It was 1974 when tech pioneer Ted Nelson first asked a nascent industry to hand over “computer power to the people.” A few years later, Commodore founder Jack Tramiel expressed similar sentiments, proclaiming that “we need to build computers for the masses, not the classes.” As we’ve previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, empowering individuals […]
Arduino and Atmel have debuted the Zero development board – a simple, elegant and powerful 32-bit extension of the platform originally established by the popular UNO. “The Zero board expands the Arduino family by providing increased performance to fuel the creativity of the Maker community,” said Massimo Banzi, Arduino co-founder and CEO. “The flexible feature […]
Cooking Hacks, the the open hardware division of Libelium, has debuted a new Open Garden hardware platform. Powered by Atmel’s ATtiny84 microcontroller (MCU), the platform consists of three separate kits equipped with sensors to maintain healthy growth, whether plants are located indoors or outside. “All kits measure parameters such as temperature, humidity and light; soil moisture […]
If you went to Maker Faire New York, you saw Atmel’s tables had flashing LEDs on the edge. Those strips were powered by these custom “Arduinos in a box.” The cardboard box was perfectly in keeping with cardboard tables, made by chairigami. Be sure to check out the Atmel booth at Maker Faire Bay Area (Silicon […]
Doin-knit and doin-knit and doin-knit well! This 3D printer can create your nightly attire moments before heading out. Archaeologists suggest that the art of sewing dates all the way back to the prehistoric era, nearly 25,000 years ago, where those of the last ice age would attach hide, skin, fur and bark to devise clothing and shelter with nothing more than some […]
This new IoT Starter Kit uses an Atmel | SMART Xplained board. In collaboration with ARM, Zebra Technologies has developed an ARM mbed Starter Kit for Zatar, an IoT platform for enterprise applications. Powered by an Atmel | SMART Xplained board, the IoT Starter Kit will enable simple, standards-based cloud connectivity for creating next-generation, Internet-aware products integrated with Zatar. As enterprises are committing to […]
New camera system lets researchers monitor the deep sea without sinking the budget. Ocean research can be a costly voyage. To build equipment that can operate reliably in the deep sea, scientists often require expensive, high-tech equipment, which some research institutions might lack the funds to develop or buy. However, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) engineers recently designed a new underwater […]
The spurring growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has taken rise in business, with a number of startups stemming from the software alley, Maker Movement and crowdfunded space already contributing to the industry. Within idea making and product baking, various origins ferment the constant demand for transparency and community. This reveals strong elements of Conway’s law. The Internet of Things […]
In 2013 there were 100 Maker Faires held around the world with nearly 530,000 people in attendance. Among the events, there are players and exhibitors who showcase their creation to the spectators. Many young techies, savvy tinkers, and even academic researchers are turning to tinkering. According to Makezine, there are over 40 million people who […]
Cyberpunk films and novels are often set in post-industrial dystopias characterized by extraordinary cultural ferment and the use of technology in ways never anticipated by its original creators. As William Gibson noted in Burning Chrome, “the street finds its own uses for things.” Although Gibson wrote those words way back in 1981, they more than […]
