• NeuroDreamer Sleep Mask – Open Hardware Project

    Updated: 2012-06-30 18:51:53
      Thanks to Bill Alessi for sending in the details of the NeuroDreamer Sleep Mask that he and Mitch Altman are working on. It is an open hardware project that currently has almost $15K of the $66K of funding needed. The mask has RGB LEDs inside that are controlled by a microcontroller to give you [...]

  • Google I/O After Hours

    Updated: 2012-06-30 16:30:06
    As expected, Google I/O 2012 started off with a bang. After unveiling the Nexus Q, Nexus 7 tablet,  and Android 4.1 Jellybean operating system, everyone broke into work sessions. At the end of the first day of meetings and presentations, my brain was abuzz with new ideas. And I was exhausted. But the night was not over, not by a long shot. Here [...]

  • This Sundial Spells Solstice

    Updated: 2012-06-30 14:00:31
    Four times a year, when our planet is in the appropriate alignment with the sun, the shadow this sundial casts onto the ground spells out either "solstice" or "equinoxe."

  • Ceramic Techniques: 3D Printed Prototypes and Lithophanes

    Updated: 2012-06-30 01:15:41
    Artist Fonda Yoshimoto talks about two different ways of creating ceramic art: one modern — 3D modeling and printing a prototype in order to make a mold; and one old — etching very thin porcelain to take advantage of the translucency once fired.

  • Is WakeMate Going Open Source?

    Updated: 2012-06-29 23:00:00
    This time it's personal - an ex-Wakemate engineer's perspective

  • How To Make a Robot: Lesson 10 – Programming your robot

    Updated: 2012-06-29 20:22:56
    Lessons Menu: Lesson 1 – Getting Started Lesson 2 - Choosing a Robotic Platform Lesson 3 - Making Sense of Actuators Lesson 4 - Understanding Microcontrollers Lesson 5 - Choosing a Motor Controller Lesson 6 – Controlling your Robot Lesson 7 - Using Sensors Lesson 8 - Getting the Right Tools Lesson 9 - Assembling a Robot Lesson 10 - Programming a Robot Programming is usually [...]

  • Slouch Detecting Belt

    Updated: 2012-06-29 20:00:28
    Ellen Sundh's Bad Posture belt uses an Arduino, wave shield, and a flex sensor to detect when the user slouches. If your posture needs correcting, the belt literally yells at you. How's that for motivation? The belt is calibrated when the user presses a pushbutton after attaining good posture. After that, he/she is free to be lambasted by this piece of wearable tech.

  • DIY Coffee Can Radar

    Updated: 2012-06-29 17:30:34
    MIT student Timur Balbekov built this coffee can Doppler radar. Wanna build your own? MIT offers a free online guide telling you how. (Can anyone tell me what microcontroller Timur used?) [via Mr. Vacuum Tube]

  • Using the MakerShield – LCD Display

    Updated: 2012-06-29 16:00:22
    LCD screens look complicated but using an Arduino and a MakerShield, you can easily make your own LCD display shield! Check out this tutorial from Make: Projects.

  • Refine Your Own Wine

    Updated: 2012-06-29 15:00:06
    Netherlands-based designer Sabine Marcelis made a do-it-yourself winemaking kit for her graduation design project that has everything needed to ferment, siphon, bottle, and cork wine.

  • How-To: Satellite Imagery Throws Pillows

    Updated: 2012-06-29 14:16:38
    In case you haven't heard the name before, Spoonflower is a print-on-demand custom fabric service that can indelibly print your images on a roll of fabric up to 58" wide. Andrew@CRAFT just spotted this promotional project from their guest author, Emma Jeffrey, showing off one of the many cool possibilities this service opens up: pillows, cushions, or other upholstery with customized satellite imagery of your location.

  • Turning an Arduino into a USB keyboard

    Updated: 2012-06-29 12:01:15
    The newly released Arduino Leonardo has a few very interesting features, most notably the ability to act as a USB keyboard and mouse thanks to the new ATmega 32U4 microcontroller. This feature isn’t exclusive to the Leonoardo, as [Michael] explains in a build he sent in – the lowly Arduino Uno can also serve as a [...]

  • Droidalyzer – Android Phone Alcohol Detector Accessory

    Updated: 2012-06-29 06:37:55
      If you have ever wanted to try out a breathalyzer without being pulled over by the cops the Droidalyzer is the device for you. It connects to your Android phone using bluetooth and  gives you an idea if you should be taking a cab even if you feel fine to drive. It also gives you [...]

  • Android ADK2012 is here and is powered by Arduino technology

    Updated: 2012-06-28 20:35:47
      Google has unveiled at Google IO their new  Accessory Development Kit for Android mobile phones and tablets, the ADK2012 The ADK2012 is based on the upcoming Arduino Due platform and the new Arduino IDE that supports programming ARM targets. Currently the IDE works only on the Google ADK board released at Google IO, while [...]

  • Massimo’s Talk at TEDGlobal

    Updated: 2012-06-27 15:17:40
    We are really thrilled to blog Massimo’s delightful talk of yesterday about Arduino and the open hardware movement: TED team chose it to be the first video to be traslated and released for everybody to see. Enjoy!  

  • 80 Talking Teddy Ruxpin Doll Exhibit

    Updated: 2012-06-27 06:20:00
      Check out this 80 Talking Teddy Ruxpin Doll Exhibit, it grabs emotional sayings from the net and says them using a synthesized voice. One of the Teddy Ruxpin dolls speaks the phrase and a spot light illuminates the doll talking. Inside each doll is a custom made board which animates the eyes, mouth and [...]

  • Closed for Vacation

    Updated: 2012-06-25 22:27:36
    Hi all.The FreakLabs Store will be shutdown from 6/28 to 7/18 for me to take a much needed vacation. I'll be heading to sunny California to hang out with my family, check out the hackermoms space, play with my nieces, and generally unwind. Sorry about the inconvenience.Akiba

  • Arduino based Milling Machine

    Updated: 2012-06-25 06:51:23
    This is a working model of an Arduino based Milling Machine created using FischerTechnik. For those of you who are unaware of FischerTechnik, it is similar to the LEGOTM Building Blocks. A group of four Mechanical Engineering students at the Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) created this project as part of their Mechatronics class in their [...]

  • DIY Parts Tumbler

    Updated: 2012-06-24 12:58:17
      If you use your CNC machine to make metal parts you will most likely need a way to soften the edges a bit before you use the pieces. Neo7cnc built this quick and dirty DIY Parts Tumbler using a plastic coffee can filled with BB pellets, a small motor slowly turns the can and [...]

  • How many robots?

    Updated: 2012-06-24 05:00:32
    How many robots run on Arduino? I really don’t know. The guys from Complubot keep on sending pictures from the robots they are finding at the Robo Cup in Mexico DF. Want to see some pictures? Look at the following:   The Japanese Team on Soccer B have been working with Arduino for 3 years [...]

  • Red Bull Creation hardware (Bullduino) arrives

    Updated: 2012-06-23 20:01:36
    The Bullduino’s are starting to arrive. When [Arclight] received his in the mail the first thing he did was to share the hardware details. Of course this is the hardware that participants in the Red Bull Creation contest will be receiving ahead of this year’s contest. The board is an ATmega328 Arduino clone. Instead of [...]

  • DIY CNC iPad Stand

    Updated: 2012-06-23 11:16:05
      If you have an iPad you know that there will come a time when you need to have it stand on it’s own. Watching a video, reading a recipe, following some online steps for your next project are all times when you will want a stand. The next issue is that you will want [...]

  • Freakduino Exploring the Underground

    Updated: 2012-06-22 20:55:40
    The team at I Heart Engineering (http://store.iheartengineering.com/)recently sent me this pic of a robotics project for a scientific expedition in an abandoned mind where the Freakduino was used. I was quite happy to hear that it was working properly and he was even using his custom mesh code on it :)This was just a test, but the idea is to have a robot that can perform mapping and deploy a mesh network and communicate back information about the environment....

  • CircuitLab on the iPad – Circuit Design on the go

    Updated: 2012-06-22 12:13:04
      When you have a circuit idea in your head you used to reach for a napkin and a pen. More recently you probably launched a browser on whatever computer is closest but what if you could simply grab an iPad. Well that day has come. Now you can design your next circuit design on [...]

  • Arduino at RoboCup Mexico 2012

    Updated: 2012-06-21 12:55:59
    You might have heard the news via other media, but we are building a robot. For almost two years now we have been collaborating with the Complubot Educational Robotics Association from Madrid, Spain. We have gone through several iterations of prototypes, we have been 3D printing wheels, we have looked into color screens, screws, sound [...]

  • Make Silicon Metal using a Thermite including Sand

    Updated: 2012-06-20 11:56:22
      Mr Home Scientist shows us how to Make Silicon Metal using a Thermite including Sand. If you haven’t seen the destructive power of thermite before have a look at this video where some is used to kill a hard drive. If you intend to play with the stuff be very careful and only use [...]

  • Parallax Propeller Microcontroller Based Quadrotor

    Updated: 2012-06-20 06:43:45
       Using a Parallax Propeller Jason Dorie built this Quadrotor. Watch the video below to see it in action. It looks to be very stable and with the Propeller processor on board there is sure to be no lack of processing power to keep things nice and stable. “The control board is a Parallax Propeller [...]

  • Driving a Nokia QVGA screen with Arduino (or any uC)

    Updated: 2012-06-20 01:01:56
    This is a Nokia 6300 screen. It’s a 320×240 display that has about 2″ of diagonal viewing area and boasts 24-bit QVGA TFT technology. It’s going to look fantastic in your next project and it won’t be hard to get up and running thanks to the hardware and software guide which [Andy Brown] put together. [...]

  • Space experiments for everyone: the ArduSat project

    Updated: 2012-06-19 22:28:09
    ArduSat, which stands for “Arduino satellite”, is a recently kickstarted project that aims at developing an open platform usable to emulate space scientists: Once launched, the ArduSat will be the first open platform allowing the general public to design and run their own space-based applications, games and experiments, steer the onboard cameras to take pictures [...]

  • DIY Wirelessly Charging LED Light made from PVC Plumbing Parts

    Updated: 2012-06-19 02:54:27
        John Duffy built this Wirelessly Charging LED Light in a strong PVC Plumbing housing. It uses an inductive loop for charging which means the case can be made completely waterproof by permanently sealing the unit. Given that it is tiny and made from PVC it would be very robust. I am thinking that [...]

  • Reprap: Don’t Throw Away Your Cracked/Weak Parts – Fix Them!

    Updated: 2012-06-16 17:00:18
    Sometimes, my layers don’t stick nicely, or I print a part that’s too thin, and the part cracks between layers when I try to use it: There’s no need to throw them away and reprint them.  Just use a q-Tip soaked in acetone and paint it liberally.  Junk ABS bits dissolved in acetone works even [...]

  • An IBM Selectric II wishes to be a teletype

    Updated: 2012-06-16 00:01:35
    In his blog, Marc from Robot Dialogs presents a very nice hack involving a IBM Selectric II typewriter: by means of an Arduino board and several solenoids, the typewriter can be successfully connected to a computer to emulate a vintage teletype. The complete story can be found here, together with several videos about its development. [Via: [...]

  • ArduSat puts Arduino experiments in space

    Updated: 2012-06-15 22:01:54
    CubeSats are nothing new – hundreds have been launched into Earth orbit by schools and universities over the past decade. Like anything cool, an Arduino eventually gets thrown into the mix. That’s what the folks behind ArduSat are doing: they’re launching an Arduino-laden satellite into orbit with a bunch of sensors to enable anyone to [...]

  • Quick tutorial: current sensing for DC motors

    Updated: 2012-06-15 20:00:46
    On her blog, Dustyn Roberts presents her own experience on current sensing for controlling DC electric motors with an Arduino board and an Arduino Motor Shield. This shield, based on a L298 H-bridge, provides two current sensing pins to the user, which can be used to measure the instantaneous current absorpion by each H-bridge. After [...]

  • Arduino Barcamp Zaragoza 2012

    Updated: 2012-06-15 08:58:06
      Arduteka en colaboración con Cooking Hacks y Milla Digital del ayuntamiento de Zaragoza han preparado un evento con capacidad para más de 400 personas en uno de los edificios más emblemáticos de la ciudad, el Antiguo Seminario Metropolitano de Zaragoza transformando en una moderna Ciudad Administrativa Municipal y que amablemente han cedido para organizar [...]

  • XOrduino: an Arduino-compatible board for the OLPC XO laptop

    Updated: 2012-06-15 01:00:00
    Dr. Scott Ananian, from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, conceived an Arduino Leonardo-compatible board especially designed for the OLPC XO laptop, with the goal to cut down its price as much as possible, to foster its adoption even in developing countries. From Scott’s blog: The board uses mostly through-hole parts, with one exception, [...]

  • Using printf-style output to debug Arduino

    Updated: 2012-06-14 18:01:42
    First off, if you’re looking at that title and thinking it’s flame-bait, please hold off. What [Ihsan Kehribar] is working with is another way to get some feedback for what’s going on with your Arduino project. Or really any AVR project that uses an ISP connection. He’s added text output for AVR programs similar to [...]

  • Did Termites Eat My Print?

    Updated: 2012-06-14 14:48:20
    I was printing out the x-end-motor for a new Reprap I’m designing yesterday. The bottom was printing beautifully: I baby sat it for the first 2:15, and went to bed during the remaining 15 minutes of the print.  I woke up the next morning to find this: At first, I thought my hot end had [...]

  • Raspberry Pi Case

    Updated: 2012-06-14 14:29:52
    I was not fast enough to get an order in for a Raspberry Pi on launch day.  Fortunately, a kind friend of mine thought of me, and bought an extra one for me.  I received it yesterday, and printed this case: The case I made is a copy of HansH’s excellent Raspberry Pi case, modified [...]

  • Learn to solder class

    Updated: 2012-06-13 20:12:05
    From Workshop 88 – Learn to Solder Last night’s Learn to solder class was really great!  Thanks goes out to Eric for showing us his best tips and tricks for soldering and desoldering. What class or workshop would you like to see at Workshop 88?  Let us know!

  • Go Sphero! Get Your Robot Ball Today

    Updated: 2012-06-13 18:59:28
    Sphero is an amazing robotic ball that  can be controlled via a Smartphone using Bluetooth. There are various free apps designed specifically for this robot ball allowing it to be programmed to follow patterns, play games, scare your cat, and more. Most importantly, it is now available at RobotShop! Oh, and did we mention it is waterproof [...]

  • Nah, you don’t need an Ethernet module for your Arduino

    Updated: 2012-06-12 19:05:10
    [Andy] needed a cheap Internet connection between a data-gathering Arduino and his home server. An Ethernet shield would suffice, but he couldn’t run CAT5 to the Arduino’s location. Wireless shields are hideously expensive, and after looking over the popular Zigbee modules, [Andy] had a few concerns about range and build complexity. The obvious solution to [...]

  • Marlin for Printrboard Updated

    Updated: 2012-06-12 00:34:23
    I just synced my Marlin branch for Printrboard with the latest code from ErikZalm’s branch. I noticed that there were a lot of changes in the planner, temperature control, etc.  Hopefully, it will be an improvement, rather than breaking anything.  Please report here or on github if you find any anolmalies with the new code. [...]

  • Hack Night, 2012 June 4

    Updated: 2012-06-06 03:14:38
    A successful if low attendance Hack Night was had on Monday night. Randy worked on reviving an Apple Time Capsule.  The dead internal power supply was removed so an external supply could be substituted.  A power connector was salvaged (using the fine desoldering tool provided by Branden) from a surplus computer power supply so as [...]

  • Some advances in aerial vehicles: bat-inspired smart wings

    Updated: 2012-06-06 01:52:17
    Researchers from Centro de Automática y Robótica (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and from Brown University carried out a very deep research about the specific behavior of bat flight, whose ultimate goal is to replicate the capabilities of bat’s wings by means of an ad-hoc designed micro aerial vehicle (MAV). From the home page of the project: [...]

  • AVR CAN Bus Project: LeafCAN v1.2 Released

    Updated: 2012-06-04 00:22:02
    Another tweak today, I added instantaneous battery power consumption in KWh to the second line of the display. In order to make room, I had to do away with the V and A characters after the voltage and current draw. Here is the new display: The top line, from left to right, contains Battery Pack [...]

  • Arduino Leonardo Pinout Reference

    Updated: 2012-06-03 20:13:34
    I made this Arduino Leonardo pinout reference for anyone considering building shields for the Leonardo. Please note that shields designed for the UNO, Duemilanove, Diecimila and others will most likely NOT WORK on the Leonardo, because alot of the pin functions have been moved around. This image helps you see some of the differences. For [...]

  • FreakLabs Blog Reboot

    Updated: 2012-06-03 18:27:06
    It's been a long time since I blogged on my site. I was burned out from the radiation monitoring buildout and having multiple things going on at the same time. The time away was good so that I could focus on projects I've been wanting to do for a long time. Since then, I've started on a lot of interesting projects and I've actually wanted to talk more about them. Posting bits and pieces on social media outlets is not...

  • New Arduino Library: INA219 i2c Current/Power Monitor

    Updated: 2012-06-03 17:20:57
    I’m happy to announce a new Arduino library –  my first ever — for the TI INA219 current/power monitor chip. This is a neat little chip that has an isolated shunt voltage amplifier tied to a 12-bit delta-sigma converter. It has on-board oversampling (up to 128 samples) and is addressable over I²C. The I²C is [...]

  • AVR CAN Bus Project: LeafCAN v1.1 Released

    Updated: 2012-06-03 04:13:40
    I made some minor modifications to LeafCAN firmware today. First, I added display of remaining KWh in the battery pack, based on Phil Sadow’s formula of GIDs * 80 = Wh. Also, the display was a bit blurry when the values were updating rapidly, so I slowed down the refresh rate of the LCD to [...]

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