Eastern Geek

Domo Kun WobblyBot – Simple Self Balancing Two-Wheel Robot

2011-03-05T17:59:00.008+08:00

A self balancing two-wheel robot that wobbles, hence the name WobblyBot. Quite possibly the simplest design for a robot that could (sort of) balance itself on two wheels, without the use of accelerometer, gyroscope or microcontroller. A great weekend project, and do check out the video to see it in action. And why Domo Kun? Because my other half think it's cute :) You can pretty much change

Iron Man Inspired Repulsor Beam Blaster V1.0

2010-07-18T01:50:00.011+08:00

Homebrew repulsor beam blaster that’s designed to produce extremely intense burst of light that can be used to repulse your archnemesis, girlfriend /wife and pet cat. UPDATE: This hack's featured on Hack A Day!!, and Gizmodo and Engadget and Slashgear and TechCrunch. Many thanks to the folks there, and to everyone that took the trouble to visit. WARNING: The build involves high voltage and

DIY Antenna - Gray Hoverman Antenna For UHF TV Reception

2010-06-14T22:58:00.003+08:00

My build of the Single Bay Gray Hoverman UHF TV Antenna (SBGH) for nearby to fringe Over-The-Air (OTA) terrestrial reception range of 0 to 100 km. There are two variants of the SBGH. The one with 6-Pair Collinear Rod Reflectors and in my case here, the one with the Split-Screen Reflector. Some History The antenna was originally created by Doyt R. Hoverman, who also did the early work on the

How To Identify Stepper Motor Lead Wires – The Fool Proof Way

2010-06-11T11:43:00.012+08:00

A guide on identifying the lead wires of Unipolar Stepper Motors. Minimize screw ups and frustration especially for beginners and first-timers tinkering with stepper motors. Stepper motor is an impressive piece of engineering. Instead of making full turns like a normal motor, stepper motor make steps, one small degree at a time. It is commonly used in photocopy machines, printers, CNC

Creating KML and KMZ Files For Your Custom Google Maps

2010-05-01T01:15:00.013+08:00

The simple way to create KML / KMZ files for Google Maps, Google Earth and etc without actually knowing the syntax. KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML based file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile. With some tweaking, it can even be viewed on Bing Maps and Microsoft Virtual Earth. With KML, you can

Embed Custom Google Map In Your Blog (with CheckBox Layer Toggle)

2010-04-30T23:39:00.044+08:00

A guide on how to embed a customized Google Map in your blog or website and use checkboxes to toggle each layer ON and OFF (using Google Maps API). Google have come up with My Maps feature which allows users to create their own maps and embed them in blogs or websites. Unfortunately the level of customization that can be done is fairly limited. If you are a power user, confident around codes

Signage Fail: Translate Server Error

2008-07-19T10:03:00.008+08:00

I don't normally do this, but this sign in China is simply epic. Lesson to all: Do not rely on an online translator. Image via AdFreak No I don't read Chinese, but it's a sign for Chan Ting, literally translates to Restaurant (thanks Penny).

Simple (and dirty) Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) For Motor Speed Control

2008-06-10T11:58:00.039+08:00

This is possibly the simplest PWM circuit design out there. Suitable for low power DC Motor speed control (fan speed control, light dimming and etc) and is based on the 555 timer. Also a good starting point for novices wanting to get their hands dirty with the 555 timer IC. Some would argue that this is not the most efficient approach, but hey (read the title), it's simple, and it works. Some

Lego PC Case Mods Are Awesome

2008-03-04T16:35:00.015+08:00

The boys (and girls) in Billund would be mighty proud of these, PC Case Mods made out of Legos. click image to enlarge Housing a VIA Epia PD Motherboard 1Ghz, Nvidia 6200 PCI Graphics, Laptop 80 Gig 7200Rpm Hdd, Laptop DVD, and 1 gig Geil DDR memory (powered by 200 Watt PSU), the specs may not be impressive by today's standard. But who cares.. (link) click image to enlarge And the wheels,

Cool Decorative Lamp - The DIY Vortex Light/Lamp Of Terror

2008-02-29T12:15:00.022+08:00

Step-by-step instruction on how to make your very own Vortex Light/Lamp. A DIY light / lamp that will look super-cool on your desktop, living room or as a night light. I'm quite sure however, that it will not strike terror in anyone. This is a simple project that costs me RM 25, and a day to complete. Caution: Image heavy page, may take time to fully load. Another thing, I'm currently stuck with

Homemade 38 Million Candlepower Flashlight.

2008-02-15T16:54:00.013+08:00

Image by PopSci So what does a bored Optics Engineer do in his free time? Build a handheld flashlight so bright it can toast a cat, of course. The 45-year-old Dutch optics engineer has been building his own lights since he was eight, but his recent 38-million-candlepower creation, the Maxablaster, is more like a miniature star. To start, Ottow stripped out the innards of a powerful commercial

Replicating Criss Angel's Matrix Muscle Suspension / Levitation.

2008-02-13T14:15:00.014+08:00

Learn how to replicate one of Criss Angel's most famous illusion / magic trick, the Matrix /Muscle Levitation (aka Muscle / Matrix Suspension). In particular, the illusion he did at a park, where he leaned backward with just one leg on the ground. He's suspended as though by magic. If you miss that one, here's the video: First of all, I'm not out to debunk anything. I'm just hoping to