Adafruit reported a cool gadget so called “Rudolph“, an email Reading Reindeer that lets you know when you’ve got a new email and tells you who sent it! Basically it uses Propeller Platform USB to log into the email server, trigger animations, and generate the speech. The Internet connection is handled separately by E-Net module.

All the software codes required to build this project can be downloaded from Gadgetgangster.  Not only this, there is a good references available that will give you an idea of building and customizing this project.  

Here’s a demo video that will give you some basic idea about this build:

Cibomahto member mahto modified the Chumby web browser to a full-screen kiosk for his 8″ Insignia Infocast branded machine. You can probably make it to work with the other Chumbys too without learning flash or compiling anything.

The steps required to make it working are :

- At first grab the file here,

- unzip the contents into a USB stick or SD card,

- place the card in your Insignia, and reboot.

- you can change the URL that it loads by modifying the file debugchumby 

The complete source code for this browser can be downloaded here.

Instructables member Fatratmatt has posted in his blog an amazing concept of building a Steampunk analog clock. The clock not only displays the time, month, date and day of the week but it is even equipped with an option of playing  a video of the correct moon phase for the current date and time. You can create your own audio effects with the selectable volume controls when the moon phase video is being played. The dials are electroluminescent and are activated and dimmed by touch.

Fatratmatt has provided complete list of items, design steps and necessary software codes in his post here. To get an idea about this crazy project, watch this video below.  

Dave took some time off building his new lab and finished building an ArduCopter, Dave goes through some troubleshooting when the control board doesn’t work. Turns out there is a mystery short on the previously functional board. You will get a good laugh at the culprit.

Robert Smith built this Remote Control Solar Lawn Mower to let him cut his grass without breaking a sweat. Check out a few of the many videos below that he created going over the entire build process. He used Google Sketchup to make a 3D model of the system before it was built, this would allow you to make your own lawnmower if you choose. Just like with other robots electric wheelchair motors have been selected to drive this mower. The videos are great since it looks like Robert must have a video production background.

If you are looking for more robotic lawn mower inspiration be sure to check out some of the other robotic lawn mowing systems we have featured in the past.

Thanks for sending this in Robert!

Youritronics member Florin brings you a wonderful design that enables you to add an Auto-OFF feature for 15 mins in your old and cheap digital multimeter(DMM). With this you can save your battery consumption even if you forgot to turn-OFF your DMM.

To add the Turn-OFF feature, you will be requiring a very few components like – microcontroller (tiny25 in the present case), a voltage regulator, a npn transistor and the associated capacitors and resistors. The circuit is powered from the multimeter 9V battery and cuts off the ground path to the meter to turn off its power.

The source code and Eagle based circuit schematics are accessible on github here. Also you can find the complete design steps at Florin’s post here. 

Laughingsquid member EDW Lynch reported the new design concept of Air-Free Tire by Bridgestone. This Air-Free Tire is basically an airless tire design concept that relies on thermoplastic resin spokes to give the tire its shape and flexibility. This newly designed tire is 100% recyclable.

Currently the holders of lightweight carts and personal mobility devices can be benefited with this new launch and very soon this design concept will brought up for the larger vehicle holders too. More at Laughingsquid.

For advanced features of this new concept, watch the video below: