Computers & Mobile

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for digital gadgetry, open code, smart hacks, and more. Processing power to the people!

Lytro’s “Light Field” Camera Available for Pre-order

Lytro’s “Light Field” Camera Available for Pre-order

Back in June, I was excited about the idea of so-called “light field” photography – a digital raster process that captures not only intensity and color for each pixel, but also the direction of inbound light. The upshot? So-called “light field” cameras actually record a vector field for each image that allows ray-tracing routines in software to produce images of the scene arbitrarily focused at any depth, including infinite.

Prosthetic Arm Smartphone Dock

Somerset catering manager, Trevor Prideaux, found that he was having trouble texting ever since he upgraded his handset to a smartphone. Ultimately, this didn’t stop Trevor. The resourceful Mr. Prideaux enlisted help from device manufacturer Nokia and professionals from the Exeter Mobility Centre to help design and fabricate a prototype prosthetic arm that could hold his smartphone while he typed. The result, developed in just five weeks by prosthethist Steve Gallichan, technician Les Street, and undergrad Sara Bennett looks like a natural fit.

MAKE Flickr Pool Weekly Roundup

MAKE Flickr Pool Weekly Roundup

As I predicted, the third week of October has brought with it the MAKE Flickr pool’s first Jack-o’-lantern of 2011—a leering, laser-cut, LED-lit orange from Hacked Gadgets blogger Alan Parekh. I’m also pretty stoked about the bolt-shouldered, needle-felted frog from FeltedChicken (whose koi I featured last Monday), and the latest amazing steampunkery from gogglerman.