Holiday Cards with AxiDraw

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Pitch Interactive, a data visualization studio, sent out “Happy Holidata” cards made using the AxiDraw.

This year’s card features a snowflake that uses two data points in its generation: how long we’ve known the recipient and the air quality where we’re sending the card. It is unique to the person we sent it to, and no two snowflakes are alike.

After getting some inspiration from dozens of photos of snowflakes, we brainstormed about the different types of symmetry and shapes that would make our design. We then generated the snowflake with a script that draws a certain number of radial spikes based on how long we’ve known the person we were sending them to. Other parameters for the generation rely on random numbers, ensuring that each generated snowflake was completely unique.

They’ve published the code on github, as well as a set of svg files.

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Introducing the AxiDraw V3

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We are pleased to introduce the AxiDraw V3, a new generation of our flagship writing and drawing machine.

This new AxiDraw has been redesigned from the ground up for high performance. It features smooth rolling wheels on custom aluminum extrusions, specially designed for high stiffness and light weight. Its sturdy, rigid construction gives it finer quality output and in most applications allows it to operate at up to twice the speed of the previous AxiDraw, which it replaces.

As with the previous version, AxiDraw is a simple, modern, precise, and versatile pen plotter, capable of writing or drawing on almost any flat surface. It can write with fountain pens, permanent markers, and other writing implements to handle an endless variety of applications. Its unique design features a writing head that extends beyond the body of the machine, making it possible to draw on objects bigger than the machine itself.

AxiDraw V3 is available to order today, and begins shipping next week. See it in action and learn more on the product page.

This entry was posted in CNC, EMSL Projects, Evil Mad Scientist Shop, Robotics and tagged , . Bookmark the Permalink.

Linkdump: November 2016

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AYAB: A new interface for vintage knitting machines

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Machine knitted versions of the AYAB and the Evil Mad Scientist logos

AYAB — All Yarns Are Beautiful — is an open source hardware and software project that provides an alternative way to control the widely-loved Brother KH-9xx range of knitting machines using a computer. There are other hacks (such as Img2Track, Knitic and electro-knit) which work with certain machines in certain conditions. The AYAB interface works with all Brother KH-9xx machines except the KH-970.

AYAB control board

We’ve just launched a new interface board for the AYAB project. They’ve written about it on their site, and you can read the product details on our store page for it.

Historically, these machines were programmed with semi-transparent picture cards which were scanned by the machine line by line. For later machines, you could enter a pattern via lots of tedious button-pressing. Some models had an add-on gadget that connected to your vintage TV.

Knitted image of Live Long and Prosper hand gesture

With the AYAB interface, you can provide an image of up to a 200 pixel (or needle) size from your computer. The control is done by an Arduino-compatible microcontroller board, which replaces the vintage control board. We are excited to be helping to bring new capabilities to these beloved machines.

This entry was posted in Art, Electronics, EMSL Projects, Evil Mad Scientist Shop, Microcontrollers, Open Hardware, Vintage Technology. Bookmark the Permalink.

A new Interactive LED Table

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We love the goal of the Anew Nature furniture makers out of St. Louis.

Anew Nature is a modern furniture producer that offers training, employment, and hope to marginalized men, with criminal backgrounds to help integrate into the work force.

We also think it’s pretty cool that they’re using our Interactive LED Panels in their RISE Sleigh LED Coffee Table (shown in the video above). Check out their campaign to launch their RISE furniture line.

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Fliptronics Flip-Pins

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Flip-Pins installed on a PCB

The makers of OSHChip are now producing the IC pins on their own for you to use in projects where square header pins just aren’t a good solution. The larger header pins can damage breadboard sockets, but Flip-Pins are the same size as traditional IC pins.

Flip-pins in their carrier strip

We’re stocking these elegant parts in packs of 10 of each of the available sizes: 8-pin, 14-pin, and 20-pin strips.

Soldering Flip-Pins onto a PCB

They come packaged in a carrier strip for ease of soldering into your PCB.

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Hilbert Curve Cat

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Shy wrote in to tell us about a tool he created to generate Hilbert curves from images for plotting called Image2Hilbert. (Main GitHub project link, here: )

Shy says:

I added a calculation in the interface and this line is approximately 35.881 meters long and it took about 45 minutes to draw.

Thank you, Shy, for sharing this tool! We look forward to seeing what people make with it.

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Linkdump: October 2016

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