The Strobeshnik hard drive clock uses a stroboscopic effect to make it look like the numbers of the clock are persistent on the face of the drive platter – which Svofski galvanically etched to make the cool cutout numbers.

A set of LEDs is positioned behind the platter, and a custom controller circuit automatically coordinates the rapidly blinking LEDs to illuminate precisely when the appropriate number window in the platter is lined up in the right location.

Here’s a video clip of the Strobeshnik clock in action. When it’s first spinning up, it just looks like a bunch of jibbrerish. But wait for it… wait for it… when the drive hits the right speed, the time is there – just as perfect as any other clock.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

For a full build log, schematics and source code for the Strobeshnik, head on over to Svofski’s website.

[via Hacked Gadgets]

In between farming blueberry crops, Adam Claflin of MiddleCreekMerchants makes the little Wigglebot robots (shown above) from a few bent wires for legs, a coin battery for a body, and a pair of colorful LEDs for eyes. Add to the mix a tiny little motor for a head, and the little creatures can vibrate their way across your desktop.

Adam makes a variety of unique bug-like robots, including these tiny wonders that you can control with an ordinary television remote control.

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But the pièce de résistance has to be this awesome robo-caterpillar, which squirms around the floor using six interconnected motor segments for a body.

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The basic Wigglebot sell for just $10 bucks a piece, while the IR bot is a quite a bit more involved, selling for $75 each. And the crazy robotic caterpillar will set you back a hefty $175 – but it is oh, so cool.

Adam’s buggy little robots can be found over MiddleCreekMetchant’s shops over at the Makers Market or on Etsy. Bugspray not included.

The guys over at Senario sent me a sample Zibits robot to play with – he kinda reminds me of the Android logo, but in orange instead of green. In all, there will be 12 different robot designs for you to collect – so you could build out an entire robotic army for about $120.

Zibits measure about 2.5″ tall, and feature little light-up LED eyeballs, and offer just one basic set of maneuvers – drive forward, or do a 360-degree spin move using the remote joystick. Sure, your plans for world robotic domination might be difficult to achieve with that one move, but whaddya want for $10 bucks?

Here’s a video of the little robot dude in action:

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Those funny robot sounds on the video? They come out of the remote control, and not the robot himself to keep things compact. The little guys comes with three button batteries to power their motors, and an IR remote that you can use to control ‘em on any flat surface. You will need to grab a couple of AAA batteries for the remote, and a small screwdriver to install the batteries for your kids.

Senario says that Zibits will be available in Toys “R” Us stores starting in mid-March 2010, and they’ll be available in the UK sometime late in the Summer.

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…

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

This ridiculously expensive polycarbonate hardshell suitcase features electric motors in the wheels that can pull the bag along the floor at up to 3 miles per hour. Now don’t get any funny ideas about loading this thing up with 70 pounds of cargo and sending it hurtling through airport security to clear the way. That’s because the suitcase will only engage when you’ve started to set it in motion, it’s got at least 15 pounds of load, the handle is pulled out, and the case is tilted at just the right angle. Of course, you could always hack one to do your bidding without any of those checks and balances enforced. Me, I’d like to connect a remote control to one and see what sort of havoc I could wreak.

If you’ve got $1300 (USD) burning a hole in your pocket, give it to me. You can use next $1300 to buy one of these completely unnecessary bags over at Hammacher Schlemmer.

The clock comes with a wireless remote that lets you flip between a variety of different display modes, including traditional clocks, modern digitals, 3D animations, and even a Pac-Man mode. And with the optional upload module, you can load your own custom animations onto the clock face.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The latest version of the clock offers a significant upgrade over the original 2-color version, adding a full RGB display and enhanced animation capabilities. It can even do real time math to convert square pixel graphics into the cartesian coordinates needed to display along the blade’s circular path.

The RGB POV Clock should be available from Innovative Device by the end of the year.

Then along came Altered with their crazy self-propelled electric skateboards.

With models ranging from the off-road capable Green Machine 2.0 to the more traditional looking zebrawood Big Dream, each board has a unique personality.

Most models run on a hefty 36-volt rechargeable battery pack, which powers a belt-driven electric motor. While you’re in motion, you can adjust your speed using a wireless handheld throttle control.

The high-end (600-watt) models can hit 19 to 20 MPH without breaking a sweat, while the entry-level Wombat (250-watt) tops out at 12 MPH.

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Prices range from $599 to $799 for the beefy 600-watt models, with the 250-watt Wombat selling for just $399. Altered just recently took the wraps off their 2009 editions and expects to start shipping most models before the holidays. You can check out the full line over at Altered Electric Skateboards.

The humanoid ‘bot comes “ready to walk,” which means you won’t have to spend hours putting together the intricate servos and wiring that might have to with other hobby robots.

The 13-inch tall robot has over 20 individual servos for controlling the head, legs, arms, and other joints, so can be programmed to do some pretty complex moves.

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You can choose to program movements with your PC, or with the included multi-function wireless remote.

The $499 RoboPhilo is available just in time for the holidays from the RoboBrothers online shop.

[via Robots-Dreams]

The Funtrak Mini Paintball Tank is a scaled down version of a real tank, featuring a motorized drive system, and a tread drive that lets you maneuver through the roughest backyard obstacles. It’s got a built-in roll cage and engine firewall, and is actually certified for use on the road — in the UK, that is — I have a funny feeling that they wouldn’t let one of these on the street here in the States.

Just like the real world, phony weapons comes at a hefty price. The Paintball Panzer will set you back £8,000 (about $14,400 USD). Each tank is custom built, so you might have to wait up to three months to get yours.

[BornRich via Crave]

The Weave Mirror uses 768 individual strips which are woven together into a grid. As passersby walk in front of the work, motors adjust the woven strips to change the greyscale intensity of that particular X/Y coordinate on the grid. When you step back, it forms the illusion of a real-time mirror.

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Rozin also showed off his Peg Mirror which uses 650 angled dowels which each rotate to reflect different greyscale values.

The exhibition continues through October 8th, 2007, so if you happen to be in the New York area for any reason, be sure to stop by Bitforms to check out these amazing works. The gallery is located at 529 West 20th (between 10th and 11th) in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood.

[wemakemoneynotart via Boing Boing Gadgets]

A couple of builders from Germany painstakingly dissasembled an old 5-1/4″ hard drive, recalibrated the motor to run at a speed that lines up the drive precisely with marked hour indicators, then modified the head mechanism to move in 60 step-per-hour increments to indicate minutes.

For some reason, they weren’t able to get the motor to turn at exactly 24 rotations per day, instead turning 32 times, and quickly skipping the four “hours” between 12 and 1 on the dial.

Incredibly, the entire device is built from recycled parts (note the old power supply unit that serves as a base). Other than the electronics which control the speed and sequence of actions, the hard drive mechanism remains pretty much unchanged from its original state.

You can read more about the complexities of this very cool build here.

[via Hackaday via CrunchGear]

Daniel’s Circles Mirror is an amazing combination of mechanical and digital technologies. By using a radial gradient from black to white, each of the 900 overlapping discs rotates to create the illusion of shades of grey.

Rozin create custom software to convert the digital images captured by a video camera into data which could be used by the motors which rotate the circles.

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Be sure to check out Daniel Rozin’s other interactive works. If you’ve never seen them before, they are really quite amazing. Daniel is represented by bitforms gallery in New York if you’re interested in any of his works.

At just 12 bucks, you can’t expect much. The TechnoRobot kit is a do-it-yourself robot that’s made mostly out of cardboard and held together by scotch tape. A cheapie motor, some plastic gears and some rubber bands help the ‘bot to mosey along.

TechnoRobot certainly isn’t going to win any awards for looks, but it’s really meant as a way for kids to learn a little bit about the basics of robotics.