Wow, this has to be one of the cooler DIY robots I’ve seen in a long time. Basically, it plays drums. Not real drums, but it plays your household stuff like vases as drums. Beautifully done, we give it an A+ for the creators. (Btw, we are not selling the blog for $1000, our readers say it’s too cheap! How much should we sell it for? j/k April FOOLS!)

Notice how the robot first plays on the object it finds (or is forced to find by the angry cameraman), plays a small beat, and records the beat it plays on it. Then this recorded beat is played again, and it starts to play on the object (an belt tracks and everything else it has),and also playing this sampled beat

[via] letsmakerobots

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Here’s a funny cheap lie detector you can make. I don’t know if it really works since there’s no circuit diagrams but you can find lots of lie detector circuit diagrams on the internet like this one I found in about 5 seconds:

Yes, these lie detectors probably won’t work on cats, maybe try dogs.

via dailyapps

Check out this cool Winamp plugin that allows you to convert Winamp songs to sound-activated lights!

DiscoLitez is a Winamp plugin that allows you to control lighting equipment from your computer. This is done using the printer port and some external switching/driving circuitry. At the moment, you’ll have to build the circuits yourself, but they are not complicated.

Related Posts:

Zedomax Party Lights II

For people who have to use an extension lead in order to house all of the plugs that are needed to get power for all of your hi tech gadgets and any else that you are going to need to get you through the day.

This means that the plugs can stay in place but the power can be switched off by just raising the plug and therefore cutting the power to that particular device.

Source [Yanko Design]

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Okay, here’s a funny DIY where you can make your own sound activated party lights.

If you want the non-adult version, you can check out our Christmas Voice Activated Party Lights too. (And yes, you have to use a Magnum for this one)

This project shows you how to make a music light out of inflated condoms and LEDs wired up to the sound out of your computer.

via Make

Check out this really cool parts organizer you can make using plastic bottles and save the earth at the same time!

If you’re like me, you have a ton of PCBs laying around from things you’ve taken apart. Put them to good use and salvage the components from them.

via MakeZine

They say that if you are on a desert island for so long, you will be able to make almost anything out of coconuts and here is the proof.

This is a really cool coconut amp, and in fact if you can make this then you are on your way to building up a civilisation.

Source [Techna Bob]

Check out the Atmel AVR temperature controller hack, although I made a better one last year that can be controlled via ethernet, the case looks awesome!

Wine doesn’t like subzero temperatures, and during wintertime, my “winecellar” got pretty cold.
There was an electric heating element, but the thermostat was broken, so it was either full burn or nothing.

That’s how the temperature monitor/controller came to be.
It was an obvious task for a small processor and I’ve always wanted to test the Dallas temperature sensors.

So, I designed this little device which could monitor the temperature and control the heater.

via Aboutmicrocontroller.blogspot.com

Researchers at the Oklahoma State University and DARPA have developed something that can only described as a mini jet engine, it can vary in from being smaller than a cigarette to longer than a foot, but can provide power to a UVA or other un-manned craft, which can take video or other images of the enemy.

This is a great time for this type of technology as there are many other items coming out such as the un-manned UVA that can stay in the air for up five years!

Source [New Launches]

Cool, here’s my friend Jason from Hackszine posting about how to disable Lexus and Prius navigation systems. I don’t own a Lexus or a Prius, just a gas-guzzlin’ Chevy, but this might come in handy when I do get one.

Here’s a short video showing you how to do it:

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I’ve found that the best way to appreciate the navigation lockout feature is to disable it and see what driving without it is like. The navigation system contains a hidden service menu with a big Override button that lets you do just that.

There’s a secret combination to get to the service menu. The code you use depends on which version of the navigation system you have. They are all roughly the same, so just try them out and find the one that works with your vehicle.

via HacksZine