Month: February 2006

Interfacing the PC’s Keyboard…

Interfacing the PC’s Keyboard…

5PindinCraig guide on PC keyboard interfacing… “Why would you want to interface the Keyboard? The IBM keyboard can be a cheap alternative to a keyboard on a Microprocessor development system. Or maybe you want a remote terminal, just couple it with a LCD Module. Maybe you have a RS-232 Barcode Scanner or other input devices, which you want to use with existing software which only allows you to key in numbers or letters. You could design yourself a little box to convert RS-232 into a Keyboard Transmission, making it transparent to the software.” Link.

Dino-robot is latest toy from Furby creator

Dino-robot is latest toy from Furby creator

190588294920This is on the top of my take apart & tinker list! “When Caleb Chung has a big idea, the toy world pays attention. The co-inventor of the Furby doll created a sensation in 1998 that sold 40 million of the talking furry creatures. Now at a Bay Area start-up, he is launching a new dinosaur robot for kids that he hopes will build upon his dream of creating lifelike, emotionally responsive mechanical animals. Chung’s new brainstorm is called Pleo and it will debut this fall. He is unveiling it today at the Demo conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., and has also taken the wraps off his Emeryville-based company, Ugobe, which is making Pleo.” [via] Link.

PicoCricket  -arty electronics for kids…

PicoCricket -arty electronics for kids…

Picocricket3 SmallI saw these last week at the Exploratorium, and they’re amazing – “A Cricket is a tiny computer that can make things spin, light up, and play music. You can plug lights, motors, sensors, and other devices into a Cricket, then program them to react, interact, and communicate. For example, you can make a cat and program it to purr when someone pets it. Or you can make a birthday cake and program it to play a song when someone blows out the candles. The PicoCricket Kit is similar to the LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics kits. MINDSTORMS is designed especially for making robots, while the PicoCricket Kit is designed for making artistic creations with lights, sound, music, and motion.” [via] Link.