Ponoko - personal manufacturing
Posted on November 25th, 2007
Design 2-dimensional drawings on your PC, then upload your design to ponoko.com. Their website then allows you to sell your designs, and/or ship the laser-cut materials to you. Current materials include a variety of plastics and plywood, and you can also do engravings. Eventually they hope to provide access to computer-controlled routers and 3D printers.
So far, people have created furniture, jewelry, holders and more.
An interview with one of the creators is here:
www.podtech.net - ponoko
Download the making guide here (PDF), which explains the process and has images of the current materials.
Tags: CAD, custom products, design, DIY, fashion, furniture, jewelry, manufacturing, MDF, one-off, personal manufacturing, plastic, plywood, ponoko
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Lego-like open-hardware coming soon
Posted on November 25th, 2007
A company called Bug Labs is creating an open hardware platform, which allows various hardware modules to plug in to a base unit running Linux OS. These modules can include cameras, LCD screens, motion sensors, cameras, GPS, or anything that a 3rd party can design for the platform using open schematics and connections. The base unit comes with ethernet networking, and they are working on a wireless modem module. It also comes with an AC power input, and can use external batteries.
Some great preview videos here:
Gizmodo - Bug Labs
The Bug Labs homepage is at:
www.buglabs.net
Initially on the software API side it will require java, but eventually each of the modules will have a web-service interface which will be reachable by any browser or HTTP GET. Web services return plain-text XML, which makes it easy to do mash-ups between different outputs, or any other service that provides web-services APIs (ie. google maps, etc)
Hopefully it will be ready sometime next year.
Tags: bug labs, DIY, hardware, lego, linux, modular, open hardware, sensor network
Filed under DIY, interfacing | No Comments »
Microsoft to Launch Simulation Platform, SDK
Posted on November 15th, 2007
“Microsoft plans to unveil a new platform, based on its game technology, that will bring visualization and simulation capabilities to the masses.”
Microsoft to Launch Simulation Platform, SDK
I wonder if it will be a free, stripped-down version of FSX?
I’m guessing that the API will just be hooks into the mission editor, but I’m hoping that it will also open up the internals enough to allow military scenarios. (They do mention the military as a potential customer!)
UPDATE: Sounds too expensive and limited, to be useful for regular developers. More details here:
blogs.msdn.com
Tags: API simulator simulation flight fsx microsoft ESP
Filed under Simulations, modding, software | 1 Comment »
Facebook - hide funwall posts
Posted on November 11th, 2007
Have you been seeing way too many entries on your facebook about funwall posts lately?
If you want to stop seeing Funwall entries in your news feed, do like I did, and follow these steps:
- click Edit (next to Applications on left side of your profile)
- next to Funwall, click “edit settings”
- uncheck “Publish stories about this in my News Feed”
- click Save
Now you should see “News Feed disabled” next to Funwall
And that’s it!
You can do the same for any application that takes up too much space in your news feed. You can still see when people add new funwall posts, by visiting your own Profile.
Tags: Facebook, social networking
Filed under Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tutorial: Creating a SIM Panel
Posted on November 10th, 2007
Do you ever get frustrated about having to remember the key commands to all of your favorite sims? Especially things like engine startups and turning on lights and flaps, which you only do once or twice per sortie?
Here is a quick tutorial on creating a simple, inexpensive USB panel, for use with EECH or any other simulator. It can allow you to put all of these little tasks on switches with labels, so that you don’t need to remember them.
The panel we will be building is based on the Ultimarc A-PAC USB controller, which is relatively cheap (US$39+ship) and easy to use. You will not need any electronics knowledge! This board has screw-in terminals rather than requiring ribbon cables and solder. You do still need to solder wires on the switches, but I’ve included a soldering tutorial video link below.
The A-PAC can handle up to 28 buttons/switches. The on/off switch signals are converted to momentary keypresses in software, as you will see end of this tutorial.
Tags: sim pit panel DIY cockpit simulator USB
Filed under DIY, Simulations, interfacing | 3 Comments »