May 2008

Panel Meter Clock

  I love the look of the old fashioned Box Simpson Meters. Have a look at this project that turns three meters into a functional clock! If that wasn’t enough it even synchronizes its time using NTP.  "Each meter driver is a single opamp used to sum two signals, scale them and output the result to the meter. One signal is a voltage set between -12V and +12V (actually less

Turbine Jet-Boat

  This Turbine Jet-Boat is one fast ride. Looks like 1370 horse power is just enough for a wild water ski ride that you won’t forget. "The T58-GE-8F turbine that is going in Squirt 2. It weighs 350 lbs and produces 1,370 hp @ 6000 rpm. That’s about 1,200lbs-ft of torque! The hull shown in the photos below is a 21ft aluminum white water race boat built by Eagle Power

Ethernet Controlled Security System

  Ahmad Masri has used an inexpensive ethernet chip called the WIZ5100 to create a simple but flexible ethernet based security system. The low cost of the ethernet chip makes connecting projects to computers or other microcontroller based devices very appealing. "I have constructed a TCP based security system using the Ethernet module offered within the contest , an ATmega16L microcontroller , a PIR as a sensor and few other

Montegiro Lusso $47,000 Turntable

  This Montegiro Lusso Turntable is something else! I love the style, I think this recreating this concept would make for a great DIY project. "This creation from Germany exemplifies that vinyl is still alive. Targeting audio excellence, it features three height adaptable connected cones developed via alternate layers of aluminum and black acrylic. Whilst its one cone is supported by a lately developed ultra precise synchronous motor, the other

Sun Tracking Solar Panel System

  I have been thinking about some green ways of depending on the grid as much as I do. There are so many things that can be done but most are very expensive unless you use some build some of it yourself. Have a look at this solar and wind system that uses some home made sun tracking units. "The systems tracks the Sun using a controller from Red Rock

DTMF Phone Dialer - PIC Microcontroller Based

This project may not be needed for your everyday life but it turns a PIC Microcontroller  into a DTMF Phone Dialer and there is code provided so next time you need to make some DTMF magic you can use this project as a starting point. " The dialer is operated this way: Storing a number. The device can store up to 12 numbers, identified by a bank ID. The ID

Twitter Home Automation

Looking for an inexpensive home automation system that can be controlled remotely? Look no further than Twitter and iLink INSTEON. "Using Twitter, a new social networking site, you can set up your laptop and connect it to your light switches (or any other electrical device) and control the device by sending text messages to your twitter account. It’s a fairly simple setup using this software which controls this hightech lightswitch"