Arduino-based pumpkin promises to scare off trick-or-treaters

Pumpkins outfitted with LEDs are certainly all well and good, but the ever-versatile Arduino platform has now upped the Jack O' Lantern modding possibilities considerably, and MAKE's Marc de Vinck looks to have made a decent stab at things with this immodestly dubbed "scariest pumpkin ever." To help it snag that title, de Vinck did away with the usual spooky halloween sound effects and instead opted for a car horn, which lets out a blast whenever someone presses the impossible to resist red button. That, obviously, presents a number of problems, and MAKE warns not to leave the pumpkin unattended, or let someone press their ear up against it. Or, if you're not quite ready to tackle the project yourself, you can simply get a taste of it at a slightly more tolerable level by checking out the video after the break.

[Patrick @ Oct 28th 2008 5:42PM]

cool?

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 6:10PM]

Only if it can summon The Great Pumpkin...

[Esat Dedezade @ Oct 28th 2008 6:35PM]

You didn't hear? The great pumpkin lost millions in the crashing stock market. He lost all of his possessions and now he's turning tricks in some dumpster filled alley in NYC.

I think rushing off (being summoned) by whoever presses this button is the least of his concerns right now.

[Testies, Testies, 1, 2... 3? @ Oct 28th 2008 7:37PM]

That kicks A...

[Sly Fox @ Oct 28th 2008 5:42PM]

The only way this could be better is if you put a boat horn in it. My neighbor has one in his van and its REALLY loud.

[Bob S @ Oct 28th 2008 5:47PM]

What?

[Reader @ Oct 28th 2008 6:17PM]

The fact that you recommended a boat horn for a pumpkin made me laugh out loud.

[Grant @ Oct 28th 2008 5:42PM]

Where would you put this?

[Ayman @ Oct 28th 2008 5:46PM]

on this guy
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/28/caption-contest-naked-man-who-is-also-a-computer-eye-bleach-no/

[phanbouy @ Oct 28th 2008 5:59PM]

congrats to Ayman for carrying naked guy over to the next post

[phanbouy @ Oct 28th 2008 5:46PM]

oooh.. a history eraser button!

[RedBull Runner @ Oct 28th 2008 10:11PM]

They think that I am crazy, but i know better. It is not I who am crazy, it is I who am MAD!

Oh my beloved ice cream bar, How I love to lick your creamy center!
And your oh so nutty... CHOCOLATE COVERING!

You're not like the others, you like the same thing I do.
Wax paper, boiled football leather, SOCK BREATH!

We're not hitch-hiking anymore, We're RIDING.

Oh no! I know what you want! You coveteth my Ice Cream Bar!

No you dont! You can't take it from me now!
I've had this ice cream bar since I was a child!
People, Always trying to take it from me!
Why won't they leave me, ALONE!

[Meus @ Oct 28th 2008 5:48PM]

Awesome! Anyone who knows how to make it breath fire as well?

[StalematE @ Oct 28th 2008 5:57PM]

feed it a volcano taco from taco bell

[lorddshadow @ Oct 28th 2008 6:04PM]

pssh that won't do anything. give it a handful of habanero peppers. that'll make it breath fire real nice. if it doesn't explode first...

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 6:04PM]

Behold, I am King Talky Tiki!

[deyanimay @ Oct 28th 2008 7:09PM]

Hook it up to your natural gas supply and make the switch connect to a sparker. That will scare the kids... or kill them. Either way you get their candy.

[Hellaphunt @ Oct 28th 2008 5:55PM]

Mine turns people into gay TMNTs.

[Steven @ Oct 28th 2008 5:57PM]

It's pretty OK, but EvilMadScientists have posted how-to's for the same thing (but much nicer) weeks ago.... nothing against MAKE! Also, lady Ada is pimpin cool Arduino pumpkin stuff on her blog as well

[Erb @ Oct 28th 2008 6:02PM]

You should just put up a giant "Do not press" sign.
I'm sure it will get more presses xD

[andrew @ Oct 28th 2008 6:10PM]

1. A "do not press" sign would be good

2 Make it so that it has a delay - you push the button and 3 seconds later the horn sounds, or alternatively make it so you have to push the button several times before the horn will sound.

[Erb @ Oct 28th 2008 6:45PM]

Two quiet toots, and the one loud one >:)

[Chris Are @ Oct 28th 2008 6:57PM]

haha, multiple presses would be pretty funny. I think the most startling thing about this (besides the volume) is the delay.

Just imagining this scaring a bunch of trick-or-treaters makes me laugh. I have no soul.

[RedBull Runner @ Oct 28th 2008 10:11PM]

Did you even watch the video?

[Johan S @ Oct 28th 2008 6:18PM]

They should have had Asimo wear that pumpkin had him walk around the neighborhood. That would be scary.

[John M @ Oct 28th 2008 7:07PM]

Why not just wire the button up to the horn without the Arduino? Is that just too simple?

[George Kirkaldie @ Oct 28th 2008 10:44PM]

I was wondering the exact same thing.

All I see is the flashing LED's, the button gets pressed, the lights stop flashing, and then a siren blast. A simple 555 based circuit would have done the trick.

[Dudley Quinlivan @ Oct 28th 2008 8:08PM]

LOL no soul..no soul

[Jaylord @ Oct 28th 2008 8:28PM]

That's fucking hilarious.

[decapitor @ Oct 28th 2008 10:45PM]

Half the comments on this post could have been made by a random word generator.

[wickedpheonix @ Oct 29th 2008 2:07AM]

including yours?

[THis Guy @ Nov 3rd 2008 7:35PM]

lol it would be really funny if the button stuck to ur finger! then it wud ceep beeping.