This giant LED thermometer scarf shows the temp outside

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With this scarf, you’ll never have to wonder how cold it is when you step outside.

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Winter is well underway in some parts of the country, and if you have to head out into the frigid air, you’ll probably want a comfy scarf around your neck. But what about an accessory that not only keeps you warm, but looks and functions as a giant thermometer as well? That’s exactly what Instructables user “caitlinsdad” has created using an Adafruit FLORA (ATmega32U4), humidity and temperature sensor modules to detect the weather conditions, a NeoPixel ring for the bulb, and an LED strip to reveal the temp in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Protect your chickens with this automatic door

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Philip Verbeek has developed an automated, ATtiny84-powered door system to protect his chickens against fox at night. 

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As anyone who has a chicken coop knows, fox will not hesitate to go after your fowl for its next meal. In fact, a single red fox has been known to wipe out entire flocks in a single raid. These predators are not just relentless, but they are also patient and very smart. They will find all the cracks, openings, and weak points in your chicken runs and use those as entry points.

Knowing this, engineer Philip Verbeek decided to create an automatic door system to protect his chickens against the fox at night using an ATtiny84. The door position itself is dependent of the daylight intensity, and door will automatically close at sunset and then reopen at sunrise. (Due to their natural biorhythms, chickens will always go inside at dusk.)

A user can manually set the light value at which the system should trigger. This can simply be done by turning the potentiometer with a screwdriver. In Verbeek’s case, light intensity was measured by an LDR. This sensor should be activated for more than five minutes to start the system, thereby preventing it from being involuntarily actuated by somebody walking by.

The time for door closing is set by a timer and the door is lifted until an limit switch is pressed. This way, the system has a reference point.

“At the moment, I developed the system further into one casing (black box principle). So it is much more solid, easy to install and up and running in no time. The advantage over already existing kind of systems is that it is relatively inexpensive and adaptable to your own requirements,” Verbeek explains.

Need a new way to protect your coop? Check out the automatic door here, and see it in action below.

 

Tinylab is a tablet-sized, fully-integrated prototyping kit

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Tinylab provides Makers with a fully-integrated environment for the same price as an Arduino shield.

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Safe to say, there’s no shortage when it comes to open source prototyping boards like Arduino. In fact, recent studies suggest that the number of installed hardware dev kits will nearly double from 11 million units in 2014 to 21 million in 2020. But shouldn’t there be a more effective way to bring an idea to life? Between the breadboard, wires, cables and soldering, traditional processes can take a bit longer and become more complicated than desired for Makers. Not to mention, when employing Arduino shields, you generally can’t stack more than a few due to pin overlaps. This was something that Bosphorus Mechatronics looked to solve.

And so the Istanbul-based startup launched Tinylab — a tablet-sized, open source platform that contains everything you’d possibly need when developing a project. There’s an Arduino at the heart, along with over 20 I/O and all the necessary modules, circuits and components to streamline the prototyping phase.

To get started, simply open up its cap, plug in a USB cable and upload your Arduino sketch. Tinylab is built around the mighty ATmega32U4 — the same MCU found at core of the Arduino Leonardo — and features sockets for XBee, Bluetooth, ESP8266 and nRF24xx modules, in addition to an LCD screen, a microSD reader, a seven-segment display, a real-time clock, a relay, a potentiometer, external EEPROM, a piezo buzzer, a rotary encoder, a DC motor driver, a temperature sensor, a photoresistor, a few buttons, and LEDs.

“Combine all these things and make your own recipe easily. All of the things are onboard excluding wireless features. There are attachable modules. There are sockets for them on board. If there’s a need to communicate something, just attach and code it,” the team explains. “For all the other things that the board doesn’t include, there is a tiny breadboard”

As if that wasn’t enough, Tinylab is platform agnostic and can be programed in Windows, Linux and Mac OS. It’s also compatible with today’s most popular environments, including Arduino IDE, Atmel Studio 7, Visual Studio, Scratch, Codebender and Eclipse. Designed with portability in mind, Tinylab can be thrown in your bag, taken wherever you need to go and is ready for use right out of the box.

“Arduino is our hero, we mostly design around it and we realized that we use some common components with it generally. Every time, we need to make same circuits to display, send or sense something,” founder Ahmet Sait Borlak tells TechCrunch. “Using a breadboard turns a torture and using stackable shields doesn’t serve the purpose generally. So we think the Tinylab can be the painkiller. So we designed it, used it and love it… Also, it’s perfect for education. Because it’s compatible with MIT’s Scratch we think it can take place in school laboratories.”

Intrigued? Tinylab is entirely open source, and its schematics and layouts can be found on GitHub. Bosphorus Mechatronics has launched the kit on Indiegogo, where the crew is currently seeking $25,000. The first batch of units is expected to ship early this summer.

Ruggie is the alarm clock that will actually get you out of bed

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Thanks to Ruggie, you no longer have to lose to the snooze.

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If you’re not a morning person, the task of waking up probably consists of multiple alarms going off, followed by several snooze buttons. By the time you actually do get up, you’ve realized you overslept and have to rush to work feeling groggy and tired. Not a great way to start the day right? Fortunately, there’s a new and better way to wake up and get out of bed early.

Meet Ruggie, a memory foam rug and alarm clock that needs to sense pressure for at least three seconds before shutting off, making it the ultimate snooze proof alarm. Founder Winsom Tam rethought the design of traditional alarm clocks when he, like millions of other people, struggled with waking up. The team touts that Ruggie will help you get out of bed easily, feeling more optimistic and more productive.

The problem with snooze buttons on today’s alarm clocks is that we inevitably fall back into bed. Ruggie eliminates that possibility because it requires that you stand on the rug to stop the alarm. By then, you’ve already gotten over hard part — getting out of bed. You can also choose how you want to start you day. If you’re annoyed by the blaring beeping noise of older alarm clocks, Ruggie can play any custom sound you want by connecting it to your computer via USB and dragging in the sound files. This opens the possibility of waking up to positive affirmations, goal reminders or your favorite song. Or you can choose the Ruggie’s presets of soothing alarms.

Ruggie has a minimalistic design measuring at 15.5″ by 23.5″, suitable for any room. Its bright LED display doubles as a night light and its touch sensor is what makes sure you’ve gotten out bed. If you want to know the time, just tap the rug. Ruggie can be cleaned in the washer but first you must take out the electronics inside.

Ready to be the early bird that gets the worm? Head over to Ruggie’s Kicksstarter page, where Tam and the team have already well surpassed their initial goal of $36,113, with more than 1,000 backers to date. If all goes pending to plan, delivery is slated for September 2016.

This Maker built his own robot drinking buddy

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Bot-toms up!

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Let’s face it, there’s no fun in drinking alone. This is what inspired South Korean Maker Eunchan Park to develop a robot that can literally go shot for shot with him, albeit never actually consuming the alcohol. Although he may not be able to chat like some of your best buds, the slick device can accompany you if you feel like throwing back a few when no one else is around.

While there have been plenty of bots capable of preparing and mixing cocktails for you in the past, we’re not sure if we’ve ever seen one that actually drinks with you instead. Not only can the aptly named Robot Drinky cheers your glass, his cheeks emit a red light with every chug and he can even signal for a refill as well.

The idea for such a companion was conceived after experiencing a lonely holiday a few years back. As Park explains:

On Christmas in 2012, I drank Soju (Korean alcohol) alone because I had no girlfriend at that time. Drinking alone was definitely terrible! So I couldn’t drink anymore.
Lastly, I put an extra glass in front of me and poured Soju into it. And then, I cheered by myself with the glass of Soju, as though there was someone in front of me. Surprisingly, after that, the taste became totally to be changed!!!!!! WOW!!!

So, I could finally find the secret of taste of alcohol totally depends on existence of partner. This is why I made this robot.

There’s no word yet on whether the Maker has any future plans for Drinky, but we wouldn’t be surprised to find it on Kickstarter or at a CES in the near future. See him in action below!

Riots is a plug-and-play wireless network of sensors and controllers

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The Riots family is a low-cost, minimalistic and Arduino-compatible solution for remote sensing, monitoring and controlling your environment.

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It all began when propellerhead Samuli Stenudd fearlessly went to battle against the jumble of wires. He could not fathom how cumbersome and laborious it was to create a useful device out of a kit or components, nor why he had to always physically connect a wire to it in order to program updates. As any engineer would, he decided to roll up his sleeves and tackle these problems head-on. Stenudd set out to devise a new way to easily monitor his environment and smart gadgets in an inexpensive, effective and minimalistic manner. And so, Riots was born.

The Riots family consists of a “Mama” and several “Babies.” An individual Mama is the gateway to the Internet and can manage hundreds of uniquely tasked Babies, which are interconnected within a mesh network. These nodes can also communicate with one another without any external control.

Thus far, fully-functional prototypes include sensors for temperature, pressure, light and motion, capacitive touch buttons, DC control and USB connectors.

To get started, simply attach the Babies wherever desired. Connect the Mama to the Internet and add each node to your account. From there, you can remotely link, manage, monitor and even reprogram new tasks for all family members.

For example, say you wanted to keep tabs on the humidity level inside your bathroom. Place a Riots Air on the wall and another inside the vent, and hook the Mama up to the web. These Babies could then collect and visualize real-time information on your smartphone. Other applications include recording energy consumption, tracking belongings, ensuring doors are locked, and even being informed when a loved one arrives home, among many other things right from your Internet-enabled device.

At the heart of every unit lies a Riots Core, which is equipped with an ATmega328P, an RGB LED and an nRF24L01+ radio module. The real magic doesn’t happen, however, until it is joined with a Riots Base to make it an actual Riots Product. The mesh network itself is completely expandable, and the Riots family is entirely open source and Arduino-compatible.

Programming and data are globally accessible via the Riots Cloud or locally through private wireless networks. The Riots Cloud stores data from all the deployed Riots Products, provides management features and a basic user interface. Beyond that, remote development, over the air updates and debugging of individual Riots Products can be done through the cloud as well.

Looking for an easy, affordable and open source IoT solution? Head over to its page on Kickstarter, where Stenudd and the Riots Instruments team are currently seeking $30,000. Delivery is expected to get underway in May 2016.

 

Droppler measures water consumption by listening to how much noise your faucet makes

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Nascent Objects is a modular electronics platform that lets you piece together new devices like LEGO. 

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The historic drought impacting much of the west coast has led government officials to impose several water restrictions in recent months. Cognizant of this, Nascent Objects has teamed with Shock Top and design firm Ammunition to develop a new, modular water conservation device dubbed Droppler.

Debuted at CES and now live on Indiegogo, the monitor employs advanced audio recognition technology to track water consumption in real-time. Housed inside its sleek, 3D-printed white shell (also referred to as a ‘Nascent Shape’) are a mini CPU, an LED strip and a microphone capable of detecting the sound of flowing water. And unlike most existing solutions on the market today, Droppler doesn’t need to be attached to the plumbing.

Instead, simply place it next to a sink, toilet, shower or whatever else, and a light display on the front will slowly decrease as the water runs, offering quick and easy visual feedback. Beyond that, Droppler uploads that data to its accompanying iOS or Android app, which allows users to set goals, view report cards and even receive insights to curb their H2O habits.

But that’s not all. Being modular in nature, users can effortlessly transform and customize their own gadget by breaking down Droppler’s electronics and plugging them into a different chassis. Just remove the processor from its existing Shape, recombine it with a separate camera or speaker module, and pack both bits into another shell to create either connected home security system (called CouCou) or a wireless music streamer (named Red).

By the end of 2016, Nascent Objects hopes to have six devices in total, all using the same few swappable components. And that’s only the start. Looking ahead, the team’s product roadmap encapsulates the vision of an unlimited, cost-efficient marketplace for the most imaginative consumer electronics, which includes everything from a palm-sized drone to a bike computer to an IFTTT hub.

Does this have you saying “H2O my gosh?” Then head over to its Indiegogo campaign, where the Nascent Objects crew is currently seeking $70,000. Delivery for the Droppler is expected to get underway in June 2016.

CoDrone lets you program your own drone

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Robolink has developed a drone that anyone can learn to program and fly. 

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Not only do most drones these days seem to be centered around aerial photography, many require you to shell out a couple hundred bucks. However, Robolink is looking to do something a bit different: the San Diego-based team wants to help you learn how to code. CoDrone is an inexpensive, pint-sized flying electronics kit that can be programmed in under five minutes to do whatever you want — whether that’s tracking your movements, following you around, flying custom paths, navigating through a maze or engaging in laser battles.

CoDrone comes with a series of step-by-step video tutorials that enable you to bring all sorts of cool applications to life. Each kit includes a variety of sensors (air pressure, IR, gyroscope, accelerometer and optical flow for hovering), a controller set, a LiPo battery, a USB charger, a Bluetooth 4.0 module, a USB programming cable, and an ATmega32-based, Arduino-compatible board for its brain. With the ability for you to configure its behavior, the possibilities are truly endless.

Each CoDrone can be manually operated from a remote-control or programmed to perform various tasks. What’s more, it can even drive around using some convertible wheels.

The idea for such a product was conceived as a unique, more engaging way to introduce kids and adults to the worlds of coding, engineering and robotics. As Robolink CEO Hansol Hong puts it. “Programming can be tedious to learn. But when a few minutes of coding can put a drone in the sky, programming brings a smile to everyone’s face.”

Weighing in at just 37 grams, CoDrone boasts eight minutes of flight time on a single charge and a maximum distance of 160 feet. Not only is it easy to program, it’s even easier to afford as well. The kit will retail for $179 and only $139 during its crowdfunding campaign. Intrigued? Fly over to its Kickstarter page, where the Robolink crew is currently seeking $50,000. Delivery is slated for this spring.

4moms’ car seat will install itself

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Installing a car seat? There’s an app for that! 

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Being a parent is tough enough, and keeping your children safe at all times is even tougher. With hopes of giving moms and dads everywhere one less thing to worry about, Pittsburgh-based startup 4moms has introduced a Self-Installing Car Seat.

The seat — which was on display at CES 2016 — aims to take some of the guesswork out of the often-frustrating installation. This is a pretty big deal, too, when you consider that four in five seats are improperly lodged inside cars. Making matters worse, there has never really been an easy to way to check.

The unit is designed for infants from four to 30 pounds, and employs a robot in the base of the seat for proper installation every time. Once the parent connects the carrier to the vehicle’s LATCH anchors, the base automatically levels, tightens the straps and then provides verification that it safe for child use. From there, it triggers a continuous monitoring system that will notify parents if anything is amiss, like a disconnected LATCH or loss of tension, as well as provide guidance on how to correct via a display on its side.

Although the seat works without its accompanying app, a smartphone will help streamline the process. By reading a vehicle’s identification number (VIN), the app can recommend the best position for the seat and where to find the LATCH anchors based on make and model of the car. It also enables the parent to ensure the car seat base is installed at the right level, even if parked on an incline.

To accomplish this, the Self-Installing Car Seat uses the phone’s internal accelerometer and gyroscope to calculate the incline. The app relays this information to the base, which then compensates for this measured slope when auto-leveling. As the 4moms crew explains, most of today’s premium car seats only have a gravity ball within the base, which require the parent to move their vehicle to level ground for a correct installation.

Additionally, the app utilizes the seat’s sensors to check on the baby’s growth in order to alert parents when the child is becoming too big for the carrier.

Sound like a must-have item for you and your young one? The $499 accessory will be available in June. Until then, you can check out their website here.

This doormat welcomes guests with Star Wars tunes

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StarMAT is an interactive doormat that detects a footstep and plays Star Wars tunes and phrases.

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If you’ve ever dreamed of marching through a door to the sounds of Star Wars, you’re in luck. That’s because Maker Rohit Gupta has devised an interactive doormat that plays random audio clips from the film upon entering his room.

To coincide with the recent release of the latest box office hit, the DIY doormat detects a footstep using capacitive sensing and then emits either an iconic song (like the opening theme or Imperial March) or a famous phrase from the saga.

The current setup is temporarily breadboarded, and consists of an Arduino with an MP3 shield connected to a pair of desktop USB speakers. Meanwhile, there’s a capacitive wire loop hidden beneath the mat and a self-calibrating capacitive sensor tuned to the mat size wire. Once someone steps onto the mat, the sensor triggers the Arduino to sound the audio bit, which is stored on an SD card.

Ready for a doormat from a galaxy far, far away? Head over to the project’s page here, or see it in action above!