Although this is an awesome Wii hack using GlovePie and the Wiimote, you could probably do this a lot easier using a simple 3-axis accelerometer and a microcontroller.

I got this idea after seeing some physics class use the wiimote in some kinda pendulum experiment.

Why not use the wiimote’s built in 3-axis accelerometers to measue g-forces, acceleration and even calculate my own 0-60mph times!

So I did. I wrote a script to dump all the g-force readings from the wiimote to a comma separated value file, then did some post processing in MS Excel, and voila, I can see every bump, every curve, my acceleration and braking, and even calculated my current speed using high school physics (v=a*t)

I even convinced my coworker to take me out in his E46 M3 to measure his SMG’s performance

I admit, it’s not super accurate since the wiimote spits out G readings rounded to two decimal places. It also provides other acceleration readings in finer granularity, but I couldn’t figure out what metric it was recording in. I used Gs since I knew it was just the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s/s)

[via] vwvortex

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Build a accelerometer in 1 minute!

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Looks like Shelto has been updating his internet robot project from couple months ago.

Check out this cool internet controlled security robots made with some CUBLOC PLCs and GPS modules.

We’ve lowered the overall profile and given Turtle (or should it be Tiger), a new paint job. We have also added a GPS unit. The GPS feeds signals to the CUBLOC micro controller which sends the location back to the controlling pc on the internet.

via Shelato

Ohhh….. here’s a really cool DIY HACK that can sense your squeeze. (This might be good for making an adult-related game…then again…)

I’m researching squeeze sensing as a mode of tactile interface. Here I will cover the process of developing a squeezeable sensor and the firmware/software concerns associated with interpreting the data from the sensor. This fulfills the “sensor project” for my class called Computational Principles in Media Arts taught in AME at ASU by Todd Ingalls and Hari Sundaram.

First off, how do we sense “squeeze?” People squeeze all kinds of things: lemons, steering wheels, loved ones, toothpaste and other toiletries, pimples, stress balls, hand exercisers. I would like to focus on the latter two, which provide a therapeutic activity for those with Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Using flex sensors arranged in a certain pattern on a spherical object, in this case a rubber dog toy, one can capture whenever the ball is squeezed. Here’s a sketch of the sensor layout:

via

Here’s a way you can hack the ports on your iPhone and add some LED joys to your life!

When the iPhone’s initial specs were released by Apple, tons of users complained about its lack of a camera flash. Using a USB connector, 4 white LED’s, and a tact switch, I built a removable flash unit.

via iphonexe

You guys are going to love this giant LED. It almost seems like there’s a LOT of circuit on it. (It that necessary?)

Anyways, thumbs up for this cool giant LED. I wish they had a video on it…

This project is 6″ seven-segment.All segments consist of fourteen 5mm super bright LEDs except dot segment it use only 4 LEDs.I design this project use for multipurpose such as big 7-segemnt display ,big digital clock,digital timer etc.The project designed as a module for one digit .You can cascade up to 8 module or 8 digits. For each digit there are two options on PCB which you can use or ignore these options for each digit PCB.

via

Need a touch Keypad instead of the traditional 4×4 keypads? This might be the way to go.

The actual data from the touch sensors is quite erratic and requires some software processing. Basically you create a pulse for each of the ports and read the data with the instruction following the pulse signlal rise. Then read the ports the same way looking for a gap of 0.1 seconds with no data detected. This does the ‘debounce’. This results in fairly clean data capture from the sensors.

via

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Wow, this is a cool wifi antenna hack. I knew it, those wifi companies were just selling us bunk extended Antennas just so they can charge $30 more…

via

Wow, check out this Jacobs Ladder too!

This is how I used a neon sign transformer to create my own classic sci-fi prop the Jacobs Ladder. A Jacobs Ladder is nothing more than two vertical wires attached to a very high voltage. The wires which form the ladder are close together at the base but diverge as they go up. When switched on an electric arc forms at the base of the wires. The arc heats the air above it and in doing so forms an easier path for the electricity to take. The arc moves upwards continually heating the air above itself and rising to take the easier path until eventually the arc reaches the end of the wires and leaps into the air. Once free of the wires it dies but a new arc starts again at the bottom of the ladder. The arc itself moves with a very distinctive buzzing noise. These devices are most usually seen in old sci-fi and horror films and the houses of strange people.

via

Here’s some batteries you can power with some human p… You can even use it 3-5 times to re-fuel your batteries!

This is tight, too bad it’s only available in Japan. I’d get one next time I head over there!

In February we talked about a Pee Powered battery that was in the testing phase in Japan. Now it would seem they have made it to the store for the Japanese to buy and use.

NoPoPo (Non-Pollution Power) Aqua Batteries are available in both AA and AAA form, although the company page shows they are producing the technology for all sizes of battery, and can only be currently purchased in Japan.

via weirdasiannews