BingGPT Brings AI Chat To The Desktop

September 13, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 28 Comments

Interested in AI, but sick of using everything in a browser? Miss clicking on a good old desktop icon to open a local bit of software? In that case, BingGPT could be just the thing for you.

It’s nothing too crazy—just a desktop application that gives you access to Bing’s AI-powered chatbot. It’s available on a range of platforms, from Windows, to Apple, and Linux, and binaries are available for Intel, Apple Silicon, and ARM processors.

Using BingGPT is simple. Sign in with your Microsoft account, and away you go. There’s no need to use Microsoft Edge or any ugly browser plugins, and you can export your conversations to Markdown, PNG, and PDF for sharing beyond the program. It’s also complete with a range of keyboard shortcuts to speed your interaction with the large language model when it gets off track. There’s also the Compose button which can actually go ahead and write stuff for you.

Fundamentally, all the cool stuff is still coming in via the web, but it’s nice to be able to use Bing’s chatbot without having to succumb to the horrors of a Microsoft browser. It’s interesting to see how large language models are becoming an all-pervasive tool of late. If you’re building your own nifty projects in this area, don’t hesitate to let us know!

ZX Spectrum Gets A 3D FPS Engine

September 12, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 21 Comments

The Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 are well-known for bringing 3D gaming into the mainstream in a way that preceding consoles just couldn’t. The ZX Spectrum, on the other hand, is known for text adventures and barebones graphics. However, it now has a rudimentary version of a Quake-like engine, as demonstrated by [Modern ZX-Retro Gaming].

As you might expect, the basic ZX Spectrum that sat in front of your dodgy old TV in the 1980s isn’t really up to the task of running a full 3D game. The engine runs at a fairly jerky frame rate on a 3.5 MHz ZX Spectrum, with purely monochrome graphics. However, the game can run more smoothly on 7, 14, and 28MHz ZX Spectrum compatibles. As with many such projects, most of the video you’ll see is of the game running in emulators. Impressively, the game features sound effects, three weapons, and a standard WASD control layout as per modern FPS games.

If you’re wondering about the confusing visuals, there’s a simple explanation. Yes, the UI and weapons are straight out of Doom. However, the game is running on a true 3D engine, with 3D enemies, not sprites. It’s inspired by the full 3D engine pioneered by Quake, hence the designation.

Files are available for those wishing to try it out at home. We do see a fair bit of the ZX Spectrum around these parts. Video after the break.

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3D Printing A Sock Knitting Machine

September 12, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 33 Comments

3D printing socks isn’t really a thing yet. You’d end up with scratchy plastic garments that irritate your feet no end. You can easily 3D print all kinds of nifty little mechanisms, though, so why not 3D print yourself a machien to knit some socks instead? That’s precisely what [Joshua De Lisle] did.

The sock knitting machine is a simple device, albeit one that takes up most of the build area on a common 3D printer. It’s properly known as a circular sock machine, and is capable of producing the comfortable tubular socks that we’re all familiar with. All it takes is a bit of yarn and a simple handcranking of the mechanism, and it’s capable of extruding a sock before your very eyes.

He steps through his various iterative design improvements, and shows us how to build the device using knitting machine hooks to handle the yarn directly. The device is also instrumented with a digital counter to keep track of how far along your given sock is.

Your friends at the pub might go running for the doors when you start explaining that you’re thinking about making your own socks. Don’t let them deter you; we’ve seen others tread this path before. Video after the break.

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Wi-Fi 7: The Next Big Leap Or A Whole Lotta Nothing?

September 11, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 52 Comments

For most people, the Wi-Fi hardware of today provides a perfectly satisfactory user experience. However, technology is ever-evolving, and as always, the next advancement is already around the corner. Enter Wi-Fi 7: a new standard that is set to redefine the boundaries of speed, efficiency, and connection reliability.

Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just another incremental step in the world of wireless tech. It’s promising drastic improvements over its predecessors. But what does it bring to the table? And how does it differ from Wi-Fi 6E, which is still relatively fresh in the market? Read on.

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Road Salt? Bah! New Roadway Material Promises A Better Solution To Snow And Ice

September 6, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 68 Comments

If you’ve ever lived somewhere it gets properly cold, you’ll know that winter’s icy grasp brings the inevitable challenge of keeping roadways safe. While road salt and gritting have long been the go-to solutions, their detrimental environmental impact and the potential for infrastructure degradation are well-documented.

However, a game-changing new development might just offer a brighter, greener solution. Just imagine it—roads that stay ice free without requiring regular attention.

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Developing A 4,500 RPM Twin-Cylinder Air Engine

September 4, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 20 Comments

Compressed air isn’t really a practical form of energy storage for headline uses like transport or heating, but it’s a fun thing to tinker with at the small scale. [Tom Stanton] is plenty experienced in that area, having built a series of compressed air engines over the years. His latest effort is capable of running at up to 4,500 RPM, and delivering a full 0.05 horsepower.

[Tom’s] ultimate goal is to put his new tiny air engine on a small model aircraft. To enable consistent performance, his engine needs a regulator, but off-the-shelf models for industrial use were too hefty for his use. Thus, he set about equipping his engine with a lightweight regulator of his own 3D-printed design.

His latest ball-valve air engine was then designed to run on this lower regulated pressure of approximately 30 psi. It initially proved less efficient than his previous designs, but some engineering analysis revealed the problem. [Tom] does a great job of stepping through his process of understanding how these engines perform, and how he uses these findings to guide his design choices going forward.

It’s also great to see a YouTuber not just building fun things, but taking measurements and doing some real engineering. [Tom’s] air engines keep getting better, and we can’t wait to see where he takes his designs next.

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Minimalist LED Lamp Is Circular Beauty Incarnate

September 4, 2023 by Zoe Skyforest 8 Comments

Lamps used to be things built to provide light with specific purpose, whether as reading lamps, desk lamps, or bedside table lamps. Now we just build them for the vibes, as with this minimalist LED lamp from [andrei.erdei].

The build uses a 3D-printed frame printed in opaque grey, with a diffuser element printed in a more translucent white. This is key to allowing the LED to nicely glow through the lamp without ugly distracting hotspots spoiling the effect. The lamp mounts 36 WS2812B LEDs in strip form. These are controlled from an Arduino Nano running the FastLED library for lightweight and easy control of the addressable LEDs. Smooth rainbow animations are made easy by the use of the HSV color space, which is more suitable for this job than the RGB color space you may otherwise be more familiar with.

[andrei.erdei] does a great job of explaining the build, including the assembly, electronics, and code aspects. The latter could serve as a particularly good resource if you’re just starting out on your own builds in the blinky, glowable space. Video after the break.

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