Using parts easily available from your local stores, you can make a small solar power generator for $250 to $300. Great for power failures and life outside the power grid. Power your computer, modem, vcr, tv, cameras, lights, or DC appliances anywhere you go. Use in cabins, boats, tents, archaeological digs, or while travelling throughout the third world. Have one in the office store room in case of power failures in your highrise. I keep mine in my bedroom where it powers my cd player, turntable, lights, modem, laptop, and (ahem) a back massager. I run a line out the window to an 8″ x 24″ panel on the roof. Link.

Your dumpster diving and curb crawling resource. The site has over 2,000 topics and 1,500 members. It had pretty much all the information, tips, techniques and more for procuring trash and then converting it to treasures. Here in Seattle a lot of people but out good stuff on weekends with a “free” sign too. [via] Link.

A cloud chamber is used for detecting particles of ionizing radiation. It is an airtight, super cooled, supersaturated environment. Today we will show you how to build this device in he luxury of your own home with simple materials. Question: If a cop uses IR to check your speed, couldn’t you just use a simple remote control to jam his signal? Answer: Short answer…no. The first and most practical reason is that remote controls are relatively weak and they don’t have a great range.[via] Cloud Chamber, Radar jamming.

Before I could get MythTV running, I needed a computer. By temperament and experience, I am a software hacker. If something fails, you reinstall and start over. With hardware, though, you are stuck with your mistake until you pay money to correct it. After a great deal of research, I decided on the following parts… Link.

It was a game enthusiast who first conceived of the Ergodex DX1 Input System, a USB input device by Ergodex, designed for users to place programmable keys anywhere on its 11-inch x 9-inch “DX1 Pad.” The concept is simple: You begin with 25 DX1 keys, place as many of them on the DX1 Pad in any layout you wish, and use the included software to assign functions to each one. Link.

I like mashing buttons, but this looks interesting. A novel calculator interface makes solving tricky sums easy, as users can simply write them onto a screen and then watch the answer appear. The device could easily be incorporated into stylus-controlled handheld computer and its inventors say it reduces the number of errors that users make. Link.

The Animaris Rhinoceros Transport is a type of animal with a steel skeleton and a polyester skin. It looks as if there is a thick layer of sand coating the animal. It weighes 2. tons, but can be set into motion by one person. It stands 4.70 meters tall. Because of its height it catches enough wind to start moving. I hope they publish the plans one day. [via] Link.