Affordable Handsfree Bluetooth Mouse for the Disabled: GlassOuse

Posted on 29/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

Last year, we checked out a cheap and open source sip-and-puff mouse for the disabled. CEBA’s GlassOuse seems to be another affordable alternative. It uses Bluetooth to connect to both desktop computers and mobile devices.

It looks like a pair of eyeglasses but without the lenses. Its 9-axis sensor allows the user to move the mouse cursor with their head. It also comes with a button that the user can bite to simulate a mouse click. The button has a removable and waterproof rubber case. Finally, GlassOuse has a built-in battery that lasts up to 10 days per charge.

You can calibrate or adjust the cursor speed without using any software. Ironically, both procedures involve pressing a small reset button, which GlassOuse’s intended users may not be able to do on their own.

GlassOuse works with Windows, OS X and Linux computers, as well as Android and Windows mobile devices.

The lack of a second button limits the GlassOuse’s use cases, but it could be enough for many users, especially if they’re going to use it only with mobile devices. Pledge $149 (USD) on Indiegogo to receive a GlassOuse as a reward. You can also pledge $100 to donate a GlassOuse to CEBA’s partner non-profit organizations.

[via Gadgetify]

Simple Control Interface for Linux Computers: pyLCI

Posted on 21/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

It’s becoming increasingly clear to makers that single board computers and the DIY devices based on them need control interfaces that are simpler and faster to use than desktop peripherals or even full-on PCs. Pičugins Arsenijs believes he’s come up with a much simpler alternative.

Arsenijs’ calls his invention as he sees it: a Python-based Linux Control Interface, or pyLCI. It’s main components are a HD44780-compatible character display and at least five buttons, like the keypad in the image above. The idea is to use the pyLCI to make quick adjustments to your Raspberry Pi or other Linux-based device, such as toggling Wi-Fi or rebooting.

Arsenijs is still working on the pyLCI – for instance, he wants to make it connect over Wi-Fi – but he already set up a guide for folks who want to write Python applications for the device. Check out his Hack A Day page for more on his project.

[via Make:]

NexDock Laptop Dock: Atrix Reloaded

Posted on 12/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

Last week we checked out Ben Heck’s keyboard and display in a box that he made to test dev kits. I mentioned that it should be a gadget that already exists. It turns out it does, and it’s called the NexDock.

The NexDock is basically the old Motorola Atrix lapdock except you connect devices to it via its mini-HDMI and USB ports, which means it works with a variety of smartphones, single-board computers, PCs-on-a-stick and media streaming devices. Windows 10 phones in particular should work great with the dock, thanks to their Continuum feature. The NexDock has a keyboard, a touchpad and a 10,000mAh battery. Unfortunately, the 14.1″ display is a major letdown because it’s a TN panel with a paltry 1366 x 768 resolution.

That being said, unlike many products on crodwfunding sites, the NexDock appears good to go and is just waiting to be mass produced. Here it is with an Intel Compute Stick…

With an iPhone…

With an Amazon Fire Stick…

…and with a Raspberry Pi.

As you can see, the display isn’t exactly thrilling by today’s standards. If I were you I’d wait for its second generation which I hope has a better display. But if you’re already sold you should pledge at least $119 (USD) on Indiegogo to receive a NexDock as a reward.

[via Digital Trends]

Rockit 88 CPU Delid Tool: Pop It ‘Cause It’s Hot

Posted on 12/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

In the past couple of years, a number of PC enthusiasts have been removing the lid – aka the Integrated Heat Spreader – on their Intel CPUs to replace the stock thermal paste with third party ones that do a better job of siphoning heat off of the chip itself. Less heat is always good, especially for overclocked CPUs. The problem is that delidding, as it is now called, is as risky as it sounds. Until now.

Rockit Cool’s Rockit 88 is a small tool that makes delidding as easy as opening a can. Inside the tool is a space for the CPU and a lever similar to a bottle opener that sits right below one of the CPU lid’s edges. All you have to do is place the CPU inside the Rockit 88, screw in the Rockit 88’s cover to secure the CPU, and then twist the bolt connected to the lever. The CPU’s lid will pop right off. Sounds easy right? Especially when you consider that the current methods involve either a razor blade or a mallet.

Thanks to the support of backers, Rockit Cool will be bundling a relid tool that holds the CPU’s lid in place after you’ve applied the new thermal paste.

Pledge at least $35 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive the Rockit 88 as a reward.

[via Digital Trends]

Dinosaur Plushies with Egg Case: Gotta Hatch ‘Em All

Posted on 04/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

The folks at Dinosaur Egg Farm want to raise awareness for wildlife preservation groups while making a bit of money for themselves as well. And what better way to remind us that life is precious than with stillborn dino plushies? Seriously though these Dinosaur Eggs are cute. Dead, but cute.

Dinosaur Egg Farm even made a silly lore for their product. They’re actual dino eggs, but it’ll take them 6 million years to hatch. Open them a day sooner and you get these poor babies. For now, Dinosaur Eggs only have two variants, a T-rex and a Triceratops, but the company plans to add plushies of other extinct animals in the future. I don’t want to picture the packaging for dead mammals.

Pledge at least $15 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Dinosaur Egg as a reward; pledge at least $25 and you get both eggs. Dinosaur Egg Farm says that they will eventually donate portions of their sales to wildlife preservation groups. I hope it follows through on that claim, especially since their fundraiser has already almost doubled its goal with more than a month left to go.

[via ThisIsWhyImBroke]

WiCAM Coin-sized Wireless Camera: GoPetite

Posted on 04/04/2016 by Lambert Varias

Set and forget cameras like action cameras and dash cams expanded the applications of video cameras. But action cameras can be pricey, while dash cams are not versatile. If you’re looking for a cheap, user-friendly and open source alternative, check out Armstart’s WiCAM.

WiCAM measures about 1.3″x 1.4″x 1″ and has a 2MP CMOS camera, a 120º wide angle lens, a 1000mAh battery that lasts up to 8h of continuous streaming, and 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4 chips. It also has a built-in temperature sensor that tinkerers can tap into. You’ll be able to view WiCAM’s footage from a mobile device or PC, so it’s good for both temporary and permanent setups. It takes 640×480 video at 7fps, as well as 1600×1200 photos. So as long as you don’t need sharp and fluid shots the WiCAM should suffice.

Installing such a small device should be no problem, but Armstart is also offering optional mounts. There’s a magnetic mount, an adhesive mount, a bicycle mount and soon a car windshield mount, which I’m assuming will have a suction cup.

WiCAM is also programmable, and supports C, C++ and Python programs. Armstart also promised “a rich API” and an SDK for developers.

Pledge at least around $59 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a WiCAM as a reward. Armstart is also offering a more expensive bundle that includes a night vision lens, an infrared lamp and a 1W solar charger for pledges of at least $88.

DIY Cheap Batman Utility Belt: Holy Thrift Shop Batman!

Posted on 15/03/2016 by Lambert Varias

Batman’s utility belt isn’t as cool as his mask or logo, but it’s an equally essential part of any Dark Knight costume. DIY Prop Shop shows us how you can make a replica of the belt out of only $9 (USD) worth of materials.

Host Odin Abbott based his belt on the one that’s on Michael Keaton’s Batman costume. The replica’s main materials are a tool belt and strips of craft foam, a strong adhesive such as contact cement, as well as some clear coat spray paint. You’ll also need a pair of steady hands because you’ll be doing a lot of cutting.

CowTech Ciclop 3D Scanner: The One-eyed Scan is Cheap

Posted on 13/03/2016 by Lambert Varias

Three years ago I used one of my cooler puns on the Photon 3D scanner, which I called cheap because you could snag it from its crowdfunding campaign for $390 (USD). CowTech Engineering’s $99 Ciclop 3D scanner takes that crown in a lop-sided price war, and supposedly without sacrificing on quality.

The CowTech Ciclop can scan at up to 0.5mm resolution, has a 200mm x 205mm (8″x 8″) scan area and scans within 2 to 8 minutes. It also has a magnetic back cover for easy access to its electronics.

One of the reasons why CowTech Engineering is able to make the Ciclop affordable is that it’s based on the eponymous open source 3D scanner that was designed by BQ Labs. Like the BQ Ciclop, you can buy most of the CowTech Ciclop’s parts separately and then print the rest to save on money. But CowTech made a few improvements on its Ciclop, such as replacing the BQ Ciclop’s threaded rods with more eye-pleasing laser-cut acrylic parts, an internal LED and the aforementioned magnetic back cover.

CowTech also says it designed its scanner’s Arduino shield, bought their own laser-cutter for the acrylic and sourced parts overseas to drive the price down. The end-result is a fork that’s hundreds of dollars cheaper than the $400 BQ Ciclop yet has the exact same capabilities and will remain open source.

Pledge at least $99 on Kickstarter to be rewarded with the CowTech Ciclop DIY kit, which includes all the electronics and acrylic parts. A pledge of at least $149 gets you the full CowTech 3D Ciclop scanner as a reward. CowTech told me that the retail version of its 3D scanner will be a bit more expensive compared to these crowdfunding rewards, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the finished version will still be much cheaper than comparable 3D scanners.

Raspberry Pi 3 Has Better SoC, Built-in Wi-Fi & Bluetooth: New Slice, Same Price

Posted on 02/03/2016 by Lambert Varias

Single board computers are getting more and more powerful, as exemplified by last year’s Pine A64. The Raspberry Pi Foundation keeps up with the times with the third version of its extremely popular computer. The Raspberry Pi 3 has significant improvements over the Raspberry Pi 2 but with the same price tag.

The Pi 3 has a new system-on-a-chip, the Broadcom BCM2837. It has a quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz, which helps make the Pi 3 up to 60% more powerful than the Pi 2, and up to 10 times more powerful than the original Pi. Equally noteworthy are the built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 radios, making the Pi 3 perfect for networked projects.

The Pi 3 still works with 2.0A power adapters, but the Raspberry Pi Foundation recommends that you switch to 2.5A if you have more power hungry devices connected to the computer. You can pre-order the Pi 3 from Element 14 for $35 (USD).

ScopeAround Modular Wireless Camera: Explore, Examine, Enhance

Posted on 28/01/2016 by Lambert Varias

Mobile devices have become so popular as both still and video cameras that we now have lens attachments for phones and videocamera rigs for tablets. The ScopeAround system aims to add to that revolution by making affordable versions of scientific cameras that stream video to iOS or Android devices.

The ScopeAround lasts up to 3h per charge and has three hot-swappable camera heads. The Focus head is a microscope with a 1080p camera that provides up to 150x magnification.

The Flexible head is an endoscope, for exploring hard to reach places. It also has a 1080p camera.

Finally, the Fit is somewhere in between the other two cameras. It’s a wand with a side-mounted camera that has a macro lens.

Aside from showing live feed from the attached camera head, the ScopeAround app will also let you save videos.

Pledge at least $99 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a ScopeAround unit with one camera head of your choice; pledge at least $219 and you get the unit and all three camera heads.