Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware

We’re absolutely loving what all the cool kids are doing with Arduino hardware — the robots, the instruments, the fashion — but when it comes to getting stuff done, well, let’s just say we’re not giving up our smartphones yet. A new project from Skewworks could change that, an Ardiuno-based operating system called Pyxis. It provides a UI for launching applications, easy access to microSD storage, and graphics routines that make creation of apps and games much more simple. If you want to code in anything other than assembly you’ll need to pay up for the professional edition of Pyxis Studio, but we’re thinking you can scrounge up the $10 to make that happen. There’s a quality video demonstration after the break, but we’d recommend turning down those speakers before clicking through — unless you’re really ready to rock out.

Continue reading Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware

Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bleep Labs builds Arduino-based Nebulophone, wants to sell you one

What do you get when you mash together an Arduino-based synth with a Stylophone-like keyboard? A month ago, even we wouldn’t have known, but now that Handmade Music Austin has come and gone, we’re happy to say that this beautiful concoction leads to the creation of a Nebulophone. Unfortunately, there’s no video (yet) to showcase what this musical wonder can do, but we’re told that it has “adjustable waveforms, a light controlled analog filter, LFO and an arpeggiator that can be clocked over IR.” Hit the source link if you’re looking for all the code, schematics, and instructions necessary to give yourself a weekend project, and feel free to drop the guys / gals there a line if you’re interested in just buying one.

Bleep Labs builds Arduino-based Nebulophone, wants to sell you one originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arduino and accelerometer harmoniously come together in DIY music controller

Look, Physical Computing can be a drain. Particularly when your Summa Cum Laude status is hinging on you acing the final. We’re guessing that one Ryan Raffa managed to pull off a pretty decent grade, as his final project is nothing short of delectable. In a (presumably successful) attempt to wow onlookers and professors alike, Ryan cooked up an audio controller that utilized an ADXL 335 accelerometer (for motion sensing) and an Arduino board that communicates serially with Max MSP. The controller itself boasts inputs for five tracks and the sixth button applies a delay to all of the tracks; he was even kind enough to host up the Max MSP and Arduino code (it’s there in the source link), and if you’re interested in hearing what all the fuss is about, be sure to hop past the break and mash play.

Continue reading Arduino and accelerometer harmoniously come together in DIY music controller

Arduino and accelerometer harmoniously come together in DIY music controller originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twittering Arduino-powered laser tripwire captures trespassers — digitally (video)

Continue reading Twittering Arduino-powered laser tripwire captures trespassers — digitally (video)

Twittering Arduino-powered laser tripwire captures trespassers — digitally (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck makes any surface interactive, probably even Surface (video)

Ask any home audio enthusiast and they’ll tell you: there’s nothing quite like precisely adjusting settings via a giant knob. However, they can’t all be huge or our living rooms would be covered by the things. Enter the Puck: a wireless RFID reader that also contains an accelerometer, controlled by an Arduino Mini and created by Eric Gradman along with Tyler and Brent Bushnell. RFIDs mounted to walls or other surfaces tell the PUCK what function to to control, and then the accelerometer serves to increase or decrease the value as it’s turned, truly turning it into a virtual knob. If you’re done snickering, there’s a video after the break showing one Puck controlling three separate light colors individually, perfect for dialing in the perfect mood or concert lighting — if only it could dial down the amplitude of dude’s fauxhawk.

Continue reading Puck makes any surface interactive, probably even Surface (video)

Puck makes any surface interactive, probably even Surface (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arduino-packin’ Didgeridoo features 17 effects controls, drones with the best of ‘em (video)

Continue reading Arduino-packin’ Didgeridoo features 17 effects controls, drones with the best of ‘em (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Arduino-packin’ Didgeridoo features 17 effects controls, drones with the best of ‘em (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video)

The Arduino board has been the engine of many wild and wacky projects over the years, from bakery tweeting to various musical instruments. For its next trick, our man Steve Hoefer has taken his microcontroller and, along with a piezoelectric speaker, a gear reduction motor, and some PVC pipe, programmed it to listen for a preset sequence of knocks — a secret knock, if you will — and unlock the deadbolt upon hearing the right combination. Although this might not be the security system you want to put in place for your home, this definitely looks like a fun weekend project. Check out the read link for instructions and schematics, but not before you see the video of the thing in action. It’s after the break.

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

Continue reading ‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

‘Secret Knock’ Door Lock defends home from rhythmically-impaired perps (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Football Hero mod takes Arduino to the Kasabian-approved big leagues (video)

Some folks say less is more, but we’ll bet they never saw Guitar Hero being played by kicking footballs against a giant wall. This epic undertaking will give your plastic axe a major inadequacy complex with its huge wall-mounted piezo vibration sensors and absurdly large fretboard projection. An Arduino acts as the conduit between the contact sensors and a PC running the freeware Frets on Fire. The outcome from such a relatively simple setup is pretty astounding, and you can check it out in the videos past the break, including some behind the scenes footage.

Continue reading Football Hero mod takes Arduino to the Kasabian-approved big leagues (video)

Filed under: Gaming

Football Hero mod takes Arduino to the Kasabian-approved big leagues (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robotic ‘mood tail’ is everything you hope it to be, and more

Why hang on to your emotions when you can wag them proudly with a robotic mood tail? Sure, you may never have asked that question yourself, but intrepid DIYer Wei-Chieh Tseng seemingly has, and he’s done something about it. Apparently, the tail makes use of the ever dependable Arduino and an RFID reader to detect different emotion cards that set off varying degrees of tail-wagging, or you can simply control the tail yourself using a Wii nunchuck — because, why not? Did we mention there’s a video? Check it out after the break.

Continue reading Robotic ‘mood tail’ is everything you hope it to be, and more

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

Robotic ‘mood tail’ is everything you hope it to be, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security

The humble NES controller has certainly provided plenty of inspiration for mods over the years, and even a little dreaming, but it doesn’t look like the well is showing any signs of drying up just yet. The latest to take a crack at the iconic gadget is one man shop ProtoDojo, which did what many others have done and turned the controller into a flash drive, but went the extra step of adding an ingenious security measure to ensure that only true NES veterans are able to mount the drive. We won’t spell it out here, but let’s just say this drive stands a better chance at Contra than most — all possible thanks to the magic of Arduino, as you might have guessed. Head on past the break for a complete overview on video.

Continue reading ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security

Filed under: Gaming, Storage

ProtoDojo turns NES controller into flash drive with Konami-level security originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably

It may not seem like much from this video, but Malmö University graduate student Rob Nero has assembled himself surface-based touchpad using all Arduino products and “simple Algebra.” Dubbed TRKBRD, the device uses hyper-fast flashing LEDs and IR sensors to calculate the XY coordinates of the shadow, and subsequently the finger itself. We haven’t seen it hooked up to a computer just yet, but we hope there’s more to come. Videos of the successful trial run and some preliminary testing and wiring after the break.

[Via Make: Online]

Continue reading TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites

Need an excuse to get some cardio into your life? Can’t live without ye old internet? Thanks to Matt Grey and Tom Scott, the answer to your weight loss woes is pictured above. The aptly-titled Webcycle is essentially a sensor-laden fitness bike that requires users to pedal faster in order to snag more throughput. An Ubuntu-based laptop is wired up to an Arduino and an array of sensors that allow more bits and bytes to seep through based on how hard the rider is working. A simple slow pedal is all it takes to load mobile pages and text-heavy sites, but if you’re hoping to actually watch the video after the break, you’ll certainly need to kick things up a notch. Pure brilliance, we say.

[Thanks, Yoda]

Continue reading Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites

Filed under: Laptops, Internet

Webcycle provides pedal-powered internet, reason to dodge browser-enlarging Flash sites originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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