We've been researching a manufacturer for a shiny new product we are working on (shhh, don't tell anyone and stay tuned for the reveal!). What we have been looking for is a metal spinner. Metal spinning, also known as spin forming, spinning, or metal turning most commonly, is a metalworking process by which a disc […]
Ardweeny & Strandbeest Make An Exce...
Solar botics
November 29, 2011
So we've just released a ton of awesome little bundles for our Ardweenys, and you're thinking "Wow, what would I do with all those?". Well friend, why not build a Strandbeest with an Ardweeny for a brain?
For those few who aren't familiar with a Strandbeest (or don't know it by name), they are the work of Dutch kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen, and they're incredibly mesmerizing to watch in action:
Theo's creations are powered entirely by the wind, and he's working in some very BEAM-like behaviors in the hopes that his creations could one day wander the Dutch beaches on their own.
However, I'd prefer a bit more more control, and Gareth Branwyn over at Make Magazine has just posted up his plans to build a desktop sized one out of some laser cut wood and our awesome little Ardweeny and Breadboard Voltage Regulator Kit as a gift for a friend. You could very easily do the same with our newly release Ardweeny Project Pack, which includes a nifty little backpack with the voltage regulator built in, and even comes with the FTDI programming adapter, everything you need to get started. You can find detailed plans and instructions over on Jeremy Peterson aka 4volt's project page in case you'd like to take a shot at making your own. In fact, there's a tiny evil voice in my head telling me to build many of these and hide them under coworkers desks and the Christmas tree at home, preferably with some kind of glowing red eyes...
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New Books, Closed Monday 2nd
So apparently Monday here in Albertaland is "Heritage Day". Which, quite frankly, sounds rather uninspiring. Don't get me wrong - any excuse for a statutory holiday is a good one. But the name seems rather vague and underwhelming. And thus I began my quest to find the true meaning of Heritage Day. So as any […]
The return of the MCM...
Remember many, many moons back when Solarbotics was a young company, with just a few hacker-type objects to offer the robotics community? One of these items was the "Metal Cassette Mechanism", and was the heart of a great many Solarengine Kit. Hail the return of the almighty MCM! (Ok, it isn't as earth-shaking as all […]
Maker Faire was a blast!
Well, we've been back for a few weeks now, and the demobots still have to be unpacked. It was a blast. From what we understand, attendance was up almost 50% over last year. Traffic was backed-up from the local highway to the fairgrounds. There were LOTS of new exhibits. We should know - we've been […]
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Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.