Gadget Master

Now for an exciting way for electrical engineers the world over to annoy their neighbours on a quiet Sunday morning.

After extensive tinkering in his shed, 'wires99' created Neuroti-Kart, the home-made electric go-kart. His design goals were to make something 'electric powered, quiet, fast, capable of doing donuts in my street'.

While journalism students complain about the gruelling six-hour study week (I have no idea what you’re talking about – Ed.), their electrical engineering counterparts are off developing technology that could one day help to save many lives.

It's in the blending. So he built a home-made blender made entirely out of junk.

The motor is from an old strimmer, the fuel cell is an old air line oiler that had no lid and leaked, the pistol grip throttle is a handle from a broken air drill, the drive gear system is an adaptation of various gears, housings, and machined adapters, and the base is an old obsolete fixture that he covered all the old holes on using all those stickers and stuff.

The heart of the system is an electronic circuit that drives a 10,000 RPM tachometer with shift light and a fully functioning light tree to practice your drag racing reaction times - just perfect for blending a martini!

Click on the continue reading link below for complete build instructions, circuit schematic and parts list.

It's all in the timing

So he designed a battery-powered tea timer with a built-in LED display that will brew a perfect cup of tea every time. It's simple: just fix a tea-bag on the tea timer's extension arm, place a mug of hot water underneath it and push a button according to how strong you like your tea. The microcontroller-operated, 5V circuit provides a servo motor with control pulses to lower and raise the arm and the power supply is switched off automatically via FET. Now the only thing you have to worry about is Tetley's or Earl Grey?

Amateur inventor Tao, 34, made a fully functional submarine, which has a periscope, depth control tanks, electric motors, manometer, and two propellers, from old oil barrels and tools which he bought at a second-hand market. He took 2 years to invent and test the submarine which costs 30,000 yuan (US$4,385).