Arduino project: Acrylic 'N'' LED sculpture

This week's arduino project starts with the letter 'n'.  Well, and it ends with the letter 'n', as well.

While the image to the right doesn't do the end result justice, it is a fairly good representation of what you should get, when done.

It is unclear why a person would want the letter 'n', created as a "multi-layered, acrylic and LED sculpture, with variable lighting levels", hanging on the wall.  The instructables user slight does not appear to touch on the reasoning.

All we have as an explanation is, "This n is an art work and experimental and these instructions should be treated as such!"

But, one can imagine that if there was another letter, or perhaps even a word or something else that might be more appropriate, it can probably be made as an extension of this instructables.  So, let's look at it, closer.

Open Source Energy

So this post is going to delve into the highly controversial and emotionally volatile realm of so called "Free" energy.

For many hundreds...  nay, thousands of years, people have been conned into new ideas that simply turn out to be some form of snake oil.  For all intents and purposes, the con in itself is simple.  Use jargon and claims of expertise to promote and sell a product or invention that ultimately does not work as advertised.

When talking about energy, these types of claims are usually described as unity, over unity, free energy, etc.  In this article, we will be looking deeper into this realm and discuss something that is perhaps much more relevant to any impending energy revolution.  That a free energy revolution is more about Open Source freedom, than about breaking the laws of thermodynamics.

Software Sunday: Bare Metal Linux

In our Open Source Sunday articles, we will be doing our best to present Open Source software that works on all three major operating systems (Win/Mac/Lin).  In some cases, that's just not an option.  But there are ways to use Open Source software, even if your OS isn't supported.

One of the ways to use non-native, Open Source software is to use a virtual machine.  A piece of software that can emulate a piece of hardware that can then run a supported OS.  That is an option we will be covering in another article.

In this article, we will be discussing Bare Metal Linux.  That is a phrase that basically means that Linux runs on the physical hardware layer of the computer.  And of course, Linux runs on pretty much every piece of hardware out there, as we will touch on, as we present the Open Source software called Linux.

Raspberry Pi Operating Systems

The Raspberry Pi is a great, little computer.

Of course, with electronics you can create a circuit that will do...  something...  with a computer, you really need software, in order to do something.  And it all starts with an operating system.

The Raspberry Pi enlisted the GNU/Linux community to create a version for the Pi, and so far, there's already more than one, depending on your needs.

Raspberry Pi Project: Beetbox

Yes, Beetbox.

Take a Rasbperry Pi and some edible taproots and make yourself a musical instrument.

In this installation of our Raspberry Pi Projects, we'll take a look at making an interactive Pi by connecting up a Pi with beets a capacitive touch sensor which allows a person to play with their food.

This is the same technology as those light switches that one simply touches the base of a lamp, as an example, to turn the light on or off.  By touching the beets, the Pi will play a drum sample.

Open Source money: what is it?

It is often called Open Source Money.

Open Source generally means that a person can copy and share the process, product, service, etc.  Also, a person can make changes which are contributed back to the source.  And changes can be shared with others as can derivatives which potentially lead to a fork or alternative to the original.

Is that the case with Open Source Money?

In this article, we'll take a closer look at Open Source Money and hopefully lead people to consider possible pros and cons.

Software Sunday: Gimp

Maybe it's an unfortunate name, but it certainly isn't an unfortunate application.  GIMP actually stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program.  If there was ever an understatement, it is, "but it's much more than that".

This is one of those programs that, it is really unfair to compare it to commercial products, such as Photoshop.  The reason being, because GIMP really is as good, and better, than it's commercial counterpart.

In this week's Software Sunday, we will examine how that bold statement can actually be made.

Open Source meritocracy: is it a good thing?

What is meritocracy, how does it work in Open Source, and is it helpful or hurtful (to the individual or to the project)?

Meritocracy \ˌmer-ə-ˈtä-krə-sē\ - "a system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement", states the first definition of the word.  The second is perhaps a little more telling: "leadership selected on the basis of intellectual criteria".

We've possibly heard the word or idea being tossed around, sometime during our lives.  Open Source seems to be quite taken by it.  So, it sounds like a good idea, what could go wrong?

Arduino project: Persistence of Vision

Many people may have seen something similar to this, in one form or another.  They used to be made with materials like a spinning wheel, where one can create a penciled animation come alive.

The concept is called persistence of vision, and it takes advantage of the fact that our eyes and brain have a way of combining things we see over a period of time, into something that might actually not exist at a single instant in time.

This weeks Arduino project bring to you a simple Persistence of Vision Wand by instructables user amandaghassaei.

Intel® Galileo: Arduino compatible development board

Intel® has taken on the niche market of the maker community.  Around the beginning of Oct. 2013, Intel and Arduino co-announced the release of the Intel Galileo board that is Arduino compatible.

At around $60+ per board, it is more expensive than an Arduino board, although for those who prefer a large brand with more features, it might be worth looking at.  Certainly, there is a price to pay for that.

In this article, we will take a closer look at this Intel / Arduino colaboration and how it might find its way into a Maker's project.

Software Sunday: Miro Media Player

Starting this week, we will be posting highlight articles about Open Source Software every Sunday.

While we have used plenty of different open, or even free, programs over the last two decades, everyone finds the ones that work for them and that they like and become familiar with.  Often, we stop there and look no further for perhaps better suited or other interesting applications.

Open Source Software covers all areas of technology, from mobile to desktop, and general to special purpose.  Often covering solutions we didn't even consider or were not looking to solve.

We may present some that you already know well, even though you may not know they are open source, and perhaps show you some you didn't even know existed.  And some may be bullet proof, production and corporate ready, while others may be beta or pre beta.

This instalment is on the Miro Media Player.

Why NOT Open Source

A lot of discussions revolve around the value of Open Source.  There certainly are a lot of reasons to embrace it, at least in some form or another.

It is possible, that perhaps a more relevant and interesting discussion to have with people is, "Why not?"

In a way it is unfortunate, a lot of conversations about Open Source only take into consideration the value of Open Source, but do not take into context the specific audience.  In a way, it is a form of peer pressure to suggest that one MUST move to Open Source, for the betterment of humanity.

Raspberry Pi Project: Sun Power for Pi

This instalment of the Raspberry Pi Projects is perhaps a bit simplistic, depending on one's knowledge of electronics, but it can be a valuable project when available power is a problem.

Of course, with many of our personal electronics devices, they may be specifically designed to operate away from power sources, and come with their own battery packs.

And, a person can pick up kits to power their electronic devices which are to be used in locations where a power source is not available.

Today, we will discuss one specific solar powered kit by instructables user hackitbuildit which can take care of your Pi needs, when the Pi is to be used away from a power source, such as at camp or when the Pi is to be used in an outdoor application.

Free (Open Source) Beer

While I had previously seen home made wine and beer and was well enough aware of the microbrewery phenomenon, it was confusing to me that, something that people had been creating for thousands of years, was to be either purchased at a store selling liquor, or purchased as a kit from a store.

For both romantic reasons and also for the purpose of not having to rely on a company to produce something for me, of which I had no control over quality, it was baffling that a person could not make their own spirits from scratch.  So in 2008 I took it upon myself to learn about mead and eventually created from scratch, less the yeast which was purchased from a store, what I would call the best apple mead that I'd ever tasted.  Of course, I had never had apple mead, so...

It really was a huge success and I learned a lot along the way.  I have not created any new alcoholic beverage, since.  But if I do, I am certain that it will be "from scratch" once again.  There's nothing quite like the quality and flavours one can create with their own recipes and fresh ingredients.

Apparently, it's not just me that likes fresh made food and drink.  As beer, among other beverages, is moving into the Open Source realm.

Open Source Knitting

Some people work with electronics, some people are proficient with numbers and money, others paint or play musical instruments.  And some people...  knit...

For those who don't know, working with textiles might seem like a pretty simple thing to do, but most of us buy our clothes from the store and throw them out when they are worn out or old.

I can't even begin to claim any significant knowledge of textiles, aside from the most basic knowledge of the process from raw material to the clothing we wear.  But there are people who know this industry in and out, and for them, a knitting machine is the cat's meow.

In this article, we will look at how knitting is entering the Open Source community.