Bamboo Skewers Launch Airship
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/bamboo-skewers-launch-airship/
We have to admit, we like airships. There’s something about the image of a stately zeppelin floating over Manhattan that just makes us imagine the future. There are not many airships anymore, but you can always build your own. [Crafty Robot] shows how to use one of their boards to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/bamboo-skewers-launch-airship/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/bamboo-skewers-launch-airship/
We have to admit, we like airships. There’s something about the image of a stately zeppelin floating over Manhattan that just makes us imagine the future. There are not many airships anymore, but you can always build your own. [Crafty Robot] shows how to use one of their boards to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/bamboo-skewers-launch-airship/)
Teardown: VTech PreComputer 1000 is an Iconic PC in a Toy Wrapper
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/teardown-vtech-precomputer-1000-is-an-iconic-pc-in-a-toy-wrapper/
Back in the days before kids could be placated with a $50 Android burner phone, many a youngster was gifted a so-called “educational computer” to keep them occupied. Invariably looking like a fever dream version of the real computer their parents didn’t want to let them use, these gadgets offered …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/teardown-vtech-precomputer-1000-is-an-iconic-pc-in-a-toy-wrapper/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/teardown-vtech-precomputer-1000-is-an-iconic-pc-in-a-toy-wrapper/
Back in the days before kids could be placated with a $50 Android burner phone, many a youngster was gifted a so-called “educational computer” to keep them occupied. Invariably looking like a fever dream version of the real computer their parents didn’t want to let them use, these gadgets offered …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/teardown-vtech-precomputer-1000-is-an-iconic-pc-in-a-toy-wrapper/)
Behold a 3D Display, Thanks to a Speeding Foam Ball
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/behold-a-3d-display-thanks-to-a-speeding-foam-ball/
We’ve seen 3D image projection tried in a variety of different ways, but this is a new one to us. This volumetric display by Interact Lab of the University of Sussex creates a 3D image by projecting light onto a tiny foam ball, which zips around in the air fast …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/behold-a-3d-display-thanks-to-a-speeding-foam-ball/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/behold-a-3d-display-thanks-to-a-speeding-foam-ball/
We’ve seen 3D image projection tried in a variety of different ways, but this is a new one to us. This volumetric display by Interact Lab of the University of Sussex creates a 3D image by projecting light onto a tiny foam ball, which zips around in the air fast …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/behold-a-3d-display-thanks-to-a-speeding-foam-ball/)
KiCad Action Plugins
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/kicad-action-plugins/
The last two years has been a particularly exciting time for KiCad, for users, casual contributors, and for the core developers too. Even so, there are many cool new features that are still in process. One bottleneck with open-source development of complex tools like KiCad is the limited amount of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/kicad-action-plugins/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/kicad-action-plugins/
The last two years has been a particularly exciting time for KiCad, for users, casual contributors, and for the core developers too. Even so, there are many cool new features that are still in process. One bottleneck with open-source development of complex tools like KiCad is the limited amount of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/kicad-action-plugins/)
Emulating RISC-V On An FPGA
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/emulating-risc-v-on-an-fpga/
“RISC architecture is going to change everything”, which is why [SHAOS] is building this cool RISC-V DIY retro-style computer.
The project took inspiration from another hacker’s work in building a RISC-V emulator; shared in the Hackaday FPGA chat. He took it a bit further and got it going on an …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/emulating-risc-v-on-an-fpga/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/emulating-risc-v-on-an-fpga/
“RISC architecture is going to change everything”, which is why [SHAOS] is building this cool RISC-V DIY retro-style computer.
The project took inspiration from another hacker’s work in building a RISC-V emulator; shared in the Hackaday FPGA chat. He took it a bit further and got it going on an …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/emulating-risc-v-on-an-fpga/)
DIY CNC Router Uses Chains The Right Way
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/diy-cnc-router-uses-chains-the-right-way/
There are a million and one ways to build your own CNC router, depending on your tastes, budget, and application, your design choices will differ accordingly. [Steve Tying] was well aware of this when undertaking his project, and built the machine that made sense for him.
[Steve’s] build has a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/diy-cnc-router-uses-chains-the-right-way/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/diy-cnc-router-uses-chains-the-right-way/
There are a million and one ways to build your own CNC router, depending on your tastes, budget, and application, your design choices will differ accordingly. [Steve Tying] was well aware of this when undertaking his project, and built the machine that made sense for him.
[Steve’s] build has a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/diy-cnc-router-uses-chains-the-right-way/)
Improved Outdoor Solar Harvester Now Handles All The Parts
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/improved-outdoor-solar-harvester-now-handles-all-the-parts/
[Vadim Panov]’s 3D printed solar harvester is in effect a rechargeable outdoor battery, and the real challenge he faced when designing it was having it handle the outdoors reliably. The good news is that part is solved, and his newest design is now also flexible enough to handle a variety …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/improved-outdoor-solar-harvester-now-handles-all-the-parts/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/improved-outdoor-solar-harvester-now-handles-all-the-parts/
[Vadim Panov]’s 3D printed solar harvester is in effect a rechargeable outdoor battery, and the real challenge he faced when designing it was having it handle the outdoors reliably. The good news is that part is solved, and his newest design is now also flexible enough to handle a variety …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/improved-outdoor-solar-harvester-now-handles-all-the-parts/)
Advanced Techniques For Realistic Baking Animations
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/advanced-techniques-for-realistic-baking-animations/
Computer graphics have come a long way since the days of Dire Straits and their first computer animated music video in 1985. To move the state of the art forward has taken the labor of countless artists, developers and technicians. Working in just that field, a group from UCLA have …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/advanced-techniques-for-realistic-baking-animations/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/advanced-techniques-for-realistic-baking-animations/
Computer graphics have come a long way since the days of Dire Straits and their first computer animated music video in 1985. To move the state of the art forward has taken the labor of countless artists, developers and technicians. Working in just that field, a group from UCLA have …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/advanced-techniques-for-realistic-baking-animations/)
Date Clock Requires (Almost) No Interaction
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/date-clock-requires-almost-no-interaction/
A lot of commercial offerings of technology aimed at helping the elderly seem to do a good job on the surface, but anything other than superficial interaction with them tends to be next to impossible for its intended users. Complicated user interfaces and poor design consideration reign in this space. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/date-clock-requires-almost-no-interaction/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/date-clock-requires-almost-no-interaction/
A lot of commercial offerings of technology aimed at helping the elderly seem to do a good job on the surface, but anything other than superficial interaction with them tends to be next to impossible for its intended users. Complicated user interfaces and poor design consideration reign in this space. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/19/date-clock-requires-almost-no-interaction/)
Starlink Satellites Posing Issues For Astronomers
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/starlink-satellites-posing-issues-for-astronomers/
Spotting satellites from the ground is a popular pastime among amateur astronomers. Typically, the ISS and Iridium satellites have been common sightings, with their orbits and design causing them to appear sufficiently bright in the sky. More recently, SpaceX’s mass launches of Starlink satellites have been drawing attention for the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/starlink-satellites-posing-issues-for-astronomers/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/starlink-satellites-posing-issues-for-astronomers/
Spotting satellites from the ground is a popular pastime among amateur astronomers. Typically, the ISS and Iridium satellites have been common sightings, with their orbits and design causing them to appear sufficiently bright in the sky. More recently, SpaceX’s mass launches of Starlink satellites have been drawing attention for the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/starlink-satellites-posing-issues-for-astronomers/)
Fail of the Week: The 3D Printer Nozzle Wipe That Won’t
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fail-of-the-week-the-3d-printer-nozzle-wipe-that-wont/
Some of you will be familiar with the idea of using a brush as a nozzle wipe on a 3D printer. The idea is that passing the hot end over the brush cleans any stray plastic from the nozzle, ensuring that those plastic bits don’t end up in unwelcome places. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fail-of-the-week-the-3d-printer-nozzle-wipe-that-wont/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fail-of-the-week-the-3d-printer-nozzle-wipe-that-wont/
Some of you will be familiar with the idea of using a brush as a nozzle wipe on a 3D printer. The idea is that passing the hot end over the brush cleans any stray plastic from the nozzle, ensuring that those plastic bits don’t end up in unwelcome places. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fail-of-the-week-the-3d-printer-nozzle-wipe-that-wont/)
Brussels Looks Towards Banning Fossil Fuel Transportation As Soon As 2035
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/brussels-looks-towards-banning-fossil-fuel-transportation-as-soon-as-2035/
Many cities around the world routinely struggle with smog. Apart from being unsightly, heavy air pollution has serious negative health effects, both in the short term and with regards to long-term life expectancy. Over the years, governments have tried to tackle the problem with varied tactics around the world.
When …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/brussels-looks-towards-banning-fossil-fuel-transportation-as-soon-as-2035/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/brussels-looks-towards-banning-fossil-fuel-transportation-as-soon-as-2035/
Many cities around the world routinely struggle with smog. Apart from being unsightly, heavy air pollution has serious negative health effects, both in the short term and with regards to long-term life expectancy. Over the years, governments have tried to tackle the problem with varied tactics around the world.
When …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/brussels-looks-towards-banning-fossil-fuel-transportation-as-soon-as-2035/)
Fast Fresnel Hack Embiggens the Smallest of Heads
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fast-fresnel-hack-embiggens-the-smallest-of-heads/
Aside from frightening small children, we have absolutely no idea why anyone would need a face-magnifying headpiece. But the video below gives us a chuckle every time we see it, and we figure a good laugh that incorporates a quick optics hack is worth a look.
When he’s not playing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fast-fresnel-hack-embiggens-the-smallest-of-heads/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fast-fresnel-hack-embiggens-the-smallest-of-heads/
Aside from frightening small children, we have absolutely no idea why anyone would need a face-magnifying headpiece. But the video below gives us a chuckle every time we see it, and we figure a good laugh that incorporates a quick optics hack is worth a look.
When he’s not playing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/fast-fresnel-hack-embiggens-the-smallest-of-heads/)
Texas Tesla Tower Titillates
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/texas-tesla-tower-titillates/
One of the nice things about a road trip is you often get to see something that really surprises you. A recent trip through Texas may have resulted in my second most surprising sighting. There’s a strange tower that looks oddly like a Tesla tower in the middle of rural …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/texas-tesla-tower-titillates/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/texas-tesla-tower-titillates/
One of the nice things about a road trip is you often get to see something that really surprises you. A recent trip through Texas may have resulted in my second most surprising sighting. There’s a strange tower that looks oddly like a Tesla tower in the middle of rural …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/texas-tesla-tower-titillates/)
Open Source Kitchen Helps You Watch What You Eat
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/open-source-kitchen-helps-you-watch-what-you-eat/
Every appliance business wants to be the one that invents the patented, license-able, and profitable standard that all the other companies have to use. Open Source Kitchen wants to beat them to it.
Every beginning standard needs a test case, and OSK’s is a simple one. A bowl that tracks …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/open-source-kitchen-helps-you-watch-what-you-eat/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/open-source-kitchen-helps-you-watch-what-you-eat/
Every appliance business wants to be the one that invents the patented, license-able, and profitable standard that all the other companies have to use. Open Source Kitchen wants to beat them to it.
Every beginning standard needs a test case, and OSK’s is a simple one. A bowl that tracks …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/open-source-kitchen-helps-you-watch-what-you-eat/)
Vintage Bike Gets Briggs And Stratton Power
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/vintage-bike-gets-briggs-and-stratton-power/
eBay made the process of motorizing a bicycle popular, with cheap engines from China combined with a handful of parts to lace everything together. If your tastes are a little more vintage however, [Oliver]’s build might be more your speed.
Starting with a real Briggs and Stratton liberated from an …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/vintage-bike-gets-briggs-and-stratton-power/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/vintage-bike-gets-briggs-and-stratton-power/
eBay made the process of motorizing a bicycle popular, with cheap engines from China combined with a handful of parts to lace everything together. If your tastes are a little more vintage however, [Oliver]’s build might be more your speed.
Starting with a real Briggs and Stratton liberated from an …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/vintage-bike-gets-briggs-and-stratton-power/)
Old Cisco WAN Card Turned FPGA Playground
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/old-cisco-wan-card-turned-fpga-playground/
Many of us think of FPGAs as some new cutting edge technology, but the fact of the matter is that they’ve been around for quite some time. They’ve just traditionally been used in hardware that’s too expensive for us lowly hackers. A case in point is the Cisco HWIC-3G-CDMA WAN …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/old-cisco-wan-card-turned-fpga-playground/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/old-cisco-wan-card-turned-fpga-playground/
Many of us think of FPGAs as some new cutting edge technology, but the fact of the matter is that they’ve been around for quite some time. They’ve just traditionally been used in hardware that’s too expensive for us lowly hackers. A case in point is the Cisco HWIC-3G-CDMA WAN …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/old-cisco-wan-card-turned-fpga-playground/)
University Makes Bulletproof 3D Prints
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/university-makes-bulletproof-3d-prints/
Researchers at Rice University are studying 3D printing plastic structures that mimic tubulanes — theoretical nanotube structures predicted to have extraordinary strength. The result has been very strong and very compressible structures that can actually resist bullets.
As an experiment, the researchers fired projectiles at 5.8 km/s at a block …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/university-makes-bulletproof-3d-prints/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/university-makes-bulletproof-3d-prints/
Researchers at Rice University are studying 3D printing plastic structures that mimic tubulanes — theoretical nanotube structures predicted to have extraordinary strength. The result has been very strong and very compressible structures that can actually resist bullets.
As an experiment, the researchers fired projectiles at 5.8 km/s at a block …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/university-makes-bulletproof-3d-prints/)
DIY Photo Backup In The Field
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/diy-photo-backup-in-the-field/
They say a file isn’t backed up if it isn’t backed up twice. This is easy enough to do if you have access to your computer and a network, but if you’re a photographer you might end up in a place without either of these things and need a way …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/diy-photo-backup-in-the-field/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/diy-photo-backup-in-the-field/
They say a file isn’t backed up if it isn’t backed up twice. This is easy enough to do if you have access to your computer and a network, but if you’re a photographer you might end up in a place without either of these things and need a way …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/20/diy-photo-backup-in-the-field/)
Print From the ESP8266, Courtesy of Google
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/21/print-from-the-esp8266-courtesy-of-google/
The ESP8266 has become the hacker’s microcontroller of choice because it’s exceptionally easy to get the chip connected to the network and talking to other devices. The fact that it’s also absurdly cheap is just a bonus. Since nearly every piece of electronics you buy today is “smart” enough to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/21/print-from-the-esp8266-courtesy-of-google/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/11/21/print-from-the-esp8266-courtesy-of-google/
The ESP8266 has become the hacker’s microcontroller of choice because it’s exceptionally easy to get the chip connected to the network and talking to other devices. The fact that it’s also absurdly cheap is just a bonus. Since nearly every piece of electronics you buy today is “smart” enough to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/11/21/print-from-the-esp8266-courtesy-of-google/)