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...
If you'll recall correctly, in last week's news post I said something along the lines of "Keep an eye out for new PICAXE bundles in the coming week." But I was quickly bound and gagged by a pack of vicious lawn gnomes (packing lawn gnome-sized guns, no less), preventing me from fulfilling the promise. So […]
Wednesday is here again, and so is our Cool Links Post. So... weather has been discussed many times (including edible objects falling from the sky), so have been fingers, toes, days of the week. That leaves us pretty bare in terms of generally socially- acceptable topics. Hmmm, how about sports! Did you see that latest... […]
Here's a link to a Smalltimes article where they interview Mark (and a few others) about using MEMS (or Micro Electromechanical Systems) in the toy industry. Read More...
The Western Canadian Robot Games are close at hand (umm... this weekend!), and in response to popular request, we're cranking up the SolarSpeeder contest again! Ever built a Solarbotics SolarSpeeder? Bring it down to the games, enter at our booth (free!), and we'll run a SolarSpeeder target race. Aim your racer at a 10cm (4") […]
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Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.