Tag Archives: servo

LEGO-compatible Remote-controlled Motors: Servobrick Pro

Posted on by

LEGO’s Mindstorms and Power Functions lines both have remote controllers, but shockingly they transmit only via infrared. Polish company RC Bricks wants to expand LEGO enthusiasts’ tools with its Servobrick Pro, two motors that receive signals over radio, just like most RC models.

servobrick_pro_1zoom in

Servobrick Pro will let you build LEGO creations that can be controlled from up to 60ft. away. They also offer variable control, unlike LEGO transmitters that send only on and off signals.

The motor will come in two models: one turns 360º while the other one can turn 120º left and right. They both come with a detachable 2L axle to deliver movement. Here’s a demo video from master MOCer Sariel:

RCBricks will launch a crowdfunding campaign for Servobrick Pro soon. Keep an eye on its website or Facebook page for updates.

[via Sariel]

Mozilla and Samsung collaborating on new Servo web browser engine for Android and ARM

Posted on by

Mozilla and Samsung collaborating on new Servo web browser engine for Android and ARM

It's a fairly bold claim, but Mozilla and Samsung have announced today that they're now attempting to "rebuild the web browser from the ground up on modern hardware." That initiative takes the form of Servo, a new web browser engine designed for Android and ARM and based on Mozilla's Rust programming language, which itself sees a new release today. Expectedly, details on the browser engine remain light, with Mozilla and Samsung offering no indication of a release schedule or a final product. In the blog post announcing the engine, Mozilla says only that it'll be "putting more resources into Servo" in the coming year as it also aims to complete the first major revision of Rust, and that it and Samsung will be "increasingly looking at opportunities on mobile platforms." You can find the full announcement, and the source for both Rust and Servo if you're so inclined, at the source link below.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: The Next Web

Source: Mozilla

Iron Man Arc Reactor Marriage Proposal Device for When an Iron Man Meets an Iron Woman

Posted on by

You see, when two nerds love each other very much, they sometimes make each other things. Things like this Iron Man arc reactor marriage proposal device that Eddie Zarick created.
stark heart
This is a nice nerdy way to say I love you. Besides, his girlfriend is always calling him Tony Stark anyway since he is involved in a ton of projects. So he figured he would make a Arc Reactor Heart with an engagement ring inside. The thing lights up, and when a button is pushed, the LEDs animate in colors, and the ring rises from the center to impress even the most iron-hearted of iron women. Here, check it out:

Impressive, Eddie, very impressive indeed.

[via Geeks Are Sexy]

TJ* Animatronic Puppet Puts a Robot Head on Your Desk

Posted on by

If you’ve ever wanted to play with animatronics, here’s your chance to do it without breaking the bank. This low-cost robotic head is the perfect combination of plaything and educational toy.

tj animatronic robot head 1

Designed by Jeff Kessler, TJ* is an animatronic puppet you can easily control. TJ*’s mechanical eyes can move up, down, left and right, and his mouth can move open and closed too. The mechanical puppet is controlled using a programmable Arduino circuit, so you can make it do whatever you want.

tj animatronic robot head 2

TJ* is made from laser-cut MDF wood and three drive servos, and can also be covered with a paper “skin” so you don’t have to stare at his skull if you don’t want (though I think it looks cool that way.) Jeff is also working on an upgrade which will let you add LED eyeballs to TJ*. Now all we need is a metal skin, and we’ll have our own desktop Terminators!

Pricing for TJ* starts at just $50(USD) if you already have an Arduino, and at $120 for a complete system with the Arduino Uno controller and puppeteer’s joystick. For $10 extra, you can request a plastic version of TJ* instead of MDF. Drop on over to Kickstarter and get your pledge in by this Saturday April 14th, if you want to get in on the action. Jeff expects to start shipping out the first batch of TJ* robots this June. Down the road, he’ll also be releasing an upgraded ($200) version of TJ* with the ability to move the corners of his mouth and his brow up and down.


TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video)

Posted on by
TextSpresso machine lets geeks remotely brew caffeinated goodness via text messages (video)
The folks at Zipwhip may have unwittingly discovered a new business model. While the company is primarily focused on cloud messaging services, it's recently created an espresso maker that allows employees to whip up custom brews from the comfort of their mobile phone. Known as TextSpresso, it's based on the Jura Impressa XS90, but unlike the retail model, the machine accepts orders via SMS. As if that weren't enough, it's part of a larger system that's capable of printing employee names onto the foam (using edible ink) and then placing the drink onto a warming tray. TextSpresso is very much a custom job, but if you'd like an inside peek of the system -- complete with servo motors, an Arduino microcontroller and a retro-fitted Canon printer -- be sure to hop the break and dream of what could be.

Continue reading TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video)

TextSpresso machine brews caffeinated goodness via text messaging (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGeekWire  | Email this | Comments