Author Archives: the machinegeek

Transcranial magnetic stimulation device

This video describes a prototype of a transcranial magnetic stimulation device designed by Ben Krasnow. He explains: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a technique to stimulate brain tissue directly through the skull. It works by sending a very high current pulse through a coil that is located on the subject’s scalp. The fast-rising edge of […]

MIT online course: Principles of Digital Communications I

As part of their ongoing OpenCourseWare program, MIT is offering the free online course “Principles of Digital Communication I.” Course description: The course serves as an introduction to the theory and practice behind many of today’s communications systems. Topics covered include: digital communications at the block diagram level, data compression, Lempel-Ziv algorithm, scalar and vector […]

Audioino: Arduino programmable via sound card

Here’s a unique way to program an Arduino chip: using your computer’s sound card! Chris from the hobby-roboter forum provides the details on this amazing hack in his forum post. The process simply requires the Atmega168 to be programmed with Chris’ special audio bootloader. The whole project requires only the addition of three resistors, two […]

Interface 16×2 LCD with Altera DE1 FPGA in VHDL

The Altera DE1 is an educational and development board based on the Cyclone II 2C20 FPGA and is commonly used in college and university courses on digital logic and FPGAs. Kiran writes to inform us of her tutorial on interfacing this board with the 16×2 LCD from Terasic. Kiran writes: Here is my tutorial for […]

CodeSecure static source code analysis tool

Armorize is making available a free download version of their CodeSecure v4 software. CodeSecure is a static source code analysis platform that leverages third generation software verification technologies to identify web application vulnerabilities throughout development. Our web-based solution provides automated compiler-independent code analysis that models tainted dataflow within the application. Reports pinpoint vulnerable code locations […]

Netduino vs Arduino

Greg Crawford at Citizen Scientists League has written a three-part series on the Netduino. In Part 1 he describes the Netduino’s features and compares this board to the more familiar Arduino. In Part 2, Greg details how to interface the Netduino with the SPI bus, and provides some C# code for this purpose. Part 3 […]

Arduino hack imitates Pixar’s living lamp, disses IKEA

This video shows “The Annoying IKEA LAMP” or SM-1, ArduinoArts’ finalist entry for SeeedStudio’s Grove Toy Kit contest: Headed by industrial engineer Javier Lander, the project weds two servos (one in the base and one in the lamp), sensors for motion and sound, a three axis accelerometer, LED light and audio board to an Arduino […]

eLabBench digital laboratory workbench

Researchers at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, have just started using a combined computer and laboratory bench. This will not only streamline their research, but also kickstart the transition to the paperless laboratory. The bench is essentially a large touchscreen with combined capabilities allowing researchers to simultaneously work with data and equipment while […]

RS-485 and Arduino

As seen in the above illustration from National Instruments, RS-485 ports are identical in appearance to RS-232 but with different pin assignments. You will not find them on contemporary home computer hardware, and they are only rarely seen on legacy machines. They are, however, found on various types of commercial computer and telecom equipment and […]

InkShield: open Open source inkjet shield for Arduino

Nicholas C. Lewis is developing an interesting Kickstarter project known as the InkShield. This shield allows you to connect a HP C6602 inkjet cartridge to your Arduino turning it into a 96dpi print platform. It only uses 5 pins which can be jumper selected to avoid other shields. It is designed with a Arduino Mega […]

SDR Sunday – monitor web SDRs and decode digital data

Want to try out software defined radio (SDR) before you buy or build a rig? Or do you just want to see what all the ham radio chatters about? Then check out the online SDRs available for your listening pleasure at WebSDR. This unique website lists dozens of online radios which you can click on […]

Pip-Boy 3000 game controller proto using Arduino

If you’re into the gaming scene, then you know that Fallout is a pretty popular post nuclear simulation game. A fan of the game wanted to create a prototype of the game’s wrist mounted controller known as the Pip-Boy 3000. MyMagicPudding writes: This is the first test of my attempt to build a working Pip-Boy […]

HackPittsburgh to launch messages via balloon

The crew over at HackPittsburgh is planning on a balloon launch message project today: This Friday (9-2-2011), join us as we celebrate the successful launch of our 4th balloon with more fun with balloons. We have often talked about sending a payload of ping pong balls up with our big balloons and then drop them […]

Google winds down Android app inventor, to open source code

Last December we noted the announcement of the Android App Inventor from Google. Now Google has announced the discontinuance of the project and states that they will open source the code. With the winding down of Google Labs, Google will discontinue App Inventor as a Google product and will open source the code. Additionally, because […]

Serenading with Arduino

If you want to add a geek angle to a romantic dinner, what better way than Arduino generated music? Michele Spagnuolo has coded this project for a simple, minimalistic piano-theremin generated by Arduino and Processing. The hardware consists of a SRF05 ultrasonic sensor with Echo connected to digital pin 2 and Trigger/Init connected to pin […]

Free online course: basics of programmable logic

Altera has available a free online course covering the Basics of Programmable Logic. This training will give you a basic introduction to programmable logic devices, focusing on FPGAs. By exploring the history of programmable logic technologies, you’ll learn about the architectural features that make up an FPGA device. You will see the advantages of using […]