Author: Zoe Skyforest

3790 Articles

Faster Glacier Melting Mechanism Could Cause Huge Sea Level Rises

May 19, 2023 by 115 Comments

When it comes to the issue of climate change, naysayers often contend that we have an incomplete understanding of the Earth’s systems. While humanity is yet to uncover all the secrets of the world, that doesn’t mean we can’t act on what we know. In many cases, as climate scientists delve deeper, they find yet more supporting evidence of the potential turmoil to come.

In the stark landscapes of Greenland, a team of intrepid researchers from the University of California, Irvine, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have unearthed a hidden facet of ice-ocean interaction. Their discovery could potentially flip our understanding of sea level rise on its head.

Continue reading “Faster Glacier Melting Mechanism Could Cause Huge Sea Level Rises” →

Building A Giant Vacuum Tube Smart Lamp

May 19, 2023 by 12 Comments

Vacuum tubes are pretty, which is why they’re often showcased externally on exquisitely-expensive home Hi-Fi hardware. But if you just want to gaze at their beauty without making any noise, why not build this vacuum tube lamp from [Noel Törjék] instead?

[Noel] got into some creative reuse with this build, with the main body consisting of a bell jar and wooden bowls. The internal structure is then created from jar lids, wire, metal sheeting, steel rods, and galvanized wire mesh. Simple modelling techniques are used to assemble the internal parts of the “valve,” including the grid and the electrodes and so on. As for light, [Noel] employed a ZigBee LED driver that he could control over his smart home setup via a Philips Hue bridge.

The final result looks like an extra-large tube. Anyone who knows what it is will spot that it’s not a real one, but they’re also exactly the audience that will appreciate it for what it is. Everyone else will probably just think you’ve taken an interest in strange art-deco replica lighthouses. It’s not the first time we’ve seen replica valves around these parts, though, and we’re sure it won’t be the last!

LTE Sniffer Ferrets Out Cellular Communications

May 18, 2023 by 8 Comments

LTE networks have taken over from older technologies like GSM in much of the world. Outfitted with the right hardware, like a software defined radio, and the right software, it’s theoretically possible to sniff some of this data for yourself. The LTESniffer project was built to do just this. 

LTESniffer is able to sniff downlink traffic from base stations using a USRP B210 SDR, outfitted with two antennas. If you want to sniff uplink traffic, though, you’ll need to upgrade to an X310 with two daughterboards fitted. This is due to the timing vagaries of LTE communication. Other solutions can work however, particularly if you just care about downlink traffic.

If you’ve got that hardware though, you’re ready to go. The software will help pull out LTE signals from the air, though it bears noting that it’s only designed to work with unencrypted traffic. It won’t help you capture the encrypted communications of network users, though it can show you various information like IMSI numbers of devices on the network. Local regulations may prevent you legally even doing this, and if so, the project readme recommends setting up your own LTE network to experiment with instead.

Cellular sniffing has always been somewhat obscure and arcane, given the difficulty and encryption involved, to say nothing of the legal implications. Regardless, some hackers will always pursue a greater knowledge of the technology around them. If you’ve been doing just that, let us know what you’re working on via the tipsline.

Toothbrush Speed Controller Secrets Revealed

May 18, 2023 by 21 Comments

Typically, when we want to build something with a DC motor, we might grab a bunch of AAs, or a single lithium cell at the very least. Electric toothbrushes often run on more humble power sources, like a single NiMH battery. They’re designed to get useful motion out of just 1.2V, and [Marian Hryntsiv] has taken a look at what makes them tick.

The article focuses on an electric toothbrush built around the Low Voltage GreenPAK™ SLG47513 chip. It’s designed to work at voltages from just 1 to 1.65 V. To make the most of the limited power available, the toothbrush stays in sleep mode most of the time when it’s not working in oral health.

[Marian] steps through the various parts of the circuit, and also explains the unique functionality baked into the brush. Of particular interest are the timer routines that guide the user through brushing each section of the mouth in turn, before a notification that tells them that 2 minutes of brushing time has elapsed. There’s also a useful explanation of the inductive charging method used.

Electric toothbrushes may be mundane home items today, but they’re an example of a product that has largely already been optimized to the nth degree. Until laser-based plaque removal or enamel regeneration technology gets off the ground, this is as good as it gets. We can dream, though!

 

Big Tactile Button Is Silly But Cool

May 18, 2023 by 8 Comments

Every hacker is familiar with those teeny little tactile buttons that are so enjoyable to click over and over again. [ROBO HUB] has built a giant version as a tribute, and it works just like the real thing!

The giant button has been scaled up 20 times compared to the original. For simplicity’s sake, [ROBO HUB] designed this replica to use materials readily available around the home. Thanks to its cardboard construction, it’s easy to replicate with a minimum of tools. One need merely cut out the various sections before assembling them together with hot glue, with popsicle sticks serving as the legs. A juice bottle is used as the primary button itself, with aluminium foil serving as the contacts and rubber bands standing in for the spring.

It’s not the most useful button, given that it it’s quite fragile and has a weak spring return. However, it would be a great teaching tool to show students exactly what’s going on inside an actual button. As a bonus, it looks like it would be remarkably fun to pound on to activate some kind of massive air horn. Just an idea.

Continue reading “Big Tactile Button Is Silly But Cool” →

Revisiting Folk Wisdom For Modern Chronic Wound Care

May 18, 2023 by 81 Comments

In the constant pursuit of innovation, it’s easy to overlook the wisdom of the past. The scientific method and modern research techniques have brought us much innovation, which can often lead us to dismiss traditional cultural beliefs.

However, sometimes, there are still valuable kernels of truth in the folklore of yesteryear. This holds true in a medical study from Finland, which focused on the traditional use of spruce resin to treat chronic wounds, breathing new life into an age-old therapy.

Continue reading “Revisiting Folk Wisdom For Modern Chronic Wound Care” →

Drone Flies For Five Hours With Hydrogen Fuel Cell

May 18, 2023 by 82 Comments

Multirotor drones have become a regular part of daily life, serving as everything from camera platforms to inspection tools and weapons of war. The vast majority run on lithium rechargeable batteries, with corresponding limits on flight time. A company called Hylium hopes to change all that with a hydrogen-powered drone that can fly for up to five hours.

The drone uses a hydrogen fuel cell to provide electricity to run the drone’s motors and other electronic systems. Thanks to the energy density advantage of hydrogen versus lithium batteries, the flight time can be greatly extended compared to conventional battery-only drones. Details are scant, but the company has gone to some lengths to build out the product beyond a simple tech demonstrator, too. Hylium touts useful features like the short five-minute refueling time. The drone also reportedly features a night vision camera and the capability to transmit video over distances up to 10 kilometers, though some of the video of these features appears to be stock footage.

Hylium claims the liquid hydrogen canister used for the drone is drop-safe in the event of a problem. Notably, the video suggests the company tested this by dropping the canister concerningly close to an active motorway, but from what we see, nothing went awry.

A drone that can fly for five hours would be particularly useful for autonomous surveillance and inspection roles. The additional loiter time would be advantageous in these roles. We’ve seen other aero experimenters exploring the use of hydrogen fuel cells, too.

Continue reading “Drone Flies For Five Hours With Hydrogen Fuel Cell” →