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EW-Gadget Master Web Page - for 17-08-11 issue...(Electronics Weekly (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) EW-Gadget Master Web Page - for 17-08-11 issue Welcome to the monthly page featuring the ElectronicsWeekly.com Gadget Master blog, which is sponsored by DigiKey. As well covering the most popular posts and highlighting current competitions, we take a look at some classic Gadget Master posts from the past. See http://www.electronicsweekly.com/gadget-master MOST RECENT GADGET MASTER POSTS electronicsweekly.com/gadget-master Microsoft Gadgeteer takes on Beagle Board and Arduino A set of electronic parts designed to be plugged together to build prototypes or working electronic devices. How to build your own Geiger Counter Some engineers at Libelium, a wireless sensor network company, decided to help the people of Japan, around Fukushima, determine levels of radiation for themselves. Video: Samsung Galaxy Tab teardown As I always say, we like teardowns on Gadget Master, oh yes we do - and here's the Samsung Galaxy Tab getting the dissection treatment. Sign up for the Circuits-Gadget Master newsletter Having one of those days? Work driving you mad? Just can't seem to find the time to visit Gadget Master as much as you would like to? Arduino, just for blog cred... Read and mentally digest this perfect circuit. I will be testing you later! Android phones hack their way with IOIO breakout board The "IOIO" board, from SparkFun, is an easy way to get to get I/O from an Android device's USB connection (OS versions 1.5 and greater). Penning silver ink circuitry Here's one I meant to highlight a while ago. It involves a rollerball pen, conductive ink and flexible electronics... Get the latest Gadget Freak posts via RSS feed electronicsweekly.com/rss // for pics, see the URL This month's most read posts 1. Boating, with a magnetohydrodynamic thruster Following on from the simple homopolar motor - See The simplest motor...a wire, a magnet and a battery - how about another exotic power system built from odds and sods? EvilMadScientist has made a magnetohydrodynamic-thruster from a battery and a magnet, and used it to drive a boat. electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2011/07/boating-with-a-magnetohydrodyn.html 2. Video: Hand soldering tutorials, Australian style We've highlighted the Ben Heck Video Shows recently, but don't forget the Electronics Engineering Video Blog, hosted by Dave Jones. We previously highlighted his pieces on a project to provide illumination for his outdoor deck and tearing down a Varta 15 minute NiMH battery charger. electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2011/07/video-hand-soldering-tutorials.html 3. Penning silver ink circuitry In what would be a dream bit of kit for a Gadget Master, a pen drawing silver ink could be used to draw functioning circuitry on paper and other surfaces, as well as breadboards... electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2011/07/penning-silver-ink-circuitry.html 4. The simplest motor...a wire, a magnet and a battery Here's a challenge. Could you design a simpler motor than this? Thanks to our own Steve B for this one, and he highlights a couple of alternatives... electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2011/07/the-simplest-motora-wire-a-mag.html 5. Build your own LED cube This Gadget Master is provided by an old favourite of the blog, Peter Griffiths. He shares all the details necessary to build your own 5 x 5 LED cube. The project is fully documented in terms of parts and the build process, and Peter provides a number of photos to help navigate construction. electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2009/05/build-your-own-led-cube.html (for pics, see http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2011/03/samsung-blu-ray-player-compo.html) GADGET MASTER COMPETITION Time is running out for this one! Up for grabs is the Mimo mini display, courtesy of Digi-Key who sponsor the Gadget Master blog. The portable 7" mini monitor is USB-powered, no extra video card is required (it has a built in video IC), supports a rotating Portrait or Landscape view, and it has a screen resolution of 800 x 480... It would set you back £84 on Amazon! As always, we'll keep the format familiar and straightforward: correctly answer one question for a chance of winning the oscilloscope. Note that the competition closes end of play this Friday, 19 August 2011. electronicsweekly.com/gadget-master-compo (http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2009/08/stormbringer-coming---defend-a.html ) CLASSIC GADGET MASTER Let's take a look through the extensive Gadget Master archive for some choice picks. Stormbringer coming - Defend against the static! Thanks to Steve Bush, our Technology Editor, for flagging this - a self-built passive infra-red detector, to help protect electronic equipment from the effects of static in violent storms of thunder and lightning. The inventor, Jeff, lived in Majorca and felt the vulnerability of devices that had to be attached to mains electricity supply or the telephone lines. The problems of static-intensive storms were compounded, he writes, by overhead electricity and telephone networks, coursing with the very high voltages. He looked to build his own solution - a PIR (passive infra-red) detector. What triggered his invention was the observation that, on the approach of a storm, as static levels were building up, local P.I.R. automatic security lights were being triggered. As a result, his unit would: detect static before it reached harmful levels be readily available be-able to trigger relays have a 'timing' facility be cheap (around £10, it eventually cost £30) On his site you can find a description and circuit diagram of a unit suitable for the protection of a typical computer/modem installation "The 'home-made' unit described, will, in the event of a storm, disconnect automatically, the equipment from its external lines, monitor the lines for harmful static while disconnected), then, reconnect the equipment, again automatically, after the storm has past." His Parts list as follows: PIR stand-alone unit (Argos) 240V AC-12V DC universal adapter (Argos) Relay, with 250V AC coil + one break contact (Maplin) Four relays, with 12V coils + one 'make contact' each + high voltage contacts + extra-wide contact gap (Maplin) Four VDRs (Voltage-dependent resistors) 250V (Maplin) 15A strip connectors (Maplin) Brass drawing-pin 1mm 3core mains flex One 3pin mains plug. One 3pin mains socket. Two panel-mounted 250V mains neons (Maplin) One suitable plastic instrument case, approx 6x6x3inches (Maplin) Thin single-core insulated wire (the type used in internal telephone cabling is ideal) Telephone lead with male plug Telephone socket, surface mounted Adhesive (araldite or similar) Read the full description on his website. He proudly declares that for the periods when the unit was in place no lightning damage was experienced. electronicsweekly.com/gadget-master (see: http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/gadget-master/2009/07/led-lightlane-increases-bicycl.html) NEWSLETTERS Sign up for the Daily eNewsletter from Electronics Weekly Straight to your inbox, no fuss, early afternoon. Short and sweet, the daily email will contain the latest news on the site, the latest product releases, and the most popular content that your peers are reading. Keeping you up to date with developments in the Electronics Industry on a daily basis. Under the My Emails heading, tick the box for: "Daily news - Daily highlights of the latest news from ElectronicsWeekly.com" electronicsweekly.com/signup Sign up for the Circuits eNewsletter Featuring the Gadget Master blog, the Circuits eNewsletter is chock full of ideas for design engineers who love circuits and are looking for inspiration for their own projects. electronicsweekly.com/signup (c) 2011 Reed Business Information - UK. All Rights Reserved. |