Hasta La Gadget!

Microcontrollers and other electronics components have been getting smaller and cheaper. A company called Ynvisible proves that these parts can be made much thinner as well. The company recently launched a Kickstarter fundraiser for Printoo, a set of modular electronics that are paper-thin and flexible.

Ynvisible partnered with other electronics manufacturers to create an open source Arduino-compatible platform. The company has skinny versions of everything from a microcontroller board to a battery.

Aside from finalizing the design of its flexible boards and lining up suppliers, it looks like the company has finished much of the work even before they set up the fundraiser.

Pledge at least $45 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a Printoo kit as a reward; higher pledges have more robust kits as rewards.

[via Gigaom]

Late last year I talked about the DIY Gamer Kit, which contained all the parts you need to assemble your own handheld game console. In other words, the kit introduces you to video game hardware. Aurélien Rodot’s Gamebuino on the other hand comes fully assembled and is intended to get you into video game software.

The Gamebuino has an ATmega 328 microcontroller, an 84 x 84 monochrome display with automatic backlight, six buttons, a 4-channel speaker and a 240mAh battery. It also has four ports: one microUSB, one microSD and two I2C ports. While the DIY Gamer Kit is also based on the Arduino language, Aurélien made a software library for Gamebuino, which includes a graphics engine, a game engine, sound effects, user interface and more. Coding a Gamebuino game will be easier and faster because you don’t have to start from scratch.

Aurélien says he’s already finalized the Gamebuino’s hardware, the software library and a few sample games. Right now he’s working on a browser that will let you load and switch between games from a microSD card. He’s also going to make tutorials and setup an online community to make it easier for newbies to get help. Pledge at least €35 (~$48 USD) on Indiegogo to get a Gamebuino – and priceless knowledge – as a reward.

[via Kotaku]

Last year we talked about the EX¹, a 3D printer designed to print circuit boards on a variety of materials, including paper. The EX¹ has great potential, but if all you want is to print is circuit boards on paper, the AgIC may be better for you. It’s a DIY kit that lets you convert ink printers to make them print circuit boards instead.

AgIC’s main component is a silver nanoparticle ink that’s very similar to conductive paint. You’ll have to manually inject the ink into an ink cartridge, but if you’re constantly making circuit boards that added task will be worth it. You’ll also need their special coated paper, and some conductive glue or tape to apply your parts to the board.

Printer makers must be seeing dollar signs right now. Pledge at least $299 (USD) on Kickstarter to get an AgIC DIY kit. Pledge at least $599 and you’ll get a ready-to-use AgIC modded printer.

[via PSFK]

About a year ago, we mentioned that DARPA was working on a plan to develop electronics that would destroy themselves on command. The idea was to get devices that soldiers could take into battle that could be destroyed if lost or left behind. I have a hard time keeping up with my smartphone in the house, I can only imagine how easy it would be to lose one when someone is shooting at you.

DARPA has now started giving out millions of dollars to companies to develop these electronics. DARPA gave $2.1 million to PARC to develop a program called DUST. That program involves electronics with dummy circuits that can dissolve into sand-like particles with an electrical trigger.

IBM was also given $3.5 million to develop strained glass substrates that can explode when triggered. That would result in CMOS sensors in electronics that can be destroyed using radio signals. Another firm has been given $4.7 million to develop a battery that can self-destruct. The goal is to leave the devices non-usable and any information on them non-retrievable if the device is lost.

[via Motherboard]

IBM has been in the news frequently this month, the latest of which involves a new contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — better known as DARPA — … Continue reading