David A. Mellis: DIY Cellphone An exploration into the possibilities for individual construction and customization of the most ubiquitous of electronic devices, the cellphone. I investigate the implications of digital fabrication and open-source hardware for DIY practice. Research questions include: To what extent is it feasible for people to make the technology they use in their daily lives? Publication David A. Autobiographical Exploration The DIY cellphone has been my primary mobile device for over two years. Workshops I've taught multiple workshops in which participants have made their own versions of the DIY cellphone. Online Dissemination The DIY cellphone is open-source (software, hardware) and plans for making it are available online. Press Make Magazine: "Open-Source Cellphone" (Vol. 38, March 2014)
Fanciest Camping Tent Trailer Ever! Open Source Ecology Novena Novena is a 1.2GHz, Freescale quad-core ARM architecture computer closely coupled with a Xilinx FPGA. It’s designed for users who care about Free Software and open source, and/or want to modify and extend their hardware: all the documentation for the PCBs is open and free to download, the entire OS is buildable from source, and it comes with a variety of features that facilitate rapid prototyping. Novena Configurations Novena was originally offered with four variations (Just the Board, Desktop, Laptop, and Heirloom Laptop). Currently available is the “Just the Board”, with a case kit available for separate purchase. All configurations will come with Debian (GNU/Linux) pre-installed, but of course you can build and install whatever distro you prefer! This is not a machine for the faint of heart. Add-ons and Extra Parts A number of extra parts parts and add-on are available for a-la-carte purchase. Case Design Features Finally, the inside of the case features a “Peek Array”. Features: Includes
Toyota OggStreamer | Developing an OpenHardware Streaming Device Literary gold mine for CNC millers From 1976 to 1983, Popular Science magazine, along with the American Plywood Association, ran an annual plywood panel project design contest for its readership. Often the winning projects were items of furniture, but that was not a requirement. A potter’s kick wheel and a folding plywood boat are notable exceptions. The rules were simple: Apart from common fasteners, the entire project had to be constructed from one or more panels of plywood, cut to make most efficient use of the material. In 1984, these projects were collected, by original contest editor Alfred W. Lees, into a book called 67 Prizewinning Plywood Projects. 1984, of course, was decades prior to the advent of accessible home CNC milling, so all those carefully shaped and slotted parts, at the time, had to be laboriously hand-cut using a jigsaw or similar tool.
Open Source Machine | Open source, Open design, Open ideas, Open minds. Bumpy Bumpy is a small homemade mp3 player, with features similar to an iPod shuffle. The entire design is open-source, from the firmware to the circuit board to the 3D-printed case. Bumpy plays .mp3 files off of a micro-SD card. The UI is simple and minimalistic. Bumpy recharges with a standard USB-mini plug. Demo Hardware Bumpy's PCB is smaller than a typical business card. I'm using an Atmega32U4 running at 8 MHz and the VS1003 for mp3 decoding. Bumpy is powered by a 1000 mAh lithium ion battery. The bill of materials contains a more detailed list of parts. Firmware The firmware for playing .mp3 files is fairly simple. The mp3 decoder chip also speaks SPI; this portion of the firmware is similar to my fab boombox project from a few years back. Implementing a USB mass storage device proved much more challenging. Case Bumpy has a eponymous 3D-printed case. I printed it at 50 micron layer resolution in white resin, using PreForm's automatically generated support structures. Source
Open Source Laser Cut CT Scanner Taking a DIY approach to high tech imaging Providing the magical ability to scan not only the surface, but also to reveal details of the insides of an object, the CT (computed tomography) scanner has quite literally changed the way we see ourselves. Modern CT scanners are frightfully expensive and are usually found in hospitals but Canadian-born Peter Jansen has built one himself out of laser cut wood. “After seeing the cost for my CT scan, I decided it was time to try to build an open source desktop CT scanner for small objects, and to do it for much less than the cost of a single scan.” With a design quite similar to the early commercial CT scanners, Peter’s device began as a quarter-scale laser cut acrylic version that he whipped up in a single day. He then used this mockup to help refine the design, under the watchful gaze of a friendly house cat. The way this scanner works is that a target object sits on a movable table that is then passed through a rotating ring. OpenCT via Makezine
diy neon sign | THE POOPERS Make your own indoor neon light sign, without needing to master the art of blowing neon glass tubes! And no, I'm not talking about taping glowsticks on a wall... ビール (biiru) means beer in Japanese Cocktails, anyone? Since I had been planning to help Mr. Not surprisingly, I ended up on various web stores that sell something called EL Wire (electroluminescent wire). Level of difficulty This how-to is going to be fairly extensive, and dedicated to the intermediate crafter (whatever that means). But...if you're not to the task and want to play around with EL wire anyway, coolneon.com sells pre-assembled kits that have one color of wire already hooked up. About EL Wire EL Wire is similar to your standard electrical wire. The light coming from EL Wire has varying intensities depending on the type and thickness you buy. Tools Most of your tools can be bought at any hardware store and craft store. Supplies EL wire can be bought from various online stores. A design! The unlit sign. Overview I know.
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