It’s being widely reported as the first time an electric multi-copter has carried a human being aloft. Germans Thomas Senkel, Stephan Wolf, and Alexander Zosel are the brains behind e-volo, a 16-copter with four groups of four blades, each of which is driven by a separate motor. The first human-carrying flight is reported to have lasted one minute and thirty seconds.
In MAKE Volume 25, Sparkle Labs showed how to hack your TV remote control to make it solar powered. Just add a tiny solar panel and rechargeable batteries. It works with any AA- or AAA-powered remote. Now they’ve put together this easy kit: a flexible 4.8V solar cell with soldered leads and connector pads, and […]
Phil wrote in with this breathalizer project he created with 25 Shiftbrite modules, and Arduino, and a MQ-3 alcohol sensor. The MQ-3 Gas/Alcohol sensor is not accurate enough to use for any serious breathalyzer applications, it also needs to be properly calibrated which is a process I did not undertake. The 25 Shiftbrites are powered […]
Nice Halloween stunt from maker Matt Coates, aka mattjackets. Illuminated from within by the classic traveling arc, Matt’s Jack-o’-lantern this year is carved with a high-voltage hazard symbol instead of a face.
The Bulbdial Clock displays analog time, without any motor, movement, or screen. The 72 LEDs cast shadow hands across its face, with red, green, and blue for hours, minutes, and seconds. It’s a beautiful effect, and the kit is not difficult to assemble, thanks to incredibly well-done instructions.
The Wise Clock 3 is an easy and highly customizable driver for a 32×16 RGB LED matrix display (included). Its default program includes several different clock modes, but it can also display the date and temperature, or any message. Check out all the different clock faces, including Pong and Pac-Man.
Solder: Time was a perfect father-daughter project: my 8-year-old assembled the components and I soldered. Afterwards, she had a chunky blue wristwatch that her cousin admired longingly, so we made another one for her. Now their friends are asking for them. I think we’ve started a trend!
