Technabob » dragonfly

Giant Circuit Board Dragonfly: Be Glad This Thing Doesn’t Fly

Technabob — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:54:10 +0000

I think I’ve mentioned this before – I’m not really crazy about insects. But for some reason, dragonflies have never really bothered me. They’re big, buzzy and clumsy, but they can’t do any harm, so maybe that’s why I don’t mind them. But if I ever saw a dragonfly with a 32-inch wingspan, I think I’d run the other way.

That’s exactly what we’ve got here. This giant dragonfly sculpture measures a whopping 32″ (w) x 28″(l) x 7″ (h). The coolest part is that it’s made completely out of discarded printed circuit boards. Not a single surface of this giant bug – including it’s six stick-legs – isn’t made of electronic part-encrusted circuit boards.

I love how the legs are made of integrated circuits, and those multi-faceted capacitor eyeballs are awesome. This big bug was lovingly crafted by Steve Rodrig of PCB Creations, and is a one-of-a-kind sculpture, perfect for that geek who also has a fondness for insects.

It’s listed right now for $400 (USD) over on Etsy. While you might think that’s a lot to spend on a bunch of old circuit boards, I think it’s actually totally reasonable for all of the work that must have gone onto building this thing.

P.S. Ignore my headline. I think it would be really cool if this thing could fly.

Solar-Powered Dragonflies Are Beautiful, Flightless

Technabob — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:54:55 +0000

Despite its disproportionate body-to-wingspan ratio, there’s something ever so graceful about a dragonfly in the air. Now, thanks to the guys at Japan’s Tamiya, you can can watch these amazing natural creations any time the sun is shining.

The pair of dragonflies use a solar-powered motor and a mechanical wire rig to make their wings beat. And while these dragonflies don’t actually fly anywhere, I think that’s a good thing. Have you ever tried to get a good look at a dragonfly up close and personal? They don’t like to stick around for long. Here’s a video clip of the solar dragonflies in action…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can catch the Tamiya solar dragonfly kit over at Amazon for about $36 (USD).

Wowwee Flytech Bladestar R/C Copter Hits the Skies

Technabob — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:40:57 +0000

WowWee’s new FlyTech Bladestar is a crazy looking flying machine which lifts itself using a helicopter-like spinning rotor, hovering through your living room with ease.

But the real cool factor is a special autopilot mode which lets the Bladestar atuomatically avoid ceilings and other obstacles. Heck, you can even steer it by waving your hands in front of it. If you’d rather have more precise control over your flyer, just use the included digital IR remote control.

Thanks to the multi-channel remote system, you can even fly two Bladestars at the same time and take down your friend in Dogfight mode. It’s all made from a durable crash-resistant materials, and safe to fly indoors.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The spinning blade design sort of reminds me of those annoying Manhacks from Half-Life 2. Unfortunately, these ones don’t have deadly metal saw blades mounted on them. Oh well.

Still, they do look pretty cool even if they won’t decapitate your enemies. You can get your hands on the Flytech Bladestar over on Amazon for just under $50 bucks.

[Flytech Bladestar]