2008

Hamster Powered Generator

  Everyone is looking for alternate energy sources these days. I think this is one that is almost always left untapped. 🙂 Just think of all the wasted power when the pet hamster is doing his thing with the hamster wheel. You can now do something to harness all that wasted energy, build yourself a Hamster Powered Generator! "The first criteria we needed to design the alternator was an estimate

Amaizing RC Demonstration Videos

  Some of these videos look a bit suspicious… Any fakes amongst them? I could see how the RC car that is tethered to the center pole could achieve some tremendous speed but I wonder if the video was simply sped up?    

DARPA Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009

DARPA is working hard to advance prosthetics  technology, the result will be a limb that is easier to control and have improved run time compared to current devices. "The four-year Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 program will create a neurally controlled artificial limb that will restore full motor and sensory capability to upper extremity amputee patients. This revolutionary prosthesis will be controlled, feel, look and perform like the native limb. At the

Gummi Bear Burns in Potassium Chlorate

  Take some Potassium Chlorate, a Gummy Bear and add some heat. What do you get? A fun Burning Gummy Bear Reaction! "Fill the test tube to a depth of about one inch with potassium chlorate. Clamp the test tube in place at an approximately 45° angle. Set up the ringstand-clamp-test tube assembly behind a safety shield in front of the class. Connect the burner so that the test tube

Monkey controls a Robot with Brain Power

  If this research wasn’t being performed by a reputable University I wouldn’t have believed that a Monkey could control a Robot with Brain Power! "In a first-of-its-kind experiment, the brain activity of a monkey has been used to control the real-time walking patterns of a robot halfway around the world, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The Duke team is working with the Computational Brain Project of

Name the Thing Contest - 40

  Congratulations to the last contest winner. The prize this week is a tool to help you take apart your next mod project.. This contest will run till mid next week (February 23 – 27, 2008) . Ending time is based on central standard time. To enter, identify the item pictured above and give an example of what can be done with it. Please do not give the answer in

Universal Remote Control Tester - Ubicom SX28 Microcontroller based

If you have ever wanted to make a remote control project, this Universal Remote Control Tester project that uses the Ubicom SX28 Microcontroller could be a good starting point. This chip is now being sold by Parallax. "This project use the Ubicom SX28 micro controller to made a test of the frequency and the complete wave taken form a IR remote control, could be an TV, Audio, VCR, or any