Hasta La Gadget!

Computers and sensors are quickly decreasing in cost and size, making it easier than ever before to build smart gadgets or robots. From accelerometers to thermal sensors, electronics nowadays can detect and record a variety of events and objects in their surroundings. Here’s one more sensor to add to your robot overlord-in-training. It’s called Pixy, a camera that identifies objects through color.

Pixy was made by Charmed Labs and embedded systems experts from Carnegie Mellon University. It’s actually the team’s fifth version of a smart and low-cost vision sensor, which they previously called the CMUcam. What separates the Pixy from other image sensors is that it only sends a small amount of data and it has its own microprocessor. These traits make it possible to integrate the Pixy even to microcontrollers like the Arduino.

Pixy identifies objects using “a hue-based color filtering algorithm”, which supposedly makes it consistent under different lighting conditions. It can also identify hundreds of objects at once. The image below is a screenshot of PixyMon, an open source debugging program for Pixy.

As you’ll see in the video below, Pixy can also track moving objects. That’s because it updates once every 20ms, fast enough to keep up with an object moving at 30mph. You can then gather Pixy’s data through UART serial, SPI, I2C, digital out, or analog out.

Pixy can be taught to “remember” up to seven different objects, but you can expand its memory by using color codes. Color codes are simply stickers or strips of paper with two or more different colors. Color codes increase Pixy’s color-coded encyclopedia from seven to several thousands.

Pledge at least $59 (USD) on Kickstarter to get a Pixy and an Arduino cable as a reward.

What will you build with Pixy? A security camera that texts you when your cat goes out? A color-seeking water bomb? A clown-loving machine? A drone that follows you around? A box of crayons that can tell you what color you picked? A weapon that works only on people wearing red? A LEGO sorter that can tell you which pieces are missing from your collection? A camera that automatically takes pictures of the sunset? A wearable assistant for colorblind people? A ticker that counts which Premier League referee hands out the most yellow cards? A useless machine that won’t turn itself off if you’re wearing the right color? Are the things I’m saying even possible?

Robert Morris and Daniel McDuff are currently studying for their doctorate degrees at MIT. But even geniuses get addicted to Facebook. Robert and Dan confessed that they collectively spend about 50 hours a week on the social networking site. To get rid of their bad habit, they decided to undergo a literal shock treatment.

Named after the famous physiologist Ivan Pavlov, the Pavlov Poke is an Arduino-based system that connects to a computer via USB. It works with a program on the computer that monitors application usage; Robert and Dan used the UI Inspector in OS X. If it detects that you’re visiting a specified site or sites – in this case it’s Facebook – too frequently, it will flash an alert on screen and send a current to a couple of conducting strips that are stuck on a keyboard rest.

If being electrocuted won’t be enough to stop you from checking your feed, you can try the outsourced equivalent of Pavlov Poke. It still uses an application monitor, but this time it uses a Python script that asks people on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to call you whenever you’re slacking off.

I think the second one’s more effective. Not only is it more annoying, the cost for the calls alone may be enough to reform you. Head to Robert’s website to learn more about Pavlov Poke, but only if you’re done working.

[via C|NET]

These days you can run dozens of classic games on a PC using emulators. If you’re good with modding hardware, you may be able to connect the right controller for the console you’re emulating. But if you’re Patrice Daubaire, you take it one step further. Patrice hacked 75 controllers to make them compatible with over 110 gaming systems.

Patrice calls his ingenious mod the Multi Video Game System 2 or MVGS 2. He managed to universalize 75 controllers – from an Atari 2600 joystick to aPlayStation controller – so that they’ll work with different gaming systems via a custom VGA adapter. Patrice claims his system has zero input lag and that the controllers weigh more or less the same as unmodified ones. Patrice was also able to add additional functions like a quick save button on some of the controllers.

To present his invention, Patrice built the MVGS 2 Dream Station, a PC with over 30 gaming system emulators. It has a nice cabinet with a built-in monitor and lets up to two players geek out. He also setup a rotating display stand for the controllers.

Pick your jaw up from the floor and head to the MVGS 2 website for more information.

[via Hack A Day]

Meet the descendant of the all-in-one scanner, copier, printer and fax machine. The FABtotum Personal Fabricator lets you print, scan and mill objects in just one compact device. Think of it as the Dremel tool for the 21st century. It’s what makers want for Christmas.

The FABtotum prints 3D objects on an 8.3″ x 9.5″ x 9.5″ build area. Like many 3D printers, it uses PLA and ABS filament to print. Don’t have anything to print? Use its laser scanner or its digitizing probe. You can go from concept to prototype with just those two functions, but what takes the FABtotum  to the next level is that it’s also a milling machine. It’s dual head spindle motor lets you carve, cut, drill, shape and more. Finally, the FABtotum is customizable. You can add another 3D printing or machining head to it and its software and schematics will also be open source.

Fabricate a browser and head to Indiegogo to support the FABtotum. Pledge at least $999 (USD) to get a ready to assemble FABtotum kit; pony up at least $1,099 and you get a fully assembled FABtotum as a reward.

deviantART member Shori Ameshiko is a Pokémon stitcher like no one ever was. She’s been making what she calls Pokéhoodies for a couple of years now, but she recently went viral with her Bulbasaur hoodie, which comes with a bulb-shaped backpack.

Then she followed that up with a Squirtle hoodie. Yep, it has a turtle shell backpack. Check out her other Pokéhoodies below:

Sadly, I think Shori makes the hoodies for herself only and not for commissions. Why? Because she makes the hoodies out of Pokémon skin. She’s a Pocket Monster Hunter. Nah, it’s probably because she doesn’t want to get sued by Game Freak. Check out Shori’s deviantART page for more of her work.

[via Galaxy Next Door]