THINGM NEWSLETTER, DECEMBER 30, 2010

* ThingM December Newsletter 2010! *

 

CONTENTS

– Awesome projects on our blog

– Hackable Devices, our newest distributor

– Wifi + Arduino

– Holiday Greetings

– Unsubscribe

 

AWESOME PROJECTS ON OUR BLOG

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Over the next couple of months we’ll be featuring projects on our blog from

design and engineering students using BlinkMs all over the world.

This month we have The MEAL project from Corinna Sherman of Carnegie Mellon

University. Here’s how she describes it: “For the distracted diner who wants

a subtle reminder to assess how full he or she is while eating, the MEAL

dish is a weight-sensing dish that illuminates with colored light to give

the user a sense of how much food has been eaten since the meal began.

Normal dishware provides no feedback, placing the burden of self-monitoring

entirely on the individual. Mealtime distractions pose less of an issue,

however, when responsive MEAL dishes help people mind their own sense of

satiety with subtle, pleasant cues via ambient light.”

 

See the full description here:

blog.thingm.com/2010/12/thingm-project-feature-blinkm-in-the-meal-project/

 

We are also also continuing to post projects that independent makers have

sent us from all over. This month we have another project from Chis Ellerby.

This time Chris used BlinkMs to create a realistic explosive detonator film

prop. Here’s how he described it: “Recently we had the job of creating a

explosives detonator prop, and once again, I just had to put a BlinkM in the

project! When the device is “armed” the screen displays a flashing message

and a 30 second looping countdown begins. This triggers the BlinkM to start

flashing in a Red – Red – Green pattern. The center dash lights were mounted

in a light diffusing case, and looked amazing on set.”

 

Click here for photos, video, more details, and downloadable PDFs:

blog.thingm.com/2010/12/thingm-project-feature-explosives-detonator/

 

WELCOME HACKABLE DEVICES, OUR NEWEST DISTRIBUTOR!

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We’re very proud to welcome our newest distributor, Hackable Devices (a

project of Bearstech, a multi-armed Open Source consulting company), based

in Paris! They are more than just an online catalog: they’re also opening a

hackerspace in Paris that’ll give wayward hackers a place to hang out,

collaborate and share their experience.

 

hackable-devices.org

 

WIFI + ARDUINO

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Does Arduino’s lack of wireless bugs you? Do you think it sucks that WiFi

Shields for the Arduino cost as much a cell phone? Want something cheap?

Small and cheap WiFi routers like the Asus WL-520gu can run the DD-WRT

Linux firmware and act as serial-to-network gateway for Arduinos (or most

any other USB device)! For more information and to learn how to do it visit

Todbots blog:

 

todbot.com/blog/2010/12/16/wifi-for-arduino-with-asus-wl-520gu/

 

HOLIDAY GREETINGS!

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Last but not least – holiday greetings from ThingM! We wish you a very

happy and geeky Christmas and New Year!!!

Posted in December 2010