Hackaday Links: April 10, 2011

Sunlit LCD screen

[A.J.] did some experiments and managed to replace his LCD backlight using fiber optics and the sun.

Game Boy LCD Repair

[Alan] found that he could fix dead columns on his Game Boy LCD screen with a little reflow work on the connector.

3DS Design Flaw?

Anyone having problems with the way their Nintendo 3DS closes? [Jeroen] noticed that his screen touches the other half of the device when closed. He added rubber feet to protect it, but we wonder if anyone else has noticed this issue?

Mac TP dispenser

This one takes iLife to a new level. Never poop without Apple’s consent again thanks to this Macintosh toilet paper dispenser. [Thanks Rob]

Children are the future

Here’s a heart warming way to end; [Bret] is teaching his 5-year-old son to solder. There’s a video that is sure to put a smile on your face. You’ll remember [Bret] (aka [FightCube]) from the adjustable prank box, a few 555 timer contest submissions, and several other hacks. We expect big things from your progeny!

19 thoughts on “Hackaday Links: April 10, 2011

  1. +1 on teaching your kid to solder. I have a three year old and anytime I work on a project he’s around always asking questions. I explain as much as I can but there is nothing like hands on experience. I can’t wait to be able to let him try it on his own.

  2. HA! I have the same traffic light from many years ago.

    And what @ftorama said.

    I heard apple installed a remote tp removal if you try to use non apple approved tp. And forgot trying to jailbreak it.

  3. Regarding the sunlit LCD display…

    Could this be a way of create inexpensive sunlight readable displays? Maybe still have standard light if not enough is coming in from the sun.

  4. Sunlit backlight… As a ‘green’ technology… FAIL. What kind of resources are required to produce the amount of fiber to support that.. What kind of resources are required to produce an LED backlit or EL backlit display? How do they measure up? That’s like saying a Prius is green because it uses less gas.. And forget to mention how much pollution is produced to manufacture the batteries, not to mention disposal, etc..

    We should think about the bigger picture, not how cool it is to replace one thing with another and disregard the rest of the facts.. And before someone says surplus fiber, think about sustainability…

    I’ll also throw in the fact that I know the word ‘green’ was probably not used to describe this backlight, etc.. So please dispense with the anal over-analysis and rhetorical flaming… I’m just throwing in my .04 cents.. =)

  5. Thanks to those of you commenting on my son soldering. He had a blast learning it and blew me away with how quickly he took to it. It always amazes me when I think he might have trouble with something, and then just learns it in a second. He was navigating the iPhone at 3yrs old like a pro, riding a bike before he could hardly reach the pedals, balancing on a two wheeled scooter, speech, reading, writing, drawing, designing, memorizing the “Community – Spanish Rap” (youtube that) – he’s amazing! Now if I could only get him to listen all of the time, he’s so determined to do whatever his brain desires. I try to encourage him to TRY everything… the worst that could happen is he fails, but even in failing he has succeeded in trying. That would be the message I’m trying to send in posting this for everyone, that our kids “can do it” if we encourage them and show them how.

  6. Bret: awesome. I figured age 6 to be an excellent time to teach soldering, but likewise if my girls are ready to curb their physical enthusiasm and maintain a still hand, then age five would be fine as well. It’s extremely important to teach our children all the skills we have.

  7. Brett, I really think what you’re doing is great! Like you, I teach my 2 1/2 year old son pretty much anything I think he’s going to be capable of and within reason. The other day he had fun setting up my little tabletop lathe and (with strict supervision) machining plastic parts for a water rocket we are building together. Before that we built a balloon hovercraft from a cotton reel and a CD, before that a glider, and before that – well I could go on! :)

  8. Hey Joe.
    I’m ajeromin. I did the sunlit backlight.

    I appreciate you pointing those things out. I was just speaking (debating) with some friends the other day about the whole gas vs. electric car thing as well. It is odd that we never hear of the cost, pollution, or future impact of creating and using these technologies.

    I do tests like this for fun as a hobby just to see what happens. A lot of us on here do. I’d love to change the world in some way for the better, but this is not my field, so my facts on the subject are limited.

    That being said, I do believe that the sun and wind are our best hope for sustainable, clean energy (and even then there will be pollution and waste from manufacturing solar cells and wind turbines. It’s the price we pay for our technology and leisure addictions.

    I also fear that the first person or lab to invent completely efficient, low-pollution and cost effective alternative energy production will be celebrated publicly, but threatened and shut down behind the curtains by those that have their lives invested in oil.

    Just my $0.06.
    :)

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