Technology

Component of the Month: Relays

Component of the Month: Relays

A relay enables a signal or pulse of electricity to switch on (or switch off) a separate flow of electricity. Often, a relay uses a low voltage or low current to control a higher voltage and/or higher current. The low voltage/low current signal can be initiated by a relatively small, economical switch, and can be carried to the relay by relatively cheap, small-gauge wire, at which point the relay controls a larger current near to the load. In a car, for example, turning the ignition switch sends a signal to a relay positioned close to the starter motor.

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Building a LED Firefly Simulator

Building a LED Firefly Simulator

Twin Cities Maker recently participated in a local art festival, bringing with them three projects that had been created by members David Bryan, Riley Harrison, Cali Mastny, and Aaron Prust. Among them was Strange Attractor, a 6×4 panel of addressable RGB LEDs controlled by a Raspberry Pi microcontroller. The matrix is designed to mimic the flashes of fireflies, which tend to synch with other fireflies’ patterns, but also change their patterns based on ambient light.

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A 14-Inch Hard Drive Clock

A 14-Inch Hard Drive Clock

While clocks made out of dead hard drives area wonderful use for discarded hardware, here is a much more interesting hard drive clock brought to us by [Bob Alexander] and a 1970s era Honeywell computer.

In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, computers didn’t have small removable hard drives like we do today. Instead, the hard drive was an entirely separate unit that contained large platters – 14 inches across in the case of the Honeywell 200 he used in his youth. In a fit of nostalgia for his younger years, [Bob] bought two of these 14 inch platters on the Internet to turn into clocks.

Continue Reading Brian Benchoff
Homebuilt RC Hovercraft

Homebuilt RC Hovercraft

With parts that could have been used to build a remote control jet, ScratchBuiltAircraft on Instructables managed to make something even cooler: a remote-controlled hovercraft.

The body of the hovercraft is made of foam board, while the plastic ‘skirt’ around the bottom is just a simple heavy-duty garbage bag. Where the build gets really interesting is in the electronics. The thrust for the hovercraft is provided by an electric ducted fan powered by a LiPo battery. This fan also pushes air into the skirt of the hovercraft thanks to a duct located directly behind the fan.

Continue Reading Brian Benchoff