Category: Mad Science

LaserMAME

LaserMAME

W00t! These guys used a killer laser galvo system to play MAME arcade games not on your VGA monitor, not on your TV, but on your wall! Apparently there is an add on to the regular MAME32 that will output vector values for use with vector monitors. As I guess vector monitors were in short supply they used lasers. The laser control system was not scratch built (darn!) and they didn’t build the lasers either (crap!) so to do this yourself I’d guess that your going to have to spend some bucks. But hey, the final result is oh soooo sweeet!

LaserMAME – Vector games played in a new Light

lasers, mame, computer games

The Spinthariscope

spinthariscope

Another gem form United Nuclear, the Spinthariscope. A Spinthariscope is a small device that contains a tiny speck of radioactive material (in this case its Thorium ore) on a plate of zinc sulfide. As alpha particles are emitted from the ore, tiny flashes of light can be observed on the zinc sulfide. Its an old idea, the page says that it was discovered in 1903 by Sir William Crookes. It would be a dandy device for a practical demo of radiation. And yes, its safe.

United Nuclear- The Spinthariscope

nuclear, science, radiation, cool

It Will Suck The Iron Out of Your Blood

BIG Magnet

Ok, it can’t suck the iron out of your blood, but it could kill you in a number of facinating ways.

Scroll down to the bottom of the linked page…

It’s $100. I think just looking at the photo might have demagnetized my credit cards.
-Greg

Computers & monitors will be affected in an entire room. Loose metallic objects and other magnets may become airborne and fly considerable distances – and at great speed – to attach themselves to this magnet. If you get caught in between the two, you can get injured.
We can only ship this magnet by ground UPS – it cannot be shipped via air as it will interfere with the navigational equipment an the aircraft.

United Nuclear – Neodymium magnets

Homemade 3D Scanner

3d scanner

I have wanted to make oone of these for a long time. I have always thought it would be better to rotate the object to get a full 360 degree scan, but with this method you could scan a very large or heavy object (a person?). There is no indication as to how long a scan takes.

homemade 3d scanner – the tutorial

scanner, 3d, laser, DIY, MAKE, cool