Tindie

Persistence of Vision, or POV displays, are a fascinating treat for the eyes. By rotating incredibly fast, they are able to project a static image or video. Building one yourself would certainly be a project worth bragging about.

That’s the idea behind this DIY POV Kit, which offers a 131×131 resolution and a 12bit color depth. The kit comes with custom 3D-printed parts and there’s an instruction manual online to build it.

A word of caution, however. Those interested should check out the instructions first to make sure they can build it. It’s not a beginner’s kit, that’s for sure. The store page also includes a list of tools you will need to build this impressive kit.

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It’s funny how, when I was young you would see backpacks with pins and patches, but these days those things have been given electronic life. Gone are the day of static images or sewn on pieces of cloth. Instead we have badges that offer unique designs and plenty of those sweet, sweet, blinky LEDs.

The next contender for your shirt or bag is the Queen Bee pin badge. This full color, golden PCB with a white soldermask features 6 SMD LEDs for the wings and eyes.

Pressing the button cycles you through three different modes before turning the lights off. As is the case with many devices, the battery is not included, so plan to have a cr1220 or cr1225 handy.

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When you want customization and quality, it’s often better to simply make something yourself. This is especially true with makers, who often produce products even better than the ones you find on the market.

Having become sick of the cheap protoboards they encountered, one Tindarian set out to create a Particle Photon compatible shield. The board makes it simple to wire up switches, relays, senors, and anything else you can thing of to the Photon. The kit features an ENIG finish, genuine Phoenix connectors for all the pins, thick traces, clear labelling, and a small proto area in the center.

While the Particle Photon itself isn’t included, this kit gives you everything you need to get started with one of your own.

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Sand timers are the staple of board games everywhere, but they come with several inherent flaws. For starters, you need someone watching them to see exactly when the time runs out. Don’t even get me started on those moments when the sand gets stuck.

Like many outdated concepts, it’s something that works better when you create an electronic version. These Electronic Sand Timers come in a package of six and include several handy features to breathe new life into your game nights.

The small form factor, combined with easy programming and configuration, make it easy to quickly implement them into whichever activity you’re hosting, be it a game of charades or a tabletop RPG.

A bright LED makes it easy. to spot them as well. Batteries are also included, making them ready to go from the moment they arrive.

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Even the most creative of makers need inspiration from time-to-time. With the Halloween season upon us, perhaps it’s time you gave your prototyping boards a makeover?

This set of six Halloween party prototyping boards are just the thing to hone your creativity. A mix of different sizes and art styles offer something for everyone. The boards also feature a through-hole gold-plated finish to prevent oxidation.

The seller also welcomes feedback and ideas for future designs, so don’t hesitate to share if you think a certain illustration should make it to the next batch.

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The origins of the Simon color game date back to the 1980s. This handheld game was simple: repeat a pattern using sequences of four colors directly after it is shown to you. Those with photographic memories were masters at this game. I, however, was not.

If you’re someone who wants more of a challenge, look no further than Симон. This modern take on the game uses RGB LEDs, so each of the buttons can be any of the four colors (as opposed to fixed positions in the original design). As if that wasn’t hard enough, this new version includes 5 levels of difficulty as well.

Whether it’s adding “chords” that require you to push two buttons at once, or moving the colors around when it’s your turn, even the most powerful of Simon players will find a suitable challenge here.

The game comes fully assembled on a PCB, leaving you to just provide the two AA batteries so you can get started.

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Fall has finally arrived, and as a massive fan of both horror films and games, Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. We’ve all seen electronic takes on fun designs, but the dancing skeleton is perhaps one of the most iconic, right alongside the cackling witches screeching bats that hang from front doors.

Billy Bones is a kit that “dances” and laughs when exposed to light. It comes as a single PCB with mouse bits connecting the separate parts. Using jump rings, you can connect the limbs to the torso for ghoulish dance moves you can see in the video below.

The magic that makes it dance is thanks to an off-center weight on a DC motor. A laugh track stored on the PIC 12F1840 microcontroller plays back at varying speeds when the LDR sensor is triggered.

A pair of glowing eyes and the simple requirement of two AAA batteries rounds out this fun and spooky Halloween decoration.

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With some LEDs and a solid Arduino script, you can make some pretty magical light shows. But what fun is a static animation looping the same way over and over? Taking things one step further, responsive LED setups react to nearby people or objects.

These responsive LED panels have a proximity sensor next to each LED, offer you the chance to build your own interactive exhibit, responsive coffee table, or ultimate maker dance floor. Check out the video below for some examples of how satisfying it is to play with this concept.

Panels are modular and Arduino compatible, allowing you to program them however you like. Panels measure 120mm x 120mm and include 16 WS2812 RGB LEDs in a 4×4 grid. Components are included with each purchase, but you have the option to choose if you would like them soldered or if you prefer to do it yourself. Sample code is available on GitHub, and assembly instructions can be found on Instructables.

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Creating live recordings with a human feel is essential to modern music making. In electronic music, there are numerous methods to make your notes play with real-world expression and off-grid dynamics. The E&F2M – Dual MIDI USB adapter is a device which brings together two essential control elements in one USB device, enabling you to connect expression/sustain pedals and a footswitch simultaneously – and configure exactly what they’re in control of.

The combination of a keyboard and expression pedal allows for an added dimension during performances. The E&F2M offers this with an additional footswitch input, for control over your sound elements, including tone, timbre, pitch and sustain – programmed using standalone software which comes with the device. Set up the E&F2M to send MIDI Control Changes, Program Changes, Pitch Bend Changes, Polyphonic Aftertouch, Note On or MIDI Clock Messages. Use a footswitch to select a different synth sound, mute drums or to engage an effects send – it’s a highly configurable and versatile device!

It has 2 TRS jack sockets to connect a standard expression pedal and 1 or 2 button footswitches. There’s also a micro-usb port for connection to your computer, whether it’s Windows, Linux or Mac based. The E&F2M is a combination of two of the units offered by beat bars who offer free shipping to anyone in the UK.

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While minimalist designs are a nice idea, it can sometimes be more difficult to subtract than to add to your design. Doing the same with less is an admirable goal in anything, but especially with electronics.

This minimalist breadboard power supply kit aims to give your breadboard power without much effort at all. The design connects a 2032 coin cell battery to power both the rails of a standard breadboard. An on/off switch and power indicator LED rounds out the package.

The kit requires very basic soldering, but otherwise it takes all the complication of getting unregulated 3 V coin cell power to your breadboard. If you want a good laugh, the product page also includes a comprehensive list of the things it doesn’t come with (No death star plans? What is this, amateur hour?).

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