Tag: Magnet

Lava lamps are so 40 years ago. If you want a cool moving display for your desk, you’ll want to check out RIZE, a slick desktop plaything which uses the power of magnetic ferrofluid to create a neat, spinning design. The RIZE consists of a small glass chamber that sits atop an anodized aluminum base, and is filled with ferrofluid, an unusual liquid with magnetic properties.

Etsy shop PaisleyGarbage is selling this beautiful desk lamp made of U-shaped poplar and acrylic pieces stacked side-by-side. They took to Reddit to share how they made the lamp. PaisleyGarbage used a 35W laser cutter to prepare the wood and acrylic parts, including the base.

We’ve seen small-scale magnetic levitation applied to toys and food. Hoshinchu’s Air Bonsai is another novel application of the technique, combining it with miniature plants, hand made porcelain and antique Japanese fabric to make beautiful decor. Air Bonsai’s floating portion is called the Little Star.

Columbus Circle’s Famicom-themed clock cover plate for the New Nintendo 3DS was one of the coolest video game accessories I saw last year. Now those of us who don’t own the handheld can get in on the nostalgia with the new Case & Watch, the cover plate’s standalone version. The Case & Watch looks and works exactly like the Plate & Watch, but it has a built-in stand and magnets so you’ll easily find a place for it. You can order the Case & Watch from Japan Trend Shop for $39 (USD).

We’ve seen a couple of charging cable adapters that mimic Apple’s MagSafe connector. The Gecko on the other hand mimics both MagSafe and wireless chargers using thin magnetic adapters. Instead of plugging your devices, you’ll just place them on top of your cable or power bank and the adapters will snap into each other. Gecko has three adapters.

Molecular modeling kits usually use sticks to connect models of atoms. Veritasium creator Derek Mueller came up with a beginner kit that’s more realistic, intuitive and easier to use. He calls it Snatoms. Snatoms consists of plastic atomic models embedded with spherical neodymium magnets.

Thor’s hammer Mjölnir is famous for its enchantment that allows only the bravest and kindest to wield it and its lethal power. YouTuber Allen Pan aka Sufficiently Advanced put a high tech spin on the picky hammer with the help of science.

You may have seen Zelf Koelman’s mesmerizing Ferrolic, a clock that uses ferrofluid to display digits and a variety of complex animations. Damjan Stanković and Marko Pavlović’s Rhei is a simpler but equally notable take on a ferrofluid clock. One of the main differences between Ferrolic and Rhei is that the former uses electromagnets while the latter uses neodymium magnets that are moved mechanically to manipulate the ferrofluid. That means the Rhei uses less power, but can’t quite match the Ferrolic’s precise control over ferrofluid.

The past couple of years we’ve seen single board computers separated into modules to make them more accessible to newbie makers, especially children. Microduino knows there’s no better way to get kids interested than with LEGOs, so it came up with the mCookie. Like littleBits, mCookie modules attach to each other using magnets.

We’ve seen how you can make a robot replica and a 3D printed figure of Star Wars‘ new droid BB-8. Here’s Caleb Kraft’s low budget version: a BB-8 hand puppet. Caleb made the puppet using a 12″ globe, a 6″ styrofoam sphere, four neodymium magnets and some spray paint.

Last year we looked at Harvard University’s prototype for a robot that folds itself up from a flat shape into a spider-like form when exposed to heat. This small…device invented by MIT and TU Munich researchers has a similar feature, but I don’t know if I should call it a robot. This “miniature origami robot” is nothing but a neodymium magnet and thin layers of PVC encased in paper or polystyrene body.

Bo Hacking’s Morphonauts are action figures for budding toy modders. They’re a series of action figures with components that attach to each other via magnets. For instance, you can get parts from these three Morphonauts… …to make this new one, without using tools and without destroying any of the three. Morphonauts is also working on mobile app called Hero Lab, where you can configure and order a pre-remixed Morphonaut. With the Hero Lab, you won’t have to buy several stock Morphonauts just to make the one you want.

Charge your legion of mobile devices the Tony Brando Stark way with the Iron Man 3 Maghub Charging Station. Its cables work like Apple’s MagSafe cables. If you pick up your device while it’s connected to the charging station, the cable will safely snap off from the hub’s magnetic connectors.

The typical light bulb is really boring. You put it in the socket and it glows to provide you light. There are all sorts of lamps on the market, but if you want something that it as much a conversation piece as a source of illumination, the Flyte levitating light bulb is what you need.

Protect your valuables using LEGO bricks – by making a safe with them. You know you have a ton laying around and hey, it beats stepping on them. This video will teach you how to take your leftover LEGO bricks and turn them into a secret safe.

Similar to Good Smile Company’s Nendoroid line, Beast Kingdom’s Egg Attack figures are highly detailed chibi-style models. While some of them are propped up on their pedestal by a plastic rod, the new Iron Man Mk.