Arduino finds yet another use in homebuilt 3D scanner

The Arduino has long since proven itself to be one of the biggest boons to DIY heads since the soldering iron, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still able to impress, as amply demonstrated by this simple but effective homebuilt 3D scanner. While there’s not exactly much to guide the rookies out there, the project does seem to be straightforward enough for anyone with a bit of experience, with the scanner itself comprised of nothing more than the Arduino, a couple of servos, and the Sharp GP2Y0A02YK Long Distance Measuring Sensor — plus the necessary code, of course, which is conveniently provided at the link below. Once you’ve got everything pieced together, you should all set to make polar coordinate scans of your surroundings and watch the time fly by.

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

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Arduino finds yet another use in homebuilt 3D scanner originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: ultrasonic water level dish pings owner when kitty needs a drink

Given that most cats aren’t really the talkative type, we can definitely understand scoopmycatbox’s desire to rig up a water dish (vid’s after the break) that does the yapping for his dearest kitty. Put as simply as possible, the ultrasonic water level cat dish combines an Arduino, Parallax range finder, some scrap wood and a good deal of wires in order to measure when the water bowl needs to be refilled. He’s still working to get the contraption to send him a Tweet when the level gets below a certain point, and we can only assume that part II will see an automatic refilling tool hooked in to said alerting system. And you thought pets had it good before the advent of technology…

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading Video: ultrasonic water level dish pings owner when kitty needs a drink

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Video: ultrasonic water level dish pings owner when kitty needs a drink originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brauswitch gives you eyebrow control, that Karate Kid look

Forget controlling things with your mind, hands or feet — how’s about your completely underutilized eyebrows? Without any real output in mind, one Robert Carlsen designed the Brauswtich to give wearers the ability to control any number of things with just an eyebrow raise. Fully endorsed by The Rock, this apparatus contains a digital switch that can be activated when an eyebrow movement forces the tiny slit shut. Details behind the magic have yet to be revealed, but you can bet you’ll see these infiltrating the likes of Spencer’s Gifts, Hot Topic and Loose Lucy’s when it’s good and ready. Naturally, a demo video is after the break.

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading Brauswitch gives you eyebrow control, that Karate Kid look

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Brauswitch gives you eyebrow control, that Karate Kid look originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haptic Compass gives you sense of direction, not style

While most folks can get by just fine by simply looking at a compass, Eric from Monkeys & Robots decided to see just how just how far he could push things and ultimately arrived at the Haptic Compass, which he says roughly simulates the magnetic orientation in migrating birds. To do that, Eric made use of a digital compass, twelve vibrating pager motors and, of course, an Arduino, all of which got brought together in belt form. When switched on, the belt simply buzzes the appropriate motor to indicate which way is north, and it can also be paired with an iPhone (or other device, presumably) to direct the wearer to a specific destination. Unfortunately, Eric doesn’t seem to have yet provided a complete how-to, but those with the requisite skills should be able to pick up most of the necessary details by hitting up the read link below.

[Via MAKE:Blog]

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Haptic Compass gives you sense of direction, not style originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life

Ah, yes. Nothing like some robotics to shake all that pesky quaintness out of a well-loved, time-tested game. In this case, some folks from the Cowtown Computer Congress used a couple of servos and the ever so useful Arduino to connect a wooden Labyrinth game to a Wii Fit, which appears to up the difficulty of the game while still requiring as little exertion as possible. At just $60 total (not including the Wii Fit), the project is also relatively inexpensive, and it seems that it’s a fairly simple process to swap out the Wii Fit for the controller of your choice. Head on past the break for a video of the setup in action, and hit up the link below for the necessary details.

[Thanks, Steve]

Continue reading Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life

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Wii Fit and Arduino bring wooden Labyrinth game to robotic life originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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