blog posts in hacks
04/18/2009 • comments ()
super mario theme - laser cutter edition!
Posted by Paul Dateh

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A while back, a man named James Houston combined old gadgets, computer peripherals, and an array of failed hard drives to create a motorized ensemble that performed a version of Radiohead's "Nude." Now, a guy named Jed from HackLab has written code that controls the motors of a laser cutter, allowing the machine to resonate specific pitches and carry a tune of its own. In the above video, you can see the machine performing everyone's favorite Super Mario theme.

James and Jed both show that music can truly be found everywhere and in everything. I can't wait to see what other cool musical things the d.i.y. tech world will build next!

[ Via: boingboing ]

filed: diy, geek, hacks, music
tags: hackers, hacks, lasers, motors
12/16/2008 • comments ()
roll your own $14 steadycam!
Posted by Steve Woolf

On this week's show we talked about how to make your own kick-ass web show, and one of the bits we covered was Johnny Chung Lee's $14 steadycam project. For indie filmmakers, this is an awesome project. Johnny was actually offering a $39 service to make them for you, but it looks like that's on hold for now since he's still a student.

» This article continues

filed: diy, hacks
tags: filmmaking, steadycam
12/01/2008 • comments ()
hacker + mad scientist + macgyver = bre pettis
Posted by Steve Woolf

We've known Bre Pettis for years now, and I have to say that no one epitomizes the web DIY ethic more than him. In the course of his varied career, he has been a puppeteer, a teacher, a videoblogger, a web show producer, and a television host, not to mention a founder of NYC Resistor. Phil Torrone of Make Magazine said in The Wall Street Journal that Bre was like Mr. Rogers, Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye "The Science Guy" rolled into one. That's a cool description, but I think eventually Bre will be a brand all his own.

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09/15/2008 • comments ()
large hadron collider has been hacked
Posted by Zadi Diaz

The Large Hadron Collider a.k.a the Atom Smasher a.k.a. Sh*t That Will Get You Killed was compromised by a team of hackers calling themselves Group 2600 of the Greek Security Team.

"We're pulling your pants down because we don't want to see you running around naked looking to hide yourselves when the panic comes..."

They signed off:
"We are 2600 - don't mess with us."

» This article continues

[ Via: via: telegraph.co.uk ]

filed: hacks, science
tags: LHC