Category Archives: Tinkering

Using an RPi to play with your car’s OBD2

Posted on April 7, 2015 by robertwilkie

OK at first I thought this was going to be a direct connect, instead it is using a bluetooth based reader and interfacing that.  This could be useful in the future for car hacking. http://www.instructables.com/id/OBD-Pi/

Posted in RaspberryPi, Security | Comments Off on Using an RPi to play with your car’s OBD2

Build an RPi Weather station

Posted on April 7, 2015 by robertwilkie

Nice write-up on building a cheap weather station with the Raspberry Pi as the brains.  You can even use the cheaper Model A (or new variant of it) to save some on costs.  Would be nice if it was converted … Continue reading →

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A clean looking CD-ROM to CNC build

Posted on April 6, 2015 by robertwilkie

This is one of the cleaner looking CD-ROM builds to CNC that I have seen.  I like the Z-Axis where the author did not use the original CDROM frame, but built his own which reduces the footprint, and clutter of … Continue reading →

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Wow ASCII art has changed

Posted on April 1, 2015 by robertwilkie

OK this is something I will be downloading on the computer tonight.  Its fluid animation with ASCII.  I remember doing this stuff in the 90’s to folks screens. http://hackaday.com/2015/03/07/animated-ascii-fluid-dynamics-simulator-is-retro-cool/ http://www.ioccc.org/2012/endoh1/

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Need to test your app for low bandwidth, FB has an answer

Posted on April 1, 2015 by robertwilkie

It seems in Facebooks quest to get its apps under control, they built an opensource project that you can toss onto a gateway system to modify the bandwidth the test device can have access too.  It looks pretty neat. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/24/facebook_network_simulator/

Posted in android, Cheap, Software Development | Comments Off on Need to test your app for low bandwidth, FB has an answer

New IoT outlet Outlink

Posted on April 1, 2015 by robertwilkie

OK this looks pretty cool, its another internet enabled wall outlet which works with the Wink Hub.  You can use it to set timers, monitor electricity usage, etc etc.  But….its $50 a whack.  Which is cheaper than a Belkin WEMO … Continue reading →

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Print out your own Nerf gun

Posted on April 1, 2015 by robertwilkie

Well with some PVC pipe too.  Interesting build.  Looks pretty cool.  Oh you need o-rings too. http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150401-creating-3d-printed-soft-dart-weapons-with-mostly-harmless-arms.html

Posted in CNC/3D-printing, Misc-Life, weapons | Comments Off on Print out your own Nerf gun

Print out your own wireless door lock

Posted on March 31, 2015 by robertwilkie

This is a nice build where the author uses an arduino like board with NFC built in to control a servo that locks/unlocks the door.  The downside, the NFC board is $40.  Bluetooth maybe a better…well cheaper…solution.  The other thing … Continue reading →

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LightBlue Bean adds in Node-RED support

Posted on March 31, 2015 by robertwilkie

Lightblue bean is a lowpowered arduino like board that supports bluetooth.  Its a nifty setup.  Apparently the creators have added in Node-RED, which is like Node-js but for Internet of Things.  Or so I understand.  I wonder how well Node-* … Continue reading →

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Print out your own air-boat

Posted on March 31, 2015 by robertwilkie

At first I thought this was a kit, but no its the plans to print out a pretty nifty air boat. http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150329-learn-about-aerodynamics-and-have-fun-in-the-water-with-3d-printed-rc-airboat.html

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