Quero ver é metal a derreter!

As saudades que eu tenho de fundir Alumínio!

Enquanto não me meto a fazer Moldes e derreter Metal, eis uma Animação impecável sobre o que acontece quando se verte metal para um Molde:

http://metalcastingzone.com/blog/2010/06/metal-casting-simulation-vertically-parted-mold/

Mais uma Boa Causa que será talvez um dia uma boa compra, mais uma Impressora acessível 3D entra no Mercado, em breve, a 450 dólares!

Our Story

The H-1 is the most affordable entry-level open source 3D printer available. Our H-1 machine is based on a famous open source RepRap machine named Huxley.  We support and appreciate the open source design shared by RepRap Jean-Marc and Adrian Bowyer. Our campaign motto is "Standing on the shoulder of giants".

Our machine is called the H-1 because it isn't a replica. The H-1 plastic parts are all redesigned for plastic injection molding. We found it difficult to source some metric parts in the United States so we designed the H-1 in inch units. To further reduce cost, we injection molded plastic roller bearings instead of buying metal bearings.

With our manufacturing tools and know-how, we are able to provide you with the lowest entry cost available for a new 3D printer. Because we have the ability to make our own injection mold tooling, and injection on our own equipment, we are able cut the cost.

http://www.indiegogo.com/SeeMeCNC-H-1

Ficção Científica!

Uma ideia dos Filmes, agora é real, imagem que aperece no meio do ar, e é interactiva, pela mão destes geniais Finlandeses da FogScreen:

DisplAir brings interactivity to FogScreen projection display


By Darren Quick

Finnish company FogScreen has been wowing attendees at major events, trade shows and conventions and giving advertisers another way to capture our attention for over five years now with its FogScreen technology - a display system that projects images onto a curtain of fog so they appear to float in the air. Now Russian company DisplAir has added some interactivity to the technology by giving it multi-touch capabilities that allows users to manipulate projected images in mid-air.

http://www.gizmag.com/displair-interactive-fogscreen-display/20647/

Um grande "Olé" para este Engenheiro Espanhol, que merece o título de "mãozinhas de ouro", um Motor V8 em Miniatura de fazer pasmar qualquer um!

Spanish engineer crafts "world's smallest" V-12 engine


By Randolph Jonsson

Anyone who appreciates the precision art of engine design ought to get a kick out of this offering from a Spanish engineer named Patelo. Starting with hunks of aluminum, bronze and stainless steel, he spent over 1200 hours designing, milling, turning and drilling what he claims is "probably" the world's smallest V12 engine. Powered by compressed air injection (0.1kg/sq cm), this little marvel boasts a total displacement of 12 cubic centimeters from its twelve 11.3 mm diameter pistons and works like a charm. Best of all, you can see it come together in the detailed video that follows.

http://www.gizmag.com/spanish-engineer-crafts-the-worlds-smallest-v-12-engine/20636/

Uma boa notícia para os sofredores, ou entusiastas de Computadores, um Disco Rígido que é meio disco normal, meio estado sólido:

Seagate offers best of both worlds with second gen Momentus XT hybrid solid state/hard drive

By Darren Quick

Released in mid-2010, Seagate's Momentus XT combined performance approaching that of a solid state drive (SSD) with the storage capacity and cheaper price of a traditional platter-based hard disk drive (HDD) in a laptop-friendly 2.5-inch form factor. It accomplished this by combining a traditional 7200 RPM HDD and a 4 GB SLC NAND solid state memory module in the one unit. Now Seagate has begun shipping the second generation of the Momentus XT that it says is its fastest ever consumer level drive.

Seagate says the new Momentus XT that provides 750 GB of storage is 70 percent faster than the first gen drive and up to three times faster than a traditional HDD. The new model retains the 32 MB cache found in its predecessor but ups the amount of NAND Flash memory from 4 to 8 GB and features a 6 Gb/second SATA interface compared to the previous generation's 3 Gb/second SATA.

http://www.gizmag.com/second-gen-momentus-xt/20648/

...E topem-me só a Borracha, a cortiça, e os outros Novos Materiais da Ponoko:

Cheaper, stronger, better + matte black rubber — The New Material Monthly 

It’s been a great month for new materials and material updates. And a lot of them aren’t just new, they’re new and *improved*. We’ve even been able to majorly reduce the price of one of our most popular wood materials.
Here’s the 411 on all the new materials added in the month of November.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/28/cheaper-stronger-better-matte-black-rubber-—-the-new-material-monthly/

3D Prós Sovinas como eu

Querem algo parecido com Impressão 3D, só que para réplicas de pantógrafo, logo, 7 vezes mais barato?

Fazem um Pantógrafo 3D como este, só que com um extrusor em vez da fresa:

Até vos arranjei a página, traduzida para Espanhol:

http://translate.google.ca/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=en&tl=es&u=woodgears.ca%2Freader%2Fpantograph%2Frouter.html&act=url

Depois juntem-lhe um extrusor de fio de Abs, dos kits dos Makerbots, ou então deste, 153 dólares;

http://www.bitsfrombytes.com/store/rapman-31-3d-printer-extruder-kit

E é só fazer um original, até pode ser em gesso, madeira, ou Esferovite;

Ponham o extrusor a executar, no pantógrafo, o contorno do original, de baixo para cima, baixando a plataforma as fracções de milímetro que o dito extrusor cria, em cada passagem;

Com paciência, têem assim, 3D baratíssima!

TANGÍVEIS

Fiel ao meu empenho em divulgar toda a iniciativa conducente à maior autonomia individual, eis uma transcrição integral dum email que recebi, por achar importante divulgar isto:

TANGÍVEIS – Residência AZ 2012

A Audiência Zero vai realizar mais uma residência artística multidisciplinar em O Espaço do Tempo (Montemor-o-Novo), entre os dias 14 a 22 de Janeiro.

Nesta edição, teremos uma novidade :) Enquanto nas edições anteriores os participantes eram convidados a desenvolver qualquer tipo de projecto, individual ou colectivamente, nas áreas de electrónica, computação física, instalações interactivas, etc., este ano propomos também um objectivo comum: o desenvolvimento de interacções tangíveis, através da construção de objectos e espaços interactivos capazes de demonstrar que um objecto pode causar interacções distintas em espaços distintos. A ideia é fazer com que cada objecto a desenvolver interaja de forma diferenciada nos espaços criados, ou que os objectos interajam entre eles próprios.

Deixamos aqui alguns exemplos de ideias a adoptar.

Imagine um objecto a ser levado para determinado espaço onde está uma luz robotizada. Quando o objecto é “reconhecido” no espaço, a luz robotizada passa a seguir a pessoa que o carrega. Se o objecto for dado a outra pessoa, passa então ela a ser seguida pela luz.

É possível desenvolver outras interacções semelhantes, por exemplo:

• Ao apontar os objectos uns para os outros, os objectos reagem com som, luzes, etc.;
• Ao alterar a sua posição no espaço, o objecto reage com som, luzes, etc.;
• Ao alterar a sua posição no espaço, o objecto faz com que o espaço reaja com projecções de vídeo, som, luzes, etc.;
• A mesma posição no espaço pode causar interacções diferentes com cada um dos objectos.

Podem ser desenvolvidas diversas narrativas – artísticas, didácticas, de “gaming”, etc.

Para o desenvolvimento destes objectos e espaços, propõem-se vários tipos de tecnologias:

• Electrónica;
• Computação Física;
• Instalações Interactivas;
• Robótica;
• Visão por Computador;
• Visualização de Dados.

A residência é destinada aos actuais membros da rede AZ Labs ou a quem se identifique com o ojectivo proposto e tenha interesse em conhecer o trabalho por nós desenvolvido. Os interessados na residência devem manifestar o seu interesse e inscreverem-se com a maior brevidade possível através doFORMULÁRIO DE INSCRIÇÃO para garantir lugar. As vagas na residência estão limitadas a 15.

Todos os participantes desfrutam de alojamento, pequeno almoço e almoço durante o período da residência.

Residência AZ Janeiro 2012

Coordenador: Maurício Martins, altLab – Lisbon’s Hackerspace

Datas: 14 a 22 janeiro de 2012

Local: O Espaço do Tempo (Montemor-o-Novo)

Inscrições Abertas – FORMULÁRIO DE INSCRIÇÃO

www.altlab.org

www.labcd.org

www.xdatelier.org

www.oespacodotempo.pt

Printrbot, cada vez mais, uma realidade!

Para dar-vos uma ideia da popularidade deste projecto, uma Impressora 3D por 795 Dólares, já angariou 10 vezes mais dinheiro do que o pretendido!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/printrbot/printrbot-your-first-3d-printer?ref=card

E estamos a falar de Impressão 3D de qualidade, e rápida...

Maravilha!

Deliciem-se com este vídeo:

Printrbot-Mystery-Print from Printr Bot on Vimeo.
 

Vão lá:
http://printrbot.com/

A pistola de cola!

Cantando espalharei por toda a parte...

Os benefícios da Pistola de Cola!

Eis uma Elastomatik que sofria de mau corte Laser, pois umas bisnagadelas de pistola de Cola resolveram-lhe o problema, dispara que é uma maravilha!

E nunca se esqueçam do conselho dum grande amigo Inventor, meu colega, Fernando Lopes, o Presidente da Inventarium:
"o óleo é meio-Serralheiro"...

Jugam que o Acrílico não precisa duma dose de WD40?

Pois precisa!

Impressão 3D, Hacks, e o Mundo não pára...

Impressão 3D de objectos metálicos, quando é que se arranja um sítio para os Engenhocas fazerem disto?

Video demonstration of Direct Metal Laser Sintering – DMLS


http://prototypezone.com/blog/video-demonstration-of-direct-metal-laser-sintering-dmls/

Transformar Hacks em Negócios? Com os habilidosos que nós Lusófonos temos, mãos à obra!

Microsoft Announces "Kinect Accelerator" to Turn Hacks into Businesses

Redmond is encouraging third-party Kinect creativity more actively, recognizing that its device truly belongs to the world.

David Zax 11/24/2011

The Kinect is a product famous for the ingenuity it has inspired in third parties; it's a product almost synonymous with the word "hack." According to some sources, Kinect was initially wary of non-sanctioned Kinect tinkering. Eventually it came around, releasing a software development kit, with the caveat that the SDK was only for non-commercial use. And now, with a new program, Microsoft gets fully behind the creativity its product has unlocked in others: it recently announced the launch of the Kinect Accelerator, which will help 10 Kinect-based startups get on their feet (so to speak).

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/helloworld/27369/

E para provar que o Mundo não pára, apesar dos  Decretos dos "sábios" Políticos, eis a continuação da exploração do Espaço, mas pelo Sector Privado:

SpaceX Dragon

The future of American spaceflight

The end of the shuttle program left the U.S. with two options for getting to space: paying for a seat on a foreign rocket or hiring a ride from a commercial space company. The commercial option became viable last December, when the SpaceX Dragon became the first privately built vehicle to orbit the Earth and return home safely. During Dragon’s unmanned flight, the 13,700-pound reusable capsule rode on top of a SpaceX-built Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center into orbit and circled the planet twice before splashing down 500 miles off the Pacific coast of Mexico.

http://www.popsci.com/bown/2011/product/spacex-dragon

Uma ùltima sugestão, se fizerem móveis impecáveis para as vossas Máquinas, como este Engenhocas, vão ter muita mais paz em casa... 

Dejan Kovac's router table

Dejan Kovac writes:

I used the layout and loose dimensioning from Norm Abrams's Deluxe Router Station.

I wanted to go with 18 mm thick plywood as he did, but then I found it is pretty expensive here in Croatia. The cheapest plywood for this project, with not much leftovers, would cost me about 100 $ - and that's without the MDF for the top and the fence, and all the other wood and hardware. That's why I decided to go with a spruce frame and thin plywood for the sides - a more complex but a lot cheaper alternative. And besides, since I'm still a novice I'll benefit from the experience, with all the joints and grooves in this design.

I started drawing the plan for the router station in order to get more familiar with SketchUp and I've got to notice it really takes up a lot of time. Now I better understand what it takes to make the plans with the details you include :)    

http://woodgears.ca/router_table/index.html

Instructables do caraças!

Aqui vão três Instructables de Estaleca, a começar pelo mais porreiro, a máquina de café expresso de bolso!!!

Pocket size Espresso Machine with integrated alcohol stove

Introduction

I’ve always been fascinated by small things. I remember going to the mall as a kid and seeing all the Hello Kitty mini stuff at Spencers, and being really disappointed that they only made girl stuff (it was years later before they came out with boy stuff)
So, when the Pocket Size contest was announced, it really inspired me to design and build something new.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Pocket-size-Espresso-Machine-with-integrated-alcoh/

Para entreter as Patroas a fazer enfeites de Natal, Rosas de Papel:

realistic paper roses

There are many ways to make paper roses -- all documented online.  But..

The wheel!  I must reinvent it!

I don't know why I became fixated on making paper roses.   I thought it would be great to make some of them out of gift wrap for Christmas present decor.   I also had a strange urge to see what it would look like when burning.  (video soon).

http://www.instructables.com/id/realistic-paper-roses/

E algo de tão útil quanto Engenhocas, um Arduino para a Previsão do Tempo, via Google!

Google Weather on graphical display with Arduino

In this project, I am using an Arduino board to show forecast of the weather from Google Weather service on a VGA screen. The display is obviously graphical one, with icons and some colorful text. It is one of those gadgets I wanted to have for some time now – A weather forecasting display that is there just like the wall clock. Yes I know you got nicer looking things on your angry-birds machine... I simply enjoy doing it myself. Had some challenges to overcome, like Arduino has only 2KB of RAM limitation, pretty small for parsing XML data…

http://www.instructables.com/id/Google-Weather-on-graphical-display-with-Arduino/

Hasselblads Open Source, e Alta Carpintaria

Isto é incrível, faça o seu Clone Hasselblad, ora para os Fotógrafos, deve ser razão suficiente para comprar este Kit, arregaçar as mangas, e mãos à obra!

Affordable kit lets you build your own twin lens reflex camera


By Randolph Jonsson

Back in the days before digital cameras and printers, many do-it-yourselfers liked to develop and print their own photos. While those days of darkrooms, chemicals and papers haven't completely given over to CMOS sensors and printers just yet, nuts and bolts photographers still have to work a bit harder to get their hands dirty, so to speak. Now, camera gadget site Photojojo offers one way to stay "retro," by offering a very affordable build-it-yourself twin lens camera kit that shoots honest to gosh 35mm film. Best of all, even though it looks like a toy, its plastic lens actually captures fairly decent (read "lo-fi dreamy") photos. The small amount of vignetting and lens flare is thrown in for free!

http://www.gizmag.com/twin-lens-reflex-camera-kit/20582/

E vejam este Site de Alta Carpintaria, cada vez melhor, um artigo novo todas as Segundas_Feiras!

http://woodgears.ca/

E um momento de pura diversão Engenhocas, uma metralhadora a ar comprimido, que dispara... Pilhas! 

MUÁHÁHÁHÁHÁ!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Gs2mKNjV0&feature=player_embedded#!

Portugal inovador, um novo Blog

Uma iniciativa motivante, um Blog sobre a Inovação em Porutgal.
Eis o recém-criado Blog, nas palavras do seu criador:

PORTUGAL INOVADOR
Um espaço para apresentar casos de inovação nacionais e estimular o empreendedorismo em Portugal. Partilhe comigo casos que conheça.

Vão lá:
http://portugalinovador.wordpress.com/





É pena não ser uma Inovação portuguesa, mas se quizerem fazer Fotos como deve de ser, com o Ihpone, (ou com  uma câmara digital baratucha...) eis um acessório imprescindível:

iPhone Lens Dial turns your smartphone into a turret-lensed throwback

By Ben Coxworth

Once upon a time, before zoom lenses were invented, movie and TV cameras had three lenses that the user could choose between, using a Lazy Susan-type arrangement to swivel them into place - you wanted to go wide, you'd swing in the wide-angle lens, if you needed a close-up, you'd swing in the telephoto. Well, in the spirit of everything old being new again, the iPhone Lens Dial now offers the same functionality for Apple's iconic smartphone.

http://www.gizmag.com/iphone-lens-dial/20571/

Fundição...

Isto é uma maravilha...

Duma série de vídeos sobre Fundição, vejam os outros, eis como se faz Areia de Moldagem, à grande e à Francesa!

Vejam disto, e mais, aqui neste Blog de Fundição:

http://metalcastingzone.com/blog/2010/05/metal-casting-at-home-part-6-preparing-the-moulding-sand/

Cão mecânico, Pato Robótico!

Um Cão-Guia, (mais ou menos), para Cegos, eis uma ideia de muito mérito.
Com muita mobilidade, e capaz de subir e descer escadas, um dia, vai andar por aí...

NSK develops four-legged robot "guide dog"

By Randolph Jonsson

Guide dogs for the visually impaired provide an important service and help provide a welcome sense of autonomy to physically-challenged individuals. Unfortunately, the highly-skilled canines require about US$30,000 in training over several months, and always seem to be in short supply. The growing demand for these specialized animal companions gave a group of engineers from Japan's NSK corporation and the University of Electro-Communications just the impetus they needed to design a mechanical solution, and the robotic guide dog was born.

http://www.gizmag.com/nsk-four-legged-robot-guide-dog/20559/

E já agora, Muletas para jogar à bola!

SideStix crutches designed for more than just walking

By Ben Coxworth

Thirty-eight years ago, a drunk driver hit teenager Sarah Doherty while she was riding her bicycle. She lost her right leg in the accident. An avid athlete, she continued to participate in sports after her recovery, became an occupational therapist, and began adapting rock climbing gear for her own use. That ultimately led to her and her partner Kerith Perreur-Lloyd inventing SideStix, which are forearm crutches designed for active users - like Sarah.

http://www.gizmag.com/sidestix-sports-crutches/20561/

E um Pato Robótico!

Make a crazy robot that walks like a silly duck!
It's an awesome robotic science kit.
Contains battery box, plastic disc, motor, screws, wire, gear box, nuts, plastic feet, metal legs and detailed instructions.
http://www.mindsetsonline.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1009919

Sim, uma data de prendas de Natal, da TEP, vão lá ver:

 http://www.mindsetsonline.co.uk/

ElastomatiK, por menos, quase metade!

Pois agora, pagam menos, quase metade, do que pagariam antes, pela mesma ElastomatiK...

Como é que eu fiz isso?

Encurtei o tempo de corte das peças, o que faz que o mesmo desenho custe menos a cortar, menos curvas, sem números gravados nas peças fácilmente reconhecívies, etc.

Eis o desenho antes...

...E agora, muito menos tralha a cortar, o mesmo desenho básico!

Por isso, ó meus amigos, é de lá ir, que Prendas de Natal Engenhocas, que mais ninguém sabe onde arranjar, só aqui!!!

http://www.ponoko.com/make-your-own/toys/elastomatik-made-in-italy-5866

Da Ficção Científica para a Realidade

Eu lembro-me destas máquinas nos filme e jogos Dune, Ficção Científica, tiravam umidade do ar do Planeta-Deserto, e armazenavam-na no subsolo;

Agora, são uma realidade!

E o melhor de tudo, é que esta ideia, concretizada agora, ajuda Agricultores de carne e osso... 

Device that harvests water from thin air wins the James Dyson Award


By Bridget Borgobello

Young Melbourne-based inventor Edward Linacre has won the 2011 James Dyson Award, making it the second year in a row where the prestigious prize has gone to an Aussie. Linacre stole this year's competition with his Airdrop irrigation concept that collects water from thin air. The Swinburne University of Technology design graduate was driven to transform an ancient cooling technique into a new sub-surface irrigation system, following the enduring Australian drought that saw high levels of farmer suicide along Australia's Murray- Darling Basin.

http://www.gizmag.com/airdrop-wins-james-dyson-award/20471/

Uma Resina tão re-utilizável quanto o Vidro, ora aí está outra ideia que vai ser tão bem-vinda, quanto usada em tudo e mais alguma coisa, desde o Desporto até à Contrucção Civil, passando pela Aeronáutica...

Versatile new material combines "best qualities" of glass and resin

By Randolph Jonsson

Synthetic resins start out as viscous liquids that eventually solidify or "cure" into clear or translucent solids. These materials, which combine the desirable properties of strength, durability and light weight, are so useful that you can find them in thousands of applications, particularly aircraft, automobiles and electronic circuits. But for all that versatility, there's one thing that's remained elusive: once cured, resins can not be reshaped. Now, a team from France's National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS), led by award-winning physicist Ludwik Leibler, has developed an inexpensive and easily-produced material that is not only reshapable (like glass), but also repairable and recyclable, again, like glass. That's a potential boon for the auto body industry alone, and the possibilities for other uses are seemingly endless.

http://www.gizmag.com/new-material-comines-qualities-of-glass-and-resin/20539/

E do Blog da Ponoko, da Impressão 3D até ao Bronze Artístico, via Moldes, pooois, eu já tinha dito isso, uma data de vezes:

Peças impressas...

Peças Fundidas!

Sculptures made with motion capture, 3D printing, and bronze casting

From motion to object with digital tools.

Sculptural Motion is a project by Mathew Schwartz involving technology, sculpture, dance, and martial arts. First he used motion capture and to transform “beautiful” motions of arms and legs from dance and martial arts into forms. These forms were then 3D printed before being cast in bronze and finished. Keep reading past the jump for a video and images of each step.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/21/sculptures-made-with-motion-capture-3d-printing-and-bronze-casting/

Uma carrinha de estimação

Chamam esta carrinha, "-Anda, Bóbi!", e ela segue-vos!

Volkswagen's eT! concept reinvents the delivery vehicle with semi-autonomous capabilities


By Jack Martin

A thinktank headed by Volkswagen Group Research has re-conceptualized the delivery vehicle and come up with a thought-provoking commercial EV concept vehicle named the eT! The eT! drives semi-autonomously on voice commands such as "follow me" and "come to me" and the driver can also steer from the passenger side using a joystick.

http://www.gizmag.com/vw-et/20543/

Mais esta maravilha para fazerem os vossos Protótipos em casa, um Injector de Silicone, para todas as peças de que fizerem Moldes!

Lisboa, e um Novo Material

Eis eu a armar-me em bom, um Vídeo que fiz com uma Câmera Vídeo, que comprei pela PayPal, oxalá todas es Empresas apanhassem esta dica, e vendessem também assim...

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/12mp-cmos-compact-digital-video-camera-w-8x-digital-zoom-sd-slot-2-4-tft-lcd-50842

E, atenção Inventores, um Novo material, 100 vezes mais leve que a Esferovite!

È uma estrutura metálica tal como a Torre Eiffel, só que muito mais pequena, é claro... Vai ser utilizada, sabe-se se lá para o quê, tantos novos usos poderão surgir.

Newly developed metallic "micro-lattice" material is world's lightest

By Darren Quick

Earlier this year we looked at a "multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT) aerogel" -also dubbed "frozen smoke" - that, with a density of 4 mg/cm3, became the world's lightest solid material. Now frozen smoke has been knocked off its perch by a new metallic material with a density of just 0.9 mg/cm3, making it around 100 times lighter than Styrofoam. Despite being 99.99 percent open volume, the new material boasts impressive strength and energy absorption, making it potentially useful for a range of applications.

The 0.01 percent of the material that isn't air consists of a micro-lattice of interconnected hollow nickel-phosphorous tubes with a wall thickness of 100 nanometers - or 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. These tubes are angled to connect at nodes to form repeating, three-dimensional asterisk-like cells.

http://www.gizmag.com/ultralight-micro-lattice-material/20537/

...E só porque me apetece, e é porreiro, cá vai este outro vídeo:

Duas coisas incríveis

Uma recontituíção da Obra-Prima, originada pelo Génio que foi Arquimedes e seguida pelos seus discípulos, até à completa execução do primeiro Computador de que há notícia na História!

Analógico, e funcionava por Engrenagens, mas permitia calcular as fases da Lua de qualquer data no Futuro, juntamente com que Cidade grega iria ser sede dos Jogos Olímpicos, num determinado ano!

Vários Génios estão envolvidos nesta história;
Os Gregos, é claro, depois, o Físico Inglês que viu o que estava realmente por dentro do bocado de Sucata de Bronze em que se tinha tornado aquela Máquina Magnífica;
É que como a Máquina é feita de uma série de Engrenagens, foi julgada ser uma Máquina moderna, quando tinha mais de...
2000 anos de idade!
E finalmente, os Génios da Hublot, que pegaram no Mecanismo, e o reduziram, até caber num Relógio de pulso, com o dito relógio de Pulso incluído!!!

Leia a fascinante história desde o achado até ao relógio, aqui:

Hublot painstakingly recreates a mysterious, 2,100-year-old clockwork relic - but why?


By Loz Blain

Why on Earth would you want to strap one of these to your wrist? It barely tells the time, and it can't take pictures, tweet or connect to your Facebook. In fact, very few people would have the faintest idea what it is, or why you'd want one at all. But for those that do recognize its intricate gears and dials, this tiny, complex piece of machinery tells a vivid and incredible tale. It's a story of gigantic scientific upheaval, of adventure and shipwreck on the high seas, of war and death. A story of amazing intellect, lost riches and impossible chance - a sunken treasure that Jaques Cousteau once described as "more valuable than the Mona Lisa" - and it's connected with an ancient celebrity whose star shone so brightly that he's still a household name more than 2200 years after his death... Read on!

http://www.gizmag.com/hublot-antikythera-mechanism-first-computer-watch/20517/

SILÊNCIO, QUE SE CANTA O FADO!

EIS MÚSICA PARA OS VOSSO OLHOS...

E para rematar, um Cavaquinho desdobrável, notícia da Ponoko:

The incredible Folding Ukulele from ‘maker of anything’ Brian Chan


extraordinary project made with Ponoko Personal Factory

Every now and then something shows up in the Showroom that simply astounds everyone of us at Ponoko.
And the Folding Ukulele from artist, craftsman, and origami genius Brian Chan is exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about.
With his design already drafted, Brian got in touch with Josh, one of our Community Support Managers, to prototype his project using laser-cutting. As you can see, the design is pretty complex, consisting of multiple flat pieces that need to fit together perfectly to create not just a 3D object — but a musical one! Josh’s reaction to project when he saw the plans? 0_0
Get ready to be zero-eyed yourself when you see Brian’s ukulele in all of its foldable and musical glory:

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/16/the-incredible-folding-ukulele-from-maker-of-anything-brian-chan/comment-page-1/

Impressão 3D para todos?

Impressão 3D para todos?
...Ao menos, parece que sim!
Estéreo-Litografia, eis a tecnologia que este modelo de Impressora 3D usa;

Uma impressora 3D que se constrói em casa,  tem uma qualidade de acabamento ímpar, não usa nenhuma ferramenta que se estrague com facilidade, não cria cheiros, nem porcaria, o que é porreiro para agradar às Patroas!

Bacano como o caraças, mais um achado do Blog da Ponoko...

Vejam o Vídeo com atenção, que a peça é pequena e transparente...

Build a 3D printer at home (really)

Detailed instructions for a Stereolithographic 3D printer on Instructables.

Rob Hopeless has posted an Instructable showing how to build a Stereolithographic 3D printer at home as part of the Instructables contest to win an Epilog Laser cutter. If you read through the tutorial, I think you’ll agree that he is a serious contender in the competition.

He went all out on this Instructable. There is a parts list, including companies who sell every part, plenty of photos at every step, downloadable files for a CNC (ok, so you probably can’t do this part at home), and 3D diagrams explaining the assembly.

The advantage of stereolithography over the extrusion used by printers like the Makerbot and RepRap, is the relative ease of achieving extremely high quality prints. The downside is the UV-sensitive resin required to run the printer is quite expensive at around $200 per liter.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/16/build-a-3d-printer-at-home-really/

Não um projecto faça-você-mesmo, mas um de encomendar,  e um projecto de extrusão, eis um projecto que convence, impressão em grande, rápida, e de alta qualidade.

Isso é bom!

Ultimaker: the new standard for DIY 3D printers?


Large, quick, high-quality prints. What’s not to like?

Ultimaker kits only started shipping in May 2011, but it has already gained a loyal following. Most recently, a dozen or so local hobbyists brought their Ultimakers to the 3D Printing Event during Dutch Design Week just to show them off (images below).

And who can blame them? The Ultimaker has a large build area and produces high quality prints remarkably fast. If that’s not enough, it’s open source (due to the fact that it’s an offshoot of the RepRap family). The only downside seems to be the fact that it’s somewhat more expensive than its most similar competitor, the Makerbot Thing-O-Matic, at 1200 euros (~$1625 right now) compared to $1299.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/16/ultimaker-the-new-standard-for-diy-3d-printers/

...Topem-me só esta Máquina!

https://shop.ultimaker.com/en/

Notícias

Um Adolescente como deve de ser...
Ajudar os Deficientes, é algo que tem muito mérito, e ainda por cima, em Open Source, para ser mais acessível!

Teenage Honduran builds open source eye-tracking computer interface for the disabled

By Loz Blain

This unique and worthwhile project was put together by a 17-year-old electronics and programming whiz from Honduras, of all places. The Eyeboard system is a low-tech eyeball-tracking device that allows users with motor disabilities to enter text into a computer using eye gestures instead of a physical interface. This kind of system is not unique - there's plenty of eye tracking interfaces out there - but Luis Cruz has figured out a way to build the full system into a set of glasses for less than US$300, putting easier communication within reach of users in developing countries. He's also releasing the software as open source to speed up development. Personally, I spent my year as a 17-year-old in a series of heroic failures trying to impress girls with my air guitar.

http://www.gizmag.com/luis-cruz-eyeboard-eye-tracking-computer-interface/20500/

Do nosso amigo Jon Cantin, eis Jon, porreiro da vida, a divertir-se, fazendo duma placa de Madeira, um Dinossauro...

http://www.woodmarvels.com/

Plástico em novas cores, agora temos muito Material à escolha, na Sculpteo:

http://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/#

Rutan anda a fazer das suas...

Burt Rutan, Engenheiro-maravilha, que se tinha "reformado", está bem, está, um Inventor NUNCA se reforma!

Ele está a magicar acerca dum projecto de barco voador, depois de ter visto os modelos Soviéticos voar.

Mais coisas bacanas virão daquela grande cabeça, ainda...

Burt Rutan Is Up To Something…
By Jason Paur

Burt Rutan is up to something. He isn’t saying much about it, but whatever it is, you know it’s interesting.

There’s been plenty of speculation within the aviation world about whether Rutan would stop designing airplanes now that he’s retired from Scaled Composites. Imaginative and prolific, Rutan has been at the leading edge of aerospace design since the 1970s, and few thought he would simply play golf all the time. True to form, Rutan is working on a new aircraft design.

Rutan is famously secretive about designs that have yet to fly, though now that he is “retired” he is letting out a few more details than usual. The engineer told the Experimental Aviation Association he is tinkering with a design influenced to some extent by the lakes and rivers of Idaho, where he now lives after spending more than 40 years in the Mojave Desert. He also mentioned being influenced by the unusual Russian air/watercraft, like the MD-160 Lun-class ekranoplan, he saw shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/11/burt-rutan-is-up-to-something-cool/

Criar é preciso

Eis algo que merece a pena aparecer aqui, criarem as vossas próprias Prendas de Natal!

Por isso, cá vai:

Criar Ideias, Criar

Venha fazer as suas prendas de Natal

Mantêm-se as aulas de Artes decorativas com hipótese de nova modalidade:

Aulas mensais, 3 horas por semana (12 horas por mês)

Blocos de 6 horas, técnica e escolha livres, entre os horários disponíveis

http://criarideiascriar.blogspot.com/2011/11/venha-fazer-as-suas-prendas-de-natal.html

Peçam ao Pai Natal...

Peçam ao Pai Natal...

Ou ao Papai Noel, do outro lado do Atlântico, esta ShopBot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaTSWqP9P3U

Novo Plástico, da Ponoko, e 3D em folhas

Isto é importante, a Ponoko mudou o seu Plástico, para um material que permite peças embutidas, e por exemplo, rodas dentro de eixos, já feitas no seu lugar, sem precisar de encaixes:

NEW material: Superfine Plastic in white for 3D printing — with gelatin support material

We’ve added a new 3D printing material to the Ponoko catalog:
Superfine Plastic in white.

This material is has a very smooth, milky white finish and excellent accuracy and detail. It’s not quite as durable as our Durable Fine Plastic, but it uses the same dual resin build technique that allows for interlocking, hinged or nested objects. The second resin, a gelatin support material, is removed with a high pressure water spray.

Take a look at the Superfine Plastic White material page for full details and design tips for getting optimal results from this material.

And you can pick up a sample of our new Superfine Plastic White for $4.50.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/11/new-material-superfine-plastic-in-white-for-3d-printing-—-with-gelatin-support-material/

E isto vai fazer furor, em Cartões de Natal, um dia, folhas de plástico cortadas, que se montam à luz do dia!

From 2D to 3D: Just add light

Imagine if you could take an everyday inkjet printer, and use it to create dynamic self-assembling three dimensional structures. Researchers at North Carolina State University have been doing exactly this, and the results have a simple elegance that is really quite mesmerising to behold.

Dr Michael Dickey, one of the authors of the paper “Self-folding of polymer sheets using local light absorption” explains the team’s findings:

This is a novel application of existing materials, and has potential for rapid, high-volume manufacturing processes or packaging applications.

It all happens remarkably quickly. A pre-stressed plastic sheet is run through a standard inkjet printer, where bold black lines are printed onto the material. When exposed to an infrared light source (such as a heat lamp) the darker areas absorb more energy and folds occur without any external mechanical intervention.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/12/from-2d-to-3d-just-add-light/

Mais notícias úteis...

Mais um programa, para fazerem os vossos Modelos 3D, este vem com instalação em Ubuntu Linux, Windows, e Mac.
Pode correr já instalado, ou no vosso Browser:

Shapesmith – a new open source 3D modeling tool

Runs locally or remotely

Shapesmith is a new, open source 3D modeling tool that uses WebGL. It runs in any modern web browser and can be installed locally for best speed.

It’s still early in development, but it can do your basic primitives and addition/subtraction operations. (And of course export to STL for 3D printing.)

I’ve only played with it for a little bit, but I like the way that the UI makes it easy to make precision changes to positions and dimensions:

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/10/shapesmith-a-new-open-source-3d-modeling-tool/

Um trabalho inquietante da Catarina Mota, uma Abóbora-Condensador!

Ora Abóbora!

...E isto parece coisa de Cientista Louco, até que nos lembramos que pode servir para descongelar alguma Máquina, ou porta, numa emergência de Inverno!

http://www.instructables.com/id/MooseBear-Repellent-aka-FLAME-THROWER/

Ideias do caraças!

A melhor, primeiro...

Um Projecto que permite re-construír a Civilização, a partir destes planos, mas sobretudo, serve para o terceiro Mundo, e Comunidades deprimidas:

Global Village Construction Set
Another wildly successful Kickstarter campaign: 10 days still remaining

We first came across Marcin Jakubowski’s incredible Global Village Construction Set (GVCS) back in April, following his well-received TED presentation. The concept of GVCS is one of those super-simple, too-good-to-be-true proposals that has real potential to change so many lives.

What is it all about? Imagine a modular, DIY, low-cost, open source, high-performance platform. One that makes it easy to fabricate all of the 50 different industrial machines that it takes to build a small, sustainable civilization complete with modern comforts.

The aim of the GVCS is to lower the barriers to entry into farming, building, and manufacturing. Its a life-size lego set that can create entire economies…

Like all good farmers, Marcin and the guys from Open Source Ecology have certainly been busy.

Opening their project to the hands of the public with a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, things are looking good for the first set of prototypes that have been developed.

Click through for more information about the campaign, as well as a deeper look at the Global Village Construction Set.

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/09/global-village-construction-set/

Melhores pilhas re-carregáveis!
Duram mais tempo, e ainda por cima, são re-enviadas para a Compamhia, pare serem "re-vitalizadas"!
É bom!

earthCell batteries promise near-zero waste and better value


By Ben Coxworth

If you really want to minimize the amount of toxins that you put into the environment, use rechargeable batteries. Disposable and rechargeable batteries can contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, and with an estimated 3 billion batteries a year being discarded in the U.S. alone, the sometimes small amounts in each battery can really add up. Using rechargeables greatly reduces the number of batteries entering landfills, but many people don't bother buying them, or the chargers that they require. That's where earthCell batteries come in. They can be used like disposables, except that users send them away for for recharging or recycling when they're dead.

earthCells are low self-discharge nickel metal hydride (LSD NiMH) batteries, which among other things are claimed to have a much longer shelf life than regular NiMH batteries, and longer run times than alkalines. When a customer's earthCells do expire, they put them in a prepaid mailer. Once that mailer is full, the customer sends it off to the company.

http://www.gizmag.com/earthcell-rechargeable-recyclable-batteries/20429/

Tele-presença a sério, um passo em frente para tanto conferências instantâneas, sem viagens, como para tele-medicina!
De facto, para todas as emergências, pode-se actuar quase instantâneamente, com a tele-presença dos melhores Profissionais do Mundo!

Video: A Steerable Remote 'Telexistence' Robot that Transmits Sight, Sound, and Touch to the Operator


By Clay Dillow

Keio University researchers are taking telepresence to the next logical level with a new “telexistence” robot called TELESAR V, a robotic platform that doesn’t just transport the user's eyes to another location, but also his or her ears and hands as well. The idea is to break through the limitations of time and space to allow a user to actually feel like he or she is present elsewhere via a remotely operated robot that returns three sensory stimuli back to the user.

Using a head-mounted 3-D visual display, an audio system that streams sound to the user, and tactile gloves that allow the user to feel the shapes and temperatures of objects--currently the robots force vector and temp sensors can accurately relay textures as fine as the unevenness on the surface of a Lego block--the user can manipulate the robot remotely and feel what the robot feels. The designers are looking for a true avatar sensation, one that makes the user really feel that he or she is inhabiting the place of the robot.

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-11/video-telexistence-robot-conveys-sight-sound-and-touch-user

E um bom finale, um Instructable, com uma Bobina Tesla, sim, a das faíscas, que vos dá Música!

As the winter months come up, many will be forced to stay indoors… To many, this will mean playing scrabble with grandma, watching television, doing puzzles, and sitting around the house. Why not begin an awesome project to spice up those potentially cold, dreary nights with an amazing light show decoration?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Musical-Tesla-Coil-like-a-Pro/

Tório, Rodas, e Cavalos Mecãnicos!

As Rodas que rodam em várias direcções, uma ideia para fins bem práticos, nomeadamente, carregar com pesos bem pesados com um veículo chato, sim uma espécie de Porte-Palletes futurista, e mais àgil:

New Omni-Crawler can move in all directions

By Randolph Jonsson

When the need to move super-heavy objects arises, short, squat crawlers are usually deployed to get the job done. Unfortunately, that heavy lifting ability comes at the sacrifice of mobility (no sideways motion), so maneuvering objects into place can be a lengthy process. Recently, researchers from Japan's Osaka University (OU) rolled out an innovative battery-powered, remotely controlled prototype crawler that incorporates properties from an omni-directional wheel known as the Omni-Ball (also designed by the OU team), to travel in virtually any direction desired with minimal energy loss. They dubbed it the Omni-Crawler, and it could change the way things are moved from now on.

http://www.gizmag.com/omni-crawler-moves-in-all-directions/20386/

O Cavalo Mecânico, da Honda, um Concept car, com Inteligência Artificial, e rodas-patas:

Honda's Intelligent Horse - biomimicry gives us the All-Terrain-Vehicle of the 23rd Century

By Mike Hanlon

If the horse is not humanity's favorite animal, it should be, as it has served us far better than any other domesticated animal. It has been the predominant form of personal transport for the last millennia, has done more work for us than any animal, and its mastery became the fundamental military technology which helped Genghis Khan build the biggest empire in history. Indeed, Honda's choice of the horse as a metaphor for the type of vehicle we will be driving a hundred years hence is incredibly apt.

http://www.gizmag.com/hondas-intelligent-horse/20398/

A Índia não pára, estão a fazer progressos na pesquisa para criarem Reactores a Tório, muito mais seguros que os actuais, bravo, Índia!

India plans 'safer' nuclear plant powered by thorium

Maseeh Rahman in Mumbai

India has announced plans for a prototype nuclear power plant that uses an innovative "safer" fuel.

Officials are currently selecting a site for the reactor, which would be the first of its kind, using thorium for the bulk of its fuel instead of uranium – the fuel for conventional reactors. They plan to have the plant up and running by the end of the decade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/01/india-thorium-nuclear-plant

...E saído da Ficção Científica, ou quase, um "raio tractor", mas só para captar partículas, por enquanto...

NASA evaluating "tractor beam" technologies


By Darren Quick

NASA is looking to turn another staple of science fiction to practical use by studying ways to make "tractor beams" a reality. While none of the technologies under the microscope will be able to transport anything the size of a modified YT-1300 Corellian freighter - at least in the short term - the researchers will examine if it is possible to trap and move planetary or atmospheric particles using laser light so they can be delivered to a robotic rover or orbiting spacecraft for analysis.

http://www.gizmag.com/nasa-evaluates-tractor-beam-technology/20407/

E esta Obra de Arte, uma Máquina a Vapor, EM VIDRO!
Sem anilhas, só vidro cuidadosamente fabricado, para ajustar perfeitamente!

Steam engine made entirely from blown glass


Replica Stephenson locomotive engine modelled by master glass blower

Recreating vintage technologies and all the wondrous mechanisms that they contain is a welcome challenge for DIY makers.

When a master glass blower decides to join in the fun, you know you’re going to see something special. Czech craftsman Michal Zahradník produced this fully functional steam engine back in 2008. Looking like something straight out of Wonder Woman’s propulsion laboratory, every component is made entirely from glass. It really is a work of remarkable precision

http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/11/06/steam-engine-made-entirely-from-blown-glass/