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Brush up on the latest from the world of Gadget Freak with the third episode of our podcast.
Richard had a flash of inspiration
Now he’s got the power to cut lightning down to size
People have always been fascinated by the fury of the heavens. Electronics prodigy Richard Hodgkinson created a lightning distance timer so he would no longer have to manually calculate the approach or retreat of a thunderstorm. He recycled a 70 KHz crystal from an old device for the oscillator. “Let there be light,” he declared as two HP 45MGC670 surface mount LEDs were attached to allow him to see measurements in the dark. And his project wouldn’t be complete without two 1.5V AA cells which are the heart of his timer. Now his creation is alive, all he needs is a wicked thunderstorm (5 mins)
2007: A Year in Review
As 2007 draws to a close, we’re celebrating the wonderful collection of inventions that made their home in Gadget Freak this year.
This year saw us look at how electronics engineering students at Dalhousie University harness NASA technology to build robots that could one day save lives; we took a look at Neuroti-Kart, the home-made electric go-kart; wondered why someone would ever build a human hamster wheel; and witnessed history in the making in the form of a Beer Launching Fridge (9 mins).
If 2008 is half as amazing as 2007, then we’re already in for a fantastic new year.
Clive had an engagingly surreal stage presence
For our first foray into the world of podcasting, we set off for Glasgow, where theatre special effects designer Clive Mitchell took time out from his schedule to share with us his pride and joy: an electric match controller that’s designed to set off pyrotechnics on stage, or other special effects, such as a confetti rainstorm (4 mins).
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