This Arduino device can accurately dispense liquids and powders

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This Arduino-based system dispenses the right amount of ingredients as you follow your Betty Crocker cookbook.

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If you enjoy baking or cooking, chances are you’d appreciate an easy-to-use system capable of accurately measuring the amounts of liquid or powdered ingredients for you, rather than having to whip out those spoons or cups.

That’s exactly what one team of Makers named “enddev” have done. This simple solution is based around an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and employs three buttons (green for go, red for stop, yellow for selecting menu items) and an LCD display at its interface.

To use, the person in the kitchen selects either liquid and powder, then enters the desired measurement. If liquid is chosen, the peristaltic pump is engaged to deliver the specified amount through silicone tubing. Meanwhile, for powder substances, the system utilizes a kitchen scale and a shaker motor. The shaker agitates the ingredients enough to move them onto the scale, where they are then weighed and properly dispensed.

Its creators note that the powder delivery system is geared more towards leafier substances, opposed to much finer powders and seeds. Also, while the current setup includes a kitchen scale, future iterations would most likely benefit from using a volume auger and stepper motor instead. Needless to say, the scale can be hacked to use its load cell with the Arduino.

“The easiest way to find the threshold is to hook the scale up to the Arduino. Using the serial read example from the Arduino code should be plenty. You can take out the voltage part and just take the number from 0-1023. It also helps to have a scale standing by or a good variety of gram weights to use on the scale. What you’re looking for is the weight that the number the Arduino gets changes by one value for one gram,” the Makers explain.

Tired of having to use then wash those teaspoons or cups? Then this DIY solution is for you. Get started on making one of your own by following the Makers’ project on Instructables here, and accessing its code on Github.

Game:ref is an Arduino-based anti-cheat device for online gaming

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Can this device eliminate software-based cheats in competitive gaming?

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Cheating has always been a bit annoying when it comes to multi-player video games. And while these tricks are simply a nuisance at the most recreational levels, it has become part of a much bigger problem with even bigger stakes in eSports. In an effort to curb these occurrences in tournament settings, software engineer David Titarenco has developed what he calls Game:ref, the world’s first hardware-based, anti-cheat device.

You may recall back in 2007, a pair of Intel engineers devised a hardware-based anti-cheat system dubbed “Fair Online Gaming” with similar aspirations as Titarenco. However, this research project never came to fruition, and so, this Maker has set out to finish what the company started nearly a decade ago.

Recently launched on Kickstarter, Game:ref is capable of identifying mouse-based cheats — which includes auto-clicking, auto-last-hitting, aimbotting and triggerbotting — typically seen in FPS, MOBA, RTS and other competitive games.

How it works is relatively straightforward: The device connects to both the mouse and the PC, gathers raw controller inputs and compares them to actual game movements. If the two don’t match up, it can detect that a player is cheating. Meaning, if your hand motions don’t complement what’s going on in the game, you’re busted!

“My prototype only detects a certain kind of cheat for now. Specifically cheats that relate to input methods, whether it’s the keyboard or the mouse,” Titarenco explains.

At its core, the Game:ref is built around an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560). In his prototype, Titarenco monitored the output in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive by creating a small server-plugin for CSGO that relays player view angles back to a local server. Meanwhile, LUFA-powered firmware enables the Arduino to be “seen” as an HID device.

“As soon as I started getting data from both the Arduino as well as the game server, I had a realization: ‘Holy crap, this is working.’ First if all, I could catch triggerbots with 100% accuracy. This alone has amazing ramifications,” the engineer writes. “Triggerbots don’t only affect first person shooters like CS and the Battlefield series, but they can be generalized to DOTA2 and League of Legends where new ‘instant click’ or ‘instant ability’ cheats have started cropping up — cheats that simulate either mouse button presses or keyboard presses.”

While there are still many ways to sneak software into secure events, the Game:ref doesn’t have to look for every possible software-based cheat. Instead, the device simply has to detect when behaviors don’t sync up with the game itself. It doesn’t matter what the cheat does or how it works, the hardware just has to know that it’s there.

Once turned on and in a supported game, Game:ref sends input data to an anti-cheat server acting as a USB pass-through. The device itself is super tiny and has a sub-one millisecond input latency. Meanwhile, an AC server ensures that the input data matches the game data.

Despite its incredible ingenuity, the project still comes with a few limitations. For one, getting the hardware to be used by all tournament participants may be a bit difficult. Beyond that, Game:ref is only targeting input-based software, and all it would take is for someone to physically access the device itself to beat the system. In the future, the Maker says that he will look into preventing wallhacks and extrasensory perception (ESP).

“I’d like to approach some LAN organizers and owners and get the device going there. But the cool thing about the device is that it also works as a consumer product, it would eliminate all non-hardware cheats.”

Whether the solution becomes widespread throughout the professional gaming community, time will only tell. Titarenco does hope, though, that Game:ref’s adoption will spread to non-pro, everyday players too. And so, he needs your help. Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the Maker is currently seeking $200,000.

ShapingBits launches a pair of multi-material, high-resolution 3D printers

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Recently launched on Kickstarter, the 3FXtrud Uno and 3FXtrud Duo are next-gen, multi-capable machines.

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While it seems like just about every week a new 3D printer debuts on Kickstarter, some more than others are geared toward the DIY crowd. With that in mind, Bogdan Diaconescu and Difei Zhang — who are the co-founders of Albuquerque-based ShapingBits — have unveiled a pair of multi-material 3D printers that enable Makers and budget-conscious startups to create functional objects in an easy-to-use, cost-effective manner.

The 3FXtrud 20 Uno is a single extruder printer built with features that make it Maker-friendly with expedited setup and reliable printing in a multitude of filaments. This device primarily caters to those seeking to devise objects in hard, flexible and soft thermoplastics, which can all be 3D-printed using its universal extruder system. Meanwhile, the 3FXtrud 25 Duo throws on an additional extruder to give users a true free-form fabrication printer with advanced capabilities that allow for a greater variety of engineering (and FDA approved) materials — from compressible to maximum strength, and from low to high melting temperatures.

“True free-form fabrication (3F) can be achieved when any shape can be printed,” Diaconescu explains. “3FXtrud Duo uses a multi-material dual extruder, thus can print a large number of thermoplastics along with any two combinations of such materials. With 3FXtrud Duo you can print any 3D geometry with overhangs, bridges, internal spaces with internal objects, all possible by using dissolvable support materials.”

Based on an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and RAMPS 1.4 board, the machines also pack an advanced multi-material, all-metal head that excels at printing a broad range of thermoplastics. At the moment, supported filaments include ABS, nylon, TPU, TPE, PC, PC-ABS blends, HIPS, PVA, PLA, PETT poly, metal/ceramics blends, wood, carbon fiber, and conductive materials. This unique extruder was designed to provide Makers with minimum maintenance and prolonged utilization, by reducing stripping, skipping and jamming, and employing a tool-free, constant-force feeding system.

What’s more, a notable feature of both 3FXtrud devices is its superior temperature control. Both printers are equipped with a high-temp heated bed that can sustain up to 130°C continuously along with an extremely flat and removable glass surface for improved adhesion and to prevent warping. And to offer even more control over a broader range of filaments, the Duo boasts a fully-enclosed build volume that eliminates air drafts and gives a stable air temperature profile by trapping the heat. This minimizes interlayer stress in the printed objects, and ultimately improves its overall quality and robustness.

“A particle and activated carbon air filter with air temperature homogenizer for odor free operation can be installed, which provides a uniform temperature profile for the enclosure,” Diaconescu adds. “For the mavericks wanting even more control and desire to work with experimental materials, a closed loop air temperature conditioner can be installed for an extended enclosure air temperature range.”

• Build volume: 20cm x 20cm x 20cm (Uno) / 25cm x 25cm x 25cm (Duo)
• Layer solution: 40 to 300µm (Uno) / 20 to 300µm (Duo)
• Printing speed: 20mm/sec to 150 mm/sec (Uno) / 20mm/sec to 200 mm/sec (Duo)
• Nozzle diameter: 0.35mm (replaceable nozzles include: 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm)
• Filament size: 1.75mm
• Software: Software: Repetier, Printrun, Slic3r
• Connectivity: SD card, USB (Wi-Fi in development)

Interested? Head over to its official Kickstarter campaign, where the ShapingBits team is currently seeking $15,370. Shipment is expected to begin in June 2015.

These robots will slide under your car and move it

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Sure there are self-parking cars, but what about autonomous robots that can move your parked car? 

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A team of European researchers have developed a swarm of small robots and a deployment unit that can autonomously extract and move vehicles up to two tons in weight. Dubbed the Autonomous Multi-Robot System for Vehicle Extraction and Transportation — or AVERT for short — the system was designed for use by law enforcement.

As its name implies, the solution requires very little human interaction and is comprised of three separate subsystems: a deployment unit, a set of bogies and a remote command center. How it works is pretty straightforward: The deployment unit is equipped with a digital camera and SICK laser scanner that is tasked with mapping out an area and scouting for potential obstacles in order to plan its safest route. This unit then releases four small bogies, which by operating in a swarm, navigate over to the vehicle using on-board sensors to avoid obstacles, detect tires and dock themselves to the vehicle.

Once in position under the car’s footprint, it is hoisted just an inch or so off the ground and taken away by the robots. Meanwhile, a graphical user interface (GUI) provides users with all of the necessary information and on-demand interaction during the deployment and operation of the system.

As awesome as AVERT would be to rescue society from bad parallel parking situations, it was specifically developed for use by police officers — especially in scenarios which require the extraction of suspicious vehicles from within buildings, parking garages and other tight places where a tow truck is not accessible, or to transport cars suspected of being rigged with explosives to a safer location.

The team has been developing the technology since 2012 and believes a production model could be ready by next year. Even better, a member of the project has informed us that an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) can be found at the core of AVERT. They will be showcasing the system at the upcoming International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle.

That’s enough yapping from us now, you’ll have to see it to believe it! Watch below!

You-SLS is an inexpensive, open-source SLS 3D printer

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One Maker has set out to build the cheapest SLS printer on the market. 

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In recent years, there have been plenty of FDM and SLA printers to emerge on crowdfunding sites, and rightfully so. Given their ease-of-use and affordability, these desktop machines have become the go-to choice for Makers looking to 3D print a project. Though, as great as they may be, users often encounter a number of limitations when it comes to creating overhangs greater than 45 degrees, altering a design on a whim and adding support material.

Meanwhile, selective laser sintering (or SLS) is in a league of its own when it comes to yielding high-quality, high-definition results. These machines avoid the extrusion process entirely, and instead, construct objects by selectively solidifying very fine powder materials of nylon, layer by layer, using a laser. Unfortunately, as incredible as these devices may be, the cheapest SLS printer on the market today is in the ballpark of $180,000.

That was until now. 18-year-old Maker Lukas Hoppe has set out to introduce an SLS 3D printer that packs all of the key elements of those industrial-grade machines without the astronomical price tag. What’s more, it will also be open-source and feature a heated build chamber.

Hoppe admits that he only got into 3D printing about a year ago, but immediately became an advocate of the Atmel driven RepRap movement yet was always tempted by more pricier 3D printers. This got him to thinking: What if there was a way that would combine the open-source principles of a RepRap with the professional quality of SLS devices? And so, the $2,000 You-SLS 3D Printer was born.

As expected, the machine is based on the highly-popular tandem of an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and a RAMPS 1.4 board, along with Marlin firmware. However, controlling a SLS machine is a bit more complex than commanding a conventional FDM printer, and so, Hoppe employed another Arduino to drive the recoater. The rest of the You-SLS consists of commonly available parts that make constructing as simple and inexpensive as possible.

What really sets this gadget apart from other SLS printers is its X-Y gantry system, as hardware and software for those systems is readily accessible.

“I decided that it would be best to stick with the Cartesian X-Y system, as the software is hassle free, it allows the use of a standard RAMPS board, which again is very common with open source printers, and the hardware is available all over the world from different suppliers at a low cost,” the Maker adds.

The DIY system will employ a three-way heating system: each of two pistons will be equipped with two 300W heating cartridges and the build chamber will be heated by two optical heaters with independent temperature feedback controls. The laser sintering system itself will revolve around a laser-diode with 2W of power at a wavelength of 445nm.

In order to cool the various lasers, stepper motors and electronic components, the Maker notes that his design moves the lasers outside the hot environment by creating two parts: a lower segment, which contains the two pistons and a recoater, and the upper segment that holds the XY-stage and the laser diode. This way, the hot and the cold parts of the machine are separated.

The You-SLS printer’s outer dimensions are 90cm x 50cm x 55cm, which will make it a welcomed addition to any Makerspace workbench. And with a print bed of about 20cm x 15cm x 10cm in size, this allows larger parts to be printed diagonally and for jet small parts to be created without using too much powder to fill the bed.

Sound like something you’d like? Hurry over to Hoppe’s official Indiegogo page, where the Maker has already surpassed his $1,100 goal.

Scanning books in Google-like fashion with Arduino

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Make creates an automatic, Arduino-powered linear book scanner that was inspired by Google.

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A few years ago, the Google Books team revealed their plans for an automatic book scanning device that moves a book face-down over a set of linear sensors that captures page images and uses vacuum pressure to isolate the individual pages and automatically turn them over. After a quick 40-second setup, the prototype was able to digitize a 1,000-page book in a little over 90 minutes, and unlike many popular scanners on the market, didn’t require anyone to man the controls once it got going.

Inspired by Google’s open-sourced design, a Maker by the name “Forssa1” decided to try his hand at devising a similar machine. For this build, however, he employed two handheld book scanners, an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560), and a powerful server fan tasked with flipping the pages. The gadget itself is comprised of laser-cut acrylic. You can see it in action below!

This modded typewriter will print you an ASCII art selfie

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But first, let me type a selfie.

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Well, what do you know? Another week, another impressive project from Moscow-based technological artist Dmitry Morozov — otherwise known as ::vtol::. Just the other day, the Maker devised an innovative way to capture 8-bit instant photos using a camera masquerading as a gun. Now, he has managed to mod a Brother SX-4000 typewriter to produce even lower res pics, this time in the form of ASCII art images. (For those unfamiliar with ASCII art, its widespread usage can be traced to the computer bulletin board systems of the late 1970s and early 1980s.)

The typewriter, which is controlled by an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560), works by capturing an image from a camera, converting it into ASCII art using Pure Data and MAX/MSP, and slowly printing it onto a piece of paper — one character at a time.

The project, dubbed I/O, was recently on display at the 101 Festival where a number of onlookers had the chance to stand before a lamp and camera, then wait as their portrait was typed out. You can see it in action below!

Building a DIY 3D printer for less than $200

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One 13-year-old Maker just designed and built his own 3D printer for under $200. 

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Truth be told, a number of 3D printers still remain out of reach for many everyday consumers not looking to shell out thousands of dollars on a device. This leaves countless Makers dying to get their hands on a machine to do one of two things: either spend their savings account or create their own. We don’t know what you were doing at age 13, but chances are you weren’t constructing your own easy-to-use, inexpensive 3D printer.

Meet Zach Sousa, who recently unveiled plans for the second iteration of his DIY 3D printer that he devised, built and uploaded to Instructables — all by himself. The gadget, which he calls The Edge 2.0, is roughly the size of the Printrbot Simple with a slightly larger 6″ x 5.5″ x 4″ build envelope. The device weighs just over five pounds, and can be made from materials costing no more than $200. While he is still testing the final print resolution, 3DPrint.com reveals that he has managed to print successfully down to 200 microns!

The idea for an updated model of the Edge came about following its tremendous popularity, having garnered well over 125,000 views and thousands of likes online. Similar to its predecessor, v2.0 is controlled by an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and RAMPS 1.4 board, as well as driven by five NEMA 17 stepper motors.

The Maker crafted each of the machine’s parts using a combination of laser cutting and 3D printing, along with a little soldering and wiring to round out the Edge 2.0’s design. In order to complete the project, Sousa calls for a computer with Arduino IDE, running Pronterface and a slicer program like Cura or Slic3r.

Interested? Head over to its official Instructables page for a step-by-step breakdown of the project.

This Arduino-based installation turns Google searches into music

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Maker uses the popularity of others as the input for creating electronic music.

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By now, you’re probably well aware that Moscow-based innovator Dmitry Morozov is no stranger to the Bits & Pieces blog with his unique Arduino-based installations. Just when we thought we’ve seen it all, from making eery tunes by crushing electronic devices to turning air pollution into contemporary art, the Maker has returned with his latest project: Kalculator.

Designed as a special piece for Moscow’s Museum and Exhibition Center, the installation uses the popularity of others to generate electronic music. A user selects one of 18 names from a chart listing top Russian artists. Within moments, the program conducts a Google search and returns the amount of times that the chosen name was mentioned throughout the web. This information is monitored and displayed on an Android tablet.

From there, a special algorithm transforms the number into a form of sound composition emitted through a pair of speakers. The complexity and duration of the tune is directly correlated with the amount of times that the particular name was mentioned. Meanwhile, the project was powered by an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560).

Intrigued? You can watch the piece in action below.

Painting random patterns on Easter eggs with Arduino

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What an eggs-ellent idea!

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First conceived in the spring of 1990 by Bruce Shapiro, the Egg-Bot is an art robot capable of drawing on rounded objects ranging in size from a ping-pong ball to a softball. The Maker initially came up with the idea as he grew fascinated by controlling stepper motors from his computer. And given the timing, the obvious canvas had been an Easter egg.

Since then, there have been a slew of Egg-Bot styled machines to come out of the DIY community. While many of them have been tasked with complex geometric patterns, Maker Curtis Swartley decided to take a different approach.

In order to bring his Random Pattern Easter Egg Machine to life, the Maker employed an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560), a pair of Arduino Unos (ATmega328), two motor shields, a couple of servos, some stepper motors, a few limit switches, and a Sharpie marker. Oh, and don’t forget the egg.

Watch the end result below!