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HELLO! My Name is LED Nametag Kit

HELLO! My Name is LED Nametag Kit

Larry Ogrodnek created this fun LED Nametag Kit, an electronics hobbyist’s version of those ubiquitous “HELLO! My Name Is” stickers that are typically worn at awkward gatherings. An onboard Attiny13 microcontroller allows you to switch between four built-in programs: all letters on, letter chase, fade, and blink. To help you make your own custom nametag, Larry even set up an online name layout tool to help you figure out where the LEDs should be placed before you solder them in.

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Scratching Analog Audio With a PC Fan

Adrià Navarro created this excellent DIY DJ turntable from a junk pile walkman and PC fan. When you rotate the fan with your fingers, the voltage is read by an Arduino, which smooths and remaps the levels and then uses PWM to control the audio casette player’s motor. For good measure, Adrià added an array of LEDs to show the speed of playback. Inspired by her, I’ll be fishing through my junk pile to see if I can give new life to any dusty old parts.

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