A note to our customers that the Solarbotics staff will be busy feasting and visiting with family for Canada's Thanksgiving Holiday on Monday, October 11. Any orders received between Saturday and Monday will be processed on Tuesday, October 12.
Don't even bother reading this introduction - skip on ahead and go to the first link in the list. It'll blow your mind.
Medusa -Proximity Aware Multi-Touch Tabletop This interactive surface (which is actually a version of Microsoft Surface) uses a mind-boggling 138 proximity sensors to detect people around and using the table. As far as we can tell, they're using some type of Sharp IR sensor, as well as some Phidgets interface devices. |
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The ShakerBOT - Snakeboard inspired robot This is a insanely hypnotizing wheeled robot, that travels big zig-zagging around. Apparently it was inspired by something call "Snakeboards", which I've never heard of. We have a similar wiggle cart for kids in the office, that we often like to hop on and drive between the aisles of inventory. It does not always go very well. Make sure you click through and check out the video! |
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1000 Fireflies - Electronics for 1000 Bicyclists Says the website, these are "interactive blinking LED devices outfitted with microcontrollers and radio units that allow them to mutually and observably synchronize with others, as do certain species of firefly." It's an ambitious undertaking, and the results look gorgeous. It's not too far off our own version Firefly (well, not really, but kinda). |
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Creating Illuminated 3D Objects with a Laser Cutter - Instructables Tutorial We like lasers, acrylic, 3D objects, AND lights. So needless to say, this is right up our alley. Instructables author theseeker did a great job using two-dimensional objects to create something three-dimensional. As a bonus, it even looks somewhat pixelated. The tutorial is pretty comprehensive, going all the way through the design, production, and final assembly. |
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Iscar Chip Formation - Slow Motion During Steel Cutting Solarbotics has some Sherline equipment we use for machining fixtures and the like (yeah, machine tools are cool...). We tripped over this link that shows magnified and slowed video of what it looks like when a machine tool cuts steel. Looks like putty. Hypnotic! |
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Mobile Lorm Glove - Communication Glove for Deaf-Blind Persons Some German developers have come up with a really great solution to help those that are deaf and blind to communicate via Lorm, a tactile sign language, through a glove with vibrating motors and a Bluetooth connection. It's a really ingenious use of technology to make communication more accessible for those that have multiple impaired senses. |
Hopefully there was enough neat stuff in there to keep you distracted for a little while on our way to the final stretch before the weekend.
A note to our customers that the Solarbotics staff will be busy feasting and visiting with family for Canada's Thanksgiving Holiday on Monday, October 11. Any orders received between Saturday and Monday will be processed on Tuesday, October 12.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1748603,00.asp Need I say more? (Except "Thx for the lead, Wolfgang") (For those who don't know, Mark Tilden is the founder of BEAM technology, and now designs toys for Wow-Wee toys. These are his followups to the very popular "RoboSapien")
Our offices are closed on Monday, October 9th, 2017, and back to regular duties on Tuesday October 10th.
On Friday July 1st 2016 we are closed for Canada Day. We will return to our regular phone calls answering and shipping on Monday.
Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.
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.