This giant drone lifted a record-setting weight of 134 pounds

---

One team of students from Norway built a massive Megacopter that set the record for the heaviest payload lifted by a remote-controlled drone.

---

The University of Oslo’s Department of Informatics has aspirations of one day using drones to transport people. (Not unlike the Ehang team, which debuted its person-carrying, helicopter-ish aerial vehicle at CES 2016.) Taking a step closer to a Jetsons-like future, one team of students led by Henning Pedersen has developed a giant aircraft which has set a new Guinness World Record for lifting the heaviest payload by a remote-controlled ‘copter.

The aptly named Megacopter is essentially a series of several small drones attached to a larger frame comprised of aluminum and plywood. There are a total of 48 motors and 13 propellers arranged in eight groups, as well as 24 LiPo batteries. A separate onboard controller kicks in if signal from the pilot is lost in order to help it float back down to the ground.

As you can see in the video below, large exercise balls were used as landing feet. Meanwhile, gyroscopes and accelerometers were employed as motor control and horizontal stabilizers.

A limited battery capacity gave the team five attempts to lift the weight, with the first two tries unsuccessful in achieving the 30-second minimum. Eventually, the Megacopter was able to raise its 134-pounds and 7.6-ounce load in the air for 37 seconds to claim its stake in the record books.

According to its creators, the drone only flies for three to six minutes but they hope to extend that time by adding more batteries in the near future. Currently, the Megacopter is registered to heft up to 330.5 pounds, but it is unknown for how long or how high.

 

KATIA is a robotic arm that can scan, 3D print, laser cut and even decorate a cake

---

KATIA brings the functionality of an industrial robotic arm to mainstream consumers. 

---

Will robots replace humans? This is a question we have speculated for decades, and the World Economic Forum released a report this week predicting the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” in 2020. While the thought of robots taking over can be daunting, one San Francisco-based startup offers a positive near future where robots can work with us.

Meet KATIA — short for “Kick Ass Trainable Intelligent Arm” — the brainchild, or shall we say brain arm, of Carbon Robotics. Behind this great name is an even greater product. KATIA is a robotic arm that is modular, open source and can be manually trained for those not fluent in code, making it incredibly versatile and easy to use. Co-founders Rosanna Myers and Dan Corkum sought to create a robotics platform designed for the consumer market. Ordinary people can make use of KATIA, no programming skills or roboticist required.

KATIA is hackable, modular and customizable for each use and environment. It was built on an open platform so users can access its API via tools like Arduino and Python. Add-on attachments can be swapped on and off the robotic device, allowing KATIA to be more than a just an arm that can grab and move objects. It can be transformed into a 3D scanner, 3D printer, laser cutter, and even a cake decorator.

KATIA can be taught new movements if you simply guide the arm as it will replicate the desired motion, or you can draw a path for it to follow in the accompanying app. So if you wanted to decorate a cake, for example, KATIA can squeeze the icing in the design of your choosing.

The Carbon Robotics team recently presented at TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield finals back at CES 2016, where Myers said in the presentation, “The problem is that [robotic arms] are expensive. They’re difficult to use, and quite frankly not that safe. And that’s where we come in.”

KATIA can carry up to 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) and moves with sub-millimeter precision. This powerful robotic arm also ensures safety. Enclosed in its carbon fiber frame are sensors that can detect humans and things that come within close range.

Marketed as having the capabilities of an industrial robot at the price of a laptop, KATIA will be selling for $1,999 starting this March. To stay up-to-date, be sure to check out the Carbon Robotics website here.

ATtiny85 helps breathe new life into a broken scale

---

Rather than toss out a broken bathroom scale, this father-son duo decided to refurbish it with an all-new electrical system.

---

What do you do when your scale breaks? If you’re like most people, you either buy a new one, or don’t weigh yourself hoping that you didn’t actually gain any weight over the holidays. If, however, you are Oxford doctoral student Ilias Giechaskiel, you simply design a new electrical system for it, then build it with the help of your dad.

As the Maker puts it, “The obvious solution…was to get rid of the internal components, reuse the case and the sensors, and build everything from scratch.”

One of the more interesting techniques employed in this project is the use of a Wheatstone bridge in conjunction with a load cell to measure weight. As the voltage change in this type of setup is quite small, a separate chip was needed to amplify the signal before it was passed to an ATtiny85’s analog input. Another neat design choice was the use of the ATtiny85 with its limited input/output (IO) capability (5 IO pins plus a reset pin).

Giechaskiel explains his selection of MCU,“I like its small form-factor, and did not want to have unused pins.” However, he does admit that more I/O would have been useful to implement more functionality in the scale.

If that wasn’t enough, he programmed the ATtiny with an Arduino, as outlined in these instructions, and his new display is a nice bright red. This would seem to be an improvement over the boring gray, though if you’re not happy with the reading, it might be harder to conceal!

There are several neat concepts in this build, so be sure to check out his code, library, and schematics on GitHub. if you think you might be able to use some of these ideas!

 

 

Adafruit’s new breakout board will connect your Arduino to the Internet

---

This 802.11bgn-capable module is the best new thing for networking your devices, with SSL support and rock solid performance.

---

Makers wishing to connect their Arduino Zero (or Uno) to the Internet can now do so with Adafruit’s new ATWINC1500 Wi-Fi Breakout Board.

The ATWINC1500 found at its core is the ideal add-on to existing MCU solutions bringing wireless and network capabilities through UART or SPI-to-Wi-Fi interface. The Wi-Fi module features a fully-integrated power amplifier, LNA, switch and power management, as well as internal Flash memory.

“This 802.11bgn-capable WiFi module is the best new thing for networking your devices, with SSL support and rock solid performance — running our Adafruit.io MQTT demo for a full weekend straight with no hiccups (it would have run longer but we had to go to work, so we unplugged it),” Adafruit explains. “We like these so much, they’ve completely replaced the CC3000 module on all our projects.”

The Adafruit ATWINC1500 Wi-Fi Breakout uses SPI to communicate, and supports a range of security protocols including WEP, WPA and WPA2, TLS and SSL encryption.

“Right now the Atmel-supplied library works great with Arduino Zero, and seems to work OK on Uno but may not work on other Arduinos. You can clock it as fast as 12MHz for speedy, reliable packet streaming. And scanning/connecting to networks is very fast, a few seconds,” Adafruit adds.

Since this is the Adafruit crew’s new favorite SPI-protocol Wi-Fi module, and rightfully so, they’ve gone ahead and created a little breakout for it. This 1.3″ x 1.1″ x 0.16” board comes with level shifting on all the input pins so you can use it with 3V or 5V logic, a 3.3V voltage regulator, and a trio of LEDs that can be controlled either over the SPI interface (part of the library code) or by the Arduino library. They’ll light up when hooked up to an SSID, or transmitting data.

Interested? Head over to Adafruit’s official page to get your $24.95 board today!

This 3D printer on wheels wants to fix potholes

---

Addibots are self-driving and remote-controlled 3D printers that can smooth over roads… or skating ponds at the very least.

---

When it comes to 3D printing, who says you can’t think (and create) outside the box? Clearly not Robert Flitsch, a mechanical engineer and Harvard graduate who recently founded his own New York-based startup Addibots.  

An Addibot is a four-wheeled robot that can be either autonomous or remote-controlled, and holds an array of printheads on its undercarriage that enable it to 3D print with various materials as it drives.

Breaking free from the restraints of conventional 3D printing, Addibot can move its printing components to any desired location and produce items of any size. Unlike most machines where an object is built inside the print area and then removed for use, this platform can turn any surface into a workspace.

“A central limitation of current 3D printing methods is the fact that they operate inside a workspace of finite dimensions,” Flitsch explains. “For many household 3D printers, these dimensions are merely a few inches in each direction. For these printers, larger objects can only be manufactured with larger printers, making the fabrication of sizable industrial products either incredibly expensive (due to astronomical equipment costs) or downright impossible (for objects, like buildings or bridge trusses, just too large for a printer of this type).”

Flitsch’s first prototypes were equipped with inkjet cartridges, designed to show off the Addibot’s concept in 2D. And since water possesses similar fluid characteristics to ink, the engineer  — who also happens to be a lifelong hockey player — turned his attention to repurposing the bot as an ice resurfacing tool for skated-upon rinks. Like a mini Zamboni, the Addibot poured water that was cooled just above its freezing point into the slices and chips made by the blades, which would freeze on contact with the surface.

While the team notes that there are endless possibilities for Addibots, they are initially focusing their efforts on road repair and construction. They are working towards a new distribution array that can use asphalt materials, with hopes of fixing cracks, large potholes and eventually the resurfacing of our roadways altogether. The robot’s ability to streamline this process could potentially help public works departments and municipalities across the nation meet the massive demand for improved streets.

The robot operates much like any other 3D printer, just scaled down. Housed inside its chassis are multiple nozzles that lay down materials layer by layer, as needed. Impressively, the technology may even be able to one day “print” sensors into roads, which would be used for communication by self-driving vehicles.

“All the storage for material, all the chemical processing could be done on board the Addibot,” Flitsch told Popular Science. “Tar materials, which have to be kept at a high temperature, can be done in a tank with a constant heat source added to it. Power sources could be various kinds, depending on the size of the robot.”

Intrigued? Head over to its page to learn more, or see it in action above!

SprayPrinter turns digital designs into wall art

---

This smart spray paint device helps you create wall art — no art skills required.

---

Have you ever walked past a cool mural or graffiti, and wished you could create large scale artwork in your own home or office? You can now with SprayPrinter, a spray paint device that reproduces images from your smartphone to any wall.

The Estonia-based team behind the gadget boasts SprayPrinter as the 21^st century way of designing walls. The SprayPrinter works similar to a dot matrix printer, except it is made up of two key components: a clip-on unit that controls the spray paint nozzle and the accompanying smartphone app that converts and sends images to the SprayPrinter. Together, the app maps the image to the wall, and the smartphone camera tracks the position of the spray paint can so it knows exactly when to tell it to release the dots of paint.

You can be making art like Banksy in three easy steps. First, you choose from the app what design you want printed on the wall. Then, you activate the SprayPrinter attachment and simply move the can along the wall. The app breaks down the chosen image into pixels, and communicates with the spray paint can on releasing paint at the precise location. The app will also host artwork by artists, designers and photographers.

Intrigued? Head over to the project’s Indiegogo page, where its team is currently seeking $20,000. You can start designing any wall with SprayPrinter for the price of $149. The first batches of units are set for delivery by December 2016.

 

SmartyPans is like a Fitbit for food

---

SmartyPans is a Bluetooth-enabled skillet that calculates nutrition information of home cooked meals, in real-time.

---

Are you the type of person who dines out every night because you don’t know how to cook or agonizes about the nutritional contents of your food with every bite? If so, those worries may be a thing of the past thanks to SmartyPans — an intelligent frying pan, which not only helps you whip up a meal but keeps tabs on what you consume as well.

SmartyPans enables anyone to make dinner like a chef, while tracking their intake like a pro. The cooking system is comprised of two parts: the connected skillet and an accompanying recipe app. It uses the combination of voice commands, weight and temperature sensors along with the app to provide you with real-time nutritional information about the food you’re preparing.

To get started, you tell the app what ingredients you’re adding to the pan. The app then employs those commands and its sensors to calculate calories and other nutritional data. What’s more, you can input those numbers into some of today’s most popular health and fitness platforms, like MyFitnessPal, Google Fit and Fitbit, as well as share your favorite recipes with friends and family.

In terms of electronics, SmartyPans features an Atmel | SMART Cortex-M4 MCU at its core, Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity and a rechargeable 800mAh battery. The pan itself boasts a unique design with an NSF-grade aluminum outer layer and a detachable inner cooking surface. This modularity allows you to use the top portion as a serving bowl and oven pan, or the entire thing as a kitchen scale.

Are you ready to cook with freedom and track with ease? Head over to SmartyPans’ Indiegogo campaign, where the brother-sister duo of Prachi and Rahul Baxi are currently seeking $40,000. The must-have accessory will come in red, black and orange along with the option of stainless steel or a ceramic non-stick coating. Delivery is slated for August 2016.

 

This robot will save you from shoveling this winter

---

When was the last time you had to shovel snow from your driveway? What if you never had to again? 

---

It’s January, which for many of you means winter is well underway. Whether you simply hate the freezing cold or always seem to throw your back out while shoveling, what if there was a machine that could take care the tedious task for you without ever having to step foot outside? This is exactly what Vittorio Loschiavo decided to do by devising his own open source, remote-controlled Snow Plow Robot.

This piece of equipment is based on an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) and can be wirelessly maneuvered using a PlayStation 2 controller. The bot consists of an ordinary snowplow frame, which supports a motorized blade along with electric motors, wheels and caterpillar tracks.

If you absolutely hate shoveling, head over to Open Electronics’ exhaustive project page where you’ll find everything you need to get started.

ChameleonMini can emulate and clone NFC cards

---

This open source, programmable device can emulate and clone contactless cards, read RFID tags and sniff RF data.

---

Over the last several years, researchers David Oswald and Timo Kasper have been hard at work developing a family of NFC security projects. Their efforts, which began with a tag-emulating coffee cup, have led to the newly-unveiled ChameleonMini — an NFC analysis device capable of cloning contactless cards, as well as reading RFID tags and sniffing RF data.

The completely portable, extremely versatile tool can virtualize up to eight contactless cards operating at 13.56MHz. The board itself consists of a PCB antenna along with an ATXMega128A4U that handles the RF encoding and USB interface, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery that provides hour-long standalone use. The microcontroller’s AES and DES hardware engines enable speedy computation of cryptographic algorithms. In other words, if your contactless card has encryption and you have the cryptographic key, the ChameleonMini can replicate it.

The freely-programmable platform can create perfect clones of existing commercial smart cards, including cryptographic functions and the Unique Identifier (UID). Aside from emulating NFC devices, the ChameleonMini can even appear passive in a sniff mode, log the RFID communication, and serve as a basic RFID reader.

A convenient, human-readable command set allows to configure its behavior and update the settings and content of up to eight internally stored, virtualized contactless cards. During battery-powered standalone operation, the integrated buttons and LEDs offer user interaction and feedback.

The ChameleonMini can be easily equipped with new firmware via a USB bootloader. It can be interfaced with a standard terminal software, via the command line or controlled through user-written scripts and applications. What’s more, the modular firmware structure gives expandability to other not yet supported cards and standards.

There are several variants of the ChameleonMini, which range from a barebones PCB version to a budget-friendly, emulator-only version to the latest iteration (Rev.G) with all the bells and whistles. Intrigued? Head over to its Kickstarter campaign, where Oswald and Kasper have blown right by their $24,258 goal. Delivery is slated for August 2016.

Is your smartwatch stealing your passwords?

---

A computer science student has demonstrated that software running on a smartwatch could be used to record a user’s passwords and PINs.

---

Unless you eschew modern technology altogether (such as reading websites), chances are that data on you is being collected. Smartphones are capable enough data sponges, but smartwatches have the potential to extend this reach even further. According to Tony Beltramelli’s master’s thesis for the IT University of Copenhagen, the sensors on the Sony SmartWatch 3 (and likely many other present and future watches) are so accurate that they can be used to sense what button you press on a 12-segment keypad with “above-average” precision.

As seen in the video below, it appears that this ability comes from the user actually moving their hand from button to button. The wearable’s built-in accelerometer and gyroscope can sense these motions and then feed that information into a recurrent neural network. Using a deep learning algorithm, Beltramelli is able to sift through all the “noisy data” and detect patterns for various events, such as when the user moves and taps their finger on a touchscreen to unlock a PIN-protected phone or when the user enters a code on an ATM’s keypad.

Interestingly, as reported in section 6.3 of the thesis, the device did a better job of “touchlogging” — recording virtual keystrokes on a touchscreen — at 73% acuracy, versus “keylogging” — where a physical keyboard is used for input — at 59% accuracy. The touchscreen used was larger in this experiment than the keypad, apparently leading to this discrepancy.

“By their very nature of being wearable, these devices, however, provide a new pervasive attack surface threatening users privacy, among others,” Beltramelli explains. “The goal of this work is to raise awareness about the potential risks related to motion sensors built-in wearable devices and to demonstrate abuse opportunities leveraged by advanced neural network architectures.”

As you can imagine, there are still a few limitations that make this type of approach with a smartwatch impractical as an attack against specific targets. For starters, it only works if the person is using the arm that the gadget is on. So, if you have a watch and are concerned about spying, you can simply strap it onto your less dominant wrist. Or alternatively, you could make a habit of typing with three fingers on numeric keypads.