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iPhone meets Arduino, tilt joystick for mobile games results (video)
Even though games like Infinity Blade can be great fun on the iPhone, there's no getting around the fact that touchscreen-centric, buttonless devices don't offer the best gaming ergonomics. A modding project gone horribly right, however, might just fix that right up for all of us. Shane Wighton set out to build a robot to try and beat his favorite iPhone game, replete with a webcam and an Arduino setup, but in the process of doing so he "just realized that [he'd] made a mechanism to play tilt based phone games with a joystick." Yes indeedy, one of the most awesome DIY gaming accessories was built by fluke as much as design. See it revolutionizing mobile gaming just after the break.
'Arduino The Documentary' now available for your streaming pleasure
Over the years we've seen loads of Arduino hacks and mods -- a DIY kit that lets plants tweet, a robotic iPhone, and even touchscreen GBA SP. All of these impressive, heartwarming and otherwise inspiring projects were made possible by the Arduino platform. Just in case you're unfamiliar with what Arduino actually is, let us remind you that it's an open source project geared toward students and other humans who wish to delve into the wild, wacky world of do-it-yourself electronics hardware and software coding. We'd encourage you to check out the documentary in full -- you know, to get the skinny on the company's inception and watch as the Arduino folks talk about their movement and its future -- but we doubt you need our elbowing. Check out all 28 minutes of footage after the break.
Yarn-eating Yarn Monster forms yarn balls, makes us want to build our own (video)
Robots, Arduino, and monsters are all very close to our new-age, gadget-loving hearts. The folks over at Union Bridge Labs have created a half-monster, half-machine dubbed the Yarn Monster. This little cubic beast has one job -- to eat yarn and shape it into a perfectly rolled ball of, well, yarn. It's powered by a ton of hardware, from a stepper motor to Arduino components to even a universal mounting hub. Instructions to control speed of the nom-noming are sent to the Arduino via XBee from a remotely connected potentiometer which can also reverse the direction of yarn-ball rolling. We encourage you to spend your hard-earned dough (about $130), buy the proper components and build one of these things to impress your loved ones. If not though, be sure to watch the video after the break.
Arduino, iPod touch turns an LCD into a browser-based sketch pad (video)
Of all the Arduino projects we've seen 'round here, this is certainly one of them! Using nothing but a Graphics LCD, an Arduino, and a WebSocket server he wrote using Python / Tornado, this young engineer created a system that allows him to connect to the server with his iPod touch (or any browser, we suppose -- although he's apparently only tested this with Chrome on his desktop PC) and draw a design on the web browser. In turn, his movements are recreated on the LCD. Pretty mean feat, if you ask us. If you'd like to marvel at his code -- or even try it out for yourself -- hit up the source link. If not, be sure to at least check out the thing in action. Video after the break.
Heart Spark pendant blinks with your heart, automatically gets you into B.E.D. (video)
Not that we haven't been inundated with circuit-related fashion accessories in the past, but if you've already started thinking about what to get that lovely lad (or lady) in your life come February, look no further. SenseBridge, a research group with loads of passion, has just revealed the Heart Spark ($69, on sale now) -- a wearable pendant with an integrated wireless receiver, a smattering of LEDs and a wow factor that's downright heartwarming. The fortunate wearer must also strap a belt around their chest in order to monitor their heart rate, which is then transmitted wirelessly to the Heart Spark; upon receiving the information, the onboard lights will flash at the same rate as your heart, making it easy for the love of your life to see when your heart is aflutter. Video demonstration is just past the break, and yes, it's about as precious as you'd imagine.
IDEO constructs RFID turntable, hearkens back to mixtapes of yore (video)
Once upon a time, you could touch your music -- or at least caress a 7- or 12-inch vinyl disc -- but these days the cool kids stream MP3s (and OGGs, and APEs) off the internet. However, design studio IDEO recently decided to see if they could get back in touch with their audio roots, and -- taking a page right out of the industrial design treatise I Miss My Pencil -- they built the above machine. To put it simply, what you're looking at is a box filled with specially-angled Arduino Pro Mini boards constantly searching for RFID tags on top, and a set of cards each with two RFID tags, with each tag representing one song. When you drop one on the turntable, it begins playing within a second, thanks to the clever array of Arduinos underneath, and you and your High Fidelity soulmate can leave multiple cards on the table to create an impromptu mixtape, or, presumably, flip one of the "cassettes" to play Side B. It's a good thing IDEO isn't selling the device and packs of cards, because we're afraid we'd be compelled to collect them all, and our poor wallet doesn't need any more heartbreak. Don't miss the video below!
Squirt water gun robot pesters raccoons, takes orders from Android (video)
It's not uncommon to see Mr. Android and Sir Arduino team up in the world of homegrown robotics, but Squirt has managed to hop out of the me-too crowd with a downright charming control scheme (and even more charming looks). Put simply, this water gun robot was designed to "water plants and chase away raccoons," but from a broader perspective, the creator was looking to demonstrate how robotics could be used in small irrigation and well systems. Better still, this is far more than just a robot that's controlled remotely via smartphone; if you switch it into 'guard mode,' it'll search and destroy -- pelting anything "that moves" with a blast of water. And yeah, it can also be controlled via SMS, so even the cats can't celebrate too quickly once the owner heads out for work. Hit the source link to find out more on how this masterpiece was constructed, or head beyond the break for a quick demo vid.
DIYer builds handsfree, Arduino-powered remote camera trigger (video)
It takes a pretty radical hack to truly grab us, but we're fairly confident that Matt Richardson is now one of our most favorite dudes ever. He has put together a comprehensive video detailing the setup required to build your own Arduino-powered remote shutter trigger, and while it's certainly one of the more complicated setups out there, properly executing it can land you self-taken photos like the one above. You'll need a laptop, a solid DSLR, an Arduino, a DIYer toolkit (you know, tiny screwdrivers and the like) and a good bit of spare time. If you've already checked all five from your list, head on past the break and mash play -- your weekend project awaits. [Thanks, Matt]
Interactive fiction meets interactive typewriter, pilfers the kingdoms of Zork (video)
You are standing in an open field as usual, or perhaps you're in the darkness, likely to be eaten by a grue, but the words aren't etching their way into your soul from the familiar computer terminal -- they're on freshly printed paper. Like a player piano, the Automatypewriter lets you play games like Zork by automatically keying in letters via a series of solenoids and fishing line to tell you where you are, and it records your input, too; every time you type "XYZZY" in vain, it's an Arduino board that sends signals to the text parser, which directs a hollow voice to pity your foolish word. Forget the iPad typewriter -- this is old-school. See it in action after the break, or hit the source link for the schematics to build one yourself. Just be sure to install Planetfall, too.
Father-son team build Samus Aran arm cannon for Halloween
Looking for a little inspiration for your Halloween costume? Then you might not want to read any further, as you'll likely only find yourself struggling to match the Samus Aran costume that 11-year old Joseph DeRose and his father are building. That costume apparently only consists of an arm cannon at the moment, but it's certainly an impressive arm cannon -- it packs an array of LED lights with various settings (controlled by an Arduino, naturally), not to mention an assortment of sound effects from the Metroid games. Those not concerned about being upstaged can check out a video of the build process after the break.
Eigenharp controls WiFi lamp with a little Arduino assistance (video)
We've already seen what the Eigenharp (and smaller Eigenharp Pico) can do on its own but, as the folks from Studio Imaginaire have now shown, that's only just the beginning of what's possible. With a little help from the oh-so-versatile Arduino, they've paired the instrument with a WiFi-enabled RGB lamp that -- you guessed it -- changes colors when you play the Eigenharp. Ready for an audio-visual feast? Turn down the lights and head on past the break.
Crazy, beautiful human being designs 3D raycaster engine for Arduino
Look, not everybody gets to be super smart. Some of us have to struggle along with our mediocre intellects and just bask in the glory of genius. Like this time: we ran into Adam Wolf at Maker Faire in New York, and while many burgeoning hackers were using their Arduino to flip LEDs on and off in vaguely interesting ways, Adam was showing off a 3D raycaster engine. It's like witnessing some sort of alternate history where Wolfenstein 3D came out for Atari first. Just to give you an idea of the technical challenge: half of the Arduino's memory is used up by the frame buffer alone! The game is controlled and displayed using the Video Game Shield Arduino add-on from Wayne and Layne (Adam is Wayne), which enables RCA video output and compatibility with Wii nunchucks for dual analog control. Adam actually plans to add enemies and make a full game out of his engine, just to rub it in. Need some visual proof to believe all this? Check out a video after the break. The Video Game Shield will be up for purchase on September 29 for around $22, or you can buy it at the Maker Faire this weekend. %Gallery-103290%
Netduino Plus earns you Ethernet and microSD, an approving nod from Microsoft
The two new Arduinos should spell good things for the Arduino heads out there, but meanwhile, on the other side of the tracks... Secret Labs is launching its .NET-friendly Netduino Plus, which adds Ethernet and microSD to a regular Netduino board (which in itself is a sort of high powered, Visual Studio-compatible Arduino, with a 32-bit 48MHz ARM7 processor, instead of Arduino's 8-bit number, but pin compatible with Arduino "shields"). Unfortunately, the networking code eats of a good majority of the board's already meager code storage and RAM, but you can always flash the original Netduino's firmware on here if you'd like. Right now the board is in a "public beta" while the firmware gets some extra tweaks, but you should be able to drop $60 on the final model by the holidays. %Gallery-103288%
Arduino Uno and Arduino Mega 2560 get friendly new USB plugs, new look
Arduino is so much about what is made with Arduino boards that we hardly spare a thought for the boards themselves. Well, Arduino cares, and they've just gone about redesigning their base model, now dubbed the Arduino Uno. It's of course backwards compatible with existing Arduino add-ons, but sets itself apart with a new USB controller with lower latency and driver-free operation on Mac and Linux. This should make Arduino slightly more friendly to the super novices, but of course the USB chip can be reprogrammed by the experts to be all sorts of things. Meanwhile, the Arduino Mega is getting the same USB chip along with an ATMega2560 processor with twice the memory. Right now only 128K is available, but that's a software limitation and they're working to unlock the rest of the memory space. The Mega sells for $65, while the Uno goes for $35. Next up? An Arduino board with built-in Ethernet and microSD. Crazy, we know. %Gallery-103287%
NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video)
Perhaps the worst, and least repairable, shortcoming of touchscreens is their failure to act as viable game controllers. Keyboard-equipped smartphones alleviate that pain a little (particularly if you pair them with a Game Gripper), but ultimately we'd all prefer real controllers for our real games. Such was clearly the thinking behind the homebrewed setup here, which combines an HTC EVO 4G -- with Android and an NES emulator inside -- with an Arduino board, a BlueSMiRF Bluetooth module, and a classic NES control pad. The result might look like a mess of wires, but who cares when you can rock Super Mario 3 the way Nintendo surely intended?
iPad-equipped kegerator knows how much you've had to drink
Those wily engineers at Yelp have combined a scary amount of the things I love into one device. They've taken a keg and tap, an Arduino, an RFID reader, and an iPad and turned them into an amazing kegerator. The device not only tracks who's been drinking but also tracks information about the beer as it's poured, including the temperature and ratings of recently poured drinks (so you'll know when the keg is on a roll). They even put together a bookmarklet to monitor and track the keg remotely. And as if all of that wasn't enough, this was all designed during the Yelp Hackathon, which takes place over a 24-hour period. During that 24 hours, the company allows the engineering team to put together whatever they want. So yes, all of this was designed and assembled on official company time. OK, now you guys are just bragging. That's just unfair! [via Dvice]
German designer brings Wipeout racing game to life, burns up cardboard tracks with an R/C car (video)
The intersection of video games and real life is a fantastic place to play, as evidenced by Roombas, Halo and the occasional six-string guitar, but all you really need to blur reality is a webcam, an R/C car and a studio filled with cardboard. That's what Malte Jehmlich and company used to create this rendition of Wipeout, which moves practically as fast as the PlayStation original due to the blinding scale speed of its 1/28 model cars. It's all controlled by an arcade racing cabinet complete with steering wheel and on-screen display wirelessly connected to an Arduino board. Originally a two-month hobby project, the designers are presently working towards an advanced version with force feedback and powerups (including boost!) using sensors built right into the track -- and hopefully a forklift to lug all that corrugated wood pulp around. See it in action after the break.
Open Source Hardware community finally gets its Constitution
They, the people of the open source hardware movement, in order to form a more peaceful community for sharing, establish bigger and cuddlier Chumbies, ensure continued Arduino creativity, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of hackery to ourselves and our posterity, have established the Open Source Hardware Draft. It's a sort of 11 commandments for those who would share or use an open source hardware design, indicating what documentation is required, how derived works must be allowed and, perhaps most importantly, that each use must include attribution to those founding engineers who came before. Its current version, 0.3, was ratified yesterday by a group of dignitaries including folks behind the Arduino, Adafruit, and Chumby, along with plenty of other underground industry big-wigs. Now that this bit of official business is out of the way, hopefully they can all get back to crafting homemade coilguns.
Kaossonome rears its head; Guitar Center changes name to Arduino Center
Every time we turn around, there's another amazing new blinking, knobby, button-pressy little sound-maker making cute-weird-alien noises, lacing up our shoes or controlling our remote control cars for us, and it all seems to be Arduino's fault. That's fine by us. Alexander Randon (his awesome, real name) has brought a devastatingly charming monster to the MIDI controller game in the Kaossonome - inspired, not-so-surprisingly, by Korg's Kaoss family and the minimalist Monome. It's a touchscreen laid on top of 256 LEDs, encased in a aluminum-wood-plexiglass box 8 chunky, push-button laced knobs. While none of these elements is particularly new, the whole package and execution just seems to kick things up a notch or two. Check out the green-glow mutant bassline after the break.
Auto-lacing sneaker laces itself, is looking for a friend
In the future, even the most menial, second nature tasks will be automated, because why not? Taking a page from the book of Back to the Future II, a fashionable DIYer has gone ahead and brought a little piece of the future to us, with this autolacing sneaker. There's only one so far, but it's got a force sensor which reads the pressure of your foot when you put it in the shoe, and that activates the two servos which tighten the laces. There's also a switch to reverse the servo and loosen the laces. Check out the video of its operation below, and hit up the source if you want to make one (or two!) of your own.
