond the screen," says Raman. Often, eyes-free interfaces are employed for blind users, but Raman, who himself is blind, assures that these interfaces have much broader implications. "This is not just about the blind user," he says. "This is about how to use these devices if you're not in a position to look at the machine."
This effort at creating a new interface is in line with the notion of "programs without borders" and is exactly the sort of thing that gets me excited about Android. With a system designed to foster mash-ups, each new component amps up the possibility you'll find the elegant solution you're looking for.
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Jun 4, 2009 06:00 AM
Cellphones, Mobile, Mods, Telecommunications |
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Hunting strange waves with hacked circuits
The Electromagnetic waves sent out by modern living can make for some decidedly eerie soundscapes - and some very interesting exploration. Radiolariax uses a variety of devices to listen in on the otherwise unheard -
The hunt for weird radio signals and other electromagnetic waves with small, cheap modified radios, cassette players, walkie-talkies, dictaphones, babyphones, pc speakers,... and simple circuits.Check out the collection of devices used and relevant audio samples on the signal and wave hunting site.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Jun 3, 2009 07:30 AM
Electronics, Mods, Science |
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Ghost Phones at Maker Faire Bay Area
In our Spy Tech issue of MAKE, Volume 16, artist and concept designer Greg MacLaurin showed us how to make a Ghost Phone (of the Judy Garland persuasion). Ghost Phones are "interactive modifications of the ancient and nearly arcane dial telephone system." By hiding an MP3 player inside a telephone, you can have a one-sided conversation with a ghost from the past. At Maker Faire Bay Area this weekend (May 30th and 31st), Greg will share the concept behind this art project, discuss the methods and perspective for recording the dialog, and demonstrate ways to hide the tech and make it all the more mysterious. That's one of my favorite things about Maker Faire: want to know how someone made something? Ask them! Wanna know why they made it? Ask them!
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
May 27, 2009 06:00 PM
Maker Faire, Mods |
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Antique military headset for gaming
Joe Bower got a Vietnam-era US Army Radio Headset in an antiques/surplus store, sealed in the box, for $15. Using a dissected Molex cable and a cheap 2.5mm headset jack, he was able to get the set working with Xbox Live. Now Call of Duty has that extra note of authenticity (especially 'cause there's extra static on the mic - he has plans to replace that).
US Army Headset - XBox Live mod
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 25, 2009 12:00 PM
Gaming, Mods |
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The OTHER Jake strikes back!
We hear a lot about the dapper and prolific Jake von Slatt, but what about his arch-nemesis, Jake (of-all-Trades) Hildebrandt? He's apparently been locked away in his castle laboratory, hard at work on this amazing PC casemod, built as a promotional giveaway for CodeMaster's just-released Damnation PC/console game. Gorgeous work. I love the access ports hidden beneath the logo, the "saloon-door" style drive bays, and the plunger pull-start power-on, the construction of which he describes in the video).
Herr von Slatt must have steam blasting from cherry-red ears on the news. The gauntlet is down, von Slatt, the gauntlet is down.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 22, 2009 01:00 PM
Mods, Retro |
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Illuminated Apple logo iPhone case mod
This stylishly impractical backlit logo iPhone casemod involves a Dremel and apparently doesn't affect battery life. I'd be curious to see if there was any material on the build process as the video only shows the end result.
via Cult of Mac
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
May 21, 2009 06:00 AM
Mods, hacks, iPhone |
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Rock Band axe in a box
From the MAKE Flickr pool
Flickr member TheCase converted a busted RB guitar to an unusually compact version -
This is an initially unintended side effect of working on a Rock Band automatic guitar playing robot. The minimal set of electronics from a previously malfunctioning 360 wireless guitar (thanks Mig!) - also contains the relays needed for switching via a logic controller. All jammed inside a 6" x 3" x 2" enclosure.Hmm, with one in each hand you might be able to handle both guitar and bass roles at once. More info on Flickr.As I was building it, I decided to allow the controller to be used in a standalone fashion, independent of the sensors and logic controller (they can be conntected later via the 9pin D-Sub connector).
The buttons are just cheap old basic junk buttons, so moving around the "fret board" is a bit of a challenge. It is fun to play - has the feel of playing a tiny accordion...
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
May 21, 2009 06:00 AM
Gaming, Mods |
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The Von Slatt guitar amp
At last year's Maker Faire Bay Area, Nathan Johnstone of Abney Park debuted a violin at the Saturday night show modded by artisan (and MAKE contributor) Molly Friedrich. Later in the year, at the Steampowered convention, Nathan debuted the Von Slatt Strat, a guitar modded by MAKE, Volume 17 cover maker Jake von Slatt. This year, Nathan returns to the Faire with a free-form group of amazing Seattle musicians, as part of Carnivale Mechanique, a steampunk encampment (with a lot of the folks who created last year's Contraptors' Lounge and some exciting new additions). At this year's event, the Von Slatt Strat will be joined by a worthy amplifier, this radio-cabinet special, again crafted by Von Slatt.
Nathan's violin by Molly Friedrich
The Von Slatt Strat
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 21, 2009 03:30 AM
Mods, Music, Retro |
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Maker's Notebook 555 cover
This member of the MAKE Flickr pool added a 555 light-flashing circuit (from Charles Platt's "The Biggest Little Chip" piece in MAKE, Volume 10) to the cover of his Maker's Notebook.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 20, 2009 06:30 AM
Electronics, Mods |
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External Antenna mod for Asus EEE 4G Surf
Looking to extend the range and flexibility of his netbook, maker Larry Pesce from PaulDotCom modified his Asus EEE 4G Surf with an external RP-TNC antenna connector. His detailed instructions document the process of adding the connector and the last minute ingenuity that delivered a rather clean looking result.
Modding the Asus EEE 4G Surf for an external antenna
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
May 15, 2009 03:55 PM
Computers, Mobile, Mods, Wireless |
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"See-through" PSP wallpaper
This is cute. It's a wallpaper image of the innards of a PSP to make the PSP look see-through. A great companion to the clear PSP faceplate. Offered by the online repair shop Tech Restore.
See-Through PSP Screen by TechRestore
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 13, 2009 12:00 PM
Gadgets, Gaming, Mods |
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Guitar Hero robot in action
It's exciting to see this project progressing: first, Joe Bowers sent us his Arduino-based note visualizer (it blinked LEDs in sequence with the game's notes). Now, he's grafted the Guitar Hero controller's board onto it. Joe mentioned having some difficulty sensing notes when the flame effects burst around the fret board. He's had pretty good success sampling the light sensors ten times per second and averaging the values. The bot can play Foghat's Slow Ride on expert mode with 94% accuracy! If this were mine I'd just sit and watch it play all day long.
The third label in this photo made me laugh out loud:
Posted by John Park |
May 11, 2009 08:45 AM
Arduino, Mods, Toys and Games |
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Make a day project
[Photo from Pauric on Flickr]
MAKE Flickr pool member Pauric is treating himself to a nice birthday month of making.
Day 4 of my effort to make a lasting 'heirloom' object everyday for a month; a wooden case for my keyboard to go with the design desk projectFor one month, starting on my birthday, I will make something of lasting value everyday.
One of his projects is another run at the cablebone excess wire organizer, featured by Phillip a few years ago.
By tagging his photos for the project, it makes the work more accessible to the rest of us. If we want to do a similar project, making an heirloom object every day for a week or a month or a year, we can join our photos with his by adopting his tag makeaday. When we use tags on our work, it helps us to create a more effective search system. Other people can find our work more easily, and we can use it for ourselves to find particular photos, videos, links or posts. If you have a Flickr account, you can check out your tag cloud and see what you are into. You can also look at the MAKE Flickr pool's tag cloud as well to see what all of us are into.
Posted by Chris Connors |
May 9, 2009 06:00 AM
DIY Projects, Mods |
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How-To: Make a solar iPod/iPhone charger
Building on the original MintyBoost USB charger kit, this Instructables how-to will walk you through the steps of adding a Lithium Polymer battery pack and small solar cell. The extra capacity and added convenience of solar make this modification a must have for off-grid mobility.
MightyMintyBoost [via Gizmodo]
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
May 7, 2009 03:30 PM
Cellphones, DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, Green, Instructables, Mobile, Mods, Remake, hacks, iPhone, iPod |
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Rubik's Cube and Nintendo controller optic mice
In this vid, Jeri shows off the optic mice she's stuffed into a Rubik's Cube and an old NES controller, bringing the 80s into the 90s, courtesy of the Aughts (or something like that).
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
May 7, 2009 05:30 AM
Computers, Mods |
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Gakken synth guitar mod
YouTuber Startwave's SX-150 guitar is rather excellent -
a quick and terrible demonstration of my modded sx-150. i replaced the original slide thingy with a softpot from trossen robotics and i added an fsr (force sensitive resistor) to control volume or crazy resonance distortion (if the res is switched on). sounds nice, very expressive and fun to play. this is recorded dry, with no fx.The ribbon controller neck looks quite playable - gig-worthy even. This mod is somewhat similar to one featured in the volume of 'Otona No Kogaku' included with the kit. I just wish he demoed a bit more riffing as the little we did hear seemed to hold much potential.
In the Maker Shed:
SX-150 Analog Synthesizer Kit
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
May 5, 2009 03:30 PM
Maker Shed Store, Mods, Music |
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Detailed iPhone themed interface on Google Android
Using a handful of apps available on Android Market, the folks over at hdblog.it have transformed the stock Android interface into a detailed rendition of the iPhone interface complete with slide lock, dock, SMS, and icon themes. It even has a handy interface to change the color of the LED alerts.
hdblog.it (Site is in Italian) [via thebestdigital]
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Apr 29, 2009 12:00 PM
Mobile, Mods, iPhone |
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Cassette player reborn as spring reverb
From the MAKE Flickr pool
Leadtowill posted this detail shot of a rather excellent mod/conversion -
This was a cassette radio. I removed the motor etc and added an input to the amp section of the circuit, mounted a spring and converted the speaker to a driver with a knife - the result is a roomy sounding spring reverb.Quite a few interesting works can be viewed in his Electronic and Microtonal Instruments photo set.
Future additions ---- a filter and feedback section, maybe make use of the radio section as a white noise generator...
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Apr 27, 2009 08:30 AM
Electronics, Mods, Music |
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Star Trek iPhone case mod
Check out this elegantly simple Star Trek iPhone case mod -
A decade-old Star Trek pin with the pin part broken off many years ago. It's been super glued to the back of my iPhone case (not to the iPhone)
Andy C. [via iPhone Savior]
Posted by Adam Flaherty |
Apr 27, 2009 03:30 AM
Mods, iPhone |
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Guitar Hero note visualizer
Joe Bowers sends this in:
I set up an Arduino to read the notes on Guitar Hero and flash an LED to that corresponding note. I used this ambient light sensor, from Sparkfun to read the changes in value on the screen. When something bright flashes in front of it, the Arduino will turn on an LED for as long as that brightness is there.
I love the stands he built to position the sensors in front of each fret on his TV; they're modified plant sprinkler stakes from the hardware store!
Joe's ultimate plan is to have this play Guitar Hero for him.
You can pick up an Arduino Duemilanove, an Adafruit ProtoShield, and a breadboard and jumper wire in the Maker Shed.
Posted by John Park |
Apr 24, 2009 01:00 PM
Arduino, Gaming, Mods |
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The EH umbrella-mobile
In honor of Earth Day, Scott Matthews of Electro-Harmonix digs up an interesting project from the company's early days - a mobile demo/showroom powered by umbrella turbine -
The inside of the truck was actually a small demo space where guitar players could try out the latest Electro-Harmonix gear (that's Mike in the white shirt). The truck drove around the city, randomly picked people up, let them play, and dropped them off. The electricity for the demo space was provided by the wind-powered generator, and the wind was provided by (damn you, First Law of Thermodynamics!) a colossal diesel engine.Still there's always something special about machinery driven by an umbrella rotary - and it's a cleverly kooky way to raise some energy awareness. Bob Myer, the original engineer of the project, was recently asked to join his town's 'Green' committee. After deciding to pull the generator out of storage, he was pleased to find it fully functional. Read more on the EHX blog.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Apr 22, 2009 04:00 AM
Green, Mods, Music |
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USB tape drive
From the MAKE Flickr pool
Alan from Hacked Gadgets has a clever way of repurposing a video cassette tape. This is a pretty good project, and he has a nice cave setup, too. His video shows what the project does, and he does a decent job explaining the reasons and theory behind the build.
This project turns a old VHS Tape into a USB storage drive. It looks like a normal VHS cassette tape except for the USB cable that sticks out of the shell. All of the project guts are hiding in the areas around the clear windows so that when you have a quick look at the front of the tape all seems normal. When plugged into a computer the VHS Tape Storage Drive will act as a normal USB drive except when the drive is accessed the tape reel will turn and the windows will light up. This will keep at least one of my VHS tapes out of the landfill.
In his Flickr set, you can see lots of the details and steps.
After you have converted your VCR into a cat feeder like John Park or James Larsson in MAKE, Volume 03, you might have a few extra tapes on your hands, so this is just one of the zillions of ideas we will need for all those surplus video cassettes.
Posted by Chris Connors |
Apr 21, 2009 06:00 AM
Computers, DIY Projects, Electronics, How it's made, Mods, hacks |
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Alcohol controlled Gakken SX-150
Zeni sent me this really interesting, and amusing, hack of the Gakken SX-150 from the Maker Shed. Just remember to, drink, mod, and create music, responsibly!
I've made a modification to the Gakken Analog Synthesizer SX-150. The interface for making sound with the original SX-150 is with a small stylus. I've added another interface (there is a selector for switching between the two interfaces) so that it is possible to control the SX-150 through alcohol. There is a sensor that is attached to the SX-150 that is sensitive to alcohol. You can either put the sensor near a source of alcohol or if you just drank alcohol, you can just breath on it. The sound is altered depending on the alcohol level.
Mores about the Alcohol controlled Gakken SX-15
In the Maker Shed:
Gakken SX-150 Analog Synthesizer Kit
More about Collin's review of the Gakken analog synth kit
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Apr 15, 2009 02:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Maker Shed Store, Mods, Music |
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Out of this world Wall-E casemod machinery
Another one of those jaw-dropping casemods found on a Russian modder's site. This one is a Wall-E case, cut and milled entirely out of sheet metal. Dozens of pictures detail the build process. The fabrication is so beautiful, I almost wish he hadn't painted it. Stunning.
Russian Wall-E Case Mod [Via Serge on the HacDC elist]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Apr 9, 2009 12:00 PM
DIY Projects, Mods |
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Snow White and the Apple
Brilliant. Although Eve would probably make even more sense.
Bookofjoe [via Evil Mad Scientist Labs' Twitter feed]
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Mar 31, 2009 05:30 AM
Mods |
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Bent Buddha Machine
I love the Buddha Machine, the ambient sound generator with a Buddha inside every byte. Modulator Mike bent his box to add a pitch control and a light-dependent resistor theremin control. I'd love to hear what this sounds like.
BTW: I discovered that there's a Buddha Machine iPhone app. It's $4, tho. Too much for my apps budget.
Mike's The Magic Mess circuit bending site (which doesn't have anything on this project yet).
More:
Buddha machine
DIY Buddha Machine
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Mar 16, 2009 11:00 AM
Mods, Music |
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Maker Shed weekly wrap-up
It was another fun week in the Maker Shed. We managed to sneak in a few builds even though we spend the early part of the week at the 2009 NYC Toy Fair. Next week I am going to continue my How-To Tuesday series on programming the Arduino [part1, part2] and we will feature more new products in the Maker Shed.
The week started out with a quick video build of the Aurorarium by Gakken. It's a really easy to build kit that puts on an interesting light show.
Create your own aurora-like effects with this awesome device. Leave the cone on and enjoy the soft changing lights, or fill the tray with water and see the amazing aurora lights on your wall or ceiling. Instructions are in Japanese but features highly detailed assembly pictures, sorry no English translation at this time. Easy to build.
In the Maker Shed: Gakken's Aurorarium
Later in the week I did a video build of Gakken's EX-150 Electronic Experimental Kit in honor of Alessandro Volta. This is by far my favorite electronics learning kit. It features 150 fun and educational experiments.
The Gakken EX-150 kit is a series of educational electronics kits produced by Gakken in the late 1970s. The kits use denshi blocks (also known as electronic blocks) to allow electronics experiments to be performed easily and safely. Over 25 years after its original release, one of the main kits from the series was reissued in Japan in 2002 and now you can get it here! Instruction Manual Included is in Japanese. English PDF Instructions available.
Subscribe to the MAKE podcast | Download for iTunes
More about Alessandro Volta & the EX-150
Next we checked out one of the modified Maker's Notebooks that I had in my studio. I couldn't decide on what stickers to use so I added an LCD and displayed them all!
Put your own ideas, diagrams, calculations & notes down in these 150 pages of engineering graph paper. We've also included 20 bonus pages of reference material, from useful stuff like electronics symbols, resistor codes, weights and measures, basic conversions and more, to really useful stuff like the amount of caffeine in different caffeinated beverages and how to say "Hello, World!" in various computer languages. The covers of this hardcover book are printed in cyan "Maker" blue with a white grid debossed front and back. Grab one today!
More about Modifying the Maker's Notebook
I wrapped the week up by checking out the Thing-a-ma Kit. It's a really cool DIY synthesizer that I can't wait to build and customize.
Make, mod, hack, and bend your own analog noise monster! The Thing-a-ma Kit is a DIY analog synthesizer that you control in a different way. The amount of light falling on its photocell eyes change the pitch and modulation, allowing to you use it LEDacles, or any changing light source, to created audio madness! If none are in stock, take note, more are on the way!
In the Maker Shed: Thing-a-ma Kit
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 22, 2009 07:31 AM
Arts, DIY Projects, Electronics, Maker Shed Store, Mods, Music |
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Modifying the Maker's Notebook
What do you do if you can't decide which stickers to put on your Maker's Notebook? You could always add an LCD to the cover and display all of them in a digital slide show. That's what I did. However, there is a problem with this plan. The electronics took up all the space inside so I had nowhere to sketch out my new ideas. Luckily, I ordered a few extra!
Put your own ideas, diagrams, calculations & notes down in these 150 pages of engineering graph paper. We've also included 20 bonus pages of reference material, from useful stuff like electronics symbols, resistor codes, weights and measures, basic conversions and more, to really useful stuff like the amount of caffeine in different caffeinated beverages and how to say "Hello, World!" in various computer languages. The covers of this hardcover book are printed in cyan "Maker" blue with a white grid debossed front and back. Grab one today!
In the Maker Shed:
Pick up The Maker's Notebook for all your big ideas, diagrams, patterns, etc. Exclusive to the Maker Shed: Sticker sheets and a band closure to customize your book.
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 19, 2009 11:20 AM
Maker Shed Store, Mods |
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Winners of the The SPEAK VISUAL™ Contest at the NVIDIA® Modification Station with MAKE
NVIDIA® teamed up with MAKE and created the "Modification Station" a special section on MAKE that celebrates "SPEAK VISUAL" - from PC mods to amazing motion graphics this section had some of the best collections of amazing mods and visuals. For the contest any maker who had an amazing PC mod, gamer station or PC hardware creation, or cool graphics they created could win amazing prizes -- from a new computer to the latest graphics cards from NVIDIA to books from MAKE! And... here are the winners! Over 378 entries total! We will be contacting all the winners shortly.
Grand prize
Deja 2.0, by Mr.Red. Prize: Digital Storm PC!, Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHZ (Quad Core) processor, ASUS P6T Deluxe (Intel X58 Chipset) motherboard, 3GB DDR3 1333MHz Corsair memory, 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache, 7200 RPM, SATA) hard drive, NVIDIA GeForice GTX 280 1GB video card.
Runners up
All runners up will receive: BFG GeForce GTX 260 OC MAXCORE graphics card combines the power of 24 more processing cores (versus the standard GTX 260) with BFG's out-of-the-box overclocking to rip through DirectX 10 games at blazing fast frame rates and enable realistic physical motion and massively destructible environments with NVIDIA’s new PhysX technology. This graphics card delivers an amazing visual computing experience you have to see to believe.
Book winners
Building The Perfect PC 2nd Edition - Regardless of your technical experience, Building the Perfect PC will guide you through the entire process of building or upgrading your own computer. You'll use the latest top-quality components, including Intel's Core 2 Duo and more. And you'll know exactly what's under the hood and how to fix or upgrade your PC.
Make Projects: Small Form Factor PCs is the only book available that shows you how to build small-form-factor PCs -- from kits and from scratch -- Included in the book are projects for building personal video recorders, versatile wireless access points, digital audio jukeboxes, portable firewalls, and much more. This book shows you how to build eight different systems, from the shoebox-sized Shuttle system down to the stick-of-gum-sized gumstix.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 12, 2009 08:30 AM
Announcements, Computers, Mods |
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Flashback: Mod Your Rod
Straight out of the 2005 archives, the Mod Your Rod special section in MAKE Volume 03 has got to be one of my favorites of all time. The section opener folds out to reveal the cool illustration above (by the super-talented Nik Schultz).
James Bond depended on Q to trick out his cars. But with MAKE's guide to car hacking, you'll learn how to turn your ride into a fully loaded, grease-eating, MP3-blasting, wi-fi transmitting monster machine.
The five projects in this section:
HACKABLE PLATFORM ON WHEELS: Damien Stolarz teaches you how to install a computer and a relay box for throwing switches to control almost every component in your car, from the power windows to the engine, even when you're not in it. (Plus, read how Matt Turner installed a Mac mini in his VW to make the Macswagen.)
UBER TESTER: Dave Mathews walks you through making your own 9V-powered, handheld, 4-in-1 car wiring diagnostic system.
STOMPBOX MOBILE HOTSPOT: Tor Amundson offers up step-by-steps on turning your car into a wi-fi hotspot and then takes it further to use GPS and webcam input to map your location online and auto-generate a photo travelog.
MAKING BIODIESEL: Rob Elam shares the best way to learn how to make your own backyard biodiesel, starting with a one-liter batch.
HARDWIRED IPOD: Cut the static by connecting your iPod to your stereo's aux jack. Damien Stolarz shows you how.
Granted, technology has naturally progressed over the past 4 years, so some of the tech used in these projects may be outdated, but you should be able to easily figure out what current components to use in place of the older hardware. How would you re-MAKE any of these projects today, 4 years after this issue was released? Let us know!
If you don't have this classic back issue, you can pick one up at the Maker Shed. Volume 03 also features everyone's favorite projects: the VCR cat feeder, the Night Lighter 36 spud gun, the Haunted House Controller, and more.
In the Maker Shed:
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Feb 11, 2009 06:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Mobile, Mods, iPod |
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MAKE Labs: USB Mods from Volume 17
MAKE Volume 17 just got shipped off to the printer this week, and one of the DIY builds that the interns had a lot of fun with was the "USB Key Makeovers" project by Brian Nadel. They made about a half a dozen different designs and the one pictured above is my fave. Love the idea of embedding the USB key in a fat marker often used for graffiti. This is intellectual graffiti!
There are a bunch of great USB mods on the MAKE Flickr pool too. Here are 4 fun ones, starting with the toy car by deeveepix:
Bomberminne by "David at the Klockarp Institute":
A well-done lipstick case mod by Divine Harvester:
And sweet simple Plasti Dip dipped mod by mushmouth26:
MAKE 17 hits newsstands on March 10th! Subscribe now and get it delivered in your mailbox.
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Feb 5, 2009 06:00 PM
Gadgets, Mods |
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Magnetic drum system can teach you how to play it
"FielDrum" is an acoustic drum built with a system of magnets that pull the performer's hits so that they complete the correct drumming motion. Imagine if you were learning to play and your instructor was always there, guiding your hits to the correct location on the drum. The system emulates this sensation through controlled magnetism. Pretty interesting concept, although don't expect it to show up in Rock Band anytime soon.
Graham Grindlay Projects via Architectradure
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Jan 28, 2009 04:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Mods, Music |
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The SPEAK VISUAL™ Contest at the NVIDIA® Modification Station with MAKE
Ok gang, if you haven't seen this yet - here is our MODDING and ART contest! The SPEAK VISUAL™ Contest at the NVIDIA® Modification Station with MAKE!
DEADLINE IS JANUARY 25, 2009 - you have a few days left to enter!!
Do you SPEAK VISUALTM? - Speak in pictures, movies, games and maps - with a graphics processor from NVIDIA® you can speak the one language that never needs translation - NVIDIA® has teamed up with MAKE and created the "Modification Station" a special section on MAKE that celebrates "SPEAK VISUALTM" - from PC mods to amazing motion graphics this section will have some of the most amazing mods and visuals you've ever experienced. But that's not all - together, NVIDIA® and MAKE bring you the "SPEAK VISUALTM" contest. If you're a Maker who has an amazing PC mod, gamer station or PC hardware creation you can win amazing prizes -- from a new computer to the latest graphics cards from NVIDIA®. Not a PC modder? That's ok, if you do motion graphics, data visualization or anything that uses a graphics processor to bring your imagination to life you can enter too!
Read full story
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 23, 2009 12:01 AM
Announcements, Mods |
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Scrabble keyboard
Scrabble keyboard via Giz. Datamancer writes -
This keyboard was commissioned by a couple of friends of mine from back east (NJ) who are avid Scrabble players. Most of the keys are made from real Scrabble tiles that were all hand-beveled (truly an exercise in patience/masochism!) and built onto a USB, clicky, mechanical-switch keyboard. This keyboard was going into a Mac environment so I decided to use brushed aluminum for the casing and round all of the corners to keep with the sleek, simple Macintosh styling. Near the end of the build, I decided that the keyboard looked a little too minimalist so I added some silver hardware and a seam to put a slightly industrialized twist on the design.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 17, 2009 08:38 PM
Arts, Computers, Mods |
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Benheck's PC Mod Pick of the Day - Max PC (featuring the Hulk)
Today's mod pic is the animated Hulk PC mod that advertises Maximum PC. Instead of being a modded case, it's more like the guts of a computer that got caught in an action sequence. Most of the pictures of construction are embedded in a Flash, so it's hard to use them here, but I'll still talk about what's so cool in this project after the break.
Read full story
Posted by Benjamin J. Heckendorn |
Jan 16, 2009 04:27 AM
Computers, Mods |
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Retro mini-media center
Thomas sent us a link to his Retro mini-media center build. Coming from a product design and model making background, I can really appreciate the work that went into this amazing PC enclosure. Thomas did a great job documenting everything from the initial sketches to the details of the build process. Thanks Thomas!
This is a mini site I put together for my Final Major Project in BA (Hons) Modelmaking for Design and Media which I did at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth. I have included materials which show most of the process I went through from the design sketches to the final product.
More about this amazing Retro mini-media center
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Jan 16, 2009 01:00 AM
Arts, Computers, DIY Projects, Mods |
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Hydrogen steam rocket
Steampunk maker Professor Fzz rebuilt a hydrogen/oxygen rocket kit into a thing of Victorian era beauty. He used a 12V 3.3Ah lead-acid battery to generate the hydrogen, and built a control system to monitor battery charge and fire the rocket. He also built his own spark igniter from a voltage generator, and constructed a lovely copper-pipe lanuchpad. Gorgeous work.
Posted by John Park |
Jan 15, 2009 05:00 PM
Flying, Mods, Retro, Toys and Games |
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Prizes and more!
One lucky modder will win a Digital Storm PC!
- Intel Core i7 920 2.66GHZ (Quad Core) processor
- ASUS P6T Deluxe (Intel X58 Chipset) motherboard
- 3GB DDR3 1333MHz Corsair memory
- 500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache, 7200 RPM, SATA) hard drive
- NVIDIA GeForice GTX 280 1GB video card
- Read more for complete specs!
5 runners up with win the BFG GeForce GTX 260 OC MAXCORE graphics card combines the power of 24 more processing cores (versus the standard GTX 260) with BFG's out-of-the-box overclocking to rip through DirectX 10 games at blazing fast frame rates and enable realistic physical motion and massively destructible environments with NVIDIA’s new PhysX technology. This graphics card delivers an amazing visual computing experience you have to see to believe. Check out the specs and more here...
We'll be giving away 10 copies total of two great PC modding books from MAKE!
Building The Perfect PC 2nd Edition - Regardless of your technical experience, Building the Perfect PC will guide you through the entire process of building or upgrading your own computer. You'll use the latest top-quality components, including Intel's Core 2 Duo and more. And you'll know exactly what's under the hood and how to fix or upgrade your PC.
Make Projects: Small Form Factor PCs is the only book available that shows you how to build small-form-factor PCs -- from kits and from scratch -- Included in the book are projects for building personal video recorders, versatile wireless access points, digital audio jukeboxes, portable firewalls, and much more. This book shows you how to build eight different systems, from the shoebox-sized Shuttle system down to the stick-of-gum-sized gumstix.
How to enter the contest!
There are many ways to enter this contest, remember it doesn't need to be a MASSIVE PC mod it can also be some cool graphics you've created that run great on a graphics processor. If it speaks visually, you're golden.
Enter individual photos, videos and artwork at the follow locations:
- EASIEST WAY -- Flickr: tag your photos with "modificationstation" and also add it to the Make: Flickr photo pool.
- YouTube, Vimeo, blip.tv: tag your videos with "modificationstation".
- Submit your project link via the Make: Submit form.
- Instructables, tag your project with "modificationstation".
- You can also send links to your videos, photos or more to us via email.
Deadline - January 25th, 2009 midnight - PST.
Modders, code poets and artists
Joshua Davis is an artist, designer and technologist. His art has been displayed in museums around the world, inlcuding MoMA. From product design to interactive graphic art, his work is both beautiful and complex. Joshua uses math and chaos to produce art that is unique and ever changing. You can check out an interview with Joshua at NVIDIA's Speak Visual site and also Joshua Davis Studio's site.
www.flickr.com
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Rules & legal mumbo jumbo!
All federal, state, and local taxes on prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. No purchases are necessary; void where prohibited by law.Participants agree to abide by all decisions of Federated Media, MAKE Magazine, NVIDIA, contest co-sponsors, and judges, which shall be final and binding with respect to all issues relating to this contest.
Prize is not transferable and no cash alternative or prize substitution is available. Federated Media, MAKE Magazine, NVIDIA and contest co-sponsors reserve the right to substitute a similar prize of equal or greater value if the prize listed is unavailable for any reason. All potential winners are subject to verification at the discretion of Federated Media, MAKE Magazine, NVIDIA and contest co-sponsors.
Winner agrees that prizes are being provided "as is", and Federated Media, MAKE Magazine, NVIDIA, contest co-sponsor and contest co-sponsors make no warranty, representation or guarantee regarding the prize, including but not limited to its quality, condition, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
MAKE and contest co-sponsors are not responsible for problems including (but not limited to) damaged, incorrect, inaccurate, lost, delayed, or defective entries, or for injury or damage to any computer resulting from participation in this contest. Entries that have been tampered with or altered are void.
MAKE reserves the right to modify, cancel, postpone or end the contest at any time as necessary, at its sole discretion, or to disqualify any participant or winner, at its sole discretion, deemed to have cheated, destroyed, obstructed, or otherwise acted illegally or in bad faith in relation to this contest.
MAKE reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds, in its sole discretion, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules; to be acting in a unethical or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.
By submitting an entry and entering this contest, you represent and warrant that: you are over the age of 18, or entering with the knowledge and permission of your parent or guardian (subject to verification), and that the entry does not contain or incorporate the intellectual property and/or confidential information of any third party.
By submitting an entry and entering this contest, you hereby grant Federated Media, MAKE & NVIDIA a perpetual, irrevocable, sublicenseable, worldwide, royalty free right to publish and distribute your entry for their promotional purposes.
Governing Law: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of the official rules, or the rights of entrants, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the substance laws of the State of California and any applicable laws and regulations of the United States.
Deadline - January 25th, 2009 midnight - PST.
