ISURC - Iowa State Robotics Club

pinhole digital.jpg

Richard2nd has put together a simple Instructable on building a digital pinhole camera. The comments mention that the sharper the edges on the pinhole, the greater the depth of field and the sharper the image.

More:
 Pintoids - Pinhole cameras made from Altoid tins

DIY High capacity panoramic pinhole camera

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Combatrobots
Jim writes in with a cool upcoming class @ TechShop...

Most makers love to watch combat robots fight to the death on shows like RoboGames, BattleBots, and Robot Wars.

The folks at TechShop in Menlo Park, California, are conducting a special 2-day intensive class called "Build A 60-Pound Combat Robot". The class gives you the opportunity to build your very own fire-spewing, buzz-saw wielding combat robot with the personal help and guidance of veteran combat robot builders.

The expert instructors for this class include Matt and Wendy Maxham (Team Plumb Crazy, with robots Sewer Snake, Pipe Wench, and Devil's Plunger), Stephen Felk (builder of robots Voltronic, Pump, Plasma), Kevin Barker (builder of robots K2, Terminal Velocity), Gary Gin builder of (robots Original Sin, The Big B), and David Calkins and Simone Davalos (they run RoboGames, the world's biggest robot event).

The class happens Saturday September 13 and Sunday, and September 14, 2008. Up to two people can attend for each registration and work on a robot together. Registration is open now at the TechShop web site.



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A BBC news item describes some recent research into predator avoidance learning in bees. Researchers used tiny robot spiders in a variety of camouflaged colors in a simulated meadow of flowers to see how bees would react. The simplistic "robots" were modeled after the crab spider, a deadly predator of bumblebees. Each robot consisted of a solenoid that actuated two "trap pads" that would grab a bee that landed between them. Bees that had close calls with the spiders learned to be more careful and were successful at avoiding even well hidden spiders on future foraging trips. The downside to this adaptive foraging behavior is that the bees spent more time hovering in front of flowers, checking for predators, reducing the amount of pollination. The bees also began to completely avoid areas of the meadow where they spotted lots of predators, which suggests the plants themselves will suffer from predator infestation. For all the details see the research paper, Speed-Accuracy Tradeoffs and False Alarms in Bee Responses to Cryptic Predators (PDF format). This research was done by Lars Chittka and Tom Ings of the QMUL Bee Sensory and Behavioural Echology Lab. [ Link ]

This is a great demo of block printing in India. (not my voice on the video) It's amazing how accurately the printer can line up the successive prints by hand. The blocks themselves are gorgeous as objects; I have some that I've used in mold-making for casting glass.

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Bubble Heads 01
writes in - LIGHTWAVE 2009 - OPEN CALL

Calling all techno-artists, playful scientists, renegade engineers, architects, sculptors, lighting designers, fashion designers, guerrilla projectionists and inventors! LIGHTWAVE returns to the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin following the unprecedented success and international acclaim received in its phenomenal inaugural show. Bigger, better and raising the bar, LIGHTWAVE 2009 promises to mesmerize audiences not only within the Science Gallery, but to captivate on-lookers city wide as interactive experiences, roving installations and participatory workshops flood the creative, cultural quarters of Dublin. The launch of LIGHTWAVE 2009 will open with a 9-day festival running from January 24th to the February 1st 2009, with exhibitions continuing to February 21st.


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Filed under:


Shopping robots aren't totally unheard of from a global perspective, but we certainly haven't seen too many out and about in NY boutiques. Reportedly, that's about to change -- UNIQLO SoHo will soon be home to Mitsubishi's Wakamaru, a humanoid that can look you in the eye, communicate on a very basic level and somehow help you decide between this dress or that other one over there. Word on the street has it arriving sometime next week, so if any of you regulars happen to see it, let us know just how convincing it is / isn't.

[Via TokyoMango]
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mitchMachine090608.jpg
Mitch Altman, microcontroller hacker extraordinare and inventor of wonderful gadgets like the TV-B-Gone will be at HacDC on Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 PM to help show you how to build your own Brain Machine. Mitch will be bringing all the parts, tools and inspiration necessary, all you need to do is show up!

The event is free and open to the public, however, if you want to build your own Brain Machine, bring $25 to cover the cost of the kit (HacDC will be purchasing some kits you can help build if you don't want to take one home.)

HacDC

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Bazmarc, on Youtube, posted a series of videos(see below) showing his totally cool implementation of the WALL-E robot constructed completely from stock Lego NXT Mindstorms robot system parts. Not only is the robot realistic, it also features some very emotional, and touching, eye movements. Bazmarc's robot creation does use some third party components, like Mindsensors and HiTechnic - both Lego certified. According to comments on his build videos, the robot... [ Link ]

Liubolin Camopaintings

Beijing artist Liu Bolin's camouflage series is presented in the medium of photography, but his painting skills play the starring role. - More examples of his marvelous precision @ work - ?camoflague? by liu bolin

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Austin has an aggressive solar energy rebate program ($4.50 per professionally-installed watt), and here's an opportunity to learn the in's and out's of grid-tie system design:

Grid-Interactive System Design and Installation (part 1&2)

Cost: $80
Saturday, September 6th - 10am to 4pm

This 6 hour workshop, lead by expert installer and NABCEP certified instructor Roy Dyngen of Outback Power Systems, will provide a detailed overview of grid-interactive solar systems. Grid-interactive systems can be grid-tied or off-grid, incorporating battery back-up as an integrated part of the system design. This course will provide detailed instruction and hands-on training in the following areas:
Inverter Circuit Board Replacement
Inverter 101, System Types
Product Offering
Mate Programming Overview
Battery Charging Basics
System Sizing Basics
Stacking Configuration and Programming
Charge Controller Array Sizing
Inverter Circuit Board Replacement
FLEXware 500 System Build
Don't miss this great career-building opportunity to learn the latest from solar industry experts and leading manufacturers. If you are looking for hands-on training with Outback equipment and an opportunity to learn directly from Outback's pros, this course is for you.

More details and registration here.

Or, to be more DIY:


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Maketin

Oh yes, we did -

Perfect for many electronics projects, this mint tin is branded with our Make motto, "If You Can't Open It, You Don't Own It".
We even took out those pesky mints! Get 'em while they last and send us your project photos!
Not a moment too soon - I was starting to lose feeling in my tongue after that last mini-amp project - Make Project Tin

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Jake von Slatt writes:

Last year I had the privilege of tapping a segment for Wired Science with Chris Hardwick. As far as I know the piece never aired ("not sciencey enough" I heard through the grapevine! ;-) ) but it's finally turned up on the Wired Science website.

Steampunk Workshop

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Musical chairs anyone? eh? ? Verizon's How 2.0 brings another interesting DIY music project to the table, fitting a set of organ pipes and bellows to a seat. Prolonged operation of the instrument would likely provide a bit of a workout. Skip ahead to ~2m50s to hear it sound-off. Build details available here - Pipe Organ Chair

[via Create Digital Music]

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The 50-foot robot spider known as "La Princesse" has awakened from hibernation to explore the streets of Liverpool. This £1.5m beast is supposed to aid tourism and spur the local economy—which will just mean that La Princesse has more goodies to eat. We're not quite sure what strange marching bands and snow have to do with taming giant arthropods on a rampage, but we're not ones to judge the miracles of science. [BBC]

[ Link ]

Filed under:


France: it's like Canada, only with less hockey, and more boring mechanical spiders. Those hosers have foisted this amazingly-styled and yet utterly dull "La Princesse" piece of street theater on the innocent, unsuspecting people of Liverpool, and the travesty is set to continue for another couple of days. Hit up the read link for BBC's video of the mundanity.
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Switchbacksea2.jpg

Accomplished street artist Swoon has a new project sponsored by Deitch Studios in Long Island City, New York. Tim Yu at Cool Hunting writes:

With this latest work, Swoon highlights one of the most important issues of our generation, alternative energy. Each of the seven boats, which are crafted out of salvaged materials, are fueled on various alternative energy sources, including biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and solar power. The whole fleet will be welcomed at Deitch Studios in Long Island City, 7 September 2008, and opens to the public the same day. Be sure to get there early to witness the flotilla coming into bay, a vision that can only be brought to us by Swoon herself.

Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea Opening Reception

September 7, 2008, 6-9pm at Deitch Studios

4-40 44th Drive

Long Island City, NY 11101

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2829798704 6D636A2Eaa
Our first MAKE host for weekend projects Bre Pettis, has a new show coming out this month on the History Channel called "History Hacker" - congrats Bre, looking forward to watching!



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Lhc 20080804
We had a commenter that was really upset about the Large Hadron Collider (or as I like to call it, the biggest refrigerator ever made). I also received a few emails, with the same concerns. Here's what the commenter said and below that, the latest from Science Daily...

This experiment is sick and those that think it a joke are sick. The scientists are terrorists in threatening mass destruction. They have no right to veto my existence, the lives of my children, life on earth in all its wonderous beauty and complexity. They have no right to threaten the people of Earth with mega death. The experiment has to be stopped at all costs. No data or knowledge is worth this kind of risk. Science has reached its limitation. People were quite happy in the past with simple pleasures. No one needs this science or data. we have too much already. Humans need to return to simple and sustainable living and not be threatened by a minority of freaks with over sized brains and no appreciation of Nature and everyday things like mountains, birds, insects, flowers or the sunrise.

And here's a snippet from Science Daily & The Review of the Safety of LHC Collisions. Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics, September 5, 2008.

A new report provides the most comprehensive evidence available to confirm that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?s switch-on, due on Wednesday next week, poses no threat to mankind. Nature?s own cosmic rays regularly produce more powerful particle collisions than those planned within the LHC, which will enable nature?s laws to be studied in controlled experiments.

The LHC Safety Assessment Group have reviewed and updated a study first completed in 2003, which dispels fears of universe-gobbling black holes and of other possibly dangerous new forms of matter, and confirms that the switch-on will be completely safe.

The report explains that if particle collisions at the LHC had the power to destroy the Earth, we would never have been given the chance to exist, because regular interactions with more energetic cosmic rays would already have destroyed the Earth or other astronomical bodies.

The Safety Assessment Group writes, ?Nature has already conducted the equivalent of about a hundred thousand LHC experimental programmes on Earth ? and the planet still exists.?

I think the problem is that when you ask a scientist "is there *any* chance things could go wrong" - they will always say well, sure a 0.000000000x chance... it's not zero, but it's also not exactly like pulling the slot machine handle when this machine is fired up either. I do agree with the commenter though, "they have no right to threaten the people of Earth with mega death".



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enter-doorbell.jpg

I think this works better as a DIY project than an actual marketable product: glue an enter key on your doorbell for dork-tastic hospitality. Via Geekologie.

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Most of the stories we hear about military robots involve killing people, destroying things, or helping the military do those sorts of things. It's nice to hear about some military robots helping people for change. The National Health Laboratory Service in South Africa is adapting military unmanned flying vehicles (UAVs) and micro air vehicles (MAVs) to act as robot medical couriers. The flying robots help the agency transport medical samples from more than 5,000 clinics. Quick sample delivery speeds diagnosis of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS patients, helping to limit the impact of epidemics and speed medical treatment of patients. In some cases sterile specimen containers are delivered by autonomous landings at the testing facility. In other cases, the UAV precision drops the specimen containers at predefined waypoints. To further speed diagnosis, the results are dispatched via SMS back to the originating clinic. Story via the DIY Drones blog. [ Link ]
Designs with fibreglass springs and metal cables for tendons can recycle energy with every stride – like a human leg
[ Link ]

Have you ever broken the sound barrier? It's easier than you think. You just need a good bullwhip,
which converts arm movement into supersonic speed and triggers a sonic boom
called a whip crack.
Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in Make Volume 9.
To download The Bullwhip MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes.

Check out the complete Bullwhip article MAKE 09 "The Bullwhip"
and you can see that in our digital edition.


Editor's note: This video has a new sponsor, GoDaddy - so if you're thinking of getting a domain name you can use the MAKEMAG code and get 10% off... -pt
If you want to make an impact online, GoDaddy.com has what you need. .COM names as low as $1.99. Plus, world-class hosting, fast-&-easy Web site builders and much more. Plus, as a viewer of the MAKE Podcast, enter code MAKEMAG, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Some restrictions apply, see site for details. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

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I found this amazing marble machine on YouTube - the details are fantastic! The video is a little fuzzy, but there are some good close-ups of the workings.

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ledgluediffusers.jpg

Hot glue guns & LEDs - two great tastes tools that go great together -

What would I do without LEDs and hot glue? They are integral components to nine tenths of my projects. Well, while I was working on my first instructable I noticed that the LEDs I'd hot glued onto the wires kind of made the translucent glue glow a bit. I thought to myself, "What would happen if I put the glue on the focus end?" And so, this instructable was born.
Good idea - it's always awesome to discover new uses for common items. Find a a good deal on bulk glue-sticks and you've got an illuminated art installation. - Hot Glue LED Diffusion


More:
Ping Pong Led-Thumb
Ping pong ball LED diffuser

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Usbjoy
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool

Here's a good project for those interested in getting started with microcontroller circuit builds - Izuna posted details on building a PSX controller --> USB converter using an ATmega8 chip -

Sure, you can buy an extensor and cut the cable, but you can also buy a PSX to USB adapter for cheap if you want. This is not the point, the point here is make something yourself (and if you have the rights tools beforehand, this is cheaper than buying the adapter [At least I think it is in Brazil]).
[?]
The circuit is very simple, the Atmega8 do all the work, there is just some resistors and zeners to meet the standards for USB protocol, the oscillator crystal and some filtering caps

- USBJoy

- USBJoy on Flickr

More:
Midiator
PS2 controller -> MIDI converter kit


Makershedsmall
Mktk1-2
Microcontroller kit

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bullwhip.jpg
Have you ever broken the sound barrier? It's easier than you think. You just need a good bullwhip,
which converts arm movement into supersonic speed and triggers a sonic boom called a whip crack.
Thanks go to William Gurstelle for the original article in Make Volume 9
View the PDF

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jettoilet.jpg
(Paul Sender's jet toilet, which would be my ideal winner)

Late notice, but today's weirdest commute contest is just waiting for a Maker to steal the show:

WEIRDEST COMMUTE CONTEST Combat climate change, and help kick off Commute Solutions Month at this lunchtime party featuring a contest for those who arrive in the strangest forms of transportation. One past winner rode a motorized bar stool. Think you can beat that? If so, you might win a pair of tickets to ACL [Austin City Limits Music Festival]. 11am-1pm. Republic Square, Fourth & Guadalupe. www.rcride.com.

If you enter something you've built, let me know!

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semadress.jpg

?This "Sema-Code Dress" by game-artist Marguerite Charmante (along with Wolfgeng Peter Schmiller) puts a typical QR code on the surface of the dress so that makes it possible to "scan" your potential dates before you ask them out. Not sure if this makes the most dating sense, but we still like the idea of integrating scannable codes into clothing design.


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This instructable may be a little late for most of us, but it would be a good project to add to your winter build list. They may not be very fashionable, but they should work reasonably well.

Cindy came up with this simple and great idea to make her own prescription goggles for only $12, saving hundreds of dollars compared to buying a pair from the optometrist or dive shop. If you have an old pair of prescription glasses, you can probably make a pair of these for cheap, and in only a few minutes.

More about Making Your Own Prescription Swimming Goggles

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olpc.jpg

Cory at Boing Boing reports that Amazon will start selling the One Laptop Per Child XO laptop in November; they'll be continuing the buy-two, get-one, donate-one system through December - great for holiday gift giving!

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IMG_4987-1.JPG
This is a nicely documented project that successfully recovers a 1940's chair. I really like the first step of the build:

Tear up the quote from the professional upholsterer amounting to close to $1,500. You can sew, use a staple gun and a hammer - how hard can it be.

Read more about how to Reupholster your old furniture

More:
chairReupholster081208.jpg
HOW TO - Reupholster a chair with denim

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ChargingStation2_01-thumb-510x341.jpg
Weekly Geek has a nice build on making a charging stand out of an old "looking" wooden box. The end results are a lot nicer than most commercial versions.

I wanted a solution that would mesh well with my living room while keeping the functionality of the other stations. Something that was cheap but didn't look it. Something that was easy to use and eventually modify down the inevitable upgrade road.

Read more about making a Charging Station

More:
ikeaChargingBox.jpg
Yet another device charging station

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Make Pt0976
This list is from April, but still likely accurate...

Hands-on jobs like these are where some of the the worst U.S. talent shortages exist, according to Manpower Inc., which recently surveyed more than 42,500 employers worldwide. In a weakened job market, the overall percentage of U.S. employers struggling to find talented workers dropped by nearly half to 22% from 2007.

But companies are wrestling with how to fill the ranks of technical and trade careers?particularly when it comes to enticing young professionals as baby boomers transition out of the work force. Another problem: As people live longer, flattening or declining birth rates mean there aren?t enough people to work and sustain the retired.

Here?s the full top 10 Most Wanted:
1. Engineers
2. Machinists/Machine Operators
3. Skilled Manual Trades
4. Technicians
5. Sales Representatives
6. Accounting & Finance Staff
7. Mechanics
8. Laborers
9. IT Staff
10. Production Operators



Makers, what do you think? If you're trapped in a cubicle, it might be a good time to consider some welding classes / certifications or who knows what else if you like working with your hands, the market seems to be demanding it.


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MAKE: Snap and dine

2 days ago

snapanddine.png

This dinner set is made from a mold much in the same way model car parts are. It has all the utensils and a plate for a fancy meal, and has decorative elements not usually found in plastic cutlery. Clearly product designer Demelza Hill has some fancy picnics. Via Cool Hunting.

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Make Pt0975
Someone asked me about statistics of growth for open source hardware, one of the things I suggested to look at was this google search with a news / mention timeline... pretty neat!



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signchair.jpg

Instuctables user wholman (out of Arcosanti, AZ) whipped up a how-to for this chair made from an old metal sign. Looks like a lot of his projects are made from signs featuring the name of a relative of his!

More:

Tennis ball chair

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If you're lucky enough to reside in California, or happen to be visiting there over the next couple months, be sure to check out the latest exhibitions of Liz Mamorsky's creative robot and technology based art. Billed as "functional and dysfunctional art", her works are sure to delight and inspire robot fans with a taste for the unusual. Currently Liz has three active events going. Some of her pieces will... [ Link ]

Cubecornerclock2
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool

Funnypolynomial shares his creative take on the LEDkit solderless clock project, using a clear cube enclosure for a multifaceted display - very cool idea!
(Hmmm, wonder how this might work out on a sphere ...)

- Cube Corner Clock - 7:36 on Flickr


Makershedsmall
Mledb2-2
LED Clock Kit -Red

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Quizgame Buzzers2
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool

Mike, aka Mrsuperpants, built this quiz buzzer system to use at a friend's annual BBQ shindig. Built mostly from extra/scavenged parts, the setup sports light/sound indicators and some "sparkly holographic covering material" - sure to be a party favorite. - Quiz system

- Quiz system components on Flickr

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Converting bond energy from a glucose molecule to heat / light energy... using a Gummy bear.




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Arduinoshield Trans
Arduinoshield Dev
From the MAKE Flickr photo pool

Instead of relying on the usual project wiring, Kris designed a custom Arduino shield for controlling an LED light bar. He was also kind enough to document the ins and outs of his process -

After many months of working on my Arduino based project, I decided to finalize my project by making my own custom PCB. At first I wanted to design a PCB that connected to the Arduino through a series of cables. After some thought however, I realized that a shield would be better because it would eliminate the need for cables.
- Make a custom Arduino shield

- Arduino Shield on Flickr


More:
Dscn1138 Mid
DIY Arduino Shield


Makershedsmall
Arduino Protoshield Kit
ProtoShield for Arduino Kit

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332436609 Tp2Qp-L
307017151 Bzjmh-L
Our pal Fabienne is out of blog retirement to bring you a build log with photos of this super DIY bed...



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Studying what people know about robots from science fiction may help design real ones that are easier to get along with
[ Link ]

PopSci has an interesting feature and video on making your own ammo, it's as simple as pouring it off a roof :)

About 230 years ago, molten lead that rained from the sky?historically something to avoid at all costs?became a clever new way to manufacture an important commodity: shotgun ammo.

Precisely round pellets fly straighter, but casting each in its own 1/8-inch mold isn?t exactly mass production. In space, making them would be easy. In zero gravity, surface tension pulls any liquid into a sphere, the shape with the least surface area for a given volume. This is as true for molten metal as it is for drops of water floating inside the space shuttle. On Earth, the closest thing to zero gravity is freefall?falling objects experience weightlessness right up until they hit the ground.



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The original instructions for Zen meditation date back to the 12th century saying, "Think of neither good nor evil and judge not right or wrong. Stop the operation of the mind, and consciousness; bring to an end all desires, all concepts and judgments". The latest fMRI brain scanning techniques have recently been turned on practitioners of this technique to find out what happens in the brain. The results have been published in a paper titled, Thinking about Not-Thinking: Neural Correlates of Conceptual Processing during Zen Meditation (PDF format). Researchers found brain regions that are active during this mental state but not during normal goal-oriented behavior. These brain regions appear to be involved in control of voluntary attention and are also thought to be part of our "sense of self". What the meditators appear to gain from learning to control this region is, "the ability to control the automatic cascade of semantic associations triggered by a stimulus and, by extension, to voluntarily regulate the flow of spontaneous mentation." In practical terms, the meditators were in more control of their brain, able to complete conceptual tasks faster and more accurately than non-mediators in the study. So does all this have any implications for AI or robotics? If we give robots human-like minds that think randomly and inaccurately, will they eventually adopt Zen meditation to overcome those handicaps? [ Link ]

MAKE: The TiLR bot

2 days ago

Make Pt0969
RoboDynamics just released the "TiLR" ? a four foot tall robot running Win XP Pro, a touch screen LCD, and a Canon PTZ camera with 26x optical zoom... More specs here.

Robotic Telepresence is the ability to transport yourself to a remote location without going there. It is similar to video conferencing but whereas video conferencing gives you only a small window into the remote world, Robotic Telepresence gives you a presence, instantly transporting you there and enabling you to move around, look about, and interact with people, objects, and the environment as if you are actually there.

Our robot, named TiLR (pronounced Tie Ler) has an 8" LCD screen and a powerful Canon camera - providing you with live bi-directional video and audio. As such it brings you face to face with people and objects - and gives you the freedom to move about the remote world from the convenience of your PC - wherever in the world you may be.



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Kronkel
Stunning photo of the Large Helical device project via jwz. The device tests plasma fusion confinement for doing things like making your own star.

The Large Helical Device (LHD) project involves construction of the world's largest superconducting helical device, which employs a heliotron magnetic field originally developed in Japan. The objectives are to conduct fusion-plasma confinement research in a steady-state machine and to elucidate important research issues in physics and engineering for helical plasma reactors. The LHD comprisesa Plasma confinement device that employs superconducting coils, plasma heating systems and devices to measure and record plasma propeties and phenomena.
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Make Pt0968
We have a "Back to School" special - Save 35% off Make & Hacks Books - Here's how it works: Enter in the following code at checkout "BOOK4ME" and get 35% off at checkout! Offer good for the Make & Hacks books only, magazines & box sets excluded... Here are our MAKE books and here are the HACKS books to check out!

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InterlockingBoxI.jpg

Not martha found this great collection of paper box templates - great for gift boxes or storing bits 'n' bobs.

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Lamachinespider2
Lamachinespider
bottom photo by Matthew Andrews / top bbc.co.uk

The 50-foot mechanical creature was spotted hanging on the side of an office building earlier today in Liverpool, England. It will soon take to the streets as part of La Machine's public theatre event which unfolds over the next five days.

- Huge Spider is latest arts event

- La Machine

[Thanks, BruceR!]

More:

Little girl giant plays in the park

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scooter.jpg

This how-to shows building instructions for putting together a scooter that doubles as a roving wireless hotspot, GPS device, pirate radio station, and even has enough juice to amplify an electric guitar in order to play songs over the web. Lots of really nice build photos including laser cuts and pics of the motherboard at the link below.

Geek Hacker Scooter

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soundoflight.jpg

The "Sound of Light " by Matthew Fernandez is a case made for a flourescent tube light that was made by recording and graphic 1 second of the "hum" sound produced by the light. The pattern was made by laser cutting clear acrylic and 50 layers of the substance were uses where each layer corresponds to 20ms of the recording. Another interesting physical visualization of sound by this talented artist / product designer.

The Work of Matthew Plummer Fenandez, via Information Aesthetics

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Elektro-07Midibag

NYC electronic artist Rucyl Mills hacked an M-Audio USB MIDI controller into the fashionably wearable Elektro-07 music controller -

I built the elektro-07 so I could control the sonic and visual parameters of my live performances without having to look deep into the eye of my laptop, hunched over in computer music stance. I'm still learning how to play it.. Software wise, it runs a maxMSP/Jitter patch smoothly, connected to my laptop by a long usb cable. Major thanks to Luke DuBois. Originally it was named the Chakakhantroller after Chaka Khan... but you wouldn't believe how many people don't get the reference.. so I changed it to Elektro-07 after my newly launched label, Elektrocardio. Next version will be wireless, and yes... it's made of black leather and snakeskin.
Chakakhantroller = best controller name ever. - elektro-07 v.1 [via Create Digital Music]


Makershedsmall
9780596514372-2T
Fashioning Technology

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Scannercam Photo1
scannercam-burningman.jpg

From the MAKE Flickr photo pool

Greenwithevil brought his flatbed scanner turned-camera to Burning Man and captured some intriguing images - Scanner Camera on Flickr


From the pages of MAKE:
Scanner Camera Article
MAKE:14 p.78 - Scanner Camera

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antibump.jpg

This "anti-bump" device for car doors was spotted in South Korea. This looks like a simple bit of foam attached to the outside panelling of this sedan. Although it's hard to tell how this is attached, we like the simplicity of this add-on as a nice way to keep your car door blemish free. Of course you could always mod your car door to dissapear in order to avoid scuffs.

via Pasta and Vinegar

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Nope, we aren't sensationalizing anything -- that creature you see above really has made the streets of Liverpool its home. According to an in-the-know tipster, it's reportedly going to be stalking citizens and making all sorts of ruckus, possibly the kind involving pyrotechnics. So what's with England and these totally random stunts? First a full-sized UFO crashes in Potters Fields Park, now a gigantic spider shows up as part of La Machine. Be honest here: are any of you terrified?

[Thanks, Chay]
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Hide the children, folks. We've just uncovered some atrocities, and we don't think they're appropriate for the preschool-and-under crowd. The FCC is performing unspeakable acts of torture upon this Step n' Shine "Snuggle n' Shine" bear, and we think it's time the public knew about it. More gruesome pics after the break.

Chris: "We're going to ask you one more time: where is the spurious 2400MHz radiation coming from?" or "Repeat after me: Bounce has a fresher scent than Snuggles. That's all you have to do."
Paul: "How about now, huh? Do you still 'wuv us vewwy much?' Didn't think so."
Don: "I see you, Tickle Me Elmo. You won't get away with this!"
Josh T.: "Reaction to Build-A-Bear's new competitor was mixed."
Nilay: "Where is the one they call 'Teddy Ruxpin'?"
Josh F.: "This was to be my final hit, but let's be clear about this. There's final hits and final hits. What kind was this to be?"

Continue reading Caption contest: Teddy bear torture -- the photographs the FCC didn't want you to see

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Paul Grayson of Pololu wrote to let us know about their 3pi robot. The 3pi is a tiny (9.5cm) differential drive robot loaded with an AVR ATmega168 microcontroller, five sensors, LEDs, pushbuttons, a buzzer, and an LCD. You can program it in C using the GNU gcc toolchain, which is free software. You'll also need an AVR ISP programmer to load your programs onto the AVR. Polulu offers a combination deal that include the robot, programmer, and cables for $119. If you already have an AVR ISP programmer, you can get the robot for just $99. The 3pi looks like a cool little robot and we look forward to posting a full review of it if we can get our hands on one. [ Link ]

There's really nothing great that can be done with Styrofoam other than not produce it in the first place, but in lieu of recycling it or throwing it away, one man and his son, inspired by this artwork, took 5 years worth of Styrofoam packaging and did the next most logical thing—built a giant robot.

Assembled from 5 main pieces sliced with a foam cutter and held together with silicon seal, the limbs fit the torso as if they're sitting on a shelf (requiring no additional adhesive for easy assembly/disassembly). Also of note: this styrobot only weighs 20 pounds.