Category: Technology

Micro Butterfly

Butterfly

It’s small, it’s expencive, it’s so cool it burns. It’s a micro sized R/C airplane so small it’s safe to fly indoors. It might be the smallest in the world but i kind of doubt it. However I’m sure that it’s the smallest you can buy. Exerybody donate to the site so I can get one to review it. 🙂

Here are the specs for the true geeks out there:

Butterfly Airframe w/Installed:

  • 0.4g micro900 receiver
  • GB05 4mm 5:1 Gearbox
  • Carbon Fiber Propeller!
  • 0.22g HingeAct Actuator
  • Audible Tones and LED indicators
  • Built-In Low Voltage Cutoff

HFX900 Transmitter

  • 4 CH transmitter – Full Proportional
  • 3 User Selectable frequencies
  • Built-In lipoly Bahoma charger
  • Connects to FMS Flight Simulator!
  • 900Mhz ISM band USA, 868Mhz EU
  • FCC and CE Approved!
  • Requires 4 AA cells

ALSO:

  • 30mAh 0.9g LiPoly Bahoma Battery
  • FMS computer interface cable
  • CDROM w/Freeware FMS flight-Sim
  • nstructional Videos, and manual

The whole works, packed in a custom
fitted aluminum carrying case!

You know, the aluminum case is the real seller. Just think, you take the kids to the Pizza Gorp Playland so they can tear up the place and instead of gawking at the soccer moms you can nerd out to the tenth power once you open your case of R/C fun. You can even tell the waitress that if she sees the wings waggle to bring you another pitcher of beer.
Now if it could only carry a little camera and transmitter…

Plantraco’s RTF Butterfly – Fly in your Livingroom!

(Thanks to Keven for spotting this one.)

Pretty Camera… Want Pretty Camera…

HD Camera

I need one for recording my fish swimming in his aquarium… Ok, that might be a little overkill but my fish would look simply stunning.
Ok, back to reality. This is the kind of camera that you buy to make money with, not shoot home viddies of the kids romping around the pool. With this camera you should be out shooting indy films, or TV ads, or at least porn.

… HDV video camera and HDV recorder that supports 720p, has a 1.1MP 1/3″ 3CCD sensor and offers recording in PAL and NTSC. It supports MiniDV and DV and you can even connect an external HDD to record either 3h of video on 40Gb or 6h on 80Gb. If you want to make copies of your art afterworks, have a look at the HD50, that is 480/60p to 1080/60i compatible. It also comes with a FireWire connection. The camera will cost 6500 EUR and the recorder 3900 EUR, and they will be available from September onwards.

HDV camera and HDV recorder

Cool IR Auto Adjusting Door

slat door

There is a new door design out now, as you come up to the threshold the sensors in the multiple sliding slats see you and will slide just enough to let you through. This way the loss of cold/hot air inside the room is minimized. The video linked to from Boing Boing shows it in action with the normal minor glitches that happen in product demos. Works with non-human shaped objects like boxes too. This would make a nice pet door.
The sensors used in each door slider look to be the same Sharp IR detectors that many robot builders use. You can also find them in those sometimes annoying motion sensitive sinks and toilets.

Automatic door… Japan style

LEGO 3D Chocolate Printer

Chocolate 3D printer

I’d like to see some of the results of his contraption…

Using lego and a few custom components a 3D printer for chocolate is possible. I did this project a long time ago so the documentation is incomplete, but hopefully it will inspire someone to rebuild it and fill in the blanks.

Some of the other projects at Instructables are pretty neat as well, its like Flickr for people who build things.

3D chocolate printer made from LEGO

IMSAI Series Two USB Case or Real Retro Computer

IMSAI Case

The classic IMSAI micro computer is back! Well, kind of, the IMSAI Series Two USB has the ability to house a Zilog eZ80 Acclaim 50 MHz computer or an ATX or mini-ATX PC (if you just want that retro look).
Now, what I want to know is if they will have support for an 8 inch floppy drive!
The guys on MAKE are going go nuts over this one.
[via Boing Boing]
IMSAI Homepage

Helium Movies

up up and away

What do you get when you cross a digital camera, some rubber, and a few cubic feet of helium? No, not a presidential press corps junket, you get ‘Helium Movies’!
This guy attached his digital camera to a few large balloons, put it into movie mode and hit the timer. When it went off he let go. The result is a rather nauseating down shot of the launch site. Pretty cool if you think about it. One of the (now) hacker friendly CVS video cameras would be perfect for this sort of thing. What a cool way to grab a unique shot of a family picnic or a camping trip. Just remember to use a nice light weight strong tether or your never going to see your results!

[via MAKE]
Helium Movies