[cartufer] sent in this sweet little Polonium detector. It’s fundamentally similar to the Geiger counter the other day, but the circuit is simpler by several orders of magnitude. No exotic parts for this one, just some basic metal working skills. (This might be handy when I visit my in-laws.) The page is loaded with several ion detection designs, from simple to very complex.
Misc Hacks4194 Articles
Python Web Based Serial Control
[Benjamin] sent in his efforts to use Python to provide a web interface for his Aurdino. Python is usually pretty easy to manipulate, so it might be just the thing for someone looking to add a web control to a project with an open serial interface.
If you’ve got a hack you want to share, use the tips line.
Google As A Password Cracker
Usually we’re into hardware hacks, but once in a while I run across something that’s just too good. [Steven]’s blog was cracked a while back, and while he was doing forensics, he was trying to crack the md5 hashed password for the unauthorized account. Eventually he slapped the hash into Google, and guess that it was ‘Anthony’ based on the results that came up. Thanks to [gr] for pointing it out.
(Yes, I know it was on Slashdot a few days ago, but I don’t care.)
SLR Lenses On Your Digital Video Camera
Considering all the attention we give digital cameras, I wanted to find an interesting hack for those old school analog SLR cameras. (I spent a fair share of time behind one; I’m fond of the classic Canon AE-1) [Joshua] mated his Sony VX-2000e video camera with a Canon FD lens mount and created this monster. With the new lens mount, he’s got a full selection of lenses without the huge investment of specialized lenses.
Loooong Weekend Extra
It’s been one long holiday weekend for me. I’ve got a few interesting tidbits on the tips line, and it’s time to clear em out. (Thanks to my Father in Law who came to visit and re-painted my kitchen while I hauled no less than 800 lbs of scrap lumber from my driveway)
If you’re a Nintendo DS fiend, you might dig this app that [xfiles.fan] sent in. It’s an IP based clone of the DS’s built in chat program. The upshot is that you can chat with anyone on the internet. (I just use IRC, but this is good if you can’t get to a server.)
[Aaron] sent in the lastest version of his olympus E10 remote cable. Good for those shots that require some distance or just hands free to eliminate the shakes.
[theprojectmaker] has an interesting writeup on making water color effects on digital photos using analog (post printing) techniques. It looks like you can do some things that even PhotoShop can’t accomplish, since you’re not limited by the pixel.
[Dean] sent in his aluminum iBook picture frame after he noticed a mention in our Laptop HackIt asking for it.
Digital Geiger Counter
Worried about radiation levels? I’m not, but I still want to build one of these. Mr. Fission here was built by the same guy that’s behind the OpenTracker project. [Scott] based it on the Bargraph Geiger counter built by [Russel E. Cliff]. Both use a standard Geiger tube like the LND712. The tube works with high voltages – easy enough with older electronics, but it’s a slightly tougher challenge with todays low voltage gear. [Scott] used the high voltage power supply from the original project, and built the rest around a good ol’ Motorola HC86 series processor. [Scott]’s idea of using an inverter supply designed for a cold cathode lamp is definitely an interesting one.
Hackit: FRS/GMRS Portable Radios
FRS and GMRS radios have the performance that we wished walkie talkies had when we were kids. I find them interesting because they aren’t quite as tied down as amateur radio bands. (They’re freaking cheap and you can give them to unlicensed users.) I’ve been surprised by the lack of hacks for these little guys. Garmin married them with a GPS unit to create a sort of hand held APRS device called the Rhino. Since I’ve got a couple of kids, I’m thinking that smacking a GPS into one of these little wrist radios with a modified opentracker (PIC based APRS encoder) would be great for tracking the family on hikes and ski/snowboard trips.
The response to Hackit has been fantastic! Each week I’m going to bring up some hardware. You guys get to pick your brains and suggest new, interesting projects. Look for a round-up and bounty post in the next week or so.
So, got a better idea? Let’s hear it!
