MAKE’s just-released Volume 32 includes a project for building a “World Control Panel,” a console with lots of cool toggle switches and blinking lights that illuminate different points on a dot matrix map drilled out of a sheet of aluminum. Tinkerer Steve Lodefink made the device for his son Harlan to enhance the game of “agents” he plays with his friends. (Wouldn’t it be cool if everyone had a dad who could build you stuff like this?) The resulting build is extremely cool, in a Dr. No kind of way.
Pick up a copy of the new issue to check it out, but also have a look at this video of Harlan demonstrating all the features of the World Control Panel. If it doesn’t bring a smile to your face, nothing will.
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And here’s Steve demonstrating the project himself, backed by some great, fuzzy guitar garage/surf rock and retro narration.
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MAKE Volume 32: Design for Makers
Forget duct tape and baling wire — now makers can design and manufacture things as beautiful as Apple and as slick as Dyson. We’ll show you how to conceive and visualize great-looking projects with our speed course in industrial design.
4 thoughts on “World Control: A Demonstration”
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Cool dad and lucky kid! I love the idea of an imagination driven toy. So many modern toys seem scripted to leave little for the young imagination. This is some open-ended goodness that I could see being re-purposed for many adventures to come.
“Open-ended goodness.” We need more of that.