In this feature of Bits & Pieces, I interview one of the original forefathers of hackerspaces. Mitch is one of the original co-founders of the infamous spaces named Noisebridge in San Francisco — which later became a exemplary model for others around the world. Mitch exemplifies the persona of a hardware hacker, who not only knows […]
Despite debate around 3D-printed guns, a Maker by the name of Dieter Michael Krone has developed a prototype that everyone can enjoy: a 3D-printed paper plane launcher. The Maker designed most of the parts for the bazooka-looking device using the German 3D printing website fabberhouse.de, and attained the remaining know-how in true Maker form, via the online community. Dubbed the A6 […]
Atmel has expanded its leading SmartConnect wireless portfolio with four new turnkey system-on-chips (SoCs): the WILC1000 and WINC1500. Each SoC extends the company’s already broad portfolio of wireless connectivity options with the latest 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi capability, seamlessly integrating Newport Media’s (NMI) solutions in just two months. If you recall, NMI was acquired back in July 2014, thereby enabling Atmel to offer designers and Makers […]
Have you ever been caught running your weekend errands as a sudden April shower crops up? Without warning, your clothes, new purchases and hair become soaked. Lucky for you, the Umbrella Here has arrived to solve all of these problems! The creators of the project — who recently launched a Kickstarter campaign — are looking to “bring strangers together” on these rainy days […]
Wearable technology is undoubtedly one of the latest trends to proliferate our digital world. While wearables might seem like an innovation entirely out of the 21st century, humans have been tinkering with these gizmos and gadgets long before the days of Pebble, Jawbone, Fitbit and Google Glass. In fact, the definition of “wearable computers” can date all the way back to the 16th century when humans […]
For many, the term “drone” seems to conjure images of military use and war weaponry. As a result, the mere thought of these futuristic flying devices tend to pose security and privacy concerns to several people. When, however, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used for defense purposes and those that may one day may buzz around the skies are quite different, and […]
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently debuted its latest flagship smartphone, the Mi4. According to a teardown by the folks at GizmoChina, the newly-unveiled device is powered by Atmel’s maXTouch mXT641T controller. In terms of specs, the Mi4 comfortably holds its own with other competing devices, boasting a 5-inch full-HD screen, a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 901 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, 16GB or […]
Writing for Business Insider, Emily Adler notes that the Internet of Things (IoT) — a world comprised of ordinary objects connected to the web and accessible from mobile devices — will soon emerge as a huge market, “dwarfing all other consumer electronics categories.” Just how large are we talking? BI Intelligence reveals that 1.9 billion once-inert everyday and enterprise devices are already connected to the Internet […]
According to market research firm DisplaySearch, the share of flexible smartphones in the overall smartphone market is expected to reach 40% in 2018, up from merely 0.2% last year. This should come with little surprise following recent analyst forecasts projecting the flexible display market to cross the $3.89 billion threshold by 2020 – growing at an impressively high […]
Loughborough University lecturer Dr. Abby Paterson has developed an innovative app that will allow clinicians to easily design and manufacture a new generation of custom-made 3D printed wrist splints. According to 3DERS, the next-gen splints are more comfortable, attractive and affordable than current options. “I wanted to give clinicians the ability to make splints that […]
