GIF Books & Soda Lockers [Maker Update #19]
This week on Maker Update, a kid turns his locker into soda vending machine, a serious word on laser cutter fumes, printing GIFs into books, string launchers, a breadboard/Arduino/LEGO brick mashup, contests ending on Instructables, and why I’m flying to Iowa. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Asus Tinker Board Challenges Raspberry Pi [Maker Update #18]
This week on Maker Update: the classic bristlebot gets an upgrade, Eagle CAD drops a bomb, ASUS takes on Raspberry Pi, musical domes, hacked Furbys, vape tech, and Chi-town gets a big ol’ Maker Faire.
Review: Light Paintbrush for Circuit Playground
I love when a DIY project gives you something that feels almost like a magic trick. The TV-B-Gone project is one such project, but so is this LED paintbrush project published by John Park on Adafruit.
John Park has an embarrassing number of great projects, but I ordered up the parts for this one specifically because I’ve been looking for an approachable project with a fun payoff to use for a beginner electronics workshop I’m teaching in April. I love the idea of students walking away with a unique gadget to show off, rather than just a blinking LED.
DIY Camera Explains Your Picture [Maker Update #17]
This week, an artificially intelligent word camera, the launch of the Pi Compute Module 3 and why it’s ok not to care, a goofy walking Arduino bot, a slot-together octopus lamp, a $20 color-matching laptop light, shop tips, battery tips, and where in the world is this week’s Maker Faire? SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
DIY Overwatch Blaster & Star Wars Interfaces [Maker Update #16]
This week on Maker Update! A sonic blaster from Overwatch, the Arduino reconciliation gets real, the BBC Microbit crosses the pond, the demise of 123D, another LED Nixie to consider, 3D printed Amazon Echo accessories, a study Star Wars user interfaces, and upcoming contests from Instructables. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Cocktail Robotics and Laser Cats [Maker Update #15]
This week on Maker Update, a Nixie tube alternative for the 21st century, Arduino puts your sketches in the cloud, robot cocktails, laser cats, making it rain, making music, and making the cookies. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE!
Let Me Give You a Raspberry Pi [Maker Update #13]
This week on Maker Update: making your own 3D printed computer museum, Fusion 360 learns a new trick, a smoking laser sword, a new drawbot, a reason to buy a dental vacuform, and a giveaway for a full Raspberry Pi computer setup from our show sponsor, WD Labs. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE
Time to Print the Ornaments [Maker Update #12]
This week on Maker Update: a payphone that calls the 90’s, a moon for your nightstand, a way to finally get your fish talking, a mini NES with NFC, 3D print ornaments, a sewing machine for makers, a ridiculous amount of maker contests, and the first Maker Faire in L.A.
How to Hack Alexa into a Billy Bass Talking Fish
As many of you know from watching my Maker Update video series, I’ve been obsessed with hacking together a Billy Bass novelty talking fish and Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. About a month ago, an artist named Brian Kane published a viral video showing a Big Mouth Billy Bass novelty singing fish, seemingly voiced by Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. The internet went nuts for it, and so did I — but mostly I just wanted to know how it worked so that I could make my own.
After a few weeks tinkering with it and collecting the components I needed, I’ve come up with a workable hack. The project documentation and code are available on Instructables. I encourage you to provide feedback and ideas on how to improve it.
The DIY Nintendo You Really Want [Maker Update #11]
This week on Maker Update: a project for painting the air, a new ally for Maker Spaces, Hackster has a new owner, Make Magazine’s 3D printer shootout, hacking the NES Classic, making your own NES Classic, and Maker Faires.