Tag Archives: magnet

Gecko Wireless Charging Adapter for Mobile Devices: PseudoQi

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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.

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Gecko has three adapters. The first one plugs into your mobile device’s Lightning or Android port, with its magnetic contact points lying flat on the back of your mobile device. The second adapter is for your charging cable, and the third one is for USB charging ports.

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To charge your device, simply align the contact points on your phone to one on your cable or USB charger, similar to how you place a device on top of a wireless charger.

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So it’s not a totally wireless setup, but it’s a bit more convenient than the MagSafe-style adapters.

You can pledge at least $14 (USD) on Indiegogo to receive one of each adapter as a reward. I think it’s a great idea on paper, but I’m worried that the contact points might be fragile, especially the ones that are meant to be left exposed on the back of mobile devices. I wonder if they can stand up to occasional drops and scratches.

[via The Gadget Flow]

Snatoms Magnetic Molecular Kit: Metallic Bonding

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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.

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Snatoms consists of plastic atomic models embedded with spherical neodymium magnets. It will launch with a glucose kit, which has six carbon atoms, six oxygen atoms, and 12 hydrogen atoms.

You can make smaller molecules with those atoms, as well as make larger ones by combining multiple kits. If it proves successful, atomic models for other elements will follow.

Pledge at least $42 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Snatoms kit as a reward. Derek said that if the fundraiser reaches $200,000 (USD) – which it most likely will – backers who pledge enough to get a kit will also receive two nitrogen Snatoms with their reward. A separate kit with double and triple bonds will be made if the fundraiser reaches $420,000 while an interactive app is Derek’s $840,000 stretch goal.

[via Cool Things]

DIY Electromagnetic Mjölnir Prank: Magnethor

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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. He proved to be more like Loki, yet was still able to wield Mjölnir.

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Allen made a battery-powered electromagnet using a microwave’s transformer and stuffed it inside a toy Mjölnir. Then he added two things. First is a touch sensor that turns the electromagnet on whenever someone touches the handle. Second is a fingerprint scanner, so that he could turn the magnet off if he scanned his print on it. All he needed was a magnetic surface and he could have some fun with his neighbors.

That last dude got a free pass to Asgard.

[via Tastefully Offensive]

 

 

Rhei Ferrofluid Clock: A Clock and Its Blob

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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.

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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. That said, Damjan claims the digits that Rhei forms will never look exactly the same. I’d like to see its billion variations of the number 1.

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Sadly Rhei’s teaser video doesn’t explain much about how it works, only offering glimpses of its components.

Rhei was one of this year’s Red Dot Design Award winners. Speaking with other Hacker News users, Damjan – who’s a user interface designer by profession – claims he learned about 3D modeling, machining and more only when he started working on Rhei, which makes the outcome even more impressive. That said, Marko’s contribution can’t be ignored because he handled Rhei’s electronics and software.

[via DudeIWantThat & Hack A Day]

Rhei Ferrofluid Clock: A Clock and Its Blob

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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.

rhei_clock_1zoom in

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. That said, Damjan claims the digits that Rhei forms will never look exactly the same. I’d like to see its billion variations of the number 1.

rhei_clock_2zoom in

rhei_clock_3zoom in

rhei_clock_4zoom in

rhei_clock_5zoom in

Sadly Rhei’s teaser video doesn’t explain much about how it works, only offering glimpses of its components.

Rhei was one of this year’s Red Dot Design Award winners. Speaking with other Hacker News users, Damjan – who’s a user interface designer by profession – claims he learned about 3D modeling, machining and more only when he started working on Rhei, which makes the outcome even more impressive. That said, Marko’s contribution can’t be ignored because he handled Rhei’s electronics and software.

[via DudeIWantThat & Hack A Day]

Microduino mCookie LEGO-compatible Modular Computer

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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.

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Like littleBits, mCookie modules attach to each other using magnets. But each module also has plastic studs on either side that snap onto LEGO pieces. Aside from the core module, mCookie has over 30 modules that provide the rest of a computer’s basic components – Bluetooth, USB, Wi-Fi etc. – as well as sensors and output devices such as a speaker, a temperature sensor and a servo. Skip to 2:46 in the video below for more on mCookie.

Like the first Microduino platform, mCookie is Arduino-compatible. Here’s a simple project made with the mCookie and a few LEGO parts:

Head to Microduino’s online store to pre-order an mCookie kit, which starts at $78 (USD).

[via Forbes]

DIY Low Budget BB-8 Puppet: CHPSK-8

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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.

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Caleb made the puppet using a 12″ globe, a 6″ styrofoam sphere, four neodymium magnets and some spray paint. Caleb also used an old camera lens as BB-8’s eye, but that’s completely optional. Put simply, Caleb attached a pair of magnets on the puppet’s styrofoam head, then another pair on a wooden handle. He then moves the handle inside the globe to make head move.

Head to Make: to see the full instructions.

Miniature Machine Controlled by Heat and Electromagnetic Fields: TermiNature

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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.

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This “miniature origami robot” is nothing but a neodymium magnet and thin layers of PVC encased in paper or polystyrene body. As with Harvard University’s bot, this tiny worker’s body has been laser cut such that it will fold itself into shape when exposed to heat.

Instead of a motor, this tiny transformer is controlled by electromagnetic coils positioned beneath the operating surface. The coils generate an electromagnetic field that causes the magnet inside the machine to shake. That shaking coupled with the magnet’s off-center position inside the machine and the machine’s asymmetrical shape causes the whole thing to skitter about.

Thus, this mindless package of reactive materials can be made to walk, climb, swim and carry or push other objects. When you’re done using it, you can steer it into a vat of acetone to destroy its body while leaving the magnet inside intact for further use.

I’m not a roboticist, but it seems to me like this is not really a robot but a clever application of programmable materials. It could be part of a robotic system if the machine that handles EM coils are programmable, but if this is a robot then I guess we can call iron filings robots too. Semantics aside, I think these kinds of stimuli-responding devices – stimborgs? – have a lot of potential and are just as fascinating as programmed machines.

[via IEEE via Gizmodo]

Morphonauts Magnetic & Modular Action Figures: Frankenfigure

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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…

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…to make this new one, without using tools and without destroying any of the three.

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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. But of course having several Morphonauts means you have more parts to mix and match.

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Morphonauts have interchangeable arms, legs, heads, bodies and rear attachments. The action figures are currently divided into three races: Man, Mutants, and Machines. Each race is further differentiated into four classes each, and each action figure will initially be available in six colors.

Bo and his colleagues are also working on a board game that will further encourage mixing and matching by assigning attributes to the Morphonauts’ parts.

Pledge at least $20 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Morphonauts action figure as a reward. I’m not too keen on Morphonauts’ current character designs, but I think the modular feature is one of those simple but brilliant ideas. I think this has a lot of potential with mech designs in particular. I would love to have a Front Mission Morphonauts set.