We have seen how transformers are made before but how do they actually work? Fileark gives us demonstration video about the magic that is happening inside the transformer.

“The transformer is based on two principles: firstly, that an electric current can produce a magnetic field (electromagnetism) and secondly that a changing magnetic field within a coil of wire induces a voltage across the ends of the coil (electromagnetic induction). Changing the current in the primary coil changes the magnetic flux that is developed. The changing magnetic flux induces a voltage in the secondary coil.”

Most of us have used high power LEDs in our projects. It’s getting quite common to see 1 Amp LEDs used for lighting applications. Even though when you normally think about LEDs you envision something that is cool to the tough these high current models need heat sinking to keep their die temperatures at bay. Our friend Carl from Sweden has been doing some experiments with a super high power LED that normally lives inside a Casio projector, it is knows as the PT54 Phlatlight. How much current does this pull you ask, a whopping 8 plus amps! Yes, this is the same Carl who normally works with lasers, seems like he is branching off into LEDs now…

Andres Guzman-Ballen, a Senior at the University of Illinois studying Computer Engineering sent us an email about his latest project. It is a Wireless Electric Mountainboard. You can see the video below of the hard wired version that he built when he wanted to debug some issues he was having with the wireless setup.

“I chose a mountainboard because the truck design allows the rider to carve more since the center of gravity is lower than a skateboard. Because it is designed to bend and absorb impacts and still be very strong (with the carbon fiber and fiberglass combo), riding it feels as if you are surfing in the street. I use a 25.6 V 10.2 Ah LiFePO4 battery and it weighs only 6 lbs! The brushless motor that I use only weighs 0.6 lbs and the board that I bought from eBay weighs about 18 lbs. If you add that up with the material supporting all that, it weighs about 30 lbs. It can go up to 20 mph but I usually ride around 10 to 15 since I want to live long enough to enjoy it.”

Fresh off the assembly line… We have a new kit that is being released today. It’s a universal IR Jammer which can be used to jam any infrared remote control device.

The Infrared Remote Control Jammer allows you to render all IR remote controls inoperative! The microcontroller in this design allows for all 6 of the main IR frequencies to be targeted making this unit universal. It works by corrupting the data that is being sent by your normal remote controls.

The kit will be discounted for the first few introduction days so get yours today!

The board is the size of a 9 volt battery which is the intended power supply for the device. Press the button and point it to the infrared component that you would like to jam. Perfect for playing pranks and keeping your TV channel on even when you go and make a sandwich.

IR Jammer Project Page

IR Jammer Kit Page

IR Jammer Order Page

I thought I had seen it all. If you want to do some scuba diving this is not the way to go about it… Some ideas don’t need to be invented. It looks like the user is tethered to a boat on the surface and probably just hangs on for the ride. It would have been so much better if it was at least an underwater motorcycle.

If you have ever wondered what the inside of a TV Factory looked like you are in luck. Looks like there is very little brought into the plant in a finished form. Everything from the styrofoam packaging material to the plastic housings are made in-house.

Automated robotics is has always fascinated me. Kiva Systems makes a Robotic Warehouse system that is simply amazing. Just imagine not having employees needing to go out to shelves to retrieve product but rather have the product come you the employee. That is a cool concept but it does take a ton of technology and equipment. I have always wondered how long one of my Mouser order takes to get packaged especially when I am evaluating a bunch of potential parts for a new project. I am assuming that it takes quite a long time for 20 or 30 individual 30 cent parts to be picked but who know Mouser might have a kick ass system in place that makes it a breeze.

I am thinking the next step that Kiva needs to look into is have some generic bins that are filled with all the items and just have a person package the items in the final shipping box. I guess this might be more difficult that it sounds since there would need to be either a very sophisticated picking system that could identify how to lift every item out of the box or a manual effort up front to load the items in individually dispensable slots.

Thanks for the tip Rod