The Stork Looks Different Than We Thought

What the Internet of Things really needs is more things, and the more ridiculous the better. At least, that’s the opinion of [Eric] who has created a tongue-in-cheek gadget to add to the growing list of connected devices. It’s a Bluetooth-enabled pregnancy test that automatically releases the results to the world. Feeling lucky?

The theory of operation is fairly straightforward. A Bluetooth low-energy module is integrated into the end of a digital pregnancy test. These tests have a set of photo detectors to read the chemical strip after the test is conducted. If the test is positive, the module sends a signal to a Raspberry Pi which tweets the results out for the world to see. It also has an option to send a text message to your mom right away!

[Eric]’s project to live-tweet a pregnancy test also resulted in a detailed teardown of a digital pregnancy test, so if you need any technical specifications for pregnancy tests (for whatever reason) his project site has a wealth of information. He does note that his device can be used on other similar devices with directly driven LCD screens, too. The fun doesn’t end there, though! Once the pregnancy is a little further along you’ll be able to get the baby on Twitter, too.

26 thoughts on “The Stork Looks Different Than We Thought

  1. When I read the headline I thought someone had made a model stork that actually flies with a message in its beak. That would be a cute hack. Bonus points if it operated autonomously with animal behavior and controlled vaguely via gprs or moonbounce.
    You people have a very different idea of what a hack is than I do.

      1. No I was merely stating a fact. When I read that headline I really did picture a flying stork delivering the news. You know 30 years ago hacking meant making Johnny 5. Now you mean to tell me, 30 years later, it means buying some mailorder stuff and following a tutorial? It’s fine to encourage beginners to learn but that shouldn’t be hyped up. That headline deserves an Uncanny Storkbot at the very least.

        Also the comms method is unhackworthy. Might as well be an advertisement for… an ad company. Yes, twitter is an ad company. People can’t even post pictures that make it out to other websites, they become text instead of embedded img tags so you have to visit their site and view their ads WITH an account.
        You people (hackaday editors) lament that we have no CCC in the US. That’s because that role is currently being filled by CES.

        For the comms the clasic Hacker goto is something Ham Radio, but if you want to stick to interwebs then at least use something like https://ricochet.im/ mentioned at 32c3 https://media.ccc.de/v/32c3-7307-state_of_the_onion about 36 mins in.

        Don’t let the megacorps dumb everything down into a bauble or soundbite. Hacking is supposed to be the counter-culture to that!

        1. Holy cow. The idea was more social commentary than a deep research project. And you actually would expect that, casually,someone would invest the time to create a flying machine with autonomous “animal behavior” in order to gain your respect? Such a thing would qualify for a DARPA grant, not an afternoon hack.

          Please, supply the URL with all the hackworthy projects you crank out, such as autonomous flying machines which model animal behavior so we can be impressed.

  2. <nitpick>

    “The stalk looks different than we thought” doesn’t sound right.
    “The stalk looks different to what we thought” sounds better.

    I know we use greater than, less than, bigger than, smaller than, whiter than … but different than?? doesn’t sound right.

    </nitpick>

    1. @RÖB
      I non-facetiously enjoy watching people try to correct/improve other people’s syntax or grammar, only to fall afoul of regional linguistic variations, and then have the variation pointed out to them. It’s like watching someone’s world expand in real time.

  3. I couldn’t help it, David Bowie has been in the news a lot recently. I apologize in advance.

    Ground Control to Major Mom
    Ground Control to Major Mom
    Take your daily pills and turn your cellphone on
    Ground Control to Major Mom (Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six)
    Commencing countdown, Bluetooth on (Five, Four, Three)
    Check your status and may God’s love be with you (Two, One, Liftoff)

    This is Ground Control to Major Mom
    You’ve really made the grade
    And the paper tells you if a child you’ll bear
    Now it’s time to tweet the results if you dare
    “This is Major Mom to Ground Control
    I’m stepping through the door
    And I’m floating in a most peculiar way
    And the stork looks very different today
    For here
    Am I sitting down on the can
    Broadcast to the world
    The result it is blue
    And there’s nothing I can do

    Though I’m past one hundred thousand likes
    I’m feeling very still
    And I think my newsfeed knows which way to go
    Text my mom I’m pregnant now she knows
    Ground Control to Major Mom
    Your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong
    Can you hear me, Major Mom?
    Can you hear me, Major Mom?
    Can you hear me, Major Mom?
    Can you .. Here am I sitting down on the can
    Far above the Moon
    The paper is blue
    And there’s nothing I can do.”

  4. What’s in the cup in the video ? It indicates as positive so should we guess it’s pee from a pregnant woman ? If this is the case, congratulation for the maker of the video and his wife.

  5. Over all a terrible idea.
    The risk of miscarrage is highest during the first 3 months. It can be heart breaking for a couple to announce a pregnancy only to have a miscarrage. People will keep coming up and asking how it is going and you have to tell people over and over that you are no longer pregnant.
    It is really best to wait a while before announcing.

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