technabob » beam

tetris blocks fall on oscilloscope screen

technabob — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:40:03 +0000

Here’s a cool hack which uses an old oscilloscope to play an accurate game of the arcade classic, Tetris.

Engineer Lars Pontoppidan created Scopetris using an AtMega32 micro-controller to drive the beam of an oscilloscope to mimic the game play of the classic Soviet puzzle game.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Lars had to create custom circuitry and programmed the beam to produce a similar visual result to that of those old vector graphic games. The game is controlled using a traditional Atari 9-pin digital joystick.

Unlike some lesser oscilloscope beam hacks which use simple video games like Pong, Lars really went all out to create a game with the relative complexity of Tetris. Using his significant programming prowess, Pontoppidan programmed the circuit to manage each individual as an independent object, allowing it to behave very similarly to the original arcade classic.

Kudos to Lars for an outstanding scope hack.

[via Hacked Gadgets via MAKE]

step into the audio spotlight

technabob — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:48:03 +0000

These ceiling mounted speakers from Holosonic Research precisely direct a beam of sound so it can only be heard if you’re standing directly inside the focused area they project.

Their square Audio Spotlight speakers easily mount in place of standard 2′ x 2′ ceiling tiles and project a perfectly focused tunnel of sound towards the people standing beneath them. Step into the beam, and you’ll be able to hear the sound. Step out, and you won’t hear a thing. Designed for applications such as in-store marketing and exhibit design, they’d also be pretty cool mounted in an entryway or hallway.

[via Coolest-Gadgets]

playstation reincarnated as robot insect

technabob — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:30:19 +0000

I’ve seen some interesting hackjobs in my day, but nothing quite like this. Builder Harold Ilano has built himself a little robotic insect from the remnants of an old Sony Playstation console.

Harold’s Mercury BEAM Robot was scavenged from a variety of junk parts, but an old PlayStation console was the primary contributor, giving the ‘bot its two motors and other internals that keep it chugging along.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Just like a real insect, Mercury has an innate desire to seek out sources of light. It took Ilano many weeks of painstaking effort in order to get the light tracking just right.

Glad to see the old console is still being put to some good use. (For those of you who don’t know what a BEAM robot is, there’s a good explanation here.)

[StreetTech via MAKE]

led car flashlight shines brightly, only where you need it

technabob — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 03:56:28 +0000

This portable LED flashlight is the perfect source of illumination for reading maps or other documents in you car without disturbing the driver. The compact Auto LED provides a bright, sharp-edged beam, keeping light focused only on its intended target.

The light stores and charges conveniently in your 12-volt cigarette lighter socket, putting it to good use if you’re a non-smoker. It’s available from Discount LED Lights and Knives for about 20 bucks.