Technology

NES Controller Interface for Etch A Sketch

YouTuber Alpinedelta32 created this simple but fun retro remix by combining a Nintendo Entertainment System controller with an Etch A Sketch. The drawing toy’s knobs are rotated by 12 volt stepper motors and they’re controlled with the d-pad of the NES controller. Behind the scenes he has an Arduino for motor control and a computer power supply to provide the 12 volts needed by the steppers. I’m guessing the next logical step is to rig the start button to flip the Etch A Sketch over and shake away the drawing.

Continue Reading Matt Richardson6
New in the Maker Shed: Pico Paso and Nebulophone

New in the Maker Shed: Pico Paso and Nebulophone

These two new kits from the Maker Shed were designed by Bleep Labs for Handmade Music Austin. Both are featured in our upcoming Ultimate Kit Guide and kits website. The Pico Paso (above) is a perfect beginner soldering / electronic music project based on the Atari punk console. The Nebulophone (above) is an Arduino based synthesizer with a stylus keyboard that can be played through 6 octaves using the shift button. The programmable sequencer function lets you record, play back, and manipulate custom arpeggios for musical awesomeness.

Continue Reading Michael Castor
Haptic GPS Points Cyclists in the Right Direction: Mapbag

Haptic GPS Points Cyclists in the Right Direction: Mapbag

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Josh Billions demonstrates the Mapbag at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011. It is a bicycle messenger bag with a ring of vibrating motors sewn into its strap, whose positions correspond to compass points. This soft circuit project uses a Lilypad in conjunction with the gps feature in an Iphone, allowing the user to set a destination and be given constant haptic feedback through the fabric in order to stay on course and in the right direction. This acts as an exploratory wayfinding tool – a fun and useful alternative to a standard turn-by-turn map. http://www.joshbillions.org/ http://makerfaire.com/pub/e/6141

Continue Reading Makemagazineuser