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https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/ithacka-boj-challenge/
Ithacka BOJ Challenge
Caleb Kraft
[ "contests" ]
[ "boj", "ithacka", "junk" ]
The NY based hacker group named Ithacka has posted an interesting challenge . Buy a box of junk and build something with it following their guidelines. Document it and submit it for voting.  There are some rules that allow you to use a few pieces that don’t come from the box, but the list is short. They don’t specify what the prize is, but entries must be submitted by August 1st.
18
18
[ { "comment_id": "139001", "author": "Fry-kun", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T21:37:33", "content": "Sounds like fun!Anyone want me in their group? :)", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "139011", "author": "Steve", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T22:29:5...
1,760,377,453.01986
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/sony-removes-ps3-linux-support-gets-sued-for-it/
Sony Removes PS3 Linux Support; Gets Sued For It
Mike Szczys
[ "News", "Rants" ]
[ "class action", "lawsuit", "otheros", "playstation", "ps3", "sony" ]
On April first Sony rolled out new firmware for the PlayStation 3 that removed the ability to install Linux on the system by blocking a feature called OtherOS. Now a class action lawsuit has been filed against the company for its actions. It doesn’t take an attorney to figure out that they removed features that were a major selling point for the system. As mentioned in our previous article , the ability to use an exploit to access the hardware doesn’t mean that every user installing Linux on the system plans to do so. The suit asserts that users had no opportunity to negotiate the System Software Licensing Agreement which is only presented to a purchase after the sale is made. The lawsuit is availble in PDF from from IGN . Who knows where this one will end up. The suit seeks an injunction against the removal of the OtherOS feature as well as compensatory damages. No matter what happens, we still think the removal was a bad move on Sony’s part. [Thanks Shueddue]
85
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[ { "comment_id": "138964", "author": "andrew", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T19:06:52", "content": "It’s true that you don’t usually get to read the license agreement until after to take it home and hook it up but, couldn’t you just return it if you didn’t agree?By the way, I’m just playing devil’s advoca...
1,760,377,453.105543
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/hacking-game-boy-for-sound/
Hacking Game Boy For Sound
Mike Szczys
[ "digital audio hacks", "Nintendo Game Boy Hacks" ]
[ "arduino", "little sound dj", "lsdj", "potentiometer" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…ometer.jpg?w=470
[Gijs] cracked open his Game Boy and added some parts to give him more sound synthesis control. He uses Little Sound Dj (LSDj) , a popular Game Boy program used to pump out those classic 8-bit sounds. The unit seen above and heard in the clip after the break has an added potentiometer and circuit board. He’s got a few other hacked Game Boys on his site as well, including an Arduino generating random music on the handheld. [vimeo=http://vimeo.com/9778795]
8
8
[ { "comment_id": "138956", "author": "Jack", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T18:45:28", "content": "It doesn’t seem like turning the pot changes the music all that much, but it is still pretty cool.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138962", "author":...
1,760,377,452.713224
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/mindstorm-rubiks-solver/
Mindstorm Rubik’s Solver
Mike Szczys
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "cube", "lego", "mindstorm", "rubik's", "solver" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…solver.jpg?w=470
It has been quite a while since we looked in on the world of automated Rubik’s cube solving. [David Gilday] built this one using LEGO Mindstorm parts. It uses a computer to calculate the solutions but unlike the standalone Tilted Twister , this creation can solve more than one type of cube. As long as the physical dimensions are between 5 and 6 centimeters on a side, the machine can solve 2, 3, 4, and 5 piece cubes. [David] wasn’t quite satisfied with that though. He built a separate machine to take care of the 6x6x6 cubes too. See both in action after the break. Want to see more? Don’t miss the CuBear solver developed at Berkeley or the AVR based solver . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWrJdkXp_n4] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xfeTQIOHGw] [Thanks Pieter via Singularity Hub ]
14
14
[ { "comment_id": "138937", "author": "Matt", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T17:33:09", "content": "I just had a pie in the sky idea to try to build a rubik’s cube where the electronics to move the pieces are internally contained and it solves itself without visible connection to anything.", "parent_id"...
1,760,377,453.200219
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/surface-mount-breakout-boards/
Surface Mount Breakout Boards
Mike Szczys
[ "HackIt" ]
[ "breakout board", "prototype", "soic", "surface mount" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…g_0947.jpg?w=800
We got a hold of some DS3232 RTC chips in a 20-pin SOIC package. We’d like to have one that is breadboard compatible for easy prototyping but when we searched for SOIC20W breakout board artwork we found none. We used Eagle to design our own and you can see the finished product above which we made using the toner transfer method and cupric chloride . You’ll find the artwork after the break in case you need to make your own breakout board some day. If you know of surface mount breakout board artwork that is freely available please leave the link in the comments for future use, or send it to us on our tips line and we’ll add it to the post. Incidentally, the DS3232 is the same as the DS3231 used in the ChronoDot but with the addition of some SRAM. We’ll let you know if we come up with an interesting project for it. Update: We added 28 SSOP to DIP artwork submitted by [Paul Dekker] 20-PIN SOIC to DIP 28-pin SSOP to DIP [Thanks Paul Dekker]
22
22
[ { "comment_id": "138923", "author": "aonomus", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T16:30:03", "content": "Its not particularly hard to design or make the breakout boards in Eagle, just drop a generic package and wire pads to header pins. It is however really tricky to squeeze some packages into standard socket...
1,760,377,452.827716
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/chumby-one-becomes-a-3g-router/
Chumby One Becomes A 3g Router
Caleb Kraft
[ "Cellphone Hacks", "home entertainment hacks", "Portable Audio Hacks", "Wireless Hacks" ]
[ "3g", "cellular", "chumby", "pandora" ]
[bunnie] has taken a few moments to show us how to turn our Chumby One into a 3g router . As it turns out, there is an easter egg that allows it to communicate with certain models of 3g dongles. There’s no GUI for this trick, so you’ll be doing most of your configuration via SSH. That shouldn’t be a problem for this crowd though. The Chumby One just got a lot more appealing.
19
18
[ { "comment_id": "138898", "author": "Brad Hein", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T15:11:19", "content": "Nice hack!Is it just me or is there something creepy about the device though. If I woke up to that thing on my bedstand I would be liable to think I was still dreaming about a robot attack haha.", "p...
1,760,377,452.768595
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/29/forget-the-rovio-drive-a-taxi-with-your-mind/
Forget The Rovio, Drive A Taxi With Your Mind.
Caleb Kraft
[ "Toy Hacks", "Transportation Hacks" ]
[ "eeg", "emotiv", "radio controlled", "rc" ]
While browsing through flicker this morning, we spotted this interesting image. Two radio controlled cars hooked to Arduinos. What was going on? What is [knolleary] doing with them? We couldn’t find any information so we clicked through to his personal site. What we found was a quite interesting story about how he set up a race between two taxi cabs being controlled by the Emotiv headsets for the BBC. Yeah, forget driving a Rovio around with your mind . We’re still a bit curious about the two bumper cars in the picture. We can see that his tests were done on a blue radio controlled mini, so what are the bumper cars for? Did any of you catch this on the air? How well did the taxis drive? Was he using the facial expressions or the concentration?
8
8
[ { "comment_id": "138889", "author": "Nick O'Leary", "timestamp": "2010-04-29T14:19:16", "content": "Hi Caleb,The programme (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s5fvq) was focused on whether brain training games have any real effect. But in the whole theme of the show, they had a piece running throug...
1,760,377,452.966725
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/emulating-a-z80-computer-with-an-avr-chip/
Emulating A Z80 Computer With An AVR Chip
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks" ]
[ "ATmega88", "AVR", "z80", "zork" ]
[Sprite_tm] dusted off his assembly skills and managed to emulate a Z80 computer using an AVR ATmega88. He’s using an SD card in place of the floppy and a 128 KB DRAM chip to handle the memory for the emulated machine. An FT232 board gives him terminal access which he uses for input and display. As you can see, the hardware is much simpler than building the original would have been. He makes up for this with complicated firmware. In the end, the emulated core occupies about 2 KB of programming space after he followed the Z80 Propeller project’s idea of dividing the instructions into different modules and using a lookup table to access them.
13
13
[ { "comment_id": "138483", "author": "donov4n", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T17:54:09", "content": "AVR rocks!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138485", "author": "Mikey", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T18:00:48", "content": "Brilliant!I notice ...
1,760,377,452.920105
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/the-wii-golf-glove/
The Wii Golf Glove
Mike Szczys
[ "Musical Hacks" ]
[ "air", "flex sensor", "glove", "guitar", "wii" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…guitar.png?w=800
[Shu Uesugi] is filling a controller void that Nintendo has yet to address. He picked up a golf glove from Target and incorporated it into an air guitar interface . Give the video after the break a chance, you’ll start to see the full potential of this build about three and a half minutes into it. Using an Arduino, a Wii nun-chuck, and his flex-senor adorned glove [Shu] can play individual notes, strum cords, and play around with sound effects such as distortion. So come on Nintendo, the Power Glove was one of your greatest ideas, where’s our 21st century version? I guess we’ll just have to make our own like [Shu] did. Perhaps we’ll even build our flex sensors from scratch . [Thanks Mark]
14
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[ { "comment_id": "138472", "author": "supershwa", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T16:42:39", "content": "Very impressive – flex sensors were an AWESOME idea for this.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138481", "author": "nezoomie", "timestamp": "2...
1,760,377,452.873538
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/lawnmower-converted-to-hoescraper/
Lawnmower Converted To Hoe/scraper
Caleb Kraft
[ "home hacks", "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "hoe", "lawn" ]
[Torx] wrote this instructable on how to convert a lawnmower to another useful tool .  We’re not sure what language he natively speaks, but we doubt it is english, so you might be better off just looking at the pictures to figure out what he’s doing.  To summarize, he has lowered the mower and reversed/bent the blade to scrape the ground. He has also added thick rubber edges all around to try to keep debris from coming out. You might be wondering why he would need something like this, but the last page sums it up pretty well. We could imagine this possibly getting some use in the garden as well. This one does look pretty dangerous though, so don’t blame us if you cut off a hand or lose an eye to some debris. Then again, a regular lawnmower looks pretty dangerous too.
13
13
[ { "comment_id": "138452", "author": "Alex", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T15:29:19", "content": "it’s italian!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138457", "author": "M4CGYV3R", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T15:38:02", "content": "@alexI always wa...
1,760,377,453.156151
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/iee-clock/
IEE Clock
Caleb Kraft
[ "clock hacks" ]
[ "bulb", "clock", "tube" ]
The IEE clock looks somewhat un remarkable at first glance. Upon closer inspection though, you’ll find out that there are 12 light bulbs crammed in there for each digit . The bulbs sit behind a curved lens with the numerals on it. When the appropriate one is lit, it projects the number on the front of the clock. While it isn’t new, it is certainly new to us. It is also interesting that you set the time by rotating the little dial on the top right. While it may be easier to set the time that way, it seems that it would be prone to getting nudged on accident. [via the Hackaday Flickr pool ]
21
20
[ { "comment_id": "138440", "author": "kopfkopfkopfaffe", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T14:50:56", "content": "That switch on the lower right is AWESOME! Custom?", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138441", "author": "Tucker", "timestamp": "2010-04...
1,760,377,453.398573
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/lawnmowerstakeropeanalog-robotic-lawn-service/
Lawnmower+stake+rope=Analog Robotic Lawn Service
Mike Szczys
[ "home hacks", "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "dangerous", "lawn", "mower", "rope" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tNVOhtvPEw] [Kirov], a regular reader and one of our most notorious commenters, tipped us off about this lawn mowing hack . On one hand we’re wary that this is bait for a huge flame war, but on the other hand it’s a hack that brings a smile to our mischievous faces. By pounding a stake into the center of the yard and connecting a mower to it with a piece of rope, [Korey99] has achieve an automated lawn mower. He tied the self-propelled mower’s throttle bar down to make the machine run unattended. There’s no kill switch or any kind of remote control for the lawn mower so we wonder what happens when the rope gets all wound up?
75
50
[ { "comment_id": "138298", "author": "Voice of Wisdom", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T22:10:10", "content": "FailActually a pretty cool hack.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138300", "author": "The Manatee Miltia", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T22:...
1,760,377,454.005018
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/midi-piano-instructor/
Midi Piano Instructor
Caleb Kraft
[ "classic hacks", "digital audio hacks", "home entertainment hacks", "Musical Hacks" ]
[ "midi", "piano" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7AfiCQQ4nE] The MIDI piano instructor is a tool aimed at those who wish to learn to play piano, but don’t want to take lessons. The LED bar mounted above the keys lights up to show you exactly what key to press and when. We’ve seen this available in some electronic keyboards for some time, but this unit would be able to fit any standard sized keyboard.  Check the page for schematics and pictures. [via Flickr ]
18
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[ { "comment_id": "138296", "author": "jamieriddles", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T21:51:24", "content": "Yes, yes we all know this could never replace a real teacher…", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138297", "author": "andar_b", "timestamp": ...
1,760,377,454.107555
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/printable-appendage-with-two-joints-and-integrated-motors/
Printable Appendage With Two Joints And Integrated Motors
Mike Szczys
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "alumide", "gear", "printable" ]
[Kris Reed] developed this robotic appendage as a follow-up to his original prototype . He printed it using Alumide which is a printable material with aluminum dust mixed into it. [Kris’] design utilizes three gear types; large gear, small gear, and worm gear. The motors are mounted on the middle portion of the assembly and offer an elbow and shoulder type of setup that both rotate along the same plane. We’ve got video of the testing after the break. He makes note that the movement is a bit jerky but can be cleaned up with better motor control using PWM. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UstKPkLowdA]
15
15
[ { "comment_id": "138280", "author": "TheDeepFriedBoot", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T20:12:11", "content": "Things are going to become really interesting once 3D printers are capable of producing full robots. Just imagine what 3D printer viruses of the future would be like, you arrive at the workshop th...
1,760,377,453.927336
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/aerial-photography%c2%a0platforms/
Aerial Photography platforms
Mike Szczys
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "helicopter", "photography", "radio controlled", "rc" ]
[Eric Austin] is using a Canon 7D with this RC helicopter to capture some amazing HD video. His success has manifested itself in a company that is now manufacturing these platforms ready-to-use. Take a look at their blog to see some of the hardware they’re working on, such as a tricopter and hexacopter photo platforms. We’ve also embedded a video after the break of the unit seen above and the stunning shots it’s able to grab. [vimeo=http://vimeo.com/10599330] [via Gizmo Watch ]
42
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[ { "comment_id": "138781", "author": "Squirrel", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T22:08:50", "content": "Wow, HaD has already broken double-digits for the number of releases today!Keep up the good Hacking!!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138785", "a...
1,760,377,453.777144
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/mind-controlled-rovio/
Mind Controlled Rovio
Caleb Kraft
[ "Robots Hacks", "Toy Hacks" ]
[ "eeg", "mind", "rovio" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNkkuMO5l7A] [Robert] at Extremetech was going to write a review of the Emotiv EEG headset but found the bundled software lacking. He decided to write something to really show off what could be done with an EEG in your home. He is now controlling his Rovio with his mind . He had already written a new control program for the Rovio, so redoing the same program with the EEG controls would give him a great comparison. If you recall from the mind controlled TV , meditating on a single thought can be cumbersome for quick controls. Instead, he used facial expression recognition. Maybe this should be called “face controlled Rovio” instead.
9
9
[ { "comment_id": "138780", "author": "Josh", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T22:08:10", "content": "I don’t see how he can call it a spy robot either, I have one and it’s pretty loud.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138814", "author": "Needles", ...
1,760,377,454.149302
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/printable-mecanum%c2%a0wheel/
Printable mecanum wheel
Mike Szczys
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "makerbot", "mecanum", "wheel" ]
[Zaggo] developed a printable mecanum wheel . These are designed to allow a wheeled vehicle to move in any direction. He uses parts printed with a Makerbot along with commonly available bearings, bolts, washers, and nuts. Download the STL files need for printing and watch the assembly video after the break. We’ve also included a clip of an unrelated robot project using mecanum wheels so you can see what [Zaggo] will have once he fabricates the rest of the of the wheels. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgrPIcKbykw] [Zaggo’s] assembly process. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmPbLRDwuGY] This robot is unrelated to the project. We’ve posted it as example of mecanum wheels in use.
18
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[ { "comment_id": "138772", "author": "jamieriddles", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T21:07:32", "content": "So that’s what they’re called!Simply amazing.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138773", "author": "glagnar", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T21:0...
1,760,377,453.874567
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/learn-console%c2%a0hacking/
Learn console hacking
Mike Szczys
[ "Nintendo Hacks" ]
[ "n64", "portable", "tutorial", "verbose" ]
This bright red handheld is [Bacteria’s] portable N64 console . We’re beginning to feel a bit saturated with N64 portable hacks, having seen one that looks like a Game Boy , another in a shiny black case , and yet another in a white case . This time around it’s not just the end product, but [Bacteria] has posted a saga discussing the build progress. Check out the 20 videos on his worklog page . If you’re looking to take existing hardware and put it into a different enclosure you should pour over this resource for ideas you can use.
5
5
[ { "comment_id": "138761", "author": "kgrube", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T19:39:38", "content": "I was hoping this would be a picture of a DS. Which is basically an N64.Liiike this:http://bit.ly/b7Pkkm(ok ok ok, it’s not quite the same thing, gimme a berak)", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, ...
1,760,377,453.820864
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/bonfire-interactivity-using-pico-projectors-and-cameras/
Bonfire – Interactivity Using Pico Projectors And Cameras
Mike Szczys
[ "Multitouch Hacks" ]
[ "accelerometer", "camera", "mirror", "projector" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3MZYRAZJNk] This video shows a demonstration of Bonfire, an additional interface for computers. It consists of a pico projector and camera hang on the back of either side of a laptop. The projector displays information on the table top and the camera monitors the area for interaction. It can recognize your hand or objects such as a smartphone or headphones and react accordingly. An accelerometer in the laptop picks up tapping (we’d guess you have to tap pretty hard) and there is also support for gestures. This was presented at 2009 UIST and unfortunately the published article is not available for free [Thanks for the link Ciflet]. We hope to see this kind of thing, as well as skin based input , come to the market some day. Until then, you’ll have to build your own. [via Procrastineering ]
8
8
[ { "comment_id": "138739", "author": "Phil", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T18:17:09", "content": "Good idea, but currently not clean and “ökonom” enought. Fine :) lg phil", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138743", "author": "mrgoogfan", "timesta...
1,760,377,454.191261
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/report-from-esc-silicon-valley-2010/
Report From ESC Silicon Valley 2010
Phil Burgess
[ "Android Hacks", "classic hacks", "cons", "hardware", "iphone hacks", "ipod hacks", "LED Hacks", "Linux Hacks", "News", "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "arm", "beagleboard", "conference", "convention", "embedded", "enigma", "esc", "hexapod", "iphone", "ipod", "led", "lego", "mbed", "microchip", "nxp", "nxt", "robot", "san jose", "silicon valley", "stm", "teardown", "ti", "trade show", "xbee" ]
Ah, the heady aroma of damp engineers! It’s raining in Silicon Valley, where the 2010 Embedded Systems Conference is getting off the ground at San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center. ESC is primarily an industry event. In the past there’s been some lighter fare such as Parallax, Inc. representing the hobbyist market and giant robot giraffes walking the expo. With the economy now turned sour, the show floor lately is just a bit smaller and the focus more businesslike. Still, nestled between components intended to sell by the millions and oscilloscopes costing more than some cars, one can still find a few nifty technology products well within the budget of most Hack a Day readers, along with a few good classic hacks and tech demos… (Is that a promise or a threat?) First order of business was to follow up on a couple of products we’ve covered in the recent past… We reviewed NXP’s mbed prototyping platform in November of last year. While there’s no stunning new revision, the good news is that the mbed community is going strong and economies of scale have made it possible to trim the starter kit price from $99 back down to the original early adopter cost of $59. Additionally, they’ve thrown together a project in just a few days to demonstrate the prototyping ease of the mbed platform. Reading like a checklist of Hack a Day clichés, the demo brings together Twitter , the Logo programming language, live web streaming, servos and an Etch-a-Sketch . You can read more on the mbed blog , or watch the live stream and participate during ESC show hours. We also liked this little breakout board which adds the most essential interfaces to mbed: MicroSD , Ethernet and USB host & client. This was something quickly made for an mbed workshop, and while there are no plans to officially productize it, we’re told the unpopulated board might be available through SparkFun’s BatchPCB service in the future. Many readers were put off by the web-centric development approach used by mbed, as well as the lack of a debugger. Another NXP entry-level evaluation product called the LPCXpresso provides an affordable ARM development kit from a more traditional angle. The $30 LPCXpresso boards are available in Cortex-M0 or -M3 varieties and include an integrated JTAG debugger. The downloadable Windows development environment is based around the Eclipse IDE and GNU toolchain. With headers installed the LPCXpresso is breadboard -friendly and in fact shares the same pinout as mbed, so there’s an existing ecosystem of hardware to work from. STMicroelectronics’ STM8S-Discovery made a huge impact when we mentioned this $7 kit in November , clearing out distributors in a matter of days. At ESC, ST was showing their new ultra-low-power 8- and 32-bit MCUs with demos powered by a cactus (a variation on the classic lemon battery ), a cup of warm water sitting atop a Peltier junction , and a modest induction charger. (What, no wind power ?) A new version on the STM8S-Discovery based on the new lower-power chip should be available within a couple of months, and is expected to be similarly affordable. (Left: the original STM8S kit that created the ruckus. Right: the forthcoming STM8L kit.) At the Texas Instruments booth, the BeagleBoard XM was being demonstrated, which improves upon its predecessor in nearly every regard. We’re told BeagleBoard XM stands for “extra MIPS,” “extra memory,” (and “extra money,” they joked). The XM does not replace the original BeagleBoard, but will be sold alongside it at a premium price of $179 when it ships in June. The XM includes a faster processor (1 GHz), more RAM (512 MB, and a 1GB model may be forthcoming), Ethernet, more USB ports and improved power protection. The NAND flash is gone, replaced by a MicroSD slot on the underside. The new board is slightly larger but retains the same mounting holes, so it may fit as an upgrade into some existing BeagleBoard projects. Microchip’s iPod/iPhone accessory development boards that we mentioned last month were on display. Unfortunately it appears one must be signed on with Apple’s “Made for iPod” developer program before these kits can even be ordered from Microchip, which really puts a damper on the fun for anyone who might just want to tinker . Drifting further from product specifics and more into hacks and eye candy… Product teardowns have become a staple of tech culture. “ Zero-day ” and live blog teardowns of new products are particularly exciting. ESC’s gone one better, making a show of ripping into a product (if a rather esoteric one) months before its official release: a high-end Zircon AC wire detector built around a Microchip dsPIC and a bevy of e-field sensors. It’s like engineer pr0n! National Instruments certainly had one of the most entertaining booths at the event. Rather than passively showing dry PowerPoint summaries and monitors running LabVIEW (their graphical programming environment for engineers and scientists), they instead presented physical demos and projects making use of the software. Some serious, others not-so-serious. Hacks! Remember Waterloo Labs’ iPhone-controlled car hack ? There it is! Rather, there it is minus the actual car, but with all the essential parts nicely laid out where we can observe the rig in action. At the other end of the booth, one can challenge “ RockBot ” to a round of Frets on Fire, not unlike prior hacks we’ve seen . Hack a Day readers might be familiar with Digi International for their XBee wireless modules , such as used in Adafruit’s Tweet-a-Watt power monitor. Easily distracted by shiny things, we were initially smitten with this addressable LED matrix wrapped around their booth; not a product, just something to catch peoples’ interest: As it turns out, there’s an added bonus hack behind the hack. Most of Digi’s booth displays could be controlled and monitored using their own custom web apps , so it was a simple matter of walking around with an iPod touch to run the show: At the ARM pavilion, this “ Speedcuber ” was solving Rubik’s cubes in under half a minute. The camera and puzzle-solving logic comes from a Motorola Droid . Commands are issued over Bluetooth to a pair of LEGO Mindstorms NXT controllers to drive the motors that manipulate the cube. Macraigor Systems produces a line of JTAG debuggers…but to be honest, we (and pretty much everyone else passing the booth) nearly missed that fact, as we were all so distracted by their demo application involving one spectacular and elegant Intel hexapod robot : We similarly fanboyed over Cryptography Research’s German Enigma cipher machine , as it was our first time seeing one not under lock and key in a glass museum case: ESC Silicon Valley runs through Thursday, April 29th, and last we checked one could still register for a free exhibits-only pass on the ESC web site.
10
10
[ { "comment_id": "138716", "author": "Bob", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T16:22:22", "content": "Enough trivia. What swag did you get??!!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138727", "author": "SSG Stens", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T17:35:34", "...
1,760,377,454.06025
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/multiple-buttons-and-a-pot-on-one%c2%a0pin/
Multiple Buttons And A Pot On one pin
Mike Szczys
[ "Misc Hacks" ]
[ "adc", "potentiometer", "voltage divider" ]
[Kevin Fodor] shares his method of reading multiple inputs on one pin of a microcontroller. The analog to digital convert function of the microcontroller is used to read a potentiometer but with some careful calculations a resistor network can be built into the circuit that provides a unique voltage value for each button pushed. The only real drawback is that the system cannot read multiple button presses at the same time. Theoretically up to ten momentary push buttons can be used but [Kevin] estimates that only four plus the potentiometer will work reliably. [Thanks Charper]
24
24
[ { "comment_id": "138714", "author": "atrain", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T16:18:06", "content": "Heres a better way of doing it:Use an R-2R network, you can have any number of switches, limited to the accuracy of the ADC and tolerance of the resistors. It also allows multiple button presses etc.Eg: One...
1,760,377,454.250204
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/altair-8800-pc-case-can-emulate-the-original-hardware/
Altair 8800 Pc Case Can Emulate The Original Hardware
Mike Szczys
[ "computer hacks" ]
[ "8800", "altair", "case", "pic" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…c-case.jpg?w=470
The Altair computer is commonly considered the genesis of personal computing and for that reason it has a special place in the hearts of many. [Bob Alexander] brings back the glory of the Altair 8800 plus a lot of added computing power . This PC case houses a Core i5 system but the front panel isn’t just for looks. He designed a PCB and resized an image of the original Altair front panel to end up with a fully functioning control interface. In the demo after the break you’ll see that the buttons can be used for power and reset and the LEDs can show random Altair-like patterns. But the interface can also works in conjunction with an Altair emulator to perfectly mimic the original Altair experience. This is a great way to sidestep the buyer’s remorse one might experience with a standalone kit .
9
9
[ { "comment_id": "138273", "author": "Paul Potter", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T19:28:53", "content": "Pure awesome. Now to check out how he did it.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138294", "author": "BigBubbaX", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T21:...
1,760,377,454.362146
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/update-ir-controlled-lighting/
Update: IR Controlled Lighting
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks", "home hacks" ]
[ "dimmer", "infrared", "ir", "pic", "switch" ]
[Muris] is back with another infrared controlled lighting hack . When we checked in with him last year he was showing off an IR controlled dimmer module . Now he’s back with this device that is CFL friendly. Because standard CFL bulbs are not dimmer compatible he’s adapted the project away from dimming and toward switching. The new design still uses an infrared remote but now it can turn two devices on and off again or toggle between them. Our favorite part of the build is that the PIC based device can learn the codes of whichever remote you choose, rather than having to rely on one specific type of remote.
11
10
[ { "comment_id": "138258", "author": "Brad", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T18:16:08", "content": "People are so lazy and use arduinos for everything, this could have been made much simpler…. wait", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138259", "author":...
1,760,377,454.410905
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/biosphere-lighting/
Biosphere Lighting
Caleb Kraft
[ "home hacks", "LED Hacks" ]
[ "biosphere", "cree", "led", "timer" ]
Sometimes, sitting in a windowless office can drive you crazy. Adding a little bit of life and color can really help. [Gripen40k] did this by building a biosphere . He didn’t have any windows though, so he made an LED light on a PIC based timer. What is interesting is what he did with a thermistor. The Cree LED bulb that he salvaged was going to be submerged in the water, so he had to do some workarounds to keep from over heating the biosphere. Read the project log for more details.
8
8
[ { "comment_id": "138246", "author": "Heatgap/Ho0d0o", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T17:27:21", "content": "This is a fun project that can be applied on a larger scale even for some cool plant displays at home.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138251",...
1,760,377,454.777297
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/26/spinning-ball-of-led-awesomeness/
Spinning Ball Of LED Awesomeness
Caleb Kraft
[ "classic hacks", "LED Hacks" ]
[ "led", "light" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2-tqoyGik] Take a few moments and watch this 3 axis rotating LED light display fire up.  The final effect of being an RGB glowing ball is nice, but we’re fascinated with the structure. There are tons of great detailed pictures of the assembly on the forum thread to feast your eyes on. Just getting power to the LEDs was a feat, he passes their power through 6 slip contacts. Parts were pulled from an old VCR and some old fans. [via HackedGadgets ]
63
50
[ { "comment_id": "138194", "author": "Tom", "timestamp": "2010-04-26T15:08:50", "content": "That’s simply beautiful… Lovely construction too, so as not to fall apart at those speeds…", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138195", "author": "Blinded...
1,760,377,455.179986
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/25/wii-remote-controlled-balancing-wheel-chair/
Wii Remote Controlled Balancing Wheel chair
Mike Szczys
[ "Nintendo Hacks", "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "balance", "pmr", "remote", "segway", "wii" ]
The Personal Mobility Robot (PMR) has a chair for a passenger and balances on two wheels like a Segway. Now the clever folks at the University of Tokyo have added Wii remote control to the platform in a full-sized version of the Segwii . We understand that adding Wiimote control to anything isn’t exactly groundbreaking at this point. That being said, if using stock hardware can increase the quality of the user interface on something like a wheelchair, while decreasing the production cost at the same time, we’re all for it. [Thanks Erico]
10
10
[ { "comment_id": "138094", "author": "nave.notnilc", "timestamp": "2010-04-25T19:18:25", "content": "hmm, probably cheaper than normal wheelchair control interfaces, but probably needs more work on the part of the user in most cases.@cboywow.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": []...
1,760,377,454.688419
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/25/custom-controllers-for-playstation-3/
Custom Controllers For PlayStation 3
Mike Szczys
[ "Playstation Hacks" ]
[ "controller", "mouse", "playstation 3", "ps2", "ps3", "Teensy", "usb" ]
[Matlo] worked out a way to use a PS/2 Keyboard and USB mouse with a PlayStation3 . The hard work is handled by a Teensy board, which is becoming a popular choice with controller hacks . It interfaces with the keyboard and mouse, translates their input, and sends joystick button commands to the PS3. He is limited to mapping the inputs from a PS3 controller but that is still enough options to work beautifully with first person shooters, especially if you’re used to gaming on a PC instead of a console. If you want to give this one a try, head over to the google code page to download the source code .
22
22
[ { "comment_id": "138074", "author": "aw", "timestamp": "2010-04-25T16:59:06", "content": "That’s pretty neat! Didn’t know the PS3 is less picky about the controllers. Sadly the xbox 360 seems quite protected using the controller authentication. So ugly how xbox users need to solder things to a con...
1,760,377,454.98517
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/25/rf-transmission-in-the-9-khz-band/
RF Transmission In The 9 KHz Band
Mike Szczys
[ "News", "Wireless Hacks" ]
[ "coil", "ham", "magnet wire", "radio" ]
[W1VLF] is on a quest to communicate over long distances with a 9 kilohertz transmitter. He built this giant coil with that in mind. A round concrete form was used as a base and wound with magnet wire by hand. We’d recommend building an automated winding device , but this method seems to have worked. Operating at 50 Watts on the air-core coil at 8.97 KHz he was able to pick up the signal at a distance of 5 kilometers. It’s not breaking any overall distance or portability records, but on a project like this the quest is where the fun is at. [Thanks Drone]
31
31
[ { "comment_id": "138069", "author": "Alan", "timestamp": "2010-04-25T16:22:46", "content": "Nice. I’m not so much interested in radio, but thanks for taking all the photos and posting them.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138071", "author": ...
1,760,377,454.926298
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/puppet-circuits/
Puppet Circuits
Caleb Kraft
[ "classic hacks", "Robots Hacks", "Toy Hacks", "Wearable Hacks" ]
[ "animatronics", "puppets" ]
This isn’t a specific project, so much as a pointer to a budding new site. Puppet Circuits is the project of [Raphael Abrams], one of the co founders of NYC Resistor . As you can probably guess, he has been posting about the circuits he uses in his animatronic puppets. I faces all kinds of problems since may of the systems are to be worn and have to endure some pretty rough treatment and still perform well. Very interesting stuff to read about.
6
6
[ { "comment_id": "138693", "author": "andrew", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T15:12:40", "content": "I faces spealing probmels too", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138700", "author": "thlipsis", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T15:28:54", "content":...
1,760,377,454.732775
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/rfid-immobiliser/
RFID Immobiliser
Caleb Kraft
[ "classic hacks", "Security Hacks" ]
[ "car", "rfid", "security" ]
[andrew_h] has put together this slick anti theft device for his car. The RFID immobiliser is used to keep the car from starting unless you swipe an RFID tag. Depending on how well you hide it, and how well the person stealing the car knows you, they would have no reason to suspect that they have to swipe the tag. Even if someone steals the car while it is already running, they won’t be able to re start the engine if they shut it off. As usual, schematics and PCBs are available.
27
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[ { "comment_id": "138673", "author": "miguel", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T14:07:57", "content": "how realiable is this? i mean let’s say youre out on the road and the car dies and you need to restart it and then it just doesnt start…", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { ...
1,760,377,455.047322
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/hackaday-links-april-28-2010/
Hackaday Links: April 28, 2010
Mike Szczys
[ "Hackaday links" ]
[ "case", "gamepad", "helicopter", "shiftbrite", "surf" ]
Cell phone chopper control Control your tiny inexpensive helicopter with a Nokia N900 . The chopper uses an infrared remote control, just like a television. Getting this to work was just a matter of figuring out the IR commands and writing an app for the phone to spit them out. Fade to black; inconspicuously Lost interest in your TV-B-Gone? Give it one last whirl by throwing it inside of an old iPod case. The dock connector hole is just about the right size for the LEDs and the kit fits nicely in the old 3G type iPods. With this kind of disguise it should be a lot harder to spot who’s messing with those TVs. Surf your way to a cleaner house This guy uses a roomba to clean his floors. The Wii balance board lets him lean forward and back to surf the little bot around the room . This seems a little more exciting than the exercise programs the board was originally designed for. [Thanks DXR] G1 gamepad [Tobias Weber] built a gamepad for the G1 Android phone. He used an old Atari control, cut out two buttons and the d-pad, and glued them in a housing to fit the G1 keyboard. Each presses a button on the phone’s keyboard which can be mapped through the emulator software. Social power monitoring Here you see a very small portion of the power meter installed in a Cafe at UC Berkeley. It shows the energy usage for the building, separated into categories such as lights, power outlets, and coffee machines. This lets students know how much juice they’re draining by plugging in their gadgets. The color bar uses 93 ShiftBrite modules controlled by an Arduino.
12
12
[ { "comment_id": "138665", "author": "zigzagjoe", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T13:08:06", "content": "Gamepad link is for roomba.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138667", "author": "James", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T13:37:13", "content": "...
1,760,377,455.102737
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/28/part-arcade-part-guitar/
Part Arcade, Part Guitar
Jakob Griffith
[ "digital audio hacks" ]
[ "8bit", "arcade", "guitar", "music", "play", "sound" ]
Finally a guitar that all of the arcade gaming geeks can jam with. [Mike Davenport] sent us his 8bit arcade based guitar for his senior project. Details are a little sparse if you intend to build you own at the moment, but he does mention the basics: such as it uses an FPGA for logic and function, the strings and joystick modify pitch, it has selectable waves and other parameters, and even includes save banks! Check out a video of him playing street fighter rocking out after the break. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMh4YndbzHU&feature=player_embedded%5D
11
11
[ { "comment_id": "138654", "author": "mixadj", "timestamp": "2010-04-28T12:30:35", "content": "This is amazing…..love the addition of pots in the place of strings.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138668", "author": "SlurmMcKenzie", "times...
1,760,377,455.224832
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/i-am-root-alex-ereader/
I Am Root! – Alex EReader
Mike Szczys
[ "Android Hacks", "handhelds hacks" ]
[ "alex", "android", "ereader", "root", "rooted" ]
The Alex eReader has been rooted . This little handheld was the belle of the ball at CES 2010 when it came to eReaders. Now that is has been released into the wild it takes its place next to the heavy hitters that have already seen root access . If you’re unfamiliar, this device boasts a six-inch e-ink display and a 320×240 LCD touchscreen interface. Now that you can make it do your bidding, what are your plans for the $350 tablet? Let us know in the comments. [Thanks Richard]
20
20
[ { "comment_id": "138515", "author": "Dennis Booth", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T20:27:24", "content": "This looks like a good start for a Filetopia chat terminal !http://bomarc.org", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "138522", "author": "ghosty", ...
1,760,377,455.280825
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/apod-an-update/
Apod, An Update
Caleb Kraft
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "apod", "hexapod", "phoenix" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDaNkff5Yyg] Apod walks !  If you recall, last year we discovered Apod , the creepy lifelike hexapod creation made by [Zenta]. At that point in time, it basically just shifted around nicely but didn’t do much walking. Well, [Zenta] has been hard at work since then and now Apod is fully active, walking, running, and serving drinks with smooth motion. Want to learn more about how his inverse kinematics work? Check out this thread . [thanks Weaz]
33
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[ { "comment_id": "138502", "author": "NEW ORLEANS COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T19:20:40", "content": "It seems pretty cool, can someone tell me what makes this so different than stuff they have in Hollywood or at NASA?", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] },...
1,760,377,455.443656
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/27/40-msps-digital-oscilloscope/
40 MSPS Digital Oscilloscope
Mike Szczys
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "atmega162", "cpld", "oscilloscope" ]
If you can fabricate single-sided circuit boards at home you can build this digital oscilloscope . It uses mostly through-hole components with just a couple of surface mount chips to contend with. An ATmega162 handles the hardware end of things with a CPLD used to manage the sampling rate. Data is displayed on a 240×128 LCD display which will be the most expensive component to acquire. It’s still a lot cheaper than buying a commercially available oscilloscope, even if you get a base model and hack it to unlock all the features . [Thanks Juan]
15
15
[ { "comment_id": "138487", "author": "lurker", "timestamp": "2010-04-27T18:11:57", "content": "Cool project, but the link is wrong – It goes to his monitor tester (which is equally useful)…http://www.eosystems.ro/eoscope/eoscope_en.htm", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, ...
1,760,377,455.335454
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/24/rendering-and-blendering-in-a-file-cabinet/
Rendering And Blendering In A File Cabinet
Mike Szczys
[ "computer hacks" ]
[ "blender", "farm", "file cabinet", "render" ]
The Blender Foundation has just received a new render farm . It came in the form of a four-drawer file cabinet something akin to the popular Ikea clusters . Each draw holds four motherboards, power supplies, and hard drives and the whole cabinet will eventually add up to a 16-node cluster. Join in on the geeky excitement by watching the delivery and unpacking video after the break. We love it when organizations share the details on the hardware they use. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eWJs9pygwU]
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[ { "comment_id": "137913", "author": "Jb2kred", "timestamp": "2010-04-24T20:04:06", "content": "wow, i mean wow if i had the money and time i would build a farm like that and i love the color", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137927", "author":...
1,760,377,455.54139
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/24/apple-iie-twitter-ticker/
Apple IIe Twitter ticker
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks" ]
[ "apple iie", "ftdi", "twitter" ]
A hand input bootloader and a custom communications protocol are what bring the Apple IIe Twitter ticker to life . [Chris Yerga] bought the decades-old machine for $20 at a flea market. Having just completed his TweetWall he decided to adapt the idea for the 1 MHz machine. He manually input a 50 byte bootloader that would let him dump programs into memory via the joystick port. From there he rigged up a connection with a USB FTDI cable . Now the images and text are processed by a modern-day machine and fed to the Apple IIe at 3600 baud. See this in action after the break. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j622EyPX6lM]
18
18
[ { "comment_id": "137887", "author": "M4CGYV3R", "timestamp": "2010-04-24T15:19:42", "content": "Wow. It’s hard to imagine that the 1/4″ PIC chip I’m working on now runs 48 times faster than that whole huge computer, and probably supports more functions.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "...
1,760,377,455.594211
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/23/driving-the-car-without-going-anywhere/
Driving The Car Without Going Anywhere
Mike Szczys
[ "home entertainment hacks", "Transportation Hacks" ]
[ "canbus", "controller", "odb-ii", "video game", "vw" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAZSPK4pWc] This video game controller is a factory fresh VW. Much like the racing simulator from earlier in the week , the video game data is being displayed on the instrument panel. This takes us to a much higher level now because control for the game is taken from the car’s CANbus using and ODB-II connector. If you don’t speak in automotive jargon, that means that the sensor readings from the steering wheel, shifter, and pedals are being picked up and exported as joystick commands to the PC running the driving game. The only place the experience uses a substitute for the real thing is the sound, which is being played through speakers instead of emanating from under the hood. Looks like you just need to add a projector and screen to your garage in order to turn it into the hottest new gaming device.
34
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[ { "comment_id": "137763", "author": "Anonymous", "timestamp": "2010-04-23T20:12:51", "content": "Pretty neat, just needs a hood speaker, 360 degree screening and force feedback.Lol", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137768", "author": "Mike Don...
1,760,377,455.737598
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/23/playstation-2-controller-to-psp-adapter/
Playstation 2 Controller To PSP Adapter
Mike Szczys
[ "PSP Hacks" ]
[ "controller", "playstation", "psp", "tv out" ]
[TokyoDrift] built an adapter that allows you to connect a PlayStation 2 controller to a PlayStation Portable . It’s a bit different from similar hacks as this adapter doesn’t require any hardware alteration to the PSP or the controller. To do so, a plug-in is used on the PSP firmware side of things. The adapter then makes use of video out and PS2 controller extension cables, along with an ATmega8 microcontroller to handle the signals between the two devices. We posted a picture of the guts because we like that king of thing but the finished project is nicely housed inside of a project box. See for yourself in the video after the break. If you liked this hack, check out [TokyoDrift’s] method of using a mouse with a PSP . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgfhaKBj-bc]
17
17
[ { "comment_id": "137703", "author": "Killer", "timestamp": "2010-04-23T15:20:48", "content": "—————–MW2 Killcam—————–", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137710", "author": "nubie", "timestamp": "2010-04-23T15:48:04", "content": "Damn, n...
1,760,377,455.655676
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/23/flux-cored-to-mig-welder-conversion/
Flux-cored To MIG Welder Conversion
Mike Szczys
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "flux-cored", "mig", "welder", "welding" ]
[Rob] sent us some information on how he converted his flux-cored welder to a metal inert gas welder . He used a piece of DOM tubing as a collet with a side inlet tube that he uses to inject carbon dioxide. The gas is sourced from a 12 ounce paint ball CO2 tank and it looks like there’s a valve right at the junction with the collet. We wonder how long it would take to tear through one of those tanks, but if you’re not doing a lot of MIG welding this saves on the upfront cost of buying a separate setup.
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[ { "comment_id": "137689", "author": "loonquawl", "timestamp": "2010-04-23T14:39:14", "content": "With Co2 it’s called MAG (_a_ctive gas) as opposed to MIG (_i_nert gas).The CO2 will break apart at the temperatures reached, injecting carbon into the metal.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, ...
1,760,377,456.170471
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/23/wifi-and-bluetooth-sniffing-rifle/
WiFi And Bluetooth Sniffing Rifle
Mike Szczys
[ "Wireless Hacks" ]
[ "bluetooth", "cantenna", "nerf", "sniffing", "wifi" ]
[.ronin] built an all-in-one WiFi and Bluetooth sniffer . He used a Nerf rifle as a base and added two Pringles cantennas, a tablet PC, and other various bits to tie it all together. Now he wanders the streets, explaining the device to bewildered passersby. After showing the device at CarolinaCon 2010 (here’s a PDF of his presentation ) he stopped by the mall nibbled about 250 Bluetooth devices using SpoofTooph . The software is running on a Fujitsu u810 tablet and he’s making good use of Backtrack 4 during his wireless adventures.
52
50
[ { "comment_id": "137673", "author": "strider_mt2k", "timestamp": "2010-04-23T13:08:58", "content": "Someone please drop something heavy on Killcam?-and, uh…don’t cross the streams.This is incredibly cool! Well done!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id"...
1,760,377,456.103921
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/22/get-serious-about-building-a-sequencer/
Get Serious About Building A Sequencer
Mike Szczys
[ "digital audio hacks" ]
[ "midibox", "pcb", "sequencer" ]
This is the fourth generation MIDIbox sequencer which has a features set that’s several screens long. We’ve embedded the teaser video of this 16-track marvel after the break. You can use it via a traditional MIDI connection or with USB. Standalone Ethernet features are also in the works. It’s fully documented and you can etch your own PCB if you’re brave but it might be easier to get in on the group PCB buy if you just have to have one of these. There’s no all-in-one kit, but that will just make the taste of success sweeter once your soldering iron cools down. [vimeo=http://vimeo.com/3046696] [Thanks Juan]
55
50
[ { "comment_id": "137531", "author": "David X. Hugo", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T17:28:17", "content": "Teaser was the correct word, sir.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137540", "author": "WeblionX", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T18:40:41", ...
1,760,377,456.019025
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/22/build-a-foam-machine/
Build A Foam Machine
Mike Szczys
[ "home entertainment hacks" ]
[ "bubble bath", "foam", "party" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO7d11X8uT4] Spice up your next house party with this diy foam machine . [Stephen Martin] posted his PDF plans for version 1 and version 2 of the device. It seems the deciding factor on the machine is the type of fabric screen used to create the suds from a bubble bath liquid. This is the reason he’s got two versions. They share a lot of the same components (especially the expensive ones) but the first version is easy to swap out different fabrics and the second is a more permanent installation. In the end, we’re looking at a sump pump feeding foam to a fabric net that is attached to a blower. This will be a nice addition to that fog machine you built last fall.
32
28
[ { "comment_id": "137508", "author": "Sean T.", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T16:20:00", "content": "Spice up your house party AND shampoo your carpets at the SAME TIME! A sure fire way to clean up those annoying spills and vomit stains that plague every good party…", "parent_id": null, "depth": ...
1,760,377,456.282492
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/22/vfd-as-a-sound-amplifier/
VFD As A Sound Amplifier
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks", "digital audio hacks" ]
[ "amp", "vacuum fluorescent display", "vacuum tube", "vfd" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…523206.jpg?w=470
[Alessandro Lambardi] had some vacuum flourescent displays that he pulled from junked VCRs. His latest project is an experiment to use one of the VFDs as a headphone amplifier ( Wayback Machine Cache ). This means he’s trying to use them as vacuum triode amplifiers, aka vacuum tubes . He did get it to work but as he suspected, the output is fairly low power. It may be possible to use this setup as a preamp and build an actual tube amp to use along with it. Update: Thanks to [Fallen] for mentioning that we’ve covered this concept in the past . [Thanks Muris]
16
14
[ { "comment_id": "137496", "author": "Fallen", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T15:15:34", "content": "I swear I read this on here before…", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137498", "author": "Ryan", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T15:34:29", "content...
1,760,377,456.218926
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/22/android-on-the-iphone/
Android On The IPhone
James Munns
[ "Android Hacks", "google hacks", "iphone hacks" ]
[ "2g", "android", "iphone", "iphonelinux", "linux", "openiboot" ]
[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yO2KQHkt4A%5D Android, on the iPhone ? We’ve covered iPhone Linux before… and if you look back, we mentioned the possibility of porting Android to the iPhone (even way back in 2008!). Well we are proud to announce that The Future is Now ! The details are a little slim so far, but the iPhone is seen running a stock Android 1.6 install (Donut), and has support for Wifi, GSM networks, and even uses openiBoot to dual boot to the regular iPhone OS if you aren’t particularly committed. Right now the developers are considering it an Alpha version, and have provided all you need to perform this particular brand of Cult of Apple heresy . One catch though, the developers say that they only have it working on the 2G models, so sorry all you 3G(S) folks (for now). Dont get too down, and keep an eye open, something like this is bound to attract new talent to push the movement. Anyone out there with a 2G and some free time? We would love to see some users showing off Hackaday on their hacked up iPhone!
40
38
[ { "comment_id": "137479", "author": "DigitalKlepto", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T14:25:04", "content": "I applaud the effort greatly. I look forward to the continued progress in getting an alternative OS to the iPhone and the completion of this project. From what it looks like, this is basically the ...
1,760,377,456.589361
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/22/usb-vu-meter/
USB VU-meter
Jakob Griffith
[ "Peripherals Hacks" ]
[ "hid", "led", "needle", "pic", "PIC18F2550", "pwm", "rgb", "usb", "VU meter", "waitingforfriday" ]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsg24MGNpRc&feature=player_embedded%5D WaitingForFriday’s [Simon Inns] is quite possibly the USB interface and PIC master. This week he let us know about his VU-meter repurposed as a computer performance monitor using a PIC18F2550 and his open source USB Generic HID communication class . With PWM the meter’s needles and RGB LED can be accurately set and even dampened for CPU usage, network usage, HDD utilization, and even memory usage. Oddly enough, in his software we didn’t find the ability to use the device as a VU-meter – go figure.
14
14
[ { "comment_id": "137461", "author": "medix", "timestamp": "2010-04-22T13:05:57", "content": "PIC + analog meters. Very cool.I’ve wanted to build a meter set like this for my server that monitors upstream/downstream data, only my panel meters are from 1920 and about 8″ in dia (from an old kiln motor ...
1,760,377,456.470453
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/are-you-human-resistor-edition/
Are You Human? Resistor Edition
Mike Szczys
[ "HackIt" ]
[ "captcha", "color code", "resistor", "resisty", "wordpress" ]
[PT] tipped us off about a new way to screen bots from automatically leaving comments. Resisty is like CAPTCHA but it requires you to decipher color bands on a resistor instead of mangled text. This won’t do much for the cause of digitizing books , but if you can never remember your color codes this is a good way to practice . Resisty comes as a plug-in for WordPress , add it to your blog and for a geek cred +1.
72
50
[ { "comment_id": "137304", "author": "woah", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T18:10:57", "content": "I’m pretty sure this is easier to crack than a CAPTCHA. Still fun idea though :p", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137307", "author": "squidarthur", ...
1,760,377,456.422918
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/flaming-hot-brick-plays-games-promotes-tendonitis/
Flaming Hot Brick Plays Games, Promotes Tendonitis
Mike Szczys
[ "Nintendo Hacks" ]
[ "n64", "portable" ]
The continuing battle for smallest console-made-portable continues with this N64 portable hack . Unlike the last two that we saw, this version opts for an over-under rather than side-by-side control scheme. This results in a small overall size, but because this thing is a thick brick we wonder if playing for hours would just leave you horribly mangled and crippled from the elbow down. [Bentomo] may have thought the same thing because he also built a breakout connector to use the original controllers (and play with more than one player on that tiny screen). If you’re a slave to the build details like we are check out his build log and the video after the break. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmQCNlA5txE] [Thanks ShockSlayer]
13
13
[ { "comment_id": "137291", "author": "oNo", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T17:09:49", "content": "Ok no offence but what is with the HaD writers insulting every project or being sarcastic about it.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137292", "author":...
1,760,377,456.331384
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/replicating-connectors-by-machining-pvc/
Replicating Connectors By Machining PVC
Mike Szczys
[ "home hacks" ]
[ "aquarium", "hang on tank", "lathe", "PVC" ]
[Alex] bought a hang on tank filter for his aquarium. Unfortunately it was made for a different water level than he was using and didn’t have the ability to adjust that he needed. Add to that the non-standard pipe sizing which compounded the problem by making it difficult to extend the intake and output tubes. He overcame this by machining PVC pipe to match the stock connectors . After turning the PVC on a lathe he added a neoprene o-ring and painted the assembly black. The new connector allows standard size PVC fittings for easy changes in the future, and it keeps his turtles healthy and happy.
12
12
[ { "comment_id": "137277", "author": "PocketBrain", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T16:35:31", "content": "Don’t forget to give that paint PLENTY of time to air out before you place it in a fish tank; those critters can be very sensitive to contamination.Nice work.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, ...
1,760,377,456.520092
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/20/gps-embedded-in-visor/
GPS Embedded In Visor
Jakob Griffith
[ "Transportation Hacks" ]
[ "aluminum", "car", "gps", "mount", "seamless", "visor" ]
We’re all for putting a GPS where it doesn’t normally go, but we’re not sure [Roberto’s] version * is the best of locations. Take for example [Jair2k4’s] GPS . It doesn’t block out 50% of his vision of the road and the impending accident in front of him. Regardless, the solid aluminum and seamless mounting really does make it look like part of the car, and props to him for making it ‘hidden’ when he’s out of the car to try and prevent thieves. But there are cheaper, easier, and dare we say better solutions out there. *We found his site only works in Internet Explorer, gah!
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[ { "comment_id": "137026", "author": "Dan Fruzzetti", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T14:35:49", "content": "Really pretty and nicely hewn-in design. really great finish. I’m not sure I would put GPS/Nav there but it’s a great idea for a starting point — how about diagnostic info from the car, so you don’...
1,760,377,456.661184
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/19/gently-stroke-this-drum/
Gently Stroke This Drum
Mike Szczys
[ "digital audio hacks", "Musical Hacks" ]
[ "camera. midi", "drum", "elastic", "rubber", "silent" ]
The silent drum is played with your hands. It acts as a midi device by analyzing the movement of the rubbery black drum head. As you can see in the photo, one side of the body is clear and the other is white. A light shines up into it to boost the contrast and a camera picks up the black head as it moves past the white side of the shell. [Jaime Oliver] has provided an interesting look at the analysis method used with this instrument and there’s also a system of notating a composition for future performance. See and hear it played in the demo after the break. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kLVqgUMGSU] [Thanks Elijah]
16
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[ { "comment_id": "136895", "author": "someone", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T19:17:37", "content": "And there goes my belief that drums are allways fun…nice idea, bad demo", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136897", "author": "yosh", "timestamp"...
1,760,377,458.578923
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/19/build-your-own-rfid-reader/
Build Your Own RFID Reader
Mike Szczys
[ "Security Hacks" ]
[ "ATmega32", "cornell", "reader", "rfid" ]
https://hackaday.com/wp-…696775.jpg?w=470
We asked for it and our readers delivered. [Klulukasz] left a comment pointing to this diy RFID reader that was a final project in 2006 for a class at Cornell University. It is well documented and includes not only a schematic and code, but an explanation of the design considerations used during the build. The project uses an ATmega32 and the parts list priced out at about $50 at the time. There were plenty of responses to the RFID spoofer post pointing out that there are readers available for $40, but we want the fun of building our own. A bit more vague with the details but no less interesting is this other simple RFID reader design . Thanks to [Chuck] for his comment which pointed to that link.
25
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[ { "comment_id": "136886", "author": "BiOzZ", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T18:35:14", "content": "not as simple as the sploofer O_o", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136903", "author": "localroger", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T19:52:27", "cont...
1,760,377,458.752443
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/19/toaster-web-interface/
Toaster Web Interface
Mike Szczys
[ "home hacks" ]
[ "toast", "toaster", "webserver", "wiznet" ]
Within a ten-hour window [Wes Brown] threw together this toaster with a web interface for one of his classes. He sourced the WIZnet embedded webserver for the project but this could be pulled off with a homebrew webserver as well. When you point your browser to the correct address you’re greeted with images of bread that have been charred to various degrees. This greatly complicates the act of making breakfast while at the same time presenting a possible fire hazard. Check out the video after the break. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbO4SzofHuo]
25
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[ { "comment_id": "136868", "author": "imightbefirst...NOT.", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T17:02:14", "content": "OW! IT STABBED ME!(See XKCD)", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136873", "author": "Charper", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T17:39:50", ...
1,760,377,458.262971
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/19/augmented-reality-glasses/
Augmented Reality Glasses
Mike Szczys
[ "Wearable Hacks" ]
[ "augmented reality", "glasses", "webcam" ]
Augmented reality is a pretty neat thing but we don’t want to live our lives staring at a smartphone as we walk around. [F00] didn’t either so he built these augmented reality glasses . You can see a hole in the middle of the glasses where he added a webcam. The camera captures the image in front of you, processes it through augmented reality software, then sends the image to the wearable display that makes up the body of this hack. Integrate this into the head-mounted Linux hack and you’ll be able to ride your bike around the real world with your blast shield down instead of being tethered to your trainer in a virtual universe .
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[ { "comment_id": "136855", "author": "tom", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T16:01:08", "content": "You put this much work into a project just to look at fiduciary markers with it…Give me an Eyetap + S.L.A.M or P.T.A.M.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "13...
1,760,377,458.6456
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/19/makerbot-clone/
Makerbot Clone
Mike Szczys
[ "cnc hacks" ]
[ "3d", "extruder", "makerbot", "printer" ]
This table-top extruder was modeled after the Makerbot . Instead of laser-cut wood this is built from acrylic, uses salvaged rods from laser printers, some inexpensive stepper motors, and a homemade extruder. All said and done, [ Peter Jansen ] figures this build came in somewhere around $200-300. It may not look as nice, but at half the price of the Makerbot base kit you also get the fun of building from scratch. Hopefully your fabrication skills are up to the challenge. If so, you’ll be printing useful items soon enough.
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[ { "comment_id": "136846", "author": "Andres", "timestamp": "2010-04-19T13:27:56", "content": "This isn’t really a makerbot clone, the similarities of the shapes (a box) has more to do with the fact that they wanted a passively heated build chamber. in this respect i’d consider it superior.also, thei...
1,760,377,458.868156
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/18/arduino-rfid-spoofer/
Arduino RFID Spoofer
Mike Szczys
[ "Security Hacks" ]
[ "coil", "rfid", "spoof" ]
An Arduino, a spent roll of toilet paper, magnet wire, and a few passive components are what’s needed to build this RFID spoofer . It’s quick, dirty, and best of all, simple. However, [SketchSk3tch’s] creation is not an RFID cloner. You must already know the hex code of the tag you want to spoof. That may or may not be as easy as using a separate tag reader. We’ve seen some very simple RFID tag concepts. What we want is a DIY reader that is easy to build from cheap and readily available components. If you’ve got one, make with the details and tip us off about it .
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[ { "comment_id": "136726", "author": "localroger", "timestamp": "2010-04-18T16:53:10", "content": "You can get a functional, assembled RFID reader from Parallax for $40. You would need a uC capable of generating the 125 KHz while simultaneously monitoring the power going into the LC antenna circuit ...
1,760,377,458.824401
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/all-terrain-camera/
All-terrain Camera
Mike Szczys
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "beetlecam", "burrard-lucas", "remote control" ]
One part remote control car, one part camera, and two parts flash make up this all-terrain camera . The folks at Burrard-Lucas photography put together this guerrilla device to capture images of some of the world’s more dangerous wildlife like elephants and tigers (oh my!). This project furthers our opinion that great photographers need to be great hackers to get the shots they want. [Thanks UC]
15
15
[ { "comment_id": "137266", "author": "Eugene", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T15:22:15", "content": "Very clever, first time the flash triggers, elephant gets annoyed and stomps the camera, wait for them to leave, then recover what remains of camera to sift through the debris to recover the memory card.", ...
1,760,377,458.696845
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/infrared-transmission-decoding/
Infrared Transmission Decoding
Mike Szczys
[ "Wireless Hacks" ]
[ "infrared", "manchester encoding", "rc5", "remote control" ]
Alright class, quiet down and open your books to the chapter on Manchester Encoding. [Brian J Hoskins] did just that when building this RC5 decoder . This protocol is commonly used in television remote controls. You use them on a daily basis, don’t you think it’s time you understood what’s going on? Check out his writeup and learn the dark art of invisible light communication. Or just skip the learning and follow our how-to . [Thanks Tim]
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[ { "comment_id": "137257", "author": "anon", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T14:38:41", "content": "Cool little writeup, found it pretty handy!also first :D", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137263", "author": "tony", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T15:0...
1,760,377,458.467915
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/21/egg-incubation-chamber/
Egg Incubation Chamber
Mike Szczys
[ "Misc Hacks" ]
[ "attiny26", "dc18b20", "incubation" ]
[Mazomen] left the expensive ready-to-order options for others and built his own egg incubation chamber . It keeps the eggs warm and happy in a Styrofoam lined box. Temperature regulation is handled by an ATtiny26 microcontroller in conjunction with a DS18B20 temperature sensor. When the temp drops, two 60-watt light bulbs in the chamber above the eggs are turned on and the air is circulated with a small case fan. If you’ve already made the switch to automated vegetable growing this project will make your chicken raising easier as well. [Thanks RicoElectrico]
20
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[ { "comment_id": "137243", "author": "guffguff", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T13:19:31", "content": "What and eggsellent idea…Sorry… :S", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137245", "author": "fsphil", "timestamp": "2010-04-21T13:38:58", "cont...
1,760,377,458.526387
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/20/automated-guitar-pickup-winding/
Automated Guitar Pickup Winding
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks", "Musical Hacks" ]
[ "guitar", "pic", "pic16f887", "pickup", "winder", "wire wrap" ]
[Robert Pickering] shares his automated guitar pickup winder with us. He built it for his senior project at Old Dominion University. Two stepper motors are used to wind the magnet wire around the pickup hardware. The unit is PIC based and about six minutes into the video (embedded after the break) you can see that he used wire wrapping for this build. Curious, one of the comments on our latest Hackaday Links mentioned that wire wrapping was rarely used anymore, but here it is anyway. We especially like the limiting switches he’s using on the traverse mechanism. There are momentary push buttons on either side of a carriage which are depressed when a drywall screw in the sides of that carriage hits them. This makes for very easy calibration because the screw can be raised or lowered with just a bit of screwdriver work. Well built and documented, we’re sure he’ll get some high marks on this one. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZyDzfw_Rvc] [Thanks Juan]
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[ { "comment_id": "137089", "author": "Brad", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T19:16:57", "content": "I’m in the process of finishing up a very similar build. Using the laser carriage from a cd/dvd drive as the traverse mechanism (as you put it). Mine uses an Arduino brain. Got interested in winding coils ...
1,760,377,458.318483
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/20/fisheye-lens-for-your-slr/
Fisheye Lens For Your SLR
Mike Szczys
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "fisheye", "lens", "SLR" ]
[Bhautik Joshi’s] fisheye lens hack works well and looks OK too. It uses a door peephole from the hardware store as the fisheye and a slide projector lens to enlarge the image for proper sizing on the camera’s sensor. He included an EOS lens adapter so that it is easy to install and remove, then grabbed a soda can and some foam for the rest of the build. This will take those fun bendy pictures but don’t forget that you can correct for that in software if you wish.
13
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[ { "comment_id": "137067", "author": "regulatre", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T17:18:14", "content": "Way to go! I like the pix. I am a little worried about scratching my lens though, but I may still give it a try!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137...
1,760,377,458.919869
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/20/twittering-pub-hanging/
Twittering Pub Hanging
Mike Szczys
[ "LED Hacks" ]
[ "bender", "matrix", "oled", "thermoplastic", "tweetwall", "twitter" ]
There’s nothing groundbreaking about this hack, called the TweetWall , but the craftsmanship is gorgeous! [Yergacheffe] had access to the right tools; an epilog laser and a thermoplastic bender (an item we didn’t know we needed until now… thanks a lot). It has the usual bits you’d expect in a Twitter ticker, an LED matrix and an Arduino. There is also an OLED screen that displays the avatar of the current Twitter feed. Because data is transferred over a serial connection the SD slot on that screen is used to cache images which helps to keeps the messages coming without delay. The end product is quite good, we’d expect to see it hanging on the wall of the pub down the street.
19
19
[ { "comment_id": "137045", "author": "steve", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T16:03:31", "content": "Couldn’t we all just agree that twitter is stupid?", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137046", "author": "mrgoogfan", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T16:0...
1,760,377,459.112927
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/20/just-the-right-controller-for-any-game/
Just The Right Controller For Any Game
Mike Szczys
[ "classic hacks" ]
[ "classic", "controller", "emulator", "gamepad", "usb" ]
[Patrice] hacked all of his classic controllers for use when playing games on an emulator. He made the base station starting with a USB gaming controller. From there he soldered wires connecting the PCB pads for all of the buttons to the pins of a d-sub connector. The same is done on the classic controller, allowing him to switch them out at will. If you do the wiring correctly you only need to configure your emulator buttons once. This is a lot easier than trying to find and use classic controller connectors but you do have to alter that vintage hardware.
22
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[ { "comment_id": "137039", "author": "Rocks25", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T15:33:13", "content": "Now that’s awesome.(first comment)", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "137041", "author": "emilio", "timestamp": "2010-04-20T15:43:37", "conte...
1,760,377,459.058009
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/hijacking-the-mazda-lcd-display/
Hijacking The Mazda LCD Display
Mike Szczys
[ "Transportation Hacks" ]
[ "dashboard", "lcd", "mazda" ]
[Pieter] is in the process of adding a turbo package to his ride. He needed a status display for the boost but didn’t have a good way to mount an additional display. He came up with the idea of using the LCD screen that’s already in the dashboard, but the specs for it were not available. Wielding his hard-earned hacking skills [Pieter] used a logic analyzer to sniff out the communications to the screen. He built a controller board that overrides the data coming in from the head unit. The board is also able to query the car’s computer for data and display it in any format you want. What he ends up with is a stock look that he can customize for his needs. Nice!
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[ { "comment_id": "136434", "author": "Dan Fruzzetti", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T19:10:48", "content": "I really admire this kind of work because IMO it’s the best way to go. It hides under the dashboard and the turbo under the hood. It looks like anyone else’s car, so it doesn’t stick out as somethi...
1,760,377,459.969981
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/virtual-windows-that-track-a-viewers-position/
Virtual Windows That Track A Viewer’s Position
Mike Szczys
[ "home hacks" ]
[ "plasma", "virtual", "wii", "window", "winscape" ]
Winscape will let you replace that garbage-strewn ally view with just about anything you want. The two windows above are actually plasma screen televisions. In between them you can spot a Nintendo Wii Remote that is used to track an IR badge worn by the person in the room. As they move, the images on the screens are changes to simulate the change in perspective you would see out of a real-world window. Take a look at the video after the break. This is unfortunately not an open source project but the software is available for trial and we find the concept interesting. If you can write video processing algorithms you may be able to take the Wii Remote Whiteboard concept and turn it into a Winscape clone. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqu9NuINKbc] [Thanks Anthony]
44
43
[ { "comment_id": "136418", "author": "Paul", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T18:07:15", "content": "Neat.But I bet the effect is strange for a second viewer who sits still while the badge wearer roams around.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136419", ...
1,760,377,459.60131
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/vigorous-exercise-keeps-the-tunes-coming/
Vigorous Exercise Keeps The Tunes Coming
Mike Szczys
[ "digital audio hacks" ]
[ "exercise", "motion", "mp3", "pir", "volume" ]
There are cars that increase the radio volume as you drive faster, and video games that ramp up the music as your gameplay improves (we’re looking at you SSX Tricky). Now you can add that feature to your workout with [Polymithic’s] Motion Feedback MP3 Player . It uses a passive infrared sensor to detect motion so there’s no need to wear any electronics. But if you used some Bluetooth headphones you could bring the system with you to the gym, just don’t exercise so hard that you blow your eardrums out. [via Hacked Gadgets ]
4
4
[ { "comment_id": "136451", "author": "kristian", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T19:55:32", "content": "^ lame.lol, this is clever. i need something like this… :P", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136486", "author": "Hirudinea", "timestamp": "2010...
1,760,377,459.40851
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/coin-op-pays-out-when-you-win/
Coin-op Pays Out When You Win
Mike Szczys
[ "home entertainment hacks" ]
[ "coin", "hopper", "mame", "pic" ]
The days of plugging coins into a stand up arcade game are sadly dwindling. [Dirk] figured out a way to prolong the nostalgia by incorporating currency back into the experience in a useful way. He rebuilt the video game Raiden to pay out a prize when you win the game. Now it takes a coin for each play but if you make it to the end you can recoup the expense. [Dirk] took an original cabinet game, did some dangerous work to replace the old CRT monitor, and retrofit a MAME machine to handle the gaming. He’s using Windows and had some problems because of it but, as you can see after the break, things worked out in the end. The hopper hardware that spits out coins went through several steps from the initial design to the finished product, but it has always been based around a PIC controller connected to the MAME box via parallel port. This is a fun addition to any MAME cabinet . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj38VMvCGkQ]
15
15
[ { "comment_id": "136409", "author": "kirov", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T16:50:10", "content": "yep its a good thing he wore those kitchen sink rubber gloves, whenever I play with dangerous electrical equipment I always cheap out and use something not rated for this line of work at all.", "parent_i...
1,760,377,459.805666
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/victorian-styled-nixie-tester/
Victorian Styled Nixie Tester
Caleb Kraft
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "nixie", "steampunk", "tube" ]
While building some nixie clocks,[Blue_Metal] ended up destroying a few tubes. He found that having a tester sitting around would have been most helpful. Taking some pride in his tools, he put some major effort into building his nixie tube tester . It is quite visually pleasing, featuring hand cut brass framing, custom etched information panels. Scroll through his flickr set to see the build process in detail.
9
8
[ { "comment_id": "136401", "author": "Slime", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T16:06:28", "content": "Oh my!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136406", "author": "pod", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T16:43:05", "content": "Haha, I love how careful yo...
1,760,377,459.455349
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/16/beer-can-pinhole-camera/
Beer Can Pinhole Camera
Jakob Griffith
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "6 month", "arc", "beer", "camera", "CAN", "exposure", "photograph", "picture", "pinhole", "sun" ]
When [Justin Quinnell] sent in his beer can pinhole camera , we were just floored. The parts are easy to obtain, and the process for building and ‘shooting’ with the camera are near effortless. The really impressive part of this hack is letting your camera sit for 6 months facing the sun. Yes, you read that correct, a 6 month exposure . Check out after the break for one of his astonishing shots, and trust us, its well worth the click.
23
23
[ { "comment_id": "136386", "author": "flatr0ze", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T14:17:47", "content": "That’s f****in’ awesome!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136387", "author": "Rizla++", "timestamp": "2010-04-16T14:24:42", "content": "I ...
1,760,377,459.755335
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/mindstorm-plays-tetris-for-you/
Mindstorm Plays Tetris For You
Mike Szczys
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "dm6437", "lego", "mindstorm", "tetris", "ti" ]
Obviously you’ve got too much hacking to do right now, but that game of Tetris isn’t going to play itself. [Branislav Kisacanin] has you covered with his Tetris-playing robot which is build with LEGO Mindstorm pieces. The setup is actually pretty complicated. A Texas Instruments DM6437 video development board watches the computer screen via a webcam and calculates the next move. It then outputs that to a grid of LEDs which the Mindstorm watches using a light sensor. See it in action after the break and then take some time to check out our other various Tetris based hacks . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY83EaE7svA]
8
8
[ { "comment_id": "136306", "author": "Mikey", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T21:21:50", "content": "The video was kind of a let down, as cool as this is, I’d rather see more of the robot moving, than a silent tetris screen for the first 45 minutes.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": []...
1,760,377,459.499344
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/18/hackaday-links-april-18-2010/
Hackaday Links: April 18, 2010
Mike Szczys
[ "Hackaday links" ]
[ "accelerometer", "condom", "mill", "wire wrap" ]
Remote motion control This project walks though a method of controlling motors with an accelerometer when the two are physically separated. Two Arduinos are used, with the user interface and the motor control connected via Ethernet. This must be useful for something; maybe it should be the next step once you get your accelerometer up and running . CNC machine build [Lucassiglo21] is doing a great job documenting his CNC build . The project has been ongoing for several months. He’s seeing some success with milling simple PCBs along with other millwork projects. Condom starts a fire Ever needed to start a fire and had nothing on you but a condom? Yeah, we haven’t either but that doesn’t diminish the fun of this whimsical ‘ Condom Hack Pack ‘ video. See the uses you never thought of for those rubbery package protectors. Solderless PCB Print your component locations on a piece of card stock and populate the board without any soldering ? This is quick and convenient for a circuit that doesn’t need to last very long. It uses wire wrapping to connect the components, completing the circuit. [Thanks Frogz]
19
19
[ { "comment_id": "136721", "author": "Whatnot", "timestamp": "2010-04-18T16:14:21", "content": "At one time wire-wrapping had a certain popularity, even though it was still on the fringe, and even NASA used it and had instructions on how to do it.I’ve only seen it in a device twice though, and one of...
1,760,377,459.864191
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/18/didj-hacking-djhi-2-8-preorder/
Didj Hacking: DJHI 2.8 Preorder
Mike Szczys
[ "handhelds hacks" ]
[ "Didj", "djhi", "rs232" ]
The DJHI 2.8 is now available for preorder . The DHJI acts as an alternative serial connection in order to protect the Didj from the 12V signals it would be exposed to with a direct serial connection to your PC. It also adds in a microSD card slot and makes the connection process as simple as plugging it into the cartridge slot. [The Moogle], who was the winner of our second Barcode Challenge , also tipped us off about his hack that upgrades the Didj to 64 Mb of RAM .
12
12
[ { "comment_id": "136712", "author": "NFN_NLN", "timestamp": "2010-04-18T15:37:41", "content": "Don’t know anything about this but if it’s just a 12V to TTL why not use a MAX232?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAX232", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "...
1,760,377,460.018173
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/18/racing-sim-with-real-car-parts/
Racing Sim With Real Car Parts
Mike Szczys
[ "Peripherals Hacks" ]
[ "bmw", "instrument cluster", "racing" ]
[Alex Rosiu] picked up this instrument cluster from a 1992 BMW. After some trial and error he’s hooked it up for use with a racing simulator . You can see how amazingly well it works in the video after the break. An Arduino Mega takes incoming data from the PC and actuates the appropriate indicators on the module. [Alex] didn’t stop there. He got his hands on a full dashboard and is working on fitting a joystick in as an H shifter . Keep an eye on this one, we think it may one day become a full-blown motion simulator . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDhWUjw0pA0] [Thank Nikescar]
23
23
[ { "comment_id": "136698", "author": "XPN", "timestamp": "2010-04-18T13:20:55", "content": "Seems like a fun idea. Imagine rigging up a BMW with a monitor instead of the windscreen aswel, Ultimate Sim !", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136701", ...
1,760,377,460.075185
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/17/beginner-concepts-using-an-accelerometer/
Beginner Concepts: Using An Accelerometer
Mike Szczys
[ "Misc Hacks" ]
[ "accelerometer", "adxl320", "beginner concepts", "pic" ]
Accelerometers make for nice user interaction, that’s why every Apple product seems to have one included and the Nintendo Wii is still alive despite its underpowered graphics capabilities. Adding one to your project is pretty simple, just a matter of reading in analog data and interpreting it according to the datasheet. If you’re just starting out, here’s a tutorial on how to interface an accelerometer with a PIC microcontroller. They’re using an ADXL320 which can be acquired on a breakout board for about $30. The schematic and code are simple so even if you don’t intend to build the circuit (or want to use a different uC), this is easy to understand as an academic exercise. [Thanks Skitchin] [Photo credit: SparkFun ]
32
32
[ { "comment_id": "136615", "author": "RazorConcepts", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T21:59:09", "content": "One small page on theory and the rest on how to blink an LED… not very informative.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136617", "author": "Jeff...
1,760,377,460.142033
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/17/improving-a-motorized-toy/
Improving A Motorized Toy
Mike Szczys
[ "Toy Hacks" ]
[ "Power Wheels", "reverse", "steering" ]
[Dan Fruzzetti’s] daughter was delighted to get a motorized vehicle from her Grandparents, but [Dan] was unimpressed with the stock features. The lead-acid battery supplied remarkable life between charges, but the vehicle only had one feature: a go button that routed juice to the bipolar motor. After the break we’ll look at his improvements to the drive train, steering, and cosmetics. After cracking open the top hatch he wired in a double-pole double-throw switch that reverses the polarity of the motor. This way the switch to the left of the steering wheel can be toggled to shift from forward to reverse. The little red button above that switch controls the horn he added into the mix. Although not pictured here, he did some work on the steering column to increase the rotational limit of the steering wheel, which improved the ability to turn and steer. The finishing touches were more cosmetic. The photo above shows the addition of two red LEDs for tail lights and at the top you can see the LEDs added to the decals of headlights. [Dan’s] improvements cost pennies but they make this Power Wheels knock-off so much more fun for his daughter.
18
18
[ { "comment_id": "136604", "author": "mrgoogfan", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T20:50:05", "content": "Needs thishttp://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/DCM-1353/24VDC-350W-MOTOR-11-TOOTH-24-WIRE/1.html", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136605",...
1,760,377,460.198165
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/17/four-channel-logic-analyzer/
Four Channel Logic Analyzer
Mike Szczys
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "logic analyzer", "pic18f4580" ]
If you’ve got a graphic LCD lying around you can build this four-channel logic analyzer with a couple handfuls of cheap components. [Ronald de Bruijn’s] design uses a PIC18F4580 to sample up to four logic inputs at a maximum resolution of 2 MHz. He’s included the PCB artwork so that you can etch your own board. Having a logic analyzer around can really make your life easier, allowing you to reverse engineer communication protocols and troubleshoot your own design problems. [Thanks Juan]
12
12
[ { "comment_id": "136590", "author": "mrgoogfan", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T19:37:17", "content": "Does it support sine waves, or just square?", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136594", "author": "Matt Turner", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T20:01...
1,760,377,460.246867
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/17/zune-gets-hacked-openzdk/
Zune Gets Hacked, OpenZDK
Jakob Griffith
[ "digital audio hacks", "Peripherals Hacks" ]
[ "applications", "apps", "firmware", "games", "openzdk", "xna", "zune", "Zune HD" ]
Here is one that really got some of us at the HAD offices excited (yes, we own Zunes). The introduction of the Open Zune Development Kit ( Internet Archive ). Sure, there was XNA , and we even toyed around with it. But anyone will quickly realize just how limited XNA is, especially with older hardware. OpenZDK is in its infancy, with only one application thus far (don’t worry, you can still use XNA apps too). But we wanted to give it a shout out and let the hacker community make this potential into a reality. [Thanks Galen]
21
21
[ { "comment_id": "136585", "author": "mrgoogfan", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T19:05:26", "content": "Zune > iPod", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136588", "author": "pRoFiT", "timestamp": "2010-04-17T19:34:30", "content": "sweet. now i ne...
1,760,377,460.305532
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/solenoid-orchestra-led-a-by-laser-conductor/
Solenoid Orchestra Led A By Laser Conductor
Mike Szczys
[ "digital audio hacks", "Laser Hacks" ]
[ "laser", "music" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-rpp28AuXo] This video brought a smile to our faces. [Griffin Milsap] is creating live music using an orchestra of solenoid instruments. Each solenoid is set up to strike an object such as a bowl or mug. The trigger mechanism is a light sensor inside of a ping-pong ball. The collection of instruments is conducted by a motor-mounted green laser. When the beam of light passes by one of the ping-pong balls the photo transistor inside actuates the solenoid and a note is played. The pitches are quite a bit more random than the Robo-vibe , but it’s delightful to hear the results that [Griffin] has achieved.
20
20
[ { "comment_id": "136287", "author": "Life2Death", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T20:03:28", "content": "dislike", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136292", "author": "t&p", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T20:21:23", "content": "I thought this was go...
1,760,377,460.485123
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/clock-hides-time-until-youre-in-close-proximity/
Clock Hides Time Until You’re In Close Proximity
Mike Szczys
[ "clock hacks" ]
[ "atmega328", "ds3232", "ir", "lcd", "rtc" ]
[Alan] is branching out beyond the Arduino with this clock . He’s still using the same code but built this board around an ATmega328 and the components he needed, saving his Arduino board for further development. The concept uses a character display housed in an old iPod Touch case. The build relies on an infrared sensor to actuate the LCD backlight. The closer your hand is the brighter the light. The Maxim DS3232 RTC chip keeps time in this application. We’ve seen this little marvel used before , popular because it uses temperature compensation to maintain accuracy. If you’re interested in this part, check out the library file that [Alan] wrote for it.
10
10
[ { "comment_id": "136298", "author": "smoker_dave", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T20:43:22", "content": "Looks like a bag of crap.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136312", "author": "Kyle", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T21:49:23", "content": "I...
1,760,377,460.350959
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/stanfords-stickybot3/
Stanford’s Stickybot3
Caleb Kraft
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "gecko", "stickybot", "van der walls" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y2MVuSyQlg] Stickybot has gone through a pretty radical upgrade .  You may recall the gecko looking glass walking bot from all over the net. While it was pretty cool, the technology has gone much further. Not only is it designed to look like a gecko, the feet are actually made to adhere to surfaces in the same manner. They are using an adhesive system based off Van Der Waals forces .  Though the stickybot 3 doesn’t walk yet,  the feet are already impressive. Look how little of the foot is actually making contact with the glass. See how easily he can remove and re-adhere it? Simply amazing.
12
12
[ { "comment_id": "136261", "author": "Cabe", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T18:07:49", "content": "I remember seeing one of these on Prototype This, proper amazing stuff.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136272", "author": "ZodiacDM", "timestamp...
1,760,377,461.048325
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/make-cotton-candy-at-home/
Make Cotton Candy At Home
Caleb Kraft
[ "home hacks" ]
[ "cotton candy" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYmBGOiMOIo&w=470] If you are anything like us, you are suddenly filled with childlike glee when you think of big fluffy poofs of cotton candy. The thought of making it at home has a certain appeal, but that machine is a mystery reserved only for those elite enough to get through cotton candy maker school. Or so we thought. As it turns out, it is actually quite simple . You can make one and be serving cotton candy in an afternoon with parts you probably have sitting around. The video above is pretty easy to follow, but if you want more information, there’s an instructable as well. [via MakeZine ]
23
22
[ { "comment_id": "136249", "author": "h_2_o", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T17:25:18", "content": "lol that was awesome.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136251", "author": "BiOzZ", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T17:28:53", "content": "ok now som...
1,760,377,461.002243
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/ask-hackaday-organization/
Ask HackADay: Organization?!
Jakob Griffith
[ "Ask Hackaday" ]
[ "answers", "ask", "clean", "equipment", "hackaday", "organized", "questions", "safe" ]
Several people have been asking a similar question to, “How do you at Hackaday keep track of and organize all your equipment?” -[Jeff Allen] and others. We have a variety of resources to help you keep track of your tools, equipment, parts, and supplies! Follow us after the jump for some tips for keeping your workspace clean and tidy. First and foremost, we admit, we’re not the cleanest of bunches. We work on several projects at a time, receive ungodly amounts of mail and paperwork, struggle with dust and other allergens, all while writing wonderful articles. So please forgive us if our workspace is just a little messy. So what can I use to help keep my parts orderly? [Andrew Lybarger] asked us if Spice Containers would work, and was worried if the magnets would interfere with electronics. In short, we think they would work perfectly. Resistors, LEDs, etc should all be fine. We wouldn’t put our expensive ICs in there though, just to be safe. For those that don’t want magnets, we suggest clear dividable containers . Or, my personally favorite for on-the-go hackers. A tackle box , its many holding areas for hooks and other things work great for transistors and caps. The bottom part of the boxes is usually quite roomy to fit a soldering iron (or two). HAD writer [Devlin] prefers to keep all purchased components in the rail/tube/bag they come in, stick a label on and they’re good to go. Writer  [Mike] goes a step further by keeping the purchase order and a spreadsheet on his PC with a list of parts and supplies, all it takes is a GREP search to find the right IC. I just have too many tools, help me HAD! If you have one or two items that can fit in the above mentioned tackle box, you’re set. But some here might have everything from a sledge-hammer to a pair of tweezers. There is no real easy way to say this, but buy a tool chest, or better yet make one . How do I keep my workspace clean? First and foremost, prevention. When you’re done with a project, put your tools away! We would like to slide in a little note here to mention not only a clean work environment, but a safe one . For a computer workspace, nothing is worse than horrible amounts of cables creating a rat’s nest. Zip ties and a little ingenuity can go a long way. What about the ungodly amount of paper work? Whether digital or real, find a filing system. I know several HAD writers rely on Google products . And with Gmail, Calender, Documents, and more all interlinked, I’ve never lost an important file. Outside of the digital side though, accordion files are great! We have several around the office for articles, finances, and more. For a lot of mail, slot divided organizers work wonders (And we always know where a pen is!) Final note: Don’t let your desk and work area get overfilled with tools and supplies in the first place. If you clean up after you’re done every time, you’ll know where everything is and will spend less time looking and more time hacking. Here is where the fun begins. We get to now ask the fun questions; how do you, our readers, keep organized with your equipment, tools, parts, supplies and other necessities of hacker-dom? Want to ask us a question instead? Send your questions to askHAD@hackaday.com for consideration. They will be chosen based on a complicated system of random number variation involving furry woodland creatures and how we feel at the moment that we read them. Do not get offended if you question does not get published. We get tons of questions already and we don’t intend to publish them all.
34
34
[ { "comment_id": "136239", "author": "jc", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T16:21:23", "content": "Metal spice containers will work for IC’s, and they’re actually better than some alternatives, such as the hard clear plastic drawers, for static reasons. Best bet is to keep them in the rails or tape they com...
1,760,377,460.731336
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/15/punching-accelerometers/
Punching Accelerometers
Jakob Griffith
[ "Arduino Hacks" ]
[ "accelerometer", "ad", "arduino", "bag", "led", "makiwara", "program", "punch", "sparkfun", "wii remote", "wire" ]
Shortly after finishing his Makiwara punching bag , [Abieneman] wired and programmed an Arduino to an accelerometer to find out just how much acceleration (and with some math, force) is behind his punches. The project is simple and would be quick to reproduce for your own measuring and experiments: all that he used included an Arduino, accelerometer (with A/D converter), LED displays (and shift register). We were a little disappointed to learn of how much static the accelerometer produced, so measuring things such as impulse, energy, and pretty much anything not kinematic is nullified. But it makes us wonder, how much static would be in say, a Wii Remote punching bag?
16
15
[ { "comment_id": "136221", "author": "chips", "timestamp": "2010-04-15T14:36:41", "content": "is it definitely noise?it could be vibrations its picking up", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136224", "author": "MS3FGX", "timestamp": "2010-04-...
1,760,377,460.892295
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/14/robotic-chess-opponent/
Robotic Chess Opponent
Mike Szczys
[ "Robots Hacks" ]
[ "arm", "chess", "lynxmotion", "python", "robotic" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkGqn5rNzK8] [Dennis] is using a robotic arm as a chess opponent . Rather than using an under-board movement system , a Lynxmotion AL5A robotic arm plucks each piece and moves it to the next space. He tells us that he’s using a Python script that he created to process the moves and decide what’s next. That must mean he’s using a webcam to capture the location of the pieces on the board. About half way through you can see the robot run into one of the pawns. We’d like to know if he has problems with picking up the pieces as the game progresses and they get further away from the center of each square. From what we can see, looks like a great job!
22
22
[ { "comment_id": "136113", "author": "eh. wat.", "timestamp": "2010-04-14T21:09:13", "content": "Fail. Video is blocked in Germany because of Copyrighted material from Sony Music.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136114", "author": "anon", ...
1,760,377,461.188429
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/11/mind-controlled-tv/
Mind Controlled TV
Caleb Kraft
[ "Arduino Hacks", "home entertainment hacks" ]
[ "eeg", "mindflex", "tv" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mVxY2IJXBg] Finally, a good use for those EEG headsets. [Andrew] has set up a system that will turn his TV on and off if he focuses hard enough . He’s got the software set to trigger an IR LED when the “strength” gets high enough.  When the action starts, around 4:30 in the video, you can see that when he raises his arm the meter on the screen begins to raise and the TV turns on. Though not immediately useful, we can’t help but get a little excited seeing him literally turn his TV on with a thought.
31
31
[ { "comment_id": "135569", "author": "Lupin", "timestamp": "2010-04-11T17:09:50", "content": "It got arduino!!!11 One of the few arduino projects!nice room, looks like he lives in the basement.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "135572", "author...
1,760,377,461.252314
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/11/convert-an-early-60s-polaroid-to-modern-film/
Convert An Early 60s Polaroid To Modern Film
Caleb Kraft
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "camera", "polaroid" ]
[Adam] sent in this cool project. He has modified a Polaroid J66 camera to use modern film . Most of the initial modifications look fairly simple, but things get a little more complicated when they also convert it to a fully manual camera. There is a section that explains a neat little trick of using a cheap solar panel attached to your computer sound card to figure out what ISO the camera is shooting at.
15
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[ { "comment_id": "135564", "author": "bothersaidpooh", "timestamp": "2010-04-11T16:49:33", "content": "nice mod :)using a solar panel works well, as they are sensitive to mid red light which neatly matches the peak response of many new films.Interestingly you can now get colour sensors which do the s...
1,760,377,460.945908
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/10/ask-hackaday-network-security-camera/
Ask HackADay: Network Security Camera
Jakob Griffith
[ "Ask Hackaday" ]
[ "ask", "askhad", "axis", "axis 206", "camera", "dns", "dyndns", "internet", "ip", "network camera", "question", "stepper" ]
Today we received the question, “How to control a web cam via internet, i want to use it for security reasons, always out of the house and my PC connected want to open the cam from time to time to checkout if something wrong!!” – [Mohamed Saleh] What a fun project we thought! And so many different ways of tackling it. Find out what we suggested to [Mohamed] after the break. Initially we wanted to create an extremely complicated setup, using a USB camera, server, webhosting, and a ton of scripts/programming to create a rather sweet camera setup . But of course, complication breads problems, and while digging through our box of parts and supplies we stumbled upon an old Axis 206 IP Network Camera . What could be easier than all of the above built into one slick device! The camera comes with an Ethernet cable, wall-wort for power, and a CD with instructions – we just threw the latter away and winged it, by finding out how to reset the device, then its default ip, we had view of the camera within our network in no time. A simple port forward of 80 and we could view it outside of our network (so long as we typed in our IP). What we would recommend however, is setting up a DNS ( DynDNS is great) service on a computer within the network that points to the cameras IP. That way the URL becomes http://www.HADCamera.com , a lot easier than 249.135.184.204:80. (Both are fake URLs sorry). Taking it further, if you had a computer nearby you could setup a simple stepper motor and control the position of the camera . This is of course our take on the matter and part of Ask HackADay is what our readers would do, so how would you setup a home security camera?
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[ { "comment_id": "135452", "author": "macegr", "timestamp": "2010-04-10T21:44:54", "content": "Must not be getting very many Ask Hackaday submissions.Anyway, on the subject of buying something off the shelf, the Rovio works as a pretty good IP cam and you can also drive it around. About $100 these da...
1,760,377,461.134084
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/10/packshotnik-360-degree-image-creation/
Packshotnik: 360 Degree Image Creation
Caleb Kraft
[ "digital cameras hacks" ]
[ "360", "camera", "panorama", "qt vr" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk7_XRgxCas] Packshotnik is a circuit designed to help with creating 360 degree images. It consists of a main board and motorized rotating platform. The board can send IR signals to a camera to snap pictures at intervals in the rotation. The source code, schematic, and pcb files are all available from the project page. While he is using this primarily for rotating 360 degree images, you could also just plop your camera onto the platform and end up with panoramic sets.
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[ { "comment_id": "135394", "author": "jay", "timestamp": "2010-04-10T15:21:15", "content": "These are the type of things people should consider keeping to themselves and going commercial so they make tons of $$.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "13...
1,760,377,461.317563
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/09/snes-controller-usb-accelerometer/
SNES Controller + USB + Accelerometer
Devlin Thyne
[ "Nintendo Hacks", "Peripherals Hacks" ]
[ "portal", "snes", "Teensy", "usb" ]
As we posted about [Atarity]’s XBMC hiding in an SNES controller , we were finishing work on a tutorial for [Adafruit]. The tutorial combines a Teensy USB development board with a 3D accelerometer inside of an SNES controller. The Teensy is programmed to poll the SNES controller buttons and read the accelerometer values. The buttons are set to keystrokes and mouse buttons, and the accelerometer values are processed into mouse movement. Programmed to play Portal , we created a video showing how to use the device. You can see it after the break. It was not quite as easy or quick as the typical PC gamer left hand: WASD, right hand: mouse stance. However, we can think of a number of other games that could be improved with the use of a device that, with a bit of hacking, could time keystrokes as the user needed. With a bit more hacking, the device could be made to brute-force passwords. What else would you do with this? [flickr video=http://www.flickr.com/photos/adafruit/4504504976/ show_info=no]
19
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[ { "comment_id": "135296", "author": "Notoriousalpha", "timestamp": "2010-04-09T19:18:37", "content": "Absolutely Fantastic. all it needs now is an OLED display in the middle and li-po cells for standalone use :)Whats the sample-rate of the accelerometer?Great Build!another use- make it work for the ...
1,760,377,461.372854
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/09/make-a-bandsaw/
Make A Bandsaw
Caleb Kraft
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "band saw", "bandsaw", "wood" ]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbOlG7THecM] Thinking of buying a new bandsaw? Stop it. Make one instead . Not only could you save some money, you could customize it to be exactly what you need. There is a step by step breakdown of the entire construction with tons of great pictures. He even has some great info for general bandsaw use if you’ve already got one. [via makezine ]
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[ { "comment_id": "135271", "author": "Ciric Tech", "timestamp": "2010-04-09T17:33:32", "content": "Saw this the other day and had to pick my jaw up off my desk at the end of the video. Truly amazing what can be built when you put your mind to it. It is also so simple I would have way over complicate...
1,760,377,461.515244
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/09/strobe-array-for-dance-parties/
Strobe Array For Dance Parties
Caleb Kraft
[ "home entertainment hacks" ]
[ "dmx", "relay", "strobe" ]
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/10722768%5D Check out this slick strobe array for dance parties . Controlled by a DMX512 interface, only a small modification was necessary to get the strobes working. If you’ve played with a small commercial strobe light, you’ll know there’s a potentiometer to control the strobe speed. He simply soldered a relay after the pot. This allows him to tune them to be charged and ready for when the relay is closed. [via HackedGadgets ]
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[ { "comment_id": "135237", "author": "Digital", "timestamp": "2010-04-09T15:16:33", "content": "shortly after the man walked by he collapsed in a fit of epilepsy.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "135239", "author": "kvmanii", "timestamp": ...
1,760,377,461.578866
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/14/what-kind-of-led-matrix-does-your-vodka-come-with/
What Kind Of LED Matrix Does Your Vodka Come With?
Mike Szczys
[ "HackIt" ]
[ "led", "marquee", "medea", "scrolling", "vodka" ]
Medea Vodka comes with a bottle that includes a blue scrolling LED Marquee . OK, great? It’s an interesting marketing ploy but kind of a waste don’t you think? Friends, it’s up to us to repurpose this  hardware. It can’t be that difficult to hack into the programmable display and make it do your bidding. Our friend Google tells us that you can get your hands on this 750 milliliter bottle for about $40. That’s around $25 more than a passable grade of Vodka sells for, a mere pittance for the challenge of cracking open the hardware for fun and profit . Don’t forget to document your work and tip us off once you’ve accomplished something. See Medea’s programming instructional video after the break. Oh yeah, remember to hack first and drink later… cheap soldering irons get hot! [vimeo=http://vimeo.com/7817799] [Thanks LoopyMind via Idealize ]
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[ { "comment_id": "136075", "author": "grovenstien", "timestamp": "2010-04-14T18:20:17", "content": "Ahhrgh perhaps this is the tackiest thing i have seen ever!Although it might be fun to get Tweet updates whilst sauzzled. Hang on i cant read!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [...
1,760,377,461.901591
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/14/all-about-vlf-radio/
All About VLF Radio
Mike Szczys
[ "Wireless Hacks" ]
[ "radio", "receiver", "transmitter", "vlf" ]
If you’re interested in learning about Very Low Frequency communications take a look at what Larry has to offer on his site. He’s put together a guide to VLF receivers that is short enough to read and clear enough to understand with rudimentary knowledge of circuits. He builds a simple receiver as a working example and a high-powered transmitter that can put out over 2600 watts. Let’s face it, radio operators were the original electronic hackers. Get back to our roots and learn the ways of the transistor. [Thanks Buddy]
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[ { "comment_id": "136070", "author": "Chango", "timestamp": "2010-04-14T17:39:48", "content": "Really? Another transistor project? The guy could have done this with tubes.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136071", "author": "theodore", "...
1,760,377,462.124664
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/14/electronic-wind-chime/
Electronic Wind Chime
Mike Szczys
[ "green hacks", "home hacks", "News" ]
[ "bluetooth", "max", "msp", "piezo", "vibration", "wind chime" ]
The Winduino II uses fins to pick up the movement of the wind and translate it into music. Each fin is attached to the main body using a piezo vibration sensor . The signals are processed by an Arduino housed inside and the resulting data makes its way to a computer via a Bluetooth connection to facilitate the use of Max/MSP for the audio processing. Included in the design is an array of solar panels used to keep the battery for the device charged up. Hear and see this creative piece after the break. [vimeo=http://vimeo.com/8851870] [via Tom’s Guide ]
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[ { "comment_id": "136043", "author": "Michael", "timestamp": "2010-04-14T15:27:39", "content": "Why not atler the fins to make it rotate, and use the wind power to charge this device?", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "136045", "author": "James"...
1,760,377,461.828984
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/14/pwm-fan-controller-for-external-hard-drive/
PWM Fan Controller For External Hard Drive
Caleb Kraft
[ "classic hacks", "Peripherals Hacks", "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "fan", "pic", "pwm" ]
[Alan] noticed that his external hard drive was getting quite hot to the touch after a few hours. He says that it was probably designed to handle the heat sufficiently, he thought it would be fun to beef it up . He’s using a pic 12f675 microcontroller as the brain and an LM35 temperature sensor. The Fan speed is varried in 8 steps from 35 degrees C to 45 degrees C.
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[ { "comment_id": "136039", "author": "Andreas", "timestamp": "2010-04-14T15:17:02", "content": "…”The Fan speed is varried in 8 steps from 35 degrees C to 45 degrees C.”…Oops, since when do we measure speed in degrees centigrade?? ;-)Andreas", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [ ...
1,760,377,461.960726
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/13/picman-a-diy-prototyping-setup/
PICMAN, A Diy Prototyping Setup
Mike Szczys
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "pcb", "pic18lf4553", "picman", "usb" ]
[Ytai Ben-Tsvi] wanted a rapid prototyping tool that could be easily and cheaply built at home. He came up with the PICMAN , a breadboard compatible PIC based board that has everything you need to get the ball rolling. He’s using a PIC18LF4553 which has built-in USB support that can be used with a bootloader for programming. The board also features a voltage regulator for non-USB power sources, some indicator LEDs, a user-defined button, and a reset button. The chip is on the underside and a combination of through-hole and surface-mount parts make for a one-sided PCB that can easily be etched using the toner transfer method . You will need a PIC programmer to burn the bootloader firmware the first time but once that’s done this becomes a self-contained package.
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[ { "comment_id": "135939", "author": "tehgringe", "timestamp": "2010-04-13T20:49:17", "content": "So that looks pretty neat, and something even my soldering skills *could* do.I was curious though, I read the article and I know it is on the to do list, but how come so many of these things use standard...
1,760,377,462.201879
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/13/laser-cut-and-printable-cases/
Laser Cut And Printable Cases
Mike Szczys
[ "Roundup" ]
[ "arduino", "avr dragon", "bus pirate", "case", "laser", "printable" ]
If you’re like us you’ve got quite a few prototyping tools that are bare PCB boards. If you’re using them a lot you might want to protect them with some type of case but the lack of mounting holes can make this difficult. One popular solution to this problem is to design a case for a perfect fit, then cut it with a laser or print it out of plastic. We’ve got examples of both. [Stewart Allen] set to work designing laser cut cases for the AVR Dragon and the Bus Pirate V2go after seeing our post about on-the-go prototyping . We think this is especially important if you have an AVR Dragon as it’s been known to bite the dust if the bottom is shorted out. If you have access to a laser cutter you can download is DXF files and the models and cut your own. If you don’t have a laser cutter but can get some time with a 3D printer check out the Bus Pirate V2go printed case and the Arduino printed case .
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[ { "comment_id": "135928", "author": "mowcius", "timestamp": "2010-04-13T19:32:59", "content": "Well I see someone got to it before me :)It had been on my list of things to make but I haven’t quite got round to it yet.They look good!Mowcius", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] ...
1,760,377,462.321972
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/13/mechanical-scanning-television/
Mechanical Scanning Television
Mike Szczys
[ "Video Hacks" ]
[ "disk", "mechanical", "television", "tv" ]
This project explores the early days of television. Above you see a view from the back side of a mechanically scanning television . The black disk spins and the holes, aligned in a spiral pattern, create vertical scan lines for projected light to shine through. In this case, [Eckhard Etzold] is using red, green, and blue LEDs to create a color picture. As you can seen in the video after the break it does a pretty good job. The main problem being that the scanning disc on a mechanical TV has to be much larger than the actual image. How big would the disk need to be and how fast would it spin to produce a forty inch image? We still think this is a better method than transmitting video data in parallel . [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DFcYRxFdTI] Disc spin-up [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=L83DAJxuUsU] Color video demo [Thanks LeJupp]
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[ { "comment_id": "135907", "author": "broadmoormotors", "timestamp": "2010-04-13T17:07:30", "content": "This is too cool!!", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "135910", "author": "Yann", "timestamp": "2010-04-13T17:27:49", "content": "!!!!...
1,760,377,462.272306
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/08/hacking-the-mindflex-more/
Hacking The MindFlex, More!
Jakob Griffith
[ "Toy Hacks" ]
[ "arduino", "brain", "brainwaves", "mentalblock", "mindflex", "serial", "shock", "toy", "waves" ]
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/10184668%5D Reader [Eric] sent us a powerfully informative, yet super simple hack for the MindFlex toy . Don’t worry, it’s not another worthless shock ‘game’ , And it’s using an actual interface instead of the built-in LEDs . With two wires for the serial protocol, and an Arduino, you’ll be able to view “signal strength, attention, meditation, delta, theta, low alpha, high alpha, low beta, high beta, low gamma, high gamma” brainwaves. While it’s not medical grade, it’s a lot more intuitive than previous interfaces. The original intent was for a system called MentalBlock , but we’re wondering what would you do with brainwave data?
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[ { "comment_id": "135089", "author": "CornBrown", "timestamp": "2010-04-08T21:40:47", "content": "Interface this (on subject A) with a TMS headset hooked up to (subject B) and vice versa…", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "135090", "author": "Co...
1,760,377,462.454694
https://hackaday.com/2010/04/08/flux-paste-applicator-gun/
Flux Paste Applicator Gun
Mike Szczys
[ "Tool Hacks" ]
[ "flux", "gun", "hot glue", "paste", "solder" ]
[Luciano] didn’t want to drop a lot of cash into a flux and solder paste applicator so he built his own for about $5 . He re-purposed a hot glue gun which you can usually find at a dollar store. After removing the heating element he inserted the body of a syringe. The plunger has been modified to use a knitting needle inside of some plastic tubing. After taking the picture above he made an improvement by adding a milliliter scale to the plunger, allowing you to meter out the paste and also gauge how much remains.
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[ { "comment_id": "135066", "author": "Darren", "timestamp": "2010-04-08T20:10:04", "content": "Next time I need one, I think I’ll try this before spending more money than needed.", "parent_id": null, "depth": 1, "replies": [] }, { "comment_id": "135080", "author": "anon", ...
1,760,377,462.371816