Soldering/desoldering tools

Super-Simple Audio Cellbot

Super-Simple Audio Cellbot

Celljoust! What is a cellbot? A cellbot is a small robot using a smartphone as the brain. They can be autonomous or remotely controlled over the Internet. There are many different types of cellbots, but they typically share the following features: Small; around 6 in. square, less then 1 lb. Mobile; uses wheels and motors […]

RoboBrrd

RoboBrrd

RoboBrrd’s Characteristics A RoboBrrd is a robot that experiments with human-robot interaction and is created from a limited selection of materials. Inspired by birds, RoboBrrd has a beak and wings that allow it to produce actions based on sensory inputs. The combination of multiple actions create behaviours for RoboBrrd to exhibit. These behaviours provide a […]

NASA MAKE Challenge 2011 Winner: “Bring It Back” Microgravity Kit

NASA MAKE Challenge 2011 Winner: “Bring It Back” Microgravity Kit

“Bring It Back” Microgravity Kit by Prashant Rao & Subra Sankaran Prashant Rao, Ph.D., Principal Engineer, Barrios/Jacobs/ESCG Subra Sankaran, Ph.D., Senior Thermal Specialist, MEIT/Jacobs/ESCG at NASA JSC, 2224 Bay Area Blvd, Houston TX 77058 Three experiments are described here (with suggestions for additional experiments) that use molten wax in different setups to demonstrate important principles […]

Interactive Wall of CDs

Interactive Wall of CDs

Many of us over the years have collected boxes of CD cases of the music albums we purchases. Nowadays more and more people are buying digitally, but some of us still prefer the higher quality audio and tangible cover art of physical CDs (used CDs are often cheaper than digital downloads too). However, storing CDs […]

DC Boarduino (Arduino Clone) Kit

DC Boarduino (Arduino Clone) Kit

If you’ve ever struggled to use a solderless breadboard with an Arduino, you understand how frustrating it can be! The Boarduino clone acts just like an Arduino, and works with the latest Arduino software. For many projects it can even be preferable!

Circuit Skills: Surface Mount Devices

Circuit Skills: Surface Mount Devices

This project by Collin uses a familiar schematic — the light-sensitive oscillator (aka “phototheremin”) as originally described in Forrest Mims’ book Timer, Op Amp and Optoelectronic Circuits & Projects. Once he got the hang of securing each part in place for soldering, the rest of the process was more or less straightforward, and the circuit […]