Cool Arduino Clock

Here is a pretty cool clock done using a platform similar to the Arduino, all of the software and code is open source and available on their site. A fully functional clock with all of the regular features of a normal alarm clock such as:

• Cool glowing blue tube with 8 digits and alarm on/off dot
• Adjustable brightness
• Alarm with volume adjust
• Precision watch crystal keeps time with under 20ppm (0.002%) error (<>
• Clear plastic enclosure protects clock from you and you from clock
• Battery backup will let the clock keep the time for up to 2 weeks without power
• Selectable 12h or 24h display
• Displays day and date
• 10 minute snooze

Just something I thought was interesting. The plans are a bit more complex than anything we've looked at yet, still something I thought was interesting.

Augmented Reality

Boffswana are a digital advertising agency that are inclined to come up ratehr innovative solutions. I was looking over their website when I" found this really cool example of Augmented Reality. Using Papervision 3d and the FLAR toolkit they created this monster type character which appears out of a 'glyph' (shape) when held in front of your webcam. I think this topic is extremely interesting and definitely something I would have interest in looking at for our Avant Garde Project.

We found this when we were looking for inspiration for our project. I think it is a brilliant use of the arduino. VandalSpray is a digital spray can specifically designed for this purpose. It implements the attributes of a real spray can or at least trys to achieve them as natural as possible. Except a turnable bottom for changing the color. In addition to this Martin Radlinger, the creator of VandalSpray, created an Adobe Air application using either your mouse or a nintendo Wii-mote. You should check out the videos on his own site, the results are amazingly realistic and successful.

Parrot AR.drone

The parrot AR.Drone is an unbelievable use of Augmented reality. They have gone a nd developed a fully working quadricopter equipped with two cameras and controled by an iPhone or an iPod Touch.

Using the accelerometer within the iPhone the user steers he copter by tilting his iPhone from side to side and by pushing forward you accelerate. this allows for a very intuitive gesture to operate the device.

There are two cameras in the device, one underneath to track the ground, this allows the helicopter to know where in relation to a space it is situated. The second camera is on the front of the copter, this camera provides the iPhone with the feed it is receiving and it is also critical for the gaming features too.

There are a number of different game modes available with the drone. The user can play single or multi-player games via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The copter uses the front camera to pick up 2d targets and rendering its enemies using Augmented Reality.

Mouse tracking drawing

This post isn't exactly cutting edge technology however I thought it to be an interesting concept and also thought it to be relevant to my end of year project. The program runs in the background of your computer and it then traces the movement of the mouse.

The lines show the actions of the mouse and the larger circles show the spots where the cursor was left to rest for a period of time.

Futuristic User Interface

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Futuristic User Interface

I found this article about a device which this particular blogger believes is within our technological means combining a number of existing technologies into one mobile device.

"Touch screen, built in camera, scanner, WiFi, google map (hopefully google earth), google search, image search… all in one device."

Based on the principle that wireless internet is available everywhere this device will be able to give you all the necessary information in regards to an office building, or a plant like demonstrated in the picture below.



















He also imagines that companies would be able to use this device to market their products. Picking an excellent example he demonstrates this very well in the third image below. Stores would be able to keep 3d models of their products in online catalogues and show how they may look with their possible uses. I also think that this is very clever feature.