AIDS may partly be the consequence of an evolutionary accident, said Professor Frank Kirchhoff from the University of Ulm in Germany.
Bachelor Toys
You want it. We got it.
31
Mar
BoxMaker makes any size box template
Published in DIY
Ryan O’Hara writes in about BoxMaker, a postcardware app for making boxes. From the site:
BoxMaker is a little Java application that can generate the outlines for a box to be out of some material with a cutting device (ideally using wood/acrylic on a lasercutter!). You tell it the dimensions of the box (width, height, depth, material width), and it generates a PostScript file with the outlines for the 6 sides of the box. The dimensions are the outside lengths of the box.
Postcardware means the app is free, but you send them a postcard from where you live. How’s that for site metrics!
31
Mar
Carbon fiber draft tower
Published in DIY
Raelx made this absolutely sick draft tower for his keggerator with carbon fiber. DIY alert, however, the guy works for Cannondale, so he’s got primo access to supplies and tools. He includes some nice construction photos, too.
Related:
From the pages of MAKE:
Working with Carbon Fiber - Form, lay up, and cure your own high-performance composites
31
Mar
Carbon fiber draft tower
Published in DIY
Raelx made this absolutely sick draft tower for his keggerator with carbon fiber. DIY alert, however, the guy works for Cannondale, so he’s got primo access to supplies and tools. He includes some nice construction photos, too.
Related:
From the pages of MAKE:
Working with Carbon Fiber - Form, lay up, and cure your own high-performance composites
31
Mar
Temperature-sensitive LED Glowies
Published in DIY
The Glowies use a small microcontroller, but they are really quite simple in both parts and function. The core of the unit is a silicon diode used as a temperature sensor (actually, two of them). These Glowies sense when temperature drops, and it turns blue. If the temperature rises, it turns red. Plus, it’s completely solar powered, so you never have to change the battery. And I used very inexpensive parts, so you can’t get much cheaper!
Color-Changing Hot & Cold LED Glowies
31
Mar
Temperature-sensitive LED Glowies
Published in DIYVia Hack N Mod comes this cool LED project:
The Glowies use a small microcontroller, but they are really quite simple in both parts and function. The core of the unit is a silicon diode used as a temperature sensor (actually, two of them). These Glowies sense when temperature drops, and it turns blue. If the temperature rises, it turns red. Plus, it’s completely solar powered, so you never have to change the battery. And I used very inexpensive parts, so you can’t get much cheaper!
Color-Changing Hot & Cold LED Glowies
31
Mar
Synth schematic collection
Published in DIY
Matrixsynth points out this nice little collection of relatively simple music synthesizer schematics - hmmm, the IR/CV Light Controller looks quite interesting.
Building circuits @ home is a great way to learn about electronics. One doesn’t need to know how every component works at first - it’s a lot of fun to learn by ‘doing’.
Related:
Socratic electronics
In the Maker store:
MAKE:it - Electronic Makers Toolkit
31
Mar
Arduino pocket piano synth - coming soon!
Published in DIY
Coming soon to the Maker store - The Pocket Piano Arduino Shield, from Critter and Guitari -
This is a board for making the Arduino into a portable stand alone music synthesizer. It plugs directly into the Arduino board and provides 25 multiplexed keys (2 full octaves), 4 pots, status LED, reset switch, digital to analog converter IC, and a RCA audio jack. The Arduino board with its powerful AVR processor is more than adequate for a wide range of sound synthesis techniques. We have experimented with simple additive / wave-table synthesis, frequency modulation, ring modulation, sampling, polyphony, various arpeggiators. The whole thing can be powered over the Arduino’s USB port for convenient experimenting.
So very awesome - start planning that cool enclosure design, we’ll keep you posted as to availability.
Related:
Arduinosynth alpha
In the Maker store:
“Critter & Guitari” Cellular Automata Video Synthesizer Kit
31
Mar
Journal of Pyrotechnics
Published in DIY
I just discovered the website for the Journal of Pyrotechnics:
Issues of the Journal of Pyrotechnics [ISSN 1082-3999] appear twice a year. Early issues contained 40 to 50 pages. More recent issues contain 70 to 80 pages printed in 8-1/2×11″ format with medium-sized print. Areas of pyrotechnics addressed include fireworks, pyrotechnic special effects, propellants & rocketry, and civilian pyrotechnics. The Journal is “dedicated to the advancement of pyrotechnics through the sharing of information”. This is accomplished with a mix of different types of articles; however, most fall into two areas. One area is reports on pyrotechnic and fireworks research conducted by both professional scientists and individual experimenters. The other area is reviews of various technical and craft areas of pyrotechnics, some at an advanced level and others at a tutorial level.
At $25-40 per issue, this is clearly an industry-priced publication. PDFs of articles can be bought at .50 per page.
31
Mar
DIY night vision scope
Published in DIY
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool
Member Jiskar built this sweet night vision scope -
Finished nightvision device. XX1080 image intensifier tube @ 10kV, powered by two 9V battery blocks, ccfl inverter and voltage multiplier. All mounted in plumbing pipe. Adapter for pentax lenses. IR flashlight mounted on top for small distance illumination.
Head over to Flickr to see more photos - Night vision scope
Related:
$35 Night vision scope, from a CVS camcorder
Technical details on Spy Gear Night Vision Goggles
31
Mar
New @ MAKE — Make Robotics Workshop: Humanoids
Published in DIY
Nothing says “robot” like an android. So lets make one of our own! This course will take you through the steps of building your own android. You’ll leave with a working, foot tall programmable android! You can use it for kung-fu matches, dancing, stair-climbing or many other events. Only 20 slots available (one or two people max per slot) Humanoid is designed to be remote controlled, but can be used autonomously by adding sensors.
Materials include all parts for one 13″ tall humanoid, an infrared controller, programming software and a bearing head screw driver. Motherboard contains 8 I/O slots for upgrades like Sonar or Bluetooth.
Parts Cost - $399
Lab Fee - $200
You will need to bring a Windows laptop (or Mac/Linux box with a windows emulator). Your laptop must have a 9-pin serial port or a USB port and a USB-to-serial adapter. Attendees might want to bring a variable-speed power-drill or power screwdriver with a 3″ long #0 Phillips head screw bit.
Features:
- April 12, 10-6pm
- April 13, 10-6pm
- Includes lunch both days (specify in order comments if vegetarian)
- Please include you Make Subscriber ID in the comments field at checkout.
- Bring a copy of your printed order confirmation with you as proof of registration.
- San Francisco State University, 19th and Holloway in San Francisco, CA.
- Further details will be emailed to registrants.
More details and sign up here.
31
Mar
April Fools contest
Published in DIY
As you know, tomorrow is April 1st. So be prepared to prank and be pranked. Instructables is running a contest (through the 13th) to find the best in April Fools shenanigans. Check out the entries so far — you might find something worth torturing friends and coworkers with tomorrow.
