Using MatchBox Cars As A Switch

cars

[atduskgreg] posted this interesting setup to flickr. He’s using two toy cars as a switch. He has wired into their metal undercarriages so when they collide, the circuit closes. We’ve seen some pretty nifty home made interface items, but usually they are posted with a clear purpose or a project. This one is a little puzzling. Does he intend to keep using the cars or was he just fooling around? Is he working on a toy that does something when they crash? Was he merely bored and wanted to see what he could attach to his Arduino. We may never know.

78 thoughts on “Using MatchBox Cars As A Switch

  1. Whats the purpose of this??? I remember when I started reading hackaday, there was only one hack a day and I was learning something every time,, NOW, we have about 2 maybe more hack a day, if we can call it a “hack”, and these are useless “hack” like this. So, please stop this.

  2. Yeah, and its not like there isn’t tons of GOOD material they could be using instead.

    Hell, I submitted cool stuff I stumbled across for awhile, but like everyone else I eventually stopped as it never ever got published – not enough Arduinos I guess.

    This no substance crap is getting old.

  3. “This one is a little puzzling. Does he intend to keep using the cars or was he just fooling around? Was he merely bored and wanted to see what he could attach to his Arduino. We may never know.”

    If you don’t know, then why the gently caress did you publish the goddamned article? Sponsors weren’t getting their quota of Arduino plugs?

    I was sick of articles about Arduinos that just did something lame, so now you’ve replaced it with articles on unfinished Arduinos doing nothing at all?

    Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over?

  4. I just don’t see what the issue is here. Somebody needed a quick fix for a switch and grabbed what has handy and turned it into something else besides the intended purpose. Wait… there is another word for that. Oh damn, what is it? Can’t think of it right now. People do it all the time. They have entire websites about it. Damn! I wish I could think of it. Oh well.

  5. unless you’re selling Arduinos,this site is about as useful as tits on a bull.

    seriously tho,why does this site even exist anymore? it’s been eclipsed by at least half a dozen other,better,far less transparently “bought and paid for” sites.

    the internet would be no worse off if this sad shadow of a “hack” site simply got deleted one day.

  6. wow… a switch… this is usually the kind of technology that is unveiled at MIT! You are SOOOO lucky to have this on here… what’s next?

    I GOT IT!

    do away with the switch… what would happen if there were no switch and a staight wire was used? IT WOULD STAY ON ALL THE TIME!

    we’ve all had enough arduino “hacks”… I agree with the guy below… i liked it much better when you just stole hacks from other sites and posted them here…. it’s too boring to come here any more…

    SEE YA!

    IMAGINE THAT!

  7. “This one is a little puzzling. Does he intend to keep using the cars or was he just fooling around? Is he working on a toy that does something when they crash? Was he merely bored and wanted to see what he could attach to his Arduino. We may never know.”

    Step One: Click on next item in stream
    Step Two:…
    Step Three: Profit from his description of what he is using the switch for.

  8. I keep coming to this site for the same reason I still watch thundercats once in a while. I think, man it used to be so cool, I gotta see that again. Then when I watch it or come to this site I’m filled with a cold realization that I was either easily impressed because I was 8 or I’m a fucking idiot.

    Considering I didn’t start reading this site until much later in the timeline of my life it can’t be that I was easily impressed because I was 8 so I must be a fucking idiot for continuing to read this site. And yet here I am again, really its getting to the point that I am almost ready to accept what you post as possible hacks and this makes me sad, like put a gun in my mouth sad. Please don’t kill me hackaday……please.

  9. could someone please expand on the sites that have eclipsed this one? a replacement for this site is overdue.

    i thought maybe they would eventually get the point and, well, improve or something. that obviously isn’t gonna happen.

    time to stop wasting time prodding these guys to not suck so much, and just give someone else the ad revenue.

  10. Yesterday I used two wires as a switch. If you just touch them, it’s like a push-button. But if you twist the ends, it’s like an on-off button. Isn’t it cool or what?
    Oh, it’s not using an arduino, so I don’t think it will get published on hack-a-day :(

  11. @caleb kraft: funny post wise guy. not sure how exactly you managed to slowly strangle this site, but when you are done could you move to my mother in law’s house? if you could pull the same thing off there we’ll call it even for the cluster that this site has become.

  12. @ Helladay lol no shit right? I was just curious if you guys get a kickback everytime someone mentions the Arduino? If so you guys should be asking for a bigger kickback as much as you talk about how f’n great it is. Just aayin.

  13. But anyway, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen similar switches integrated into toys like these, not just toys, also the fact that cars chassis usually serve as the ground gives me the impression that this inspired this thing [that’s not a hack].

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