Linkdump: November 2014

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Ostrich EggBot 2.0

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Ostrich EggBot
Ostrich EggBot

We’ve just released version 2.0 of our Ostrich EggBot kit!  This is the giant size EggBot. Like the smaller models, it’s a machine capable of drawing on the surface of all kinds of spherical and egg-shaped objects up to 6.25 inches (15 cm) in diameter, including large ostrich eggs.

This chassis of the new version is CNC machined from melamine-faced MDF, and laser engraved with markings and calibration scales. (The previous version was made of plywood; you can read about it here.) We’ve also updated the graphics, and rolled in a number of subtle improvements based on user suggestions and our own extensive experience with the machine and other members of the EggBot family.

Ostrich EggBot Ostrich EggBot

With a relatively large chicken egg chucked into the holders, you can get a better sense of scale. (An ostrich egg is a terrible object to suggest a sense of size!)

The tailstock (the sliding portion of the right hand side) has been slightly redesigned for higher stiffness and better ease of use. The bulk of the stiffness in the directions that we care about (that is, in the directions where the chassis material is not strong) derives from the steel angle brackets, and the new tailstock helps to reinforce that for better overall rigidity.

Ostrich EggBot

One of the best things about the new chassis material is that it laser engraves particularly well, giving high-contrast, highly readable adjustment scales on the sides. And that makes it all easier to use in practice. All considered, this has turned out to be quite a nice little upgrade.

This entry was posted in Art, CNC, Eggbot, Electronics, EMSL Projects, Engineering, Evil Mad Scientist Shop, Robotics. Bookmark the Permalink.

Robot heart

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For Halloween this year, I went as a robot, wearing a silver dress with a slowly pulsing LED heart glowing visibly under the fabric.

Untitled

The LED is a one watt white LED, which we’re running at about 50 mA. It has a wide viewing angle, and the star-shaped mount lies conveniently flat. The LED is wired up to the PCB with a pair of twisted magnet wires. Magnet wire is flexible and thin, which makes it hardly noticeable under clothing. It is controlled by ATtiny2313 (running the code from our Mac sleep light pumpkin project) and powered by three AAA batteries. The PCB corners were rounded off so it wouldn’t be stabby.

Untitled

The dress was fully lined, which made it very convenient for mounting electronics. I pinned a makeshift pocket onto the liner, and tucked the battery holder and PCB in the pocket. I could feel the battery holder switch and turn it on and off through the fabric.

Untitled

The LED was taped to the dress liner with medical tape to hold it in place. An extra piece or two of tape held the wires to make sure there was appropriate slack for movement. (A note on tape: use the good stuff. The cheap paper tape in the off-brand first aid kit only stuck to itself and the magnet wire. 3M plastic medical tape worked great and came off easily.) This makes it easy to disassemble after Halloween.

LED heart

You can find more costume projects in our Halloween Project Archive.

This entry was posted in Costumes, EMSL Projects, Engineering, Microcontrollers and tagged . Bookmark the Permalink.

Pumpkin Faces for EggBot

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Pumpkin Face

renegade_geek posted a set of Pumpkin Faces on thingiverse for the EggBot. They’re cleverly arranged in layers so that you can hide and show the different eye, nose and mouth options.

A collection of separate eyes, noses and mouths, each set on its own layer, for a customized jack-o-lantern/ghost face to be printed with the Eggbot. These were made to print on ping pong balls. You may need to adjust for eggs and other less regularly shaped items. I have included a “faces menu” PDF so that you can clearly review your choices. This was really helpful in a classroom situation.

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Q and A with NanoBeam

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Nanobeam

When we saw NanoBeam on Kickstarter, we had a hard time comprehending just how small it is. So we asked Hyrum if he could send us some pictures for a better sense of scale, and he obliged. Yes, it fits in a tic-tac box. After seeing just how teeny-tiny a 5 mm beam is (one quarter the cross sectional area of Maker Beam and one ninth of Open Beam), our next question was “What the heck?” So we asked what made him think of making such a tiny beam.

I just wanted some tiny beams to build a small robot. I looked all over the place but couldn’t find what I wanted. After some research, and talking to some extruding companies, I designed a beam that was so small it challenged all the rules of this manufacturing science. I made a few on my cnc mill before I commissioned the die, to be sure it was what I wanted.

Nanobeam

How did you find a factory to work with?

I combed the web and talked to a lot of companies. I finally found one that focused on small extrusions. I saw the amazingly small and precise work they were doing for companies like Boeing and 3M and I knew I found the company I needed.

Nanobeam

What kind of fasteners do you use for something this small?

I used the largest screw I could but they are still small. The size is M1.2; you will find these in some pairs of glasses. I’ve got 3 designs for the nuts, I am waiting on manufacturing samples for the last one before I decide for sure which I will use.

Nanobeam

We asked what he thought NanoBeam would be useful for.

Immediately, I see this making a splash with small robots, quad copters and electronic enclosures.  I also see it being great for diy wearables, scale models and crafts. I recently got feedback from a guy that wanted to use them as a frame, conductor and heat sink for an LED array. I can’t wait to see something like that. I’m going to get some stock without the black coating for this application.

We’re also very interested to see what people do with such a tiny extrusion! Thanks to Hyrum for answering our questions. You can find out more, and check out his designs (Open Source Hardware definition compliant) at the NanoBeam website and the Kickstarter campaign page.

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Linkdump: October 2014

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Evil Mad Scientist Open House: November 13

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Evil Mad Scientist Door

Reminder: Our annual open house is TONIGHT.

When: Thursday, November 13, 5 pm ? 9 pm
Where: Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
175 San Lazaro Ave, Suite 150
Sunnyvale, CA, 94086

You can check out our latest projects, play with the giant Digi-Comp II, meet Zener the cat, see our latest projects (including some sneak previews!) and share in food and conversation.

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Solderless Flickery Flame

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We’ve talked previously about making simple LED pumpkins with candle flicker LEDs. Lately we’ve been playing with making better looking flames by using multiple independent flickering LEDs with different colors and lens styles. It makes a spectacular difference: it goes from something that looks like, well, a flickering LED to something that really looks like there might be a flame in there.

The end result is pretty neat: A compact battery powered “flameless flame” that looks great in a pumpkin, luminaria, or as a stage prop. The interplay of the different LED types and colors gives an ever-changing and shifting flame display.

Other than the candle flickering LEDs, the parts are commonly available. We’ve also bundled them together in the Solderless Flickery Flame Kit.

Components:

  • Battery Holder (2×AA with switch)
  • Mini-breadboard
  • 6 × candle flicker LEDs (2 red diffused, 2 yellow diffused, and 2 yellow clear lens)
  • 6 × 68 ohm resistor
  • 2 × wire jumper
  • White paper bag (optional)

Also needed:

  • 2 × AA Batteries (not optional)
  • Wire clippers, cutting pliers, or “beater” scissors (optional)

Hook up the battery holder to the breadboard several rows apart to give enough room to install the resistors and LEDs. Optional: peel off the backing on breadboard and adhere it to the battery holder. Connect each LED with its own 68 ohm resistor. (Use the “in parallel” method from this article.) The extra jumpers are included to help bridge across the center gap in the breadboard.

Trimming the resistor leads will keep the breadboard tidy, and help prevent short circuits. Trimming the LED leads to varying heights will help distribute the light in different ways.

The white paper bag included with the kit can be used for creating a traditional luminaria or for making a ghostly halloween decoration.

You can find more Halloween decor projects in our Halloween Project Archive.

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Lady Ada Lovelace Day 2014

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For Lady Ada Lovelace Day, we would like to celebrate some of the women working in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics that we got to meet and spend time with at Maker Faire New York this year.

Homemade dresses picture
Our friend AnnMarie Thomas had just released her book Making Makers, and was speaking several times during the faire, including hosting the Making Makers panel I participated in, as well as assisting her daughters, Sage and Grace, in presenting a Squishy Circuits workshop.

Also on the Making Makers panel was Sophi Kravitz, who was showing her WobbleWorld virtual reality experience.

Dyeing
Patricia Miranda of Alchemical Tech was there again this year teaching dye-making. I reluctantly declined her offer to get my hands dirty.

Jenine Bressner, who has been sharing her glassworking and laser textile projects at Maker Faire for years, was there as an attendee, finally getting a well-deserved chance to see the faire.

astronomical quilting
Emily Fischer of Haptic Lab was displaying her beautiful astronomical quilts.

NYSci costume making workshop Peggy Monahan of NYSci was helping run a costume design workshop with low cost, easy to use materials like plastic tablecloths, butcher paper and snow-cone cups. Many people bedecked with dinosaur spikes and other fanciful accessories could be seen roaming the faire.

Othermill Representing Othermachine and demonstrating the Othermill was their project and support engineer, our friend Simone Davalos.

Fellow electronics shop owner and friend Cheryl Hrynkiw of Solarbotics was demonstrating their projects, like the solar marble machine.

Rachel Meyer, Selena Ahmed, and Ashley Duval of Shoots & Roots Bitters are three scientists who care about culturally important plants, and bring their stories to people through their uniquely blended bitters.

Sharon Shattuck of Eavesmade was selling laser cut and engraved coasters and ornaments of scientists. You can find her sets of women heroes of science coasters and ornaments in her etsy shop.

Toward the end of the faire, we ran into Limor Fried of Adafruit. It was great to catch up with her and hear about the great strides her electronics business has been making.

There were many more women there showing amazing projects. If I left out someone you want to celebrate, please feel free to share about them in the comments.

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