GeekwithEnvy

Art and Design

Check out the World’s First REAL Hoverboard

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Hendo Hover has created a technology that uses an engine that creates a magnetic field which pushes against itself to create lift. The board currently hovers 1 inch above the ground. The technology in these boards currently requires a special surface in order to operate, so it’s not quite like the hoverboard from Back to the Future, but it’s still pretty awesome.

Hendo Hover is also offering a small scale developer kit called “The Whitebox” which allows users to get creative and utilize their new hovering engines in any way they like. These developer kits can be programmed and controlled with both Android an iOS devices. This project is being funded through a Kickstarter campaign which is linked in the widget below. For more information head here.

Draw Circuits With a Pen

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Creating basic circuits by hand is the best way to learn about how electronics work and using a breadboard has traditionally been the best way to do this, at least until now. Circuit Scribe is a kickstarter project that features a cool new ball point pen that uses a conductive silver ink which is perfect for drawing simple circuits. Utilizing just a Circuit Scribe pen, piece of paper, and a few electronic components like a LED light or a small motor, you can create just about any small project that you can imagine. This catchy idea has already pulled in $260,000, which is far beyond the set goal of $85,000.

This pen would make a great tool for children to use in the classroom to learn about simple circuits and there’s even a Classroom kit that includes 10 basic kits and a activity book. You can also buy just one basic kit for yourself to see what you can come up with. You can also get two larger kits, the Maker Kit and Developer Kit.

Each kit includes the Circuit Scribe pen which can be purchased separately for $20.

Here’s what’s in the Basic Kit (Cost $30):

  • 2 LED Boards each with two (2) LED lights attached
  • 2 Coin Batteries
  • 9V Battery Connector
  • 2 PIN which you can add Resistors, Capacitors, and Switches to
  • Slide Switch
  • Jumper Stickers
  • BJT NPN Transistor

Maker Kit ( Cost $50):

  • Includes Basic Components
  • Maker Notebook
  • RGB LED
  • Photo Sensor
  • Sound Buzzer
  • Potentiometer
  • 8 PIN ( NAND Logic Gate, 555 Timer, OP AMP)
  • Stencil
  • 9V Battery

Developer Kit ( Cost $100):

  • 2 Basic Component Kits
  • Maker Notebook
  • 2 Sets of Maker Components and Developer Components
  • 10 Magnetic Connection Cords
  • USB Micro B Power Adapter
  • Motor
  • 2 DPDT Switches
  • 10 DIY Solder Boards

CircuitScribe

Apple is Ready To Build it’s Spaceship

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AppleCampus2Draw
Proposed Design for Apple’s “Spaceship” Campus 2

Apple has long since wanted to build a second campus to the east of it’s current headquarters and it has taken years just to get everything together and approved. It was back in 2006 when Steve Jobs had announced that he wanted to build another campus and now, many years later, it looks like it’s finally going to happen.

With a final agreement to pay more taxes to the city of Cupertino, Apple has now received it’s final approval to begin building the massive 2.8-million-square-foot ring shaped “spaceship” campus that will house 13,000 under some of the most cutting edge architecture imaginable today. Steve Jobs had a goal in mind when he planned to build the new campus and part of that goal included making sure that the campus had the same “fit and finish” that goes into designing Apple’s products.

The project will take years to finish as Apple hopes to complete the building in 2016.

Painting or Photograph?

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Camel thorn trees-Namibia (Frans Lanting/National Geographic)
Tinted orange by the morning sun, a soaring dune is the backdrop for the hulks of camel thorn trees in Namib-Naukluft Park. (Frans Lanting/National Geographic)

Despite the way this image looks, it is indeed a photograph. This is a picture of Camel Thorn trees in Namibia which was taken by Frans Lanting for National Geographic. The backdrop is actually a large dune and the spots are small patches of grass.

This stunning photograph caused a lot of controversy when it was first printed as many people did indeed believe it was a painting. This photo was featured in a an article written by Alexandra Fuller for National Geographic back in June of 2011.

You may have the same trouble I initially did trying to see the picture for what it is, a real photograph, but if you look at some of the changes in color that occur on the sand dune and the shadows that the patches of grass produce, then you may finally see past the “painting”.

98 Year Old Makes Amazing MS Paint Art

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While reading through a few articles on web, I came across a truly inspiring video. It’s about a 98 year-old man named Hal Lasko who creates amazing 8-bit style artwork using Microsoft Paint. Hal worked as a graphic artist when he was younger and he used to create his own unique typography by hand.

Hal started using Microsoft Paint later on in his retirement when his family introduced it to him around 2005. Hal has been spending hours upon hours every day since then creating his own unique artwork.

You can view more of Hal Lasko’s artwork at hallasko.com and for a deeper look into Hal Lasko’s world, you can head to WIRED.