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Gadget Freak features cool, homemade electronic gadgets proudly brought to us--by you!

Complete with build instructions for the design engineer who likes the silly side of inventing things and enjoys building stuff in his and her spare time, these gadgets range from highly silly and impractical to extraordinarily inspirational for your own engineering design work.

Why not submit your own pride and joy for publication in Gadget Freak? Send us your project details here.

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July 2, 2009

The beauty of KOZO pipe lights

lamp bulb 1.jpg
Flow electricity down the pipe and out comes light. Simple.

I really like these pipe-light examples of crafted ingenuity - thanks to baekdal.com for this one.

It describes the KOZO desk lamps as follows.
"Galvanized steel pipes can be used for many things. They are usually used to direct the flow of water. But if you pour electricity through them you end up with these amazing desk lamps."

Continue reading "The beauty of KOZO pipe lights" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on July 2, 2009 5:23 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Most read Gadget Freak posts in June

It's time once more to compile the Most Read list for the last month, finding out which posts were most popular among your peers.

Here are the big hitters of June 2009, with competition and LED bike wheel display posts leading the way...

1. The many faces of Arduino

2. Olympus VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder

3. O Robot! My Robot!

Continue reading "Most read Gadget Freak posts in June" »

Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on July 2, 2009 8:50 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 26, 2009

A greenbox for power charging

greenbox 1.jpgItalian designer Alberto is a good friend of Gadget Freak - he was the inventor behind the Surveillance Camera System and the PC Thermometer. He has now completed a new proof of concept - the greenbox.

One of my bug-bears is power prodigality with the whole plug-your-phone-into-the-wall charging process. I genuinely don't want to waste power but I also genuinely forget to unplug the charger. This is where the greenbox could come in.

It's a device that magically disconnects the charger from the mains when not in use.

The design cues of the box and its lid are centrally important. Alberto writes:

Continue reading "A greenbox for power charging" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 26, 2009 3:48 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 23, 2009

Megaphone hack for budding spies



Thanks to the great Instructables website for this one - how to turn a megaphone into a "bionic hearing spy device".

All you need to do is follow the six steps they outline. Step 1?
"After opening up the battery compartment you will see 1 screw. Remove it and the battery compartment and circuit board assembly will come out as one piece."

Continue reading "Megaphone hack for budding spies" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 23, 2009 1:56 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Crawling giant beetle robot!



Wow! This is amazing. Apparently dubbed the Kabutom MX-03, this giant "robot" weighs 15-tons, but can be driven from a cockpit or by remote control. Thanks to TechEBlog for this one.

Continue reading "Crawling giant beetle robot!" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 23, 2009 1:34 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

June 21, 2009

Computer hollow

tree case 11.jpg
This modder went back to nature for inspiration. To pebbles and a hollowed out log, to be precise, with sawn slots for the non-wooden peripherals.

Thanks to techeblog for this one, which has a range of pictures in gallery format. It writes:
Most custom computers these days need a fancy case to stand out, whether it be a retro-styled radio or Apple G5, but this modder decided that a log was the most economical solution available. So, he hollowed out the log, created custom slots for all the PC components, and the finished product is the computer you see above.

Continue reading "Computer hollow" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 21, 2009 12:57 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 20, 2009

Gadget of the Week: Nokia N97 smartphone

Nokia n97_new_main.jpgWhat's this week's Gadget of the Week?

Well, let's move quickly past the spacecraft-shaped, 60 watt Scandyna Ball subwoofer. And we'll also ignore the frivolous football-shaped 4-port USB hub, and the navigation system featuring my favourite Simpsons character. Not so much Tom Tom, as Homer Homer...

Huawei's E583X wireless modem, however, did catch our eye, turning 3G signals to WiFi. It exchanges the more familiar fat-dongle shaped mobile Internet form factor for a place in your pocket or bag, by receiving the 3G mobile data and communicating it to your laptop as WiFi. The blinking lights are a featureless extra...

Continue reading "Gadget of the Week: Nokia N97 smartphone" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 20, 2009 6:19 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 11, 2009

Intrusion alert system dials your mobile

security alert system.jpg
Think of it as a DIY home security system: if something disturbs a chosen location, you will know because your mobile phone will be rung.

Thanks again to our sister site Design News for this Gadget Freak, which involves an intrusion detection system.

Basically, it is a home alarm system that calls you whenever an event is triggered, whether a door or window is opened, or a panic button is pressed, etc.
You can set it up to indicate intrusion into a door, window, office or pool. It can also connect to a panic button. The circuit includes a small PIC microcontroller, an assembly program and a handful of other parts that can be designed to detect the interruption of a switch closure or the connection of a panic button. When the circuit is tripped, the gadget dials your number and indicates what device has been triggered.

Continue reading "Intrusion alert system dials your mobile" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 11, 2009 4:19 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

June 10, 2009

Stefan races the ErockIT motor push bike



Continuing the biking theme, check out the ErockIT, the invention of Stefan Gulas. Half push bike, half motorbike, all electric. It can go at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80km/h).

He describes it as "a new kind of highly emotional electric motorcycle".

Continue reading "Stefan races the ErockIT motor push bike" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 10, 2009 2:18 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

June 9, 2009

Sign up for the Circuits-Gadget Freak newsletter

circuits nl logo.jpgHaving one of those days? Work driving you mad? Just can't seem to find the time to visit Gadget Freak as much as you would like to?

Well, don't stress, help is at hand. If you can't come to us, we'll come to you!

You can now sign up for the Circuits newsletter to ensure you receive the latest and greatest Gadget Freak news, hot and fresh, straight into your inbox!

Signing up only takes a second and then you can sit back and relax as we do the rest.

Continue reading "Sign up for the Circuits-Gadget Freak newsletter" »

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Posted by Robert Kotevski on June 9, 2009 4:10 PM | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

June 8, 2009

Olympus VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder competition

Olympus VN-3100PC.jpgOnce more another month has passed. And as well as meaning you are one more month older there's another chance to win the new Gadget Freak competition, the fifth of 2009.

Up for grabs is a personally recommended, neat and versatile digital voice recorder from Olympus. The VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder, to be precise. And a little external microphone comes included.

The prize question

Continue reading "Olympus VN-3100PC Digital Voice Recorder competition" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 8, 2009 9:25 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MonkeyLectric Video Pro LED bike wheel display

We flagged this one before - SpikePOV - Bicycle LED persistence of vision - with SpokePOV, or "persistence of vision for your bike", being a way to have a bit of fun driving LED lights to improve your bike's visibility.

Well here's another great video of the system in action, featuring 256 RGB LEDs in a 4-spoke system that apparently mounts into standard bike wheels.



Check out www.monkeylectric.com for more info on what the site describes as the most advanced rotating wheel display system in the world.

The basics of the spec include:

Continue reading "MonkeyLectric Video Pro LED bike wheel display" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 8, 2009 12:29 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 4, 2009

LED Bulbdial Clock shadows the time

bulbdial clock built.jpg
Wow! What a strange but clever idea: a "Bulbdial clock" - applying the principles of a sundial to (adjustable) electric light.

Back in March 2008, David Friedman published the idea on his blog Ironic Sans*.

He writes:


The Bulbdial Clock [pictured, below] has no hands - just one pole in the center of the clock, and three light sources of varying heights which revolve around the pole casting shadows. In the model illustrated above, the light sources are each attached to a ring which rotates around the pole. The innermost ring rotates once per minute, casting a "second hand" shadow. The middle ring rotates once per hour, and casts the "minute hand" shadow. And the outer ring rotates once every 12 hours, casting the "little hand" shadow.
Well, the excellent evilmadscientist.com website picked up this bulb and ran with it, as it were, constructing a working, LED-based bulbdial clock that builds on the original concept.

Continue reading "LED Bulbdial Clock shadows the time" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 4, 2009 3:47 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 3, 2009

Circuit Design Idea - Automatic lamp control

turn lamp on and off.jpgHere's another circuit for those seeking design inspiration. It's a Circuit Design Idea freshly uploaded to the site, in the new Circuits section - Automatically turn secondary lamp on or off

As its title suggests, it is a system to automatically turn a spare lamp on or off by means of a transformer and a relay.

The Design Idea starts:
In the circuit, a primary load is in series with an ac-mains transformer (Figure 1). The transformer connects in an unusual way. Its usual secondary low-voltage winding is Winding 1, and its primary ac-mains winding is Winding 2. Under these conditions, the main lamp's voltage is slightly less than during its ordinary operation--the ac-mains voltage minus the voltage drop over Winding 1.

Continue reading "Circuit Design Idea - Automatic lamp control" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 3, 2009 11:29 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 2, 2009

Creative ZEN X-Fi MPEG-4 compo - last week for entries

Creative ZEN X-Fi 16GB.jpg
This is the last week for our Creative ZEN X-Fi MPEG-4 media player competition - get your entry in before it closes at 23:59pm, Friday 5 June.

Thank you to all who have taken part, we have now had more than 550 entries.

Up for grabs is this nifty mobile multimedia player. The ZEN X-Fi 16GB with Wireless LAN Compatibility - measuring 14 x 9 x 4cm and weighing a mere 69g - would set you back £113.87 on Amazon (down from £150).

The prize question

Continue reading "Creative ZEN X-Fi MPEG-4 compo - last week for entries" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 2, 2009 11:39 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

June 1, 2009

Most read Gadget Freak posts in May

GF LED Cube YouTube.jpgIt's time once more to compile the Most Read list for the last month, finding out which posts were most popular among your peers.

Here are the big hitters of May 2009, with competition and LED cube posts leading the way...


1. O Robot! My Robot!

2. Build your own LED cube

3. Creative ZEN X-Fi MPEG-4 media player competition

Continue reading "Most read Gadget Freak posts in May" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on June 1, 2009 3:10 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 29, 2009

The many faces of Arduino

laser harp arduino smaller.jpg
Ahead of the imminent June/July competition, and inspired by the recent Sigh Collector and Peggy 2 LED array posts, here is an Arduino-based roundup of Gadget Freak blogs.

Once again, we were spoiled for choice, with the posts ranging from Jingle Bells, through beer thermostats to laser harps.

Check out these Arduino nine:

* Build your own laser harp

* Arduino Audio DAC Options

Continue reading "The many faces of Arduino" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 29, 2009 2:36 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 26, 2009

Star Trek gizmos, The Collection

Tricorder-Star-Trek-weapons-and-gadgets.jpg"Set phasers to stun..."

One for Trekkies. Check out this recent Photo Story from our sister site Computer Weekly, taking an affectionate look at the futuristic "technology" of Star Trek.

Teleporters, Comms badge, Warp drive, Digital windows and Tricorders. They're all in there.

For example, here is the entry on the distinctive "Comms badges" (pictured below):


Continue reading "Star Trek gizmos, The Collection" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 26, 2009 8:56 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

May 25, 2009

Another circuit challenge is on offer

Figure 1 blacked out small.jpg
We have had more than 1,000 entries for the first four, so it seems to be proving popular. Now we've freshly uploaded the fifth 'One of our components is missing' competition...

Take the test with Circuit #005. There's a £50 Amazon voucher to be won.

You just have to reason which component has been blacked out from a particular (real world) circuit schematic. Have a go!

Continue reading "Another circuit challenge is on offer" »

Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 25, 2009 11:10 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gadget of the week: Sony a380 digital SLR

sony a380 good.jpgTime for another Gadget-of-the-Week roundup. And, as always, there's plenty to catch the eye in the world of consumer electronics.

I'm not necessarily referring to Q-SOUND's solar-powered Bluetooth headphones, or the BenQ GP1 LED pocket projector, or a Chinese hard drive enclosure that doubles as media player.

But there is the first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion chipset, Lenovo's $449 IdeaPad S12. And the "dark lamp" certainly made me smile.

Continue reading "Gadget of the week: Sony a380 digital SLR" »

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Posted by Alun Williams - Electronics Weekly.com on May 25, 2009 10:04 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)