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Archive: DIY Projects
February 18, 2009
Arduino sandglass timer
Apparently not satisfied with Arduino's delay() function, Flickr member namaRyo is working on an microcontroller monitored sandglass timer. The Arduino uses an optical interrupter to detect when sand falls through the glass. Once it determines the sand has run out, a servo motor is activated, flipping the sandglass over and resetting it.
An interesting combination of digital and (very) analog technology ... but beyond conceptual art, anyone have a guess as to practical application?
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 18, 2009 06:00 AM
Arduino, DIY Projects |
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February 17, 2009
BUGsound available
Today, we’re excited to announce the availability of BUGsound, BUGsoundthe first of the five BUGmodules we announced last month at CES. With a speaker, microphone, hardware stereo codecs and four 3.5-mm stereo jacks, you can use BUG to build your own portable music player, speakerphone, audio server and more.
Priced at $99 and shipping now, you can buy BUGsound from our store today. We really look forward to seeing what cool apps the community can make with this latest BUGmodule. BUGcommunity member finsprings used the BUGbase, BUGmotion and BUGsound to create phunky, a pretty nifty accelerometer-based sampling app. Check out the video to see it in action.
More information and some videos can be found on the BUGsound product page, and you can download hardware specs and diagrams from our wiki. And jump into the conversation on our IRC channel (#buglabs) to see what others are making as well.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 17, 2009 11:45 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Open source hardware |
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VHS toaster
Instructables user lemonie combined an old VCR with a toaster to make a VCR that toasts, and imprints "VHS" on its toast, too.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Feb 17, 2009 07:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Instructables |
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Rear-Projection TV turned into a multi-touch display
Make Subscriber Dave Vondle let us know about this great project he just posted. He started with a rear projection TV, turned it into a laser light plane-based multi-touch screen, and wrote it up on the IDEO Labs Blog:
Continuing our multi-touch research, we've been working on turning an off-the-shelf rear projection TV into a multi-touch display. This screen has the best width-to-depth ratio of any multitouch system (67" diagonal viewing area and only 16" deep). This is also the first example of hacking a multi-touch system into an off-the-shelf television. The system we settled on uses very few additional components and could potentially be applied to any rear-projection TV.
The system has four IR lasers mounted in the corners. Each laser has a line generator on it (line generators are put on laser-levels to create a line of laser light). The four lasers produce a plane of infrared light across the entire surface of the screen. When a finger intersects this plane of light, the light illuminates it. We have two cameras inside the TV that look at the interior of the screen from the inside. These cameras have filters on them that only allow infrared light through. The cameras see the "blobs" of infrared light and track these points....
IDEO Labs: Rear-Projection TV Turned into a Multi-touch Display
Posted by Brian Jepson |
Feb 17, 2009 05:30 AM
DIY Projects |
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Old school coffee roasting, "La Esencia"
Dave's Coffee in Charlestown, RI, has just shared an old-school coffee roasting technique:
Straight from the mountains of Ecuador, we here at Dave's Coffee recently came across a very old school way of roasting coffee beans...right on the griddle.
They call it, "La Esencia." With a bad ass name like that, how could you go wrong? Coffee, be it Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, or South America, seems to hold the same mystical properties as an elixir to appease the mind. Oh yeah. It's good.So after a recent trip to Ecuador, David and Sandra Lanning (owners of Dave's Coffee and Galapagos) brought back some "green" beans, a molar (a coffee grinder), and a "chuspa" (a special kind of coffee brewer). Pan roasting green beans bought for the farmer's market is a method that has been used for hundreds of years by families all over South America. We decided to give it a go...
Old School Bean Roasting: Part I
Posted by Brian Jepson |
Feb 17, 2009 04:30 AM
DIY Projects |
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How To - DIY ultrasonic rangefinder
Here's a nice recipe for building your own ultrasonic distance sensor - similar to the Parallax Ping, though it requires a bit of software coding to handle timing and measurement -
Everybody knows the speed of the sound in the dry air is around 340 m/s. Send a short ultrasonic pulse at 40 Khz in the air, and try to listen to the echo. Of course you won't hear anything, but with an ultrasonic sensor the back pulse can be detected. If you know the time of the forth & back travel of the ultrasonic wave, you know the distance, divide the distance by two and you know the range from the ultrasonic sensor to the first obstacle in front of it.Schematic and PIC source code are available on the project's page. [via Ladyada's Ranting]Here we use an ultrasonic piezzo transmitter with its receiver, they are very efficient, easy to find and quite cheap.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 17, 2009 04:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics |
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February 16, 2009
Soda can crab
Instructables user chaitanyak shows us how to make a little toy crab from one soda can.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Feb 16, 2009 09:00 PM
DIY Projects, Instructables |
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In the Maker Shed: Gakken's Aurorarium
Gakken's Aurorarium is a fun and easy to build LED light kit available in the Maker Shed. It would be a great first-time project to make with your kids. You don't even need any tools to build the Aurorarium. All you need are (4) AA batteries and a little time for assembly. Check out all the great Gakken kits that we carry in the Maker Shed.
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 kit
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 16, 2009 01:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Kids, Kits, Maker Shed Store |
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Fab labs from QVC
I remember seeing a commercial for the “Cricut” and thinking “wow, this is fablab level equipment!” Instructables member opendous has done inspring work here, by turning a ’sticker machine’ into a professional mylar solderpaste stencil cutter that can do TQFP-scale. You can cut mylar stencils on a laser cutter but I find it requires kerf-tweaking since the mylar melts a little.
I would be -really- interested to see if its possible to make SMT single layer boards using such a device using the ‘fablab’ copper-sheet cutting technique. For $400 I imagine the machine is probably reasonable quality and can have the cutter easily replaced. CNC desktop fabrication is slowly making its way into homes…
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 16, 2009 12:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics |
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February 15, 2009
Maker Shed weekly wrap-up
This was another fun week in the Maker Shed. We started off with our How-to Tuesday: Arduino 101 the button. These Arduino tutorials are getting a lot of positive feedback. Look for a lot more Arduino tutorials in the next few weeks.
Next, I opened up my Designing Automata Kit and checked out what was included. I am really impressed with the quality of the pieces. Now all I have to do is figure out what I am going to build!
The New Designing Automata Kit is great value and fantastic quality. No glue or tools are required, and you will learn about simple mechanics using cams and a crank slider mechanism. Many different designs can be made, and the kit used over and over again. Produced in Thailand using chemical-free rubber wood, from sustainable sources.
On Thursday I featured a build of the Newton's Reflecting Telescope Kit by Gakken. It was a really good learning experience. In fact, now I'm interested in making a DIY reflecting telescope based on this kit. I guess I'll need to add that to my list of things to build!
A neat working replica of Newton's Reflecting Telescope. Features a 10x magnitude. Includes it's own base. Instructions are in Japanese but features highly detailed assembly pictures, sorry no English translation at this time. Easy to build. Made of high impact plastic.
In the Maker Shed:
Make: Arduino
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 15, 2009 01:00 AM
Arduino, DIY Projects, Electronics, Kids, Kits, Maker Shed Store, Science |
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Nora & Torvald - sensor-controlled digital media in custom-designed pieces of furniture
Nora & Torvald - sensor-controlled digital media in custom-designed pieces of furniture...
‘Nora & Torvald’ - By rootoftwo (John Marshall and Cezanne Charles). Birch plywood, Arduino micro-controllers, sensors, speakers, audio. ‘Nora & Torvald’ embeds sensor-controlled digital media in custom-designed pieces of furniture. The starting point of this work is a re-reading of Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” (1879) to explore user-object relationships.
There is a photocell embedded in the seat of the armchair ‘Torvald’. This sends a message when it registers darkness (i.e. when someone sits down). This triggers a randomly selected line of dialogue (one of ten) from the play to be played as audio. There is an accelerometer in the rocking stool ‘Nora’. When she is rocked this triggers a randomly selected line of her dialogue (also one of ten) to be played as audio.
A&D; 5th Annual Faculty Exhibition, Slusser Gallery, 2000 Bonisteel Blvd. 1st floor.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 15, 2009 12:00 AM
Arduino, DIY Projects, Electronics |
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February 14, 2009
HOW TO - Reverse engineer a missile launcher toy's interface
A fairly in-depth technical report by the security researchers at TippingPoint was released on how to reverse engineer the proprietary protocol for controlling a USB missile-launching toy system. They develop an iPhone application to control the device. 'The hardware is coupled with a simple GUI controller written in Delphi (MissileLauncher.exe) and a USB Human Interface Device (HID) interface written in C++ (USBHID.dll). The toys lost their allure within minutes of harassing my team with a barrage of soft missile shots. That same night I thought I would be able to extend the fun factor by coding up a programmatic interface to the launchers in Python. ... One interesting thing is that we have a lot more granular control of the turret movement now than we did with the original GUI. I wrote two simple loops to count the number of possible horizontal and vertical ticks and the results were 947 horizontal and 91 vertical versus 54 and 10 from the original GUI respectively. Granular control allows you to slowly and quietly reposition the turret for stealthy attacks.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 14, 2009 11:00 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Gadgets, Toys and Games |
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February 13, 2009
Super Class A 30W amplifier
I love ogling these crazed homebrewed audio power amps that people build. This one is based on Jean Hiraga's 20W Class-A Amplifier, but it's been tricked out further to become the "Super Class A 30W Amplifier." Check out those monster caps. Those are six 220000 uF capacitors (1.2 Farads!) and (in the center) that's a 500VA potted toroid transformer for the power supply. Even with that significant heat sinking in the back, the sink's still a scorcher, at over 100-degress above room temp.
Construction of a Class-A Amplifier
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Feb 13, 2009 02:00 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Music |
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February 12, 2009
How To - Simple method for blinking LEDs
From the MAKE Flickr pool
Flickr member xmasons shares this easy recipe LED blinkage using a 4060 binary counter chip.
The circuit's low price and part count make it a good choice for adding some pizazz to models and props. Check out Starship Modeler's tutorial and try experimenting with different configurations.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Feb 12, 2009 10:30 AM
DIY Projects, Electronics |
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In the Maker Shed: Newton's Reflecting Telescope Kit
I finally put together my Newton's Reflecting Telescope Kit by Gakken. It was a lot of fun to build and it works great. This kit would be a perfect gift for anyone getting into astronomy. By the time I was finished, I had a really good understanding of how these types of telescopes work.
A neat working replica of Newton's Reflecting Telescope. Features a 10x magnitude. Includes it's own base. Instructions are in Japanese but features highly detailed assembly pictures, sorry no English translation at this time. Easy to build. Made of high impact plastic.
I took a series of pictures of the build to give you an idea of what is involved in making this kit. Keep reading for some tips & tricks on how to build your own.
I love the magazine that is included with the kit. It's in Japanese, but it's still cool to look through. This issue has a few funny pictures, see page 79!Read full storyPosted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 12, 2009 08:00 AM
DIY Projects, Kids, Kits, Maker Shed Store, Science |
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February 11, 2009
Open source hardware club ships Gumstix-based handheld
Open source hardware club ships Gumstix-based handheld - huh, sort of a build to order BugLabs...
An open source hacker community has launched an online store to sell home-made gizmos, including a GPS-equipped baseboard (pictured) for the Linux-ready Gumstix Verdex processor module. GizmoForYou builds custom gadgets according to members suggestions, and sells the open-spec devices online, says the group.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 11, 2009 07:09 PM
DIY Projects, Electronics, Open source hardware |
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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, iPod, Mobile, Mods |
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HOW TO - Make Skittles vodka
Taste the rainbow... HOW TO - Make Skittles vodka! Mix that drink writes...
Infusing vodka with Skittles is a very popular trend right now. There are a couple of different ways to do it. My way involves separating all the Skittles into their separate flavors and making five different bottles of Skittles vodka.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 11, 2009 03:45 PM
Crafts, DIY Projects |
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Designing Automata Kit
Next week I am going to try out the Designing Automata Kit from the Maker Shed. It's a beautifully made kit that seems to have endless possibilities. When I opened the box, I was really surprised at just how many pieces are included in the kit.
The New Designing Automata Kit is great value and fantastic quality. No glue or tools are required, and you will learn about simple mechanics using cams and a crank slider mechanism. Many different designs can be made, and the kit used over and over again. Produced in Thailand using chemical-free rubber wood, from sustainable sources.
Using the kit straight out of the box is going to be a lot of fun. Then again, I wonder how I might add some electrical components to make my Designing Automata Kit really unique.
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 11, 2009 11:21 AM
DIY Projects, Kids, Kits, Maker Shed Store |
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Fun with sticky notes...
If you look around your office space you likely have an abundance of boring papers and sticky notes, but that doesn't mean they need to stay that way. While the sticky note has some very industrial beginnings, it's become a fun art material too...
It was invented by 3M's Art Fry using an adhesive developed by a colleague, Spencer Silver. Until the 1990s, when the patent expired, Post-it notes were only produced in the 3M plant in Cynthiana, Kentucky. Although other companies now produce them, most of the world's Post-it notes are still made in Cynthiana.The name "Post-it" and the canary yellow color are trademarks of 3M. Accepted generic terms for competitors include "sticky notes" or "repositionable" or "repositional notes." 3M manufactures other products related to the Post-it note concept, leveraging the success of the brand. Computerized versions of Post-it notes include 3M's own "Post-it Software Notes," and Apple's "Stickies."
How to make a sticky note Mosaic...
Make a sticky note lamp!
OUTDRA.WS - The most useful DIY post-it note...
Here's a collection of 8-bit art made with colored Post-It Notes...
Sticky note Art Show...
Electronic post-it notes.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Feb 11, 2009 09:00 AM
DIY Projects |
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