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Posted in Experiment, Projects, Question of the Week on Dec 9th, 2011
So, a while back I learned that Kitten Belly Fur is the softest thing in the world. Coincidentally, I once worked on an experiment that required me to save cat fur (but not of the belly variety). The experiment was based on a theory that one could collect a bag of fur that was bigger [...]
The idea began to percolate in my brain, after playing with the solenoids that were used in the Xylophone experiment. Watching the solenoids strike the Xylophone is really fun, and the fact that you get to hear music, while being visually entertained, is inspiring! I was vexed by creating something new for a future event. [...]
Posted in Drive like you..., Projects on Apr 30th, 2011
I am often encouraged to drive in specific ways. For instance, “Drive like you have 20 feet of PVC sticking through your window” or “Drive like you have the future of the company in the trunk” and today.. “Drive like you have the world’s only candy sorting machine in the back” What that actually means [...]
Posted in Projects on Feb 2nd, 2010
Our dear friend, Vern, of Nuts & Volts fame (among other things) was asked to contribute a chapter to a book about the “Parallax Propeller Multicontroller.” He came up with the idea of controlling air vents.with servos and a Propeller Chip, so that each room in a house could have it’s own ideal temperature. If [...]
Posted in Projects on Oct 28th, 2009
Unfocused Brain & I wrote an article/side bar for Nuts & Volts magazine about a magnet detector we created. We modified “Das Blinkenboard” (a previous project of Unfocused brain & friends) by adding a few components, and then we were able to play with magnetic fields. But the more exciting thing is that WE’RE PUBLISHED [...]
Posted in Projects on Feb 25th, 2009
I got invited to participate in the Dallas Museum of Science’s Tech Week. We were part of the weekend part of the festivities. So, we packed up, designed some new jousters (the pdfs are at the bottom of the page) and headed for Dallas. It was really neat to get to hang out at a [...]
Posted in Projects on Feb 14th, 2009
J. & I have been working hard on a fabulous new project called the “Magic Screen Machine.” By using gears, stepper motors, a micro-controller and and two ULN2803′s we’ve re-created part of Jeff Epler’s Etch CNC project. This is a multi-step process and we actually made it through the first stage successfully. It all started [...]
I was recently compelled to add blinking LEDs to stone. I had a limestone rock that I carved and it really needed some eyes. I liked how light shines through marbles and wanted a similar effect. But once they marbles are set into stone, the marbles become less shiny. So how can I light them? [...]
I needed a cool flashing LED effect (don’t we all?). J made a generic LED sequencing board and I made it groovy. By using a few materials (hot glue, a jar, a bowl, cardboard, more hot glue…) that I had laying about, I was able to create a groovy glue based ambient lighting jar. To [...]
Posted in Projects on Oct 18th, 2008
Update: I won an “Editor’s Choice Ribbon” at Maker Faire!!!! You can read what the editor thought here. Thanks Patti (the awarding editor) & Make Magazine. I’d also like to thank the Academy… er, the Robot Group for their awesome feedback and support and extra RC cars… I also met tons of really great people, [...]