Technabob » shadow

Bulbdial Clock: Sundial 2.0

Lambert Varias — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:54:50 +0000

The evil & mad scientists at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories built upon the idea of a certain David Friedman for a digital sundial. A normal sundial relies on the sun and only displays the hour. The Bulbdial clock is lit up by three layers or rings of LEDs that cause the gnomon (the object in the center of the clock that casts the shadow) to have three shadows. So aside from the hour hand, there’s a minute and a second hand as well.

The Bulbdial comes in one of four available case designs. The cases are laser-cut acrylic, and come in Tortoiseshell, Abalone Pearl, Black Granite, or Granite back/Clear front. Fancy names, but if you ask me I like the clock better when it’s naked:

The Bulbdial is Arduino-based, and both it’s hardware and software are open-source, which means that the clock is hacker-friendly. Makes you wonder why these nerds insist on calling themselves Evil Mad Scientists, what with their harmless products and open source philosophy. You can get the Bulbdial Clock Kit at Evil Mad Science for $65 (USD). Yes, I said “kit”; basic soldering skills are required to assemble the whole thing together. Still doesn’t make you evil mad scientists, Evil Mad Scientists. Visit the Evil Mad Scientists’ website for more information on how to make your own Bulbdial clock.

[via Boing Boing]

Just Me and My Shadow Here in This Tower [Wii]

Alisha K. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:16:45 +0000

Platform games can get complex, sure, but we’ve been running and jumping for a long, long time, and it gets more difficult to make creative platformers all the time. One way to change it up? Make your protagonist invisible and give him a tower to climb.

Hudson Soft’s Shadow Tower was just revealed in Famitsu, and it features quite a concept: traveling the world as the shadow of an invisible boy, interacting with other shadows, with only a butterfly to help him along. The idea of a world within a world is fascinating, and there’s a lot of potential for tweaking platform traditions within the concept.

From the limited visuals available, it looks nice, too.

[1UP via Joystiq]

Memento Number Lamp: You Do the Math

Technabob — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:57:35 +0000

There’s something just so right about the design of this minimal lighting fixture from Japan. While it sits there on your tabletop, it casts a dramatic shadow of numeric shapes across the surface of your desk and walls.

While I’m not sure what all the numbers mean, I like to think that it’s the solution to some as yet unsolved mathematical problem with a name like the Farbmann Conundrum or the Hunterkleiner-Dirkastan Constant. More likely, it’s just a bunch of random digits (or maybe it’s the key to understanding the upcoming season of Lost).

The Memento lamp was designed by Hiroshi Yoneya and Yumi Masuko for design collective Tonerico. At this point, it looks like it’s is only available in Japan.

[via FFFOUND! via Inspire me, now!]

Shadow Ss Watch Hides LED Under Analog Dial

Technabob — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:02:53 +0000

This unique men’s wristwatch conceals a little secret beneath its traditional mechanical face. When you press a button on the side of the watch, a hidden LED display reveals itself.

The Shadow SS analog/digital hybrid watch has a red 7-segment LED that can either be synchronized with the analog time, or be set to display a second time zone. The watch has a sleek stainless steel case and band and is water resistant to five atmospheres.

The LEDWatchStop has a limited supply of these watches for $199 each. If you prefer a round watch face instead of a rectangular one, check out the $179 version called the Shrewd.