Category: Geek

The next meeting of Dorkbot DC is this Wednesday at Provisions Library. Speakers include R. Mark Adams who’ll be presenting his work on “Auralizing DNA,” i.e. using data from the human genome to “auralize biologically-meaningful forms in new and interesting ways. Somewhere between a scientific technique and Musique concrète is a new fascinating realm to explore.”

Also Jon Singer of the Joss Research Institute will be talking about inexpensive and easily-constructed DIY ultraviolet lasers. And I will be bringing my latest toy, a WowWee R/C FlyTech DragonFly, to show off. Hope to see DC-area Street Techies there.

For more information and a link to directions, see our DC page on the Dorkbot.org website.

TokyoFlash may have the corner on the high-tech watch market, but HD3, a group of Swiss designers, are gunning for the growing retro-futures market, at least steam-powered moguls. Their Vulcania watch was directly inspired by the fantastic machines of Jules Verne. The hours are found on a wheel displayed through a lateral porthole, while the minutes are shown on a disk, like a ship’s “Chadburn telegraph.” The power indicator is fashioned like a sextant and its winding mechanism can be seen underneath. On the back of the watch there’s even a glass map of “Vulcania Island” with it’s X and Y coordinates shown (as well as the visible watch-works beneath).

Only Dukes, Lords, and Marquis need apply, though. The site doesn’t even mention the price and only eleven watches will be made. Check out HD3’s other chronographs, which are equally high-end and old school.

While serendipity searching today, I bumped into the rather Giger-esque sculptures of French artist Pierre Matter. Here are the Open Gallery pages of his work, and here’s a page of photos on Knutz.net

Like many a geek, I become strangely enthused around rack-mounted gear festooned with lots of lights, toggle switches, buttons, and displays. Make those displays analog, needle gauges and… I need some time alone. So I was thrilled to discover the Flickr Control Panel Pool, and to see my old pal Todd Lappin right there in the middle of things. His Living Room Media Rack is awesome. Love his incorporation of the ThinkGeek TIX LED Clock (Top Right).

After his Control Panel set, check out his Project Precita set chronicling his house renovation/re-decoration using lots of recycled laboratory, industrial, and safety materials. Very inspiring. I wish I had the time, money, and energy to make my house into such a unique and cool piece of livable art.

[Via Boing Boing]

The next Dorkbot DC is tomorrow night, Tuesday, at Provisions Library (1611 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 200). An old Street Tech pal, Kirby Malone, will be presenting, along with his colleague at Cyburbia Productions, Gail Scott White. Also: Thomas Edwards will be giving a presentation on the Arduino, an open source embedded computing platform built around the Atmel ATmega microchip.

We’re also going to be holding the first AfterDork, an after the event social, at the Childe Harold (and don’t worry, you won’t be called upon to quote any Byron, but do feel free).

I know some people came to the last Dorkbot as a result of my notice here, so I hope to see more Street Techies there this month! Last month was a blast.

OMG! Check out these amazingly cool steampunky lamps by German artist Frank Buckwald. Site is in German.

[Via Make]

Slashdot writes:

Looking for something more fun and less predictable than roses and chocolates this Valentine’s Day? Write your love on the side of a satellite. This unusual approach to courting comes courtesy of students at MIT and Georgia Tech, as part of a larger initiative to pay for their research spacecraft, the Mars Gravity Biosatellite.

I like this comment:

Nothing says “I love you” like etching your girlfriend’s name onto a cold metal construct and shooting it into the black oblivion of space.

Dorkbot DC member Matt Billings has put up some of his pics from last month’s Dorkbot DC where Randall Packer spoke and I gave a presentation on BEAM robotics. The bot pics include the original Mousey the Junkbot and the Coat Hanger Walker (as seen in the Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Building Robots and MAKE vol. 2) and the VCR Solarroller from the cover of MAKE Vol. 6.

There are some funny pics of me (I didn’t realize I was this animated when I talked). See if you can match the caption to the photo: “No really. It’s THIS big.” and “Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Crap, this is hot!” and “Ya get ’em going by shakin’ ’em like this.”

I’ve been hearing from other Street Techies in other cities that they’re kind of jealous that we have a Dorkbot DC now and that they don’t think they have enough…er… dorks in their town to support a Chapter. If that’s the case, how about a virtual Dorkbot via Second Life? Regine at We Make Money… has a brief interview with artist Shintaro Miyazaki who’s trying to organize Dorkbot SL.

Other Dorkbot Stories on Street Tech:

• Dorkbot DC Was SRO
• Gareth @ Dorkbot DC
• Heart of Dorkness: Dorkbot DC in the Post
• November DC Dorkbot Follow-Up
• Report on Second DC Dorkbot

You got your Shuffle on my Hipster! You got your Hipster on my Shuffle! It didn’t take long for two techno-trendy obsessions, the iPod Shuffle and the Hipster PDA to be combined. It’s a natural when you think about it, given the clip on the Shuffle and the Hipster’s need for same.

Other Hipster PDA coverage on Street Tech:

• The D*I*Y Planner Hipster PDA Edition 3.0
• How-To: Make a Hipster PDA Cover
• Killer App for “Getting Things Done”

[Via 43Folders]