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Futuristic Hands-Free Game Control with the DodecaLEDron

Futuristic Hands-Free Game Control with the DodecaLEDron

This unique controller was created by Indie developer Alan Zucconi. It allows players to control a virtual spaceship by only hovering their hands over a series of sensors. It was discovered on the floor in the “Alternative Input” exhibit at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2015 in San Francisco. Gamers can use the controller to […]

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Build a Custom Tremolo Effects Box

Build a Custom Tremolo Effects Box

The latest addition to our Weekend Projects series is an Optical Tremolo Box. Inspired by Charles Platt’s article about online DIY guitar stomp-box communities (MAKE Volume 15, page 82, “Stomp Box Basics: Tremolo and Fuzz”), MAKE Technical Editor Sean Ragan took up the challenge of building this project. He used a cadmium sulfide photoresistor as […]

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USB-Powered Magic Trackpad

USB-Powered Magic Trackpad

Out of the box Apple’s Magic Trackpad is a battery-powered device. While this may be convenient for some, others prefer a wired connection. MacRumors Forums user markbog decided to convert his new trackpad to run off the USB.

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PhonePoint Pen prototype

uke University students have developed a prototype smartphone app that reads characters drawn with accelerometer data and outputs text using OCR. Though a little impractical as a keyboard replacement, it would be great for gestural input.

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Wireless inertial data glove using Arduino/Processing

Noah Zerkin sent us a vid to his current project. It’s a wireless inertial data glove rig, built with an Arduino- and Processing-based motion capture system for use in creative interaction, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), etc. It’s built entirely with parts from Sparkfun and RadioShack. He writes: The thing that makes this special […]

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Single-finger text input

Here’s a fascinating video demo of Dasher, a single finger interface that allows you to enter text without a keyboard. Single-finger input without a keyboard? Wait, that’s my iPhone. Keyboards are inefficient for two reasons: they do not exploit the redundancy in normal … all » language; and they waste the fine analogue capabilities of […]

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Alternative MIDI controllers

Alternative MIDI controllers

DeviantSynth has an interesting roundup of alternative commercial(and vaporware) MIDI controllers up, covering a variety of approaches to key-layouts and interface. Helpful info for those brainstorming new input/button/switch arrangements and general design – Alternate MIDI controllers that are reasonably priced are very difficult to find. The piano-keyboard paradigm has such a death grip on electronic […]

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