Welcome
Find inspiration at Maker Faires.Page 04
Make: Volume 64 — Connected Everything
In this issue of Make: learn to connect and automate a variety of gadgets with the easy-to-use IFTTT (If This Then That) cloud service — set your coffee machine to brew a fresh pot when you wake up or send a message to do your homework right away when you get back home. Then explore how hackers use the Shodan search engine to discover and take advantage of your connected devices and get up to speed on how to lock them out. And in our cover story, read about Let’s Robot, the whimsical platform for telepresence robotics. Log in and communally control a roving robot, and build your own for the internet to collectively control 25 projects including:
- Hack the original Space Invaders arcade audio chip and produce classic and novel sounds
- 3D print an awesome set of egg-shaped speaker enclosures that provide incredible sound
- See how prop and costume maker Michelle Sleeper built a real Mad Max: Fury Road-inspired prosthetic arm for an amputee cosplayer
- Add sass to your simple sweater with ribbon and grommets
- And much more!
ON THE COVER: Jill Ogle with Roxi. Posing assistance from the internet.
Photo: Hep Svadja
Table of Contents
Columns
Reader Input
Notes from readers like you. Page 05
Made on Earth
Backyard builds from around the globe.Page 06
Features
Bright Ideas
Kari Byron
MythBuster Kari Byron and “geek mom” Debra Ansell chat about technology, art, and the magic of being self-taught.Page 14
Fast Food
Jen Herchenroeder
BattleBots team Poor Life Choices cooked up their fighting bot “Battle Royale with Cheese” in just five weeks. Page 16
Flying Toward the Future
Jordan Ramée
The Daedalus suit soars closer to realizing our jetpack dreams.Page 18
Connected Everything
Connected Everything
Mike Senese
Our smart devices and projects will make our lives easier — as long as we are as smart as they are.Page 20
Remote Control
Jill Ogle
Let’s Robot offers an open telepresence platform for everyonePage 22
Seek and Deploy
@blackroomsec
How hackers use the Shodan search engine to discover and take advantage of your connected devices.Page 26
If This Then That
Becky Stern
Get started with the popular IFTTT cloud service for gluing together web services and hardware.Page 28
Lock it Down
Brian Lough & Tony DiCola
Top tips to tighten security on your homebrew IoT projectsPage 30
At Your Service
Hep Svadja
Take your project online with these maker-friendly options.Page 32
Projects
Space Invaders Synthesizer
Charles Platt
Hack the original Space Invaders arcade audio chip for classic and novel sounds.Page 34
Powerslide
Joey Ramirez
Build a lap steel guitar from your favorite skateboard deck.Page 37
Synthetic Sounds
DJ Hard Rick
Make a minimal sliding synth and drum machine for just a few bucks each.Page 38
Egg Speakers
Heine Nielsen
3D print these awesome enclosures that provide incredible sound.Page 40
Beauty and the Beats
Matt Stultz
Nothing less than a sound-reactive light show will do for rock band Less Than Jake.Page 42
Pecan Blaster
Larry Cotton
Make a twin-solenoid power nutcracker that bashes the shells and saves the meats.Page 44
Via Libris Reverse Geocache Book
Greg Treseder
This mysterious GPS treasure book guides you to a secret location — then out pops a gift!Page 50
DIY R/C Hovercraft
Eric Thorstensson
Made from cardboard and trash bags, these things rip! Make a bunch and race your friends.Page 52
Building Furiosa’s Bionic Arm
Michelle Sleeper
Inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road, prop and costume maker Michelle Sleeper built a real prosthetic arm for an amputee cosplayer.Page 56
Chipped Nails
Tanya Fish
Add NFC RFID tags right into your manicure, then command your gadgets with a fingertip.Page 58
Reverse Engineering Furniture
Caleb Kraft
A cheap homage to a famous mid-century modern writing desk.Page 60
Remaking History: The Invention of the Modern Still
William Gurstelle
Build your own time-tested rig for distilling essences or ethanol.Page 62
Hands-Free Photography
Becky Stern
Rig a DIY foot-switch shutter remote and give yourself a hand — or two — in documenting your project steps.Page 65
Altered Apparel
Lisa Mecham
Add sass to your simple sweater with ribbon and grommets.Page 66
Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Ballpoint Penball!
Bob Knetzger
Hack a click pen to make a mini pinball game.Page 68
Squarely Rooted
Kat Chapman
Use a grid to get big gardening results in small spaces.Page 70
1+2+3: Straw Oboe
Matt Stultz
Craft simple wind instruments from drinking straws and strike up a summertime band.Page 71
Skill Builder
Get to Know Arduino
John Baichtal
Here’s a crash course on the popular microcontroller.Page 72
Tech Tunes
Sam Archer
Create music from floppy drive sounds with a Java application and Arduino sketch.Page 74
ToolBox
Toolbox
Gear up with reviews of the latest tools and kits for makers.Page 76
Show & Tell
Show & Tell
Check out the winners of our Mission to Make: contest!Page 80
