Developed as part of a diploma project by a University of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (ECAL) student, Spira is a magnetic docking station that wirelessly restores power to an iPhone while turning the device into a decorative wall clock. Described by its creator Alica Robbiani as an interactive picture, charger and clock, Spira was built around an [Atmel based] […]
If there’s one thing we love about Roombas, it’s those hilarious cat-riding videos, right? Well good news cat lovers, your furry friend just got a sweet new ride! Oh, and you have a new toy to tinker with just in time to put on your holiday wish list, too! That’s because iRobot has announced the newest member […]
With Computer Science Education Week in full swing and the holidays just around the corner, we’ve decided to list some of our favorite creations from this year that are inspiring the next generation of Makers to not only tinker around, but pursue STEM disciplines. littleBits Created by Ayah Bdeir, littleBits was launched with hopes of making DIY […]
As previously explored on Bits & Pieces, the Maker Movement has paved the way for new gizmos and gadgets in an effort to increase awareness around STEM and lower the barrier of entry for coding. UX design from Slice of Lime has now taken the initiative one step further with their latest connected toy prototype, dubbed Nübi, which aims to teach basic programming skills to […]
Our friends at Bare Conductive are at it again, this time transforming once-ordinary storefronts into touchscreens. UK-based creative agency Knit and jean specialist Hiut Denim Co. are using conductive ink to usher window shopping on the streets of London into today’s digital-savvy world. Known for its creative community, Hiut Denim Co. felt that it was “appropriate to ‘tech hack’ a […]
As seen at the Atmel Maker Faire, Embedded World and most recently, Electronica booths, former AVR Hero Pamungkas Prawisuda Sumasta, Ralf Smit and their team have successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign for their all-in-one Arduino-compatible prototyping gadget, Phoenard. While its form-factor is rather convenient, its hackability and wide-range of applications is where the Phoenard truly sets itself apart. The […]
Our friends at Bare Conductive have recently announced the launch of their Touch Board Inventors Kit, an all-in-one DIY box that contains everything a Maker could possibly need to start getting creative with the ATmega32U4 based board. Open the box and you will find not only a Touch Board, but some Electric Paint, other key components as well […]
There’s smart bulbs, then there’s out-smart bulbs. Did you know that four burglaries occur every minute in the United States alone? That’s a startling one every 15 seconds. The good news is that most convicted burglars (90%) claim they want to avoid homes with alarm systems, saying that if they did encounter an alarm, they would abandon the […]
When it comes to Halloween, of course parents can head on down to their nearest party store to find a Disney or superhero costume; however, many find it much more enjoyable (and cost-effective) to create their own homebrewed getups. After his son decided to be a robot for the long-awaited evening of trick-or-treating, a Maker by the name of […]
A Maker by the name of jgbradley1 recently shared his innovative graduate project on Instructables that describes how a Kinect and an Arduino Uno (ATmega328) can be paired to create illustrated cat eyes that “track” an individual. Aside from the Uno and Kinect, key project components include: Creepy cat poster 2x 1 1/2″ wooden balls Paint 2x standard servo TowerPro SG-5010 […]
