Gyroscopically stabilized car/motorcycle thing

lit-motors-c-1

So yeah, this thing exists. Well, at least some pretty interesting looking prototypes of it do. It's the C-1 from Lit Motors (anyone else think that's a reference which belongs in /r/trees?). The idea here is that the small form-factor of a motorcycle is very efficient and easily maneuverable. But the cage protecting the passenger from harm, and the canopy keeping the elements out give it some of … [Read more...]

Modeling an object with internal IMUs

IMG

[Joseph Malloch] sent in a really cool video of him modeling a piece of foam twisting and turning in 3D space. To translate the twists, bends, and turns of his piece of foam, [Joseph] used several inertial measurement units (IMUs) to track the shape of a deformable object. These IMUs consist of a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and a 3-axis magnetometer to track their movement in 3D … [Read more...]

Another homebrew Segway clone comes in at under $300

segfault-homemade-segway

[Matt Turner] tipped us off back in January about his homemade Segway project. Unfortunately that message slipped through the cracks but we're glad he sent in a reminder after reading Friday's feature an a different 2-wheeled balancer. We like it that he refers to this project as being on the budget of a graduate student with a young family. We certainly understand where he's coming from, and … [Read more...]

Avoid shaky camera movements with gyroscopic stabilization

gyro

Right after "no editing whatsoever", the "shaky camera" is the bane of YouTube viewers the world over. [David] came up with a nice solution to the problem of shaky cameras that uses gyroscopes to even out the bumps of making a great movie. Most cameras attached to moving frames - from the zip-line cameras at NFL games to police helicopters and aerial reconnaissance drones - have some sort … [Read more...]

Android legs stability testing

android-11

This is [James'] latest android build, a set of legs that use gyroscopes for balance. He started off by planning the build with some LEGO pieces to get an idea of how each foot and leg joint would fit together. This let him achieve one of his goals. From the start he wanted to create a robot that would remain stable, and not build up enough momentum to tip itself over if there is a problem. … [Read more...]

Contest entry roulette

scrap-project-contest-entries

Over 150 projects made from scrap parts (translated) have been posted for your viewing pleasure. They make up the entries in the "Make fast the scrap" project from c't magazine. We already looked in on a toilet paper printer, but there's a ton of other fun stuff to look at as well. Every time you load the link at the top, the page picks a different set of entries to display. You can click … [Read more...]

Quadcopter stabilization system using Wii Motion Plus

auto-stabilization-hardware

If you're contemplating a quadcopter build here's a way to add stabilization hardware without breaking the bank. The BaronPilot project uses an Arduino and a Wii Motion Plus module to ensure an even keel for your flying projects. The hardware inside of the Motion Plus includes two gyroscopes, which the BaronPilot monitors for changes in your flying rig's orientation. The project serves as a … [Read more...]