DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!
Spotted this sexy commercial electric bicycle in a back issue of Popular Science at the barber shop today. It’s called Pi, and the company that makes it is based out of San Francisco. The magazine article claims it uses a Nu Vinci continuously-variable transmission but the official company specs now only mention a Shimano 8-speed. Sounds like they’re still working out the kinks. Something to keep an eye on, though.
Thinking about mechanical means for auto-opening a fence gate.
There’s almost nothing that makes me as happy as a little Lego entrepreneurship. Remember BrickArms? Well, now there’s ChromeBricks, which will custom electroplate Lego elements of your choice, in your choice of gold, chrome, or copper. [via The Brothers Brick]
I’ll give dollars to donuts that Jake Von Slatt owns a Yaris because he likes to say “YAAAAAAAAAAARis” in a pirate voice. Anyhoo, Jake was tired of the ‘Yota dealership hitting him for 50 bucks to replace the factory cabin air filter, so he hacked together his own from a $5 home A/C filter and wrote a good tutorial about how to do so yourself. Take that ye scallywags!
Thermite pumpkin
Olli Erkkilä created this custom concept bike as his graduation project from the Institute of Design in Lahti. [via Core77]
Looking to increase his atmospheric lighting options, maker Jeroen Domburg built this wirelessly controlled RGB LED light bulb using an ATTiny44, RGB LED emitter, USB-PSU, and 433MHz RF receiver.
