Oct 12

ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security

Posted in: arduino, hack, mod, Today's Chili

The humble NES controller has certainly provided plenty of inspiration for mods over the years, and even a little dreaming, but it doesn’t look like the well is showing any signs of drying up just yet. The latest to take a crack at the iconic gadget is one man shop ProtoDojo, which did what many others have done and turned the controller into a flash drive, but went the extra step of adding an ingenious security measure to ensure that only true NES veterans are able to mount the drive. We won’t spell it out here, but let’s just say this drive stands a better chance at Contra than most — all possible thanks to the magic of Arduino, as you might have guessed. Head on past the break for a complete overview on video.

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ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 29

Adafruit’s DIY ‘less lethal’ weapon looks cool, doesn’t really work

Posted in: arduino, diy, open source, opensource, Today's Chili
As you’re no doubt well aware, the government is always looking for new ways to make dissidents feel uncomfortable. In this space alone we’ve seen devices meant to cook folks with microwaves, zap ’em with electricity, and make ’em nauseous using light. Taking inspiration from the last one, the open source pranksters at Adafruit Industries have built a contraption of their own called the Bedazzler. It’s powered by an Arduino and, unlike the original, Adafruit’s version doesn’t seem to work for the purpose incapacitating no-goodniks — but that’s probably a good thing. For some background on this extremely less than lethal device, peep the the video after the break. And then hit the read link to build one yourself.

Continue reading Adafruit’s DIY ‘less lethal’ weapon looks cool, doesn’t really work

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Adafruit’s DIY ‘less lethal’ weapon looks cool, doesn’t really work originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 21

N900 hacked to replace the innards of a Speak & Spell, can never bring back your childhood

Posted in: arduino, hack, hacking, mod, nokia, Today's Chili

Nokia has been handing out the N900 for selective “artsy” uses lately through its “Push” program, and the folks at Tinker it now! sure seem to have put their model to good use. They’ve paired the device with all matter of nostalgia, including a Rolodex, FM radio and a 3D Viewmaster. Our favorite by far, however, is the Speak & Spell hack, which puts the gargantuan Speak & Spell keyboard to good use in penning text messages for the N900 — which displays them in the classic font and even articulates your words with a speech synthesis engine. It’s all a testament to the flexibility of Linux, hacker ingenuity and of course liberal application of Arduino, but it’s also a little advertorial-ey, so you might want to leave your gag reflex at home for this one.

[Via Nokia Conversations]

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N900 hacked to replace the innards of a Speak & Spell, can never bring back your childhood originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 23

TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably

Posted in: arduino, diy, Today's Chili, touchpad

It may not seem like much from this video, but Malmö University graduate student Rob Nero has assembled himself a surface-based touchpad using all Arduino products and “simple Algebra.” Dubbed TRKBRD, the device uses hyper-fast flashing LEDs and IR sensors to calculate the XY coordinates of the shadow, and subsequently the finger itself. We haven’t seen it hooked up to a computer just yet, but we hope there’s more to come. Videos of the successful trial run and some preliminary testing and wiring after the break.

[Via Make: Online]

Continue reading TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably

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TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 20

Arduino binary clock doesn’t care to be useful, just wants to be admired

Posted in: arduino, diy, homebrew, mod, modding, Today's Chili

If there’s one thing we love about DIY projects, it’s the feeling that the outcome is more than the mere sum of its parts. This here binary clock is a prime example, being composed of scrap plastic, some dirt-cheap parts and a homemade Arduino board. And yet, after a few licks of polish and the inevitable LEDs, it looks like a true monument to geekdom, which is only amplified by the fact you can’t even use the thing without being familiar with binary code. But then again, if utility was a standard by which we judged homebrewed projects, we’d have a lot less to talk about.

[Via Make]

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Arduino binary clock doesn’t care to be useful, just wants to be admired originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 10

Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites

Posted in: arduino, bike, hack, mod, sensor, Today's Chili, ubuntu

Need an excuse to get some cardio into your life? Can’t live without ye old internet? Thanks to Matt Grey and Tom Scott, the answer to your weight loss woes is pictured above. The aptly-titled Webcycle is essentially a sensor-laden fitness bike that requires users to pedal faster in order to snag more throughput. An Ubuntu-based laptop is wired up to an Arduino and an array of sensors that allow more bits and bytes to seep through based on how hard the rider is working. A simple slow pedal is all it takes to load mobile pages and text-heavy sites, but if you’re hoping to actually watch the video after the break, you’ll certainly need to kick things up a notch. Pure brilliance, we say.

[Thanks, Yoda]

Continue reading Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites

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Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 31

Video: Arduino-based ‘insecure, egotistical’ robot band

Posted in: arduino, hack, Music, robot, robotics, Today's Chili, twitter

One part gadget, one part art project, and 100% awesome, the Cybraphon is a MacBook powered, Arduino-based mechanical band housed in an antique wardrobe. Including an organ, cymbals, a motor-driven Indian Shruti box (played with 13 robotic servos, no less), and a gramophone, it relies on infrared motion detectors to sense when it has an audience. A number of factors, including the amount of attention it gets on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, help the device determine its “mood,” which in turn determines when the “band” plays, and what material it selects. According to one of the artist / inventors, the Cybraphon is a “tongue-in-cheek comment on people’s obsession with online celebrity. We modeled it on an insecure, egotistical band.” That’s our favorite kind! And you know, the thing doesn’t sound half bad. Check it out for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Video: Arduino-based ‘insecure, egotistical’ robot band

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Video: Arduino-based ‘insecure, egotistical’ robot band originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 27

Video: Arduino-powered touchpad mimics iPod volume control

Posted in: arduino, diy, hack, homebrew, ipod, mod, modding, Today's Chili, touchpad

We’ve seen every manner of touchpad — multitouch, gesture recognition, no touch, LCD trackpads — if you can think of it, somebody has probably done a version of it. Take this particular one for example, which just might rank below even the touchscreen GBA in terms of practical usefulness — though, it’s not as if utility is a prerequisite of joviality, right? If you’ve been neglecting that DIY muscle of late, you owe it to yourself to check out the video beyond the break, which shows that a humble touchpad can learn new tricks. Oh, and if you feel extra inspired, the read link contains another video plus the necessary code for making the light show happen. Don’t say we never gave you anything.

[Via Hack A Day]

Continue reading Video: Arduino-powered touchpad mimics iPod volume control

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Video: Arduino-powered touchpad mimics iPod volume control originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 17

Video: GBA SP gets touchscreen hack, turns Nintendo concept into reality

Posted in: arduino, concept, hack, homebrew, mod, modding, nintendo, Today's Chili, touchscreen

The DSi seems to be getting all the cool mods and appendages these days, so we’re pleased to see the other portable Nintendo gaming system getting some love. We’ve tracked down video of an Arduino-powered touchscreen hack for the Game Boy Advance SP that brings to life one of Nintendo’s own concepts and — while not quite on par with the GamePack — comes with all the exposed hardware and blinking lights you’d expect from a quality mod. Though there’s no interface or game compatibility to speak of, the coolness factor alone should be enough for you to check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Video: GBA SP gets touchscreen hack, turns Nintendo concept into reality

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Video: GBA SP gets touchscreen hack, turns Nintendo concept into reality originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 17

Video: Breath-over-IP concept is a fun way to creep out your friends

Posted in: arduino, Today's Chili

This might have been a Crapgadget contender but for the fact it’s a homemade system and therefore deserves some kudos for the ingenuity shown. An irrepressible geek by the name of Thomas Edwards has concocted a system for communicating breathing over the interwebs — a surefire way to take your cyberstalking game to the next level. Employing an Arduino protoshield, AdaFruit Xport shield, Lantronix Xport Direct, and a Kestrel impeller to create the device, Thomas demonstrates a taste for obscure technology usually not seen outside of prototyping labs. Click through for video of a candle being blown out remotely, perhaps the one and only family-friendly use for an instrument like this.

[Via Make]

Continue reading Video: Breath-over-IP concept is a fun way to creep out your friends

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Video: Breath-over-IP concept is a fun way to creep out your friends originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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