If you like high-voltage sparks arcing through the air (and who doesn’t?), check out the Coil Driver, which drives an automotive ignition coil at audio frequencies. Like other musical kits, the Coil Driver makes a great group build because you can all make cool sounds together when you’re done. However, while it’s an easy solder, […]
These Digital Dominos work just like regular dominos knocking each other down, only virtually. Each domino-sized PCB has a button that triggers an LED to blink (which corresponds to the domino “falling”). An IR sensor on one end and an IR LED on the other allow each domino to trigger any adjacent domino to blink, and so on. […]
I love this sweet bag from Lisa of U*Handbag, for which she’s provided a detailed downloadable pattern over on her blog. So, this bag is totally inspired by the purse frame itself. As soon as I saw the frame I was thinking of film starlets, Grace Kelly, Doris Day, and the lovely women of Mad […]
Google and OEMs like RIM & HTC will likely need to drop support in the next versions of their OSes. For me personally, I can finally say the book I co-authored 9 years ago now officially outdated and not supported (I still get emails).
Another small synth from Bleep Labs, the Nebulophone is more robust than the Pico Paso. It packs three potentiometer knobs, two buttons, an LED/light sensor combo that serves as an analog low-pass filter, and a unique piano-like series of pads on the PCB that you can control with an alligator clip. It has a programmable […]
This tiny, handheld synth features two light sensors, two pots, and two buttons. It’s an easy build, even for newbies, soldering together very quickly with no difficult steps. I love how snug the little guy is, but this compactness comes at a price: no enclosure and no speaker. To hear the Pico Paso, you’ll need […]
Analog voltage-controlled oscillators (AVOs) make a variety of intriguing hums, beeps, buzzes, and loops, controlled by buttons, knobs, and sensors. These are fantastic group projects because once the soldering irons are all put down, you get an excellent payoff: you can have an impromptu concert. Bleep Labs, run by Austin, Texas, circuit bender and kit […]
