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March 1, 2008
DELO watch makes telling time fun again
The DELO watch by Aeolab (Elise Co and Nikita Pashenkov) is the coolest thing to come to boring wrist watches since old school Pac-Man watches from the 80s. Check out the video for some pretty nice time change customization graphics you can set on the prototype.
DELO Watch - Link
Posted by Jonah Brucker-Cohen |
Mar 1, 2008 05:45 AM
Arts, Gadgets |
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February 20, 2008
Pocket (or TV) spelling bee
@The NYC Toy fair 2008 Franklin showed off their new product, a T-Mobile Sidekick looking device called the "Speaking Spelling Bee" - this isn't a DIY/science kit type thing, but I really liked it and it's a unique gadget (and I haven't seen it anywhere else)... You can play it on the go, or plug in to a TV - awhile back there was a big spelling bee phenomenon, maybe we'll see kids playing this in addition to video games (both are fun)...
Features:
- Multi-player Competition mode (up to 6 players), Game Show mode or improve skills in the practice mode
- Request a definition of the word, origin or to have it used in a sentence
- Compete against friends or select to play against the computer
- High-contrast 2" color LCD display
- Clear speech and sound effects
- Compact design with sliding keyboard
- Connects to most TVs
- SD slot and USB connectivity provides expandability
- The Merriam-Webster Intermediate Dictionary with over 70,000 words, the Merriam-Webster Intermediate Thesaurus and the Merriam-Webster Rhyming Dictionary make this handheld a great companion for school work
Useful reading timer
Meant for ages 8 & up. It also comes with Sudoku -- I dunno, I might get one, Apple's Mail client seems to miss some of my spelling mistakes - I'd like to fix that with meat skills.
More:
- Speaking Spelling Bee - Link.
- More photos of Franklin's spelling bee @ Flickr - Link.
- Giant set of NYC Toy fair 2008 photos @ Flickr - Link.
- MAKE's coverage of the NYC Toy Faire 2008 in one place! - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 20, 2008 02:00 PM
Gadgets, Toys and Games |
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February 14, 2008
Handheld 3D scanner
File under "Cool-looking-industrial-devices":
The EXAscan is a handheld 3D laser scanner small enough to fit in a carry-on size suitcase. It uses 3 high resolution cameras in conjunction with a self-positioning target system alleviating any need for external tracking devices during scanning. And on top of all that it looks like special issue starfleet equipment. (and most likely costs about as much.) -Link
Related:
HOW TO - Build your own 3D scanner -Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 14, 2008 03:00 PM
Gadgets |
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The Zygote interactive ball
Zygote Interactive Ball in action at Building Interactive Playgrounds, Italy
ZYGOTE is a lightweight inflated ball, illuminated from within, that responds to pressure applied to its surface. Interacting with the ball is simple: punch it, bounce it, squeeze it, or tap it and the ball's internal LEDs react instantaneously. Dozens of balls released to an energetic audience at a major music concert, transform the environment into a multi-sensorial, interactive playground, actively engaging the crowd in a shared experience. Each ball also can act as both an input and an output device by being networked to a central computer. This allows for more complex interaction, as the crowd can modify the graphics on a screen, make the balls light up in unison, or even affect the music.It'd be interesting to see one of these cross-bred with a reinforced Blubber Bot.
Zygote on Vimeo -Link
Related:
Interactive sound LED sequence paper lantern -Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 14, 2008 02:00 PM
Gadgets |
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Lamp facelift
Rob sent in the latest gadget freak, he writes -
Seeing great potential in a normal, off-the-shelf product, Pete Griffiths designed a circuit he popped into the lamp to give it a new lease of life. His design combines a PIC and three constant current buck converters to create the RGB LED controller. This controller drives the high power 350mA LEDs using PWM to control the LED brightness. By driving the red, green and blue LEDs with varying pulse widths the controller can generate up to 16 million colours using fades, strobe and static effects. Who says you can't give the humble lamp a nip and tuck?Lamp facelift - Link & RGB LED PWM driver.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 14, 2008 09:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets |
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February 12, 2008
LEGO coin sorter
Kevquest writes -
This is a Lego Mindstorms designed Coin Sorter. This sorter will sort a handful of coins dumped into it's separator. The NXT displays how many of each type of coin sorted and the total amount of money sorted.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 12, 2008 07:00 AM
Gadgets, LEGO |
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February 11, 2008
HOW TO - Make "Joy Slippers" - draw with your feet
Plusea shows you how to make slipper that you can "draw with" -
This Instructable will show you how to make a pair of cozy slippers that are designed with two analog inputs each that sense the pressure being weighted from the body on either the toe-ball or the heal of the foot.HOW TO - Make "Joy Slippers" - Link.Later steps in this Instructable will show you how to feed this analog input into your laptop via an Arduino physical computing platform. There are many things that you can do with this input, and I hope to bring out a few interesting applications in the next weeks. This Instructable features a simple drawing application that allows the wearer to control the direction of a line being drawn in real-time and thus draw, using the weight on their feet, in a very simple etch-a-sketch fashion.
Related:
Get an Arduino @ the Maker store - Link.
Visit our Arduino guide! - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 11, 2008 12:00 AM
Arduino, DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, Open source hardware |
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February 10, 2008
Greener gadgets design competition results
The winner looks like a MAKE project, woo! -
The EnerJar took top prize of the design competition—both a favorite of the judges and the crowd at the Greener Gadgets Conference in New York City. The EnerJar is an easy-to-build, DIY device that accurately measures the power draw of electrical appliances. Sitting between any wall outlet and the appliance (think blowdryer versus laptop), the EnerJar helps users gain an understanding of power draw, investing them in the knowlege, and leading them to reduce their electricity use.Greener gadgets design competition results - [via] Link & the gallery!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 10, 2008 02:20 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, Green |
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February 6, 2008
The DIY "net data meter"
From the pages of MAKE - The Net Data Meter - Antique voltmeter displays current air quality from the web. In DIY: Circuits from MAKE: 11: Alt Vehicles page 133 - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 6, 2008 10:00 AM
Computers, DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets |
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February 5, 2008
Antique brain wave synchronizer
One of the first mind machines ever sold commercially, this metal strobe box weighs in at a substantial 15 pounds - a bit heavier than the LED entrainment glasses used today.
One of the first commercially available mind machines came some time later in the late 1950's. Its construction was inspired by reports from radar operators aboard submarines, who found themselves falling into deep, relaxed, trance-like states after staring at flickering radar screens for extended periods. Dr. Sidney Schneider was one of the researchers to analyze these effects, and he went on to create the "Brain Wave Synchronizer".
Hmmmm . . . must . . . re . . make.
Antique mind machines on Mind Update -Link
Related:
HOW TO - Make a mind control hypnosis dream machine -Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 5, 2008 06:02 AM
Electronics, Gadgets |
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February 1, 2008
Greener Gadgets booth tour
Here's a photo set of the booths at Green Gadgets, I took pictures of all the signs so you can read about them (the Nokia ones are interesting) - my two favorites ones were the new Voltaic solar bag (the new Generator one) and the HY mini wind powered charger - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 1, 2008 03:20 PM
Events, Gadgets, Green |
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Truth Detector
The Truth device, by Sean Montgomery:
By measuring changes in skin resistance (similar to a lie detector test) this device can help the wearer know when he is getting closer to the truth. The baseline or "average truth" is displayed via an RGB spectrum on the side leds. When instantaneous skin conductance exceeds the average, letters of the word truth light up to display the extent of the "relative truth".
Hey, why emphasize the negative by making a "lie" detector anyway?
Also, check out one of Sean's earlier projects - the Produce Consume Robot:
Truth device and more - Link
Related:
Lego Lie Detector -Link
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 1, 2008 10:10 AM
Electronics, Gadgets, Robotics, Wearables |
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January 27, 2008
Ybox 2 - Networked set-top box in an Altoids tin
Tarikh and Josh from Uncommon Projects write in about the new Ybox 2 (The ybox2 is the second-generation networked set-top box in an Altoids tin)
Hello friends and YBox enthusiasts! We have some exciting news to share. There is a new YBox on the block--the YBox 2!Ybox 2 - Networked set-top box in an Altoids tin - Link.The YBox made its debut as a quick and dirty prototype for Yahoo's first public Hackday. Then it reappeared as a kit, a series of workshops and a giveaway at last year's SF Maker's Faire. We had a great time sharing the project with folks, and so it's with real glee that we announce the YBox 2.
It was developed by Robert Quattlebaum a developer and classmate from the SF sessions. He's made a number of smart refinements to the project, including getting the cost down by replacing the Xport. Our secret (and admittedly improbable) goal was always to get this thing down to $10, and he managed to shave $50 off the cost with version 2! But there's more than just cost, including a speaker, a status light and countless tweaks. All in all a really exciting evolution. Congrats Robert.
Some of you have written to ask about new kits or to wonder why the wiki has been terrorized with spam. The kits are gone and we don't have time to make more. The good news is that the project continues and you can contact Robert if you'd like to purchase a new board or to download the board files and create your own Ybox 2. We'll work on getting the wiki cleaned up and we send a special thanks to all the folks who have put in countless hours scouring it.
OK that's it for now, happy hacking!
Related:
![Ybox[1]](http://blog.makezine.com/_ybox%5B1%5D.jpg)
YBox in 60 Seconds - Link.
YBOX - turns a TV into a simple, web configurable ... - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 27, 2008 01:00 AM
Altoids and tin cases, DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, Open source hardware |
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January 25, 2008
DIY handheld electronic version of the African board game Mancala
Tim made a DIY handheld electronic version of the African board game Mancala, he writes -
Last summer at our annual family gathering, I learned the African game Mancala from my wife's cousin Danielle. Actually, there are many variations that go by that name, so I learned the one she plays. The basic game is described on Wikipedia, but I don't see a quick link to the rules we're using.DIY handheld electronic version of the African board game Mancala - Link & gallery.I had fun exploring strategies for the game, and ended up proposing three heuristics that I thought could play a pretty good game by themselves, applied mechanically. I wanted to automate them so I could play against them, but never got around to writing the program.
A while later, I pulled out a two-line by 16-character LCD display that I had bought on impulse, and felt like using it for something. And I also wanted to try using the PIC18F series of microcontrollers; I'd used the PIC16F series before, but the 18s are a step up in features and architecture and I wanted to explore them.
It seemed like a fast fun project, and I got the basic form factor up and running in a weekend, and some simple playable UI code in another evening.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2008 09:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets |
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January 24, 2008
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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$20k coffee gadget
This coffee set up costs over $20,000 and looks more like science equipment than a coffee machine. It's in San Fran so I fully expect some makers to stop in and start to play a cheaper DIY version. More @ The NY Times...
The Japanese siphon bar, which makes brewed coffee, at the Blue Bottle Café in San Francisco. The only halogen-powered model in the United States, the siphon bar was imported from Japan at a cost of more than $20,000.The $20,000 Coffee Maker, Step by Step - The New York Times - [via] Link.
Related:
Project: Coffee Roaster. To experience coffee nirvana, roast your own beans with this cheap, portable coffee roaster - Link.
DIY Coffee (PDF) - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 24, 2008 12:00 AM
Gadgets |
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January 23, 2008
Bikestand with airpump
Is it possible to be in love with a bike stand? Yes!
...a bikestand with airpump(Heklucht), type Ypenburg The product has been conceived for an art project in Ypenburg (a newly build neighbourhood in the Netherlands). Eight products will be placed in front of eight houses. The goal of the project is to stimulate an interaction between neighbours, while pumping up the tyres of their bicycles. The hurdle is made out of polished stainless steel. Because of this, it shines like a jewel on the grey pavement.Bikestand with airpump, thanks Patrick! Link.
Related:
Bicycle projects and more @ MAKE - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 23, 2008 10:00 AM
Bicycles, Gadgets |
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| Comments (2)
January 22, 2008
iPod "recycling" speakers
Here's a neat gadget and cool idea for a (re)make, instead of tossing the iPod packaging, use it as a speaker! -
Bird-Electron presents this one and only Recycling Speaker for iPod. The dimension is exactly the same as the plastic package for iPod Nano (1st & 2nd Gen.) and iPod Shuffle (2nd & 3rd Gen.). Simply just place the speaker panel on top of the open box, and plug it into the iPod and play. Bird-Electron's recycling speaker does not require any power source. You can also customize your own recycling speaker with any small container like a water bottle. Easy to install.Bird-Electron EZ17-B iPod Recycling Speaker - EZ17-B - Link.
Related:
Fold-Up Speakers - Link.
Make - Volume 11 - Ball of Sound (DIY: Home) (Page 142) - Link.
Make - Volume 12 - Styrofoam Plate Speaker (DIY: Music) (Page 131) - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 22, 2008 06:00 AM
Gadgets, iPod, Music, Remake |
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January 20, 2008
Phone looks like pack of cigarettes and cell phone jammer that fits inside a pack of cigarettes
This phone was made to look like a pack of smokes and it can also hold a half a pack of cigarettes in the back...- [via] Link.
It could be a nicotine fueled response to the cell jammers (both commercial and DIY) which also fit inside packs of cigarettes too. Pictured above, I believe this one was from "advanced-intelligence" - Link.
And there's the open source hardware version, the WaveBubble - Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 20, 2008 01:00 AM
Cellphones, Culture jamming, Gadgets |
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Eye-Fi - Wireless SD card, might be good for Makers who use Flickr, do projects in their shops and more...
I picked up an Eye-Fi wireless SD card, it's a card with 2GB of storage and it can automatically upload your photos as you take them to your computer and/or services like Flickr. I take a lot of photos in the workshop here of electronics, projects and things for site so I figured this might be worth the $100 price. It usually takes me 10 minutes or so to take an SD card out, transfer photos and then up to 15 minutes or so to upload most of them to Flickr or just keep them on my machine. The packaging is fun, you pul a tab and box slides open, the Wi-Fi SD card has the installation software on it and in less than 5 minutes it was set up and uploading to Flickr and my computer. The software (on my Mac) talks to the card and their web site for configuring it all. I'd like to see more advanced controls for Flickr like titles, tags and disabling privacy settings - but that's all software and web updates so maybe this review will move that along. I'd like to give it an email address so I could send to people, or to blog services like Tumblr.
One of the reasons the Eye-Fi is appealing to is that in the past I've used Kodak's Wi-Fi camera as well as Nikon's but I felt trapped by the way they force you to use their services. Things have changed a bit lately but one of the things I didn't like at the time was that camera manufacturers like to force you to use their weird photo service. The Kodak Wi-Fi camera was fun but it didn't send the photos to Flickr, I needed to do a silly workaround-hack. I think with something like the Eye-Fi you'll always have more choices and as you retire out a camera the Wi-Fi ability is card based, not camera based.
This is a quick 1 hour review, I'll post more as I play around with it. Oh, at Macworld Eye-Fi announced that later this month there will be an update so it works directly with iPhoto. I don't use iPhoto but lots of people do so I'm curious how much better it will be. There are already 40,000+ photos tagged with "Eye-Fi" on Flickr now, they're mostly babies but I suppose worth checking out - Link.
More:
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 20, 2008 12:08 AM
Gadgets, Reviews |
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