I have never seen this demonstration before. Water running through two small open cans into a larger metal collection container wired together to create 10,000 to 15,000 volts. Is it an accumulation of static electricity? If someone knows what is happening I would love to hear about it!
Via: Zedomax
Have a look at this cool High Altitude Balloon Experiment that is unfolding. Bre Pettis (many know him from Make) is one of the people involved with this project. There is lots of construction details and specs. up and tons of construction pictures to look at. The launch date is March 4th so stay tuned…
“This project is launching a (relatively) high altitude balloon carrying a number of digital cameras and some other instrumentation. The project was conceived and is being implemented in a short time with a crowd of eager volunteers and little prior experience and a lot of optimism.
Goal: Get it ready to go this weekend so we can fine tune during the week.
The helium fill system consists of:
* 1 T-bottle of Helium, 2400 psi, 290cf
* A helium regulator with a barb fitting output output epoxyed into constructed PVC pipe adaptor […]
What a fantastic idea! With the push of a button the Robotic Beer Launching Fridge will get a cold beer from inside the cooler and launch it right too you. Just make sure you don’t accidental sit on the launch button or you might be explaining a black eye. I think the next step in development should be the introduction of multiple remotes, or even fixed buttons that will launch the beers over to different locations.
Video after the jump.
“Have you ever gotten up off the couch to get a beer for the umpteenth time and thought, “What if instead of ME going to get the BEER, the BEER came to ME???” Well, that was how I first conceived of the beer launching fridge. About 3 months and several hundred dollars later I have a fully automated, remote controlled, catapulting, man-pit approved, beer launching mini-fridge. It holds 10 beers in its […]
Have a look at this laser light show! Guaranteed to get some attention…
Video after the jump.
“The main event of the GRL Rotterdam tour - ‘L.A.S.E.R TAG’ - 60mw geek graffiti madness.
Watch the video here on the Graffiti Research Lab website.
In the spirt of GRL’s and Eyebeam’s open source beliefs, we are posting the code and executable for the Laser Tag application online for you to download, dissect, reuse and hopefully improve. The code is C++ and compiled in a super old school Codewarrior IDE for windows but it is oepnGL based and written using openFrameworks which is a cross platform library for writing creative code. So it should be very straight forward to run in Visual Studio, DevC++ or even xcode on a mac.
In its simplest form the Laser Tag system is a camera and laptop setup, tracking a green laser point across the face of a building and generating […]
When you grow tired of the boring old fashion fireplaces that are built into the wall, why not get a Cyclone fire place!
“The introduction of the CycloneTM marks a foray into an entirely new product category – perhaps better described as “Fire Art” than a conventional fireplace. The Cyclone is available in either a customizable version or as a system. Both models feature the same mesmerizing, show-stopping, spinning tower of fire available only from Heat & Glo. Only 15,000 BTUs, the Cyclone offers a comfortable level of heat for installation in smaller areas, such as foyers and hallways, or in public areas like a lobby, bar or showroom. The customizable version allows homeowners, architects and builders to create a work of art for their own unique installation. The customizable version is encased in a free-standing glass cylinder, offering a 360-degree view of the fire.”
Via: Stephen Schleicher at Coolness Roundup
[…]
You will have to put aside 5 or 6 hours to understand this project! Good thing is that it comes with a 115 page manual! I would bet that David is the first to publish plans for a DIY Laser Beam Analyzer.
“The laser beam spot is the tool in laser welding cutting. Industrial lasers are really great, but there’s a huge problem when it comes to knowing the state of your tool. I mean, in a normal milling machine the mill bit can visually be examined to see if a part of the edge is chipped off. But how does your beam spot look? How is your beam quality? You might have pretty good idea of how good the beam quality is but the truth is: You don’t know. You can’t just look at the laser beam an tell. First of all trying to look at a laser beam without […]
Remember the video we featured last week? Well the CoilOsapien (Robosapien Coil Gun) is done, look here for all of the details.
“When the servo is activated it turns the disc inside the housing, with each spin it will pick up one BB and drop it into the firing chamber. The coilgun will need to be on a slight angle whilst reloading to allow the BB to roll to the back of the chamber. The reload would function better if it could be setup behind the coil to drop the BB directly into position, this would also allow loading in any position. Due to the fact there was not enough room to mount it back there I went the easier less functional alternative.
The following list is what I used for the hack, there are many substitutes you could make here.
* At least one disposable camera with flash
[…]
Pipes, pumps and water can be used for many things. The most creative use must be a Funtain Hydraulophone.
Videos and additional pictures after the jump.
“The hydraulophone or poseidophone combines the simplicity of the piano with the interface of the tin flute or recorder. You play the hydraulophone by stopping the jets of water with your fingers or hands. By blocking multiple jets you can even play chords.
Starting from the left side of the hydraulophone Each jet corresponds to a note on the musical scale starting at “A’’, and moving through the musical alphabet, where each jet can be labeled as “A, B, C, D, E, F, G, a, b, c, d, etc.’’.
As people run their hands over the jets, a natural minor scale is played on the whole notes from “A’’ to “a’’ leading to melodies such as “The Ants Go Marching’’ or “Summertime’’. Starting on the jet “C’’ […]
Looks like less is more when trying to master flight. This small helicopter is using a brain that is based on the brain of an insect!
“As tiny as insect brains are, they can still perform extraordinary acrobatics in the air that human flying machines have yet to match. Now scientists reveal a miniature helicopter, with an electronic brain inspired by insects, that could help lead to better takeoffs, flights and landings for robotic aircraft.
Insects and other animals capable of powered, flapping flight are somehow able to execute controlled takeoffs and landings and keep flying at proper altitudes despite their lack of the sophisticated instruments available to human aviators.
“It’s extraordinary to see flies navigate with just their small 10-milligram brains,” said researcher Nicolas Franceschini, a neurophysiologist and engineer at France’s National Center for Scientific Research and at the University of the Mediterranean in France. ”
Via: The Raw Feed and Gear […]
This is one of the coolest chairs I have ever seen. It looks very sturdy, with a few modifications I could see this being used as the seating that is stored in the closet waiting for an occasion where you have lots of guests. A cloth band that locks the folds in the selected configuration could keep the chair from re-contorting over time.
Video after the jump.
Via: India Uncut
These snow and ice speakers are not you everyday outdoor speakers. I am sure the 2007 Michigan Tech Winter Carnival had no shortage of good tunes with these things belting out the tunes.
“As part of a statewide snow sculpture competition, some Michigan Technological University students have added balance to the millennia of snow angel production–through the evils of rock.
System includes:
Source
Member’s computer with optical out, s/pdif
Processing
Dual Behringer DCX2496 6-channel crossover/eq/etc. Fed by optical through: optical splitter -> optical/coax convertor -> standard unbalanced rca to xlr
Amplification
9 Behringer EP2500’s, and 1 Crown XLS602. Something around 20,000 Watts total.
Drivers
Front, per side
Highs: 8 Selenium 2″ dome compression drivers -> 1″ throat horns
Mids: 16 5″ sealed back MCM cone drivers (not horn loaded)
Midbass: 6 Selenium 15″s -> ~4′ deep snow horn with 4′-by-8′ mouth and 7′-by-2″ throat
Subbass(mono): 6 Electrovoice 18″s -> ~15′ deep snow horn with 15′-by-’ft mouth and an 18″ throat
Back, per side
Highs: 3 […]
These snow and ice speakers are not you everyday outdoor speakers. I am sure the 2007 Michigan Tech Winter Carnival had no shortage of good music with these things belting out the tunes.
“As part of a statewide snow sculpture competition, some Michigan Technological University students have added balance to the millennia of snow angel production–through the evils of rock.
System includes:
Source
Member’s computer with optical out, s/pdif
Processing
Dual Behringer DCX2496 6-channel crossover/eq/etc. Fed by optical through: optical splitter -> optical/coax convertor -> standard unbalanced rca to xlr
Amplification
9 Behringer EP2500’s, and 1 Crown XLS602. Something around 20,000 Watts total.
Drivers
Front, per side
Highs: 8 Selenium 2″ dome compression drivers -> 1″ throat horns
Mids: 16 5″ sealed back MCM cone drivers (not horn loaded)
Midbass: 6 Selenium 15″s -> ~4′ deep snow horn with 4′-by-8′ mouth and 7′-by-2″ throat
Subbass(mono): 6 Electrovoice 18″s -> ~15′ deep snow horn with 15′-by-’ft mouth and an 18″ throat
Back, per side
Highs: 3 […]
I could see myself building one of these smoke ring generators. Too bad they need calm air to operate, I could imagine building some automated ones that would be great for ballparks, fairs, birthday parties… But it looks like if there was anything other than absolutely still air they would not operate as expected…
Videos and more pictures after the jump.
“Made from a discarded compost tumbler measuring 80 cm diameter and 90 cm deep and mounted on a sturdy frame.”
From Wikipedia: “A smoke ring is a ring formed by expelling smoke through a small opening. It is usually created by blowing smoke from the mouth, while smoking. It usually takes a lot of practice to learn how to do it.
The ring occurs when a mass of fast-moving fluid (the air in the lungs) is pushed through a roughly spherical mass of fluid (the air in the mouth), forming a vortex ring […]
How much cooling do we need? This looks more automotive than a computer part…
“So you think that your computer may be “heating up” a bit too much? Doom 3 and Half Life 2 are renowned for intensely heating up your PC. Even if you don’t have those and you feel a bit too much heat roaming inside your box, you could get your worries deleted with this massive boy. How does two fans blowing over your motherboard at 120mm with a few dozen aluminum fins and six copper heat pipes sound to you? Sweet or what?! The Cooler Master’s GeminII is what I’m talking about. If you have some extra room in your case, you could actually stick half your motherboard sized cooler to keep your computer from overheating itself. Because this cooler is actually going to be placed on your motherboard, we’re not sure if it will snap your […]
