HOW TO – Make a Strobe Out of a Monitor…
Matthew writes “A project I’m finishing off involves a simple little front end that I’ve decided to implement using some DHTML. As I was reading up on JavaScript’s setTimeout method as part of my DHTML research, an interesting thought crossed my mind: would it be possible to make a strobe light out of that old archaic CRT monitor sitting on my closet floor and such a weak (as in weakly typed) language as JavaScript? Well, I decided to give it a try and it actually worked out pretty well — although it did give me a mild headache after I had the not so keen idea to stare directly at it for a few seconds. Here’s the code you need to make use of that old dust magnet.” Link.
More on the RFID zapping project “The RFID-Zapper is a gadget to deactivate (i.e. destroy) passive RFID-Tags permanently…Goals are a proof-of-concept and the construction of at least one functioning and appealing prototype, as well as a documentation of the project, so that everyone can build an own RFID-Zapper. Since the project found so much positive resonance, we probably are going to work on some other realizations of the concept, e.g. building an RFID-Zapper from scratch, without a single-use-camera.” [
DIY satellite of sorts…A Russian Orlan spacesuit with three batteries, a radio transmitter, and internal sensors to measure temperature and battery power – “One of the strangest satellites in the history of the space age is about to go into orbit. Launch date: Feb. 3rd. That’s when astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) will hurl an empty spacesuit overboard. The spacesuit is the satellite — “SuitSat” for short.” [
AntonOlsen writes “This is an easy to build dc-dc switcher that can drive quite a few LEDs at 3.3V with a single AA battery. Version 1 is going in a mini mag light and I’m thinking version two will make a very light weight bike light.” [
Refik writes “Here’s a free Funcion/Signal generator. Engineers and hobbysts need a function generator to test their circuits if they are working properly and it happens that they don’t have money to buy a function generator or don’t have time at the moment to build one! This function generator is a free of charge software that needs just a sound card in the computer!”