When assembling a proper laboratory, the gentleman or lady experimenter should be sure to include a Wimshurst electrostatic generating machine. This device will serve tirelessly in investigations into the field of natural philosophy, and provide interesting parlor games such as the “electric kiss.” Herein we will demonstrate the construction of such a spectacular device, with […]
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Memory sticks lack character. Even the nicest looking ones are more functional than fun. But re-skinning a USB flash drive takes only an hour, max, and unlike a PC case mod, you’ll carry your creation with you. They also make cute gifts (“Thanks for the memories!”). So far, I’ve done a finger puppet, a ChapStick, […]
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I’ve always loved to travel, and of all the places I’ve visited, Spain especially has captured my heart. What better way to keep my memories front and center (while sprucing up my living room) than by adorning my coffee table with maps of one of my favorite countries? This project is perfect for those who […]
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Hack a $30, single-use camcorder to make it reusable, then launch it up in a model rocket and capture thrilling astronaut’s-view footage of high-speed neighborhood escape and re-entry.
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At BeatBots, we believe that dancing is one of the most worthwhile occupations a robot can have. We like making cute characters move in interesting ways, and as you’ll see, this doesn’t require expensive components or complicated programming. For Spazzi here, we decided to forego the rotational motors (servos and steppers) that many robots use. […]
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Powering a TV remote with the sun means you won’t have to buy batteries every six months to surf from your sofa. Low-voltage devices that use power only occasionally, like remotes, are good candidates for a solar-powered trickle-charge. Here’s how we modded our remote to live off of the sun, using rechargeable batteries connected in parallel with a small solar cell and a diode to keep any power from trickling back out.
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Using this simple technique, you can etch a design into a thin pane of clear plastic sheeting, then enclose the edges of the plastic with reflective tape and embed a battery-powered LED. The resulting design appears backlit and hovering in mid-air, with a laser-like textured glow that photographs cannot do justice to. Check out more […]
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