2008

LED Table

  This table is an electronic masterpiece in disguise. The Da Table has a large number of LEDs in a grid pattern just under the surface of the top. This allows the LED to be invisible when off but emits a nice glow when it is turned on. UPDATE. Big thanks to Menkesdriek for sending in some pictures of the table during construction!  

Name the Thing Contest - 48

  Congratulations to the last contest winner. The knife we are giving away this week will help you void warranties like no ones business when you need to crack the next hack open. If you are under age we will have to find something a bit more age appropriate as a prize. This contest will run for one week (May 3 – May 8, 2008) . Ending time is based

Video Tape USB Hub

Here is a neat idea to keep some of your old video tapes out of the landfills. The Video Tape USB Hub will give you a cool looking place to plug in your USB cable thumbdrive. I can think of one extra thing to do, install a small motor and keep a small loop of tape that spins when the device is powered. "Materials: – One old video tape (preferable

Mongoose and Robot Landmine Detector

  Finding landmines is not an easy task. This Mongoose and Robot Landmine Detector combines electronic, mechanical and animal to help make detection a bit easier. Thrishantha Nanayakkara from the University of Moratuwa. Read more about the Mongoose and Robot Landmine Detector. (PDF)  "To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time a human-robot-animal integrated system is tested for antipersonnel landmine detection. The proposed system tries to

Windbelt Micro Power Generator built from Hard Drive Voice Coil

  Tool Using Animal has built a few interesting Windbelt Micro Power Generators that use a Hard Drive Voice Coil as the generating coil. His first version can also be found here. I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across the fact that our LEDs were used in the project! The unit is based on Shawn Frayne’s work. "The video shows it in operation, careful tuning of the belt tension causes

Automated White Board

  Sprites Mods has done it again! Their latest hack is this Automated White Board that can take text input from the internet and plot it onto a white board for the world to see (there is a web cam looking at the board). "The idea is that if I want the pen to be off the whiteboard, the electromagnet gets released and the spring will push a perspex rod

Freezer Failure Alarm based on the PIC Microcontroller

  Gadget Freak has a cool Freezer Failure Alarm project that is based on the PIC Microcontroller. Most projects have no important purpose but this one sure does. It could save you hundreds of dollars if you have a freezer full of meat! Looks like a nice simple yet effective design. See this document for full build details. "The gadget is built around a small controller, an alarm and a