Riding your bicycle at night is dangerous on busy streets, especially if you've got no bike lights. In most states, it's illegal to ride your bike at night without any lights because drivers on the road won't be able to see you until it's too late. Plus, how is anybody going t ...more
Afraid of the dark? You're only afraid of things you can't see. Just like an owl, see through the darkness, light up your imagination, and use your own owl eyes to make your very own Halloween hoot. To make this owl, you'll need black foam board, an X-Acto knife, LED lights, b ...more
Have any Star Wars fanatics in your family? Well, here's a great Christmas gift idea for those Star Wars fans who think they have everything... a freaking LEVITATING DEATH STAR! Video: . Backwards Lamb Props created the above Death Star model by using one of those cheap magnet ...more
A common misconception is that all car batteries die. This, in fact, isn't true—the majority of "dead" car batteries just don't contain enough juice to power a car, but they can still provide enough watts to keep emergency fans and lighting running, which is great when a power ...more
As our society and population grows, more developments such as housing and restaurants are built. While this is beneficial for us, it's not so great for the environment and the animals that occupy it. Some of the victims of our prosperity have been the birds, forced from their ...more
It's tough out there on the battlefield, especially when your stuck in the trenches and your comrades are dropping like flies. There's no hope. At least, until the next airsoft battle. So, enlist the help of a little unmanned airsoft artillery with this DIY motion-activated a ...more
With gas prices constantly digging into your wallet, biking will always be a cheap and easy alternative for getting around—and it's a perfect way to get in a little exercise. But with the fall season about a week away, it is going to start getting dark a lot earlier and that r ...more
Bradley Lewis is a visual effects artist for BioWare by day, but in his spare time he runs Slothfurnace, a blog dedicated to showcasing his incredibly realistic lightsaber replicas. His latest, which took 18 months to build, is Obi-Wan Kenobi's Reveal Lightsaber from A New Hop ...more
After teasing what smartglasses powered by Snapchat might look like with two product cycles of camera glasses, Snap has now added augmented reality capabilities to its third take on Spectacles. On Tuesday, the company unveiled Spectacles 3, which packs a pair of temple-mounte ...more
With a pair of new APIs and low-latency media servers, Twilio's Programmable Video platform could soon help ARKit and ARCore app developers build shared AR experiences between multiple users. By synchronizing AR content with audio and video communications in real time, Twilio ...more
We're inching closer towards the singularity—that point where technology advances to the steepest slope of the logistic function S-curve and simply skyrockets at a rate we've never seen before. Somewhere along the way, the line between humans and the tech we rely on will becom ...more
If you're like me (and everybody else probably), you probably have a few nights of reckless drinking that you wish your could take back, or at least turn down a notch. Just by drinking a little slower or only consuming one kind of alcohol might have made it a more memorable n ...more
This week, Snapchat parent Snap came closer to fulfilling its smartglasses destiny by adding new 3D content capabilities to its third-generation Spectacles. At the same time, the now defunct Meta Company continued its fall from grace, as a judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff ...more
Looking for a way to make your bike stand out? You could light it up with LED rim lights or turn signals. Or if you're looking for something a little less flashy, you could make your own set of custom wooden handlebars like these by furniture designer David Moore. To actually ...more
Ant-Man isn't one of the most famous Marvel superheroes. In fact, with the news of his individual movie came great doubt that the comic book legends could succeed in telling the tiny story of an oddball hero on the big screen. Yet with its humor and unique story, Ant-Man has b ...more
I loved my Lite-Brite as a kid. There was just something about using those little multicolored pegs to make my own designs, and it's not exactly a secret that kids love anything that lights up (LED sneakers, anyone?). So how do you combine the old-school fun of Lite-Brite with ...more
While augmented reality industry continues to grow, analog board games are also making a comeback. So, why not join the two together? That's the gist behind Tilt Five, an augmented reality headset that projects 3D content onto a game board. Players interact with the games via ...more
For those who thought the action in Pokémon Go was a bit too pedestrian, Father.io wants to recruit you for a multi-player, first-person shooter that unfolds on the streets of your own city. Through a mobile app, available now on the App Store and Google Play, and a pocket-si ...more
For the first time ever, iPhones will be getting live panoramic wallpapers in iOS 7, but it's something Android devices have always embraced. On your Samsung Galaxy S3, you can have anything as your Home or Lock screen background, from a static wallpaper, to a live interactiv ...more
I always found that those safety lights for bicyclists on the market were never good enough when riding in the dark. That got me thinking about people who use wheelchairs and how unsafe the night could be when they want to go out. So here's what I came up with: I decked out t ...more
Send the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man back to the world of s'mores and hot cocoa this Halloween. This complete Ghostbusters costume from Instructables user Depot Devoid is like the real-life movie prop. You can shoot "laser" particle beams at ghosts with the Proton Pack, and cap ...more
Using a combination of technology and animation techniques, two students at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design have created a visual model of RFID fields. From PopSci: "The video was created using a custom-created LED wand that lights up whenever it is in the presenc ...more
A good endoscope camera can be an incredible tool for a variety of jobs. Whether you have to look under something heavy before you move it, look down a pipe before you clean it, or just give yourself extendable, bendable vision, an endoscope camera can be a fantastic tool when ...more
Last week, augmented reality startup Proxy42 released Father.IO, a multiplayer game that turns any indoor or outdoor space into a laser tag arena. A $40 Bluetooth-connected, infrared sensor-equipped device called the Interceptor converts your standard iPhone or Android smartp ...more
When filtered through the prism of the top stories of the year, the business of augmented reality 2019 was defined as much by epic failures of AR startups as it was by the promising developments that propelled the industry forward into 2020. On the dark side of the spectrum, ...more
The most common Wi-Fi jamming attacks leverage deauthentication and disassociation packets to attack networks. This allows a low-cost ESP8266-based device programmed in Arduino to detect and classify Wi-Fi denial-of-service attacks by lighting a different color LED for each ty ...more
Last year, Instructables user Horatius.Steam created Dr. Brain, a small computer connected to a model brain that can tell stories and have Skype conversations. But one thing it couldn't do was print, so to solve that problem, he came up with this awesome Steampunk "Ticker Mach ...more
The Nexus 6 has an AMOLED screen that uses virtually no power to display black pixels. To take advantage of this feature, Google included an Ambient Display notification system that shows a black and white version of your lock screen when you get a new message. As a result, th ...more
The competition to secure the top slot in the smartglasses space is now in full swing, with Facebook challenging Snap's Spectacles and Amazon's Echo Frames with its own collaboration with Ray-Ban called Stories. What makes Facebook's offering so unique is that it is the first ...more
Advancements in technology have made it perfectly possible to make a short film or even an entire movie with your iPhone or Android — as long as you've got the right gear. Lenses, stabilizers, tripods, lighting, microphones, chargers, and cases can make the difference between ...more
Have you ever seen those super-expensive universal remote controls like the Logitech Harmony and thought to yourself, "Man, I really want one of those, but that's just too much money"? You're not alone. Luckily, if you're an owner of an Android device with an infrared (IR) bl ...more
The emergence of Facebook's collaboration with Ray-Ban to launch Stories smartglasses has finally put an exclamation point on a new category of smartglasses: the pre-augmented reality wearable segment. And while the Facebook device isn't particularly groundbreaking in terms o ...more
That's right, cars aren't the only mode of transportation worth customizing. Dekochari, the Japanese art of pimping your bicycle: "Dekochari is a form of art bike indigenous to Japan dating back to the mid 1970s. 'Deko' in Japanese is short for decoration and 'Chari' is slang ...more
Your Apple Watch is a fantastic tool that can help you perform daily tasks on your iPhone. Notifications get filtered through it, you can respond to messages on it, and you can even use Apple Pay to purchase goods and services. Your Apple Watch is also a valuable asset when it ...more
Samsung just announced the Galaxy S10 lineup, but we already knew each device's every nook and cranny. Thanks to leaks and hands-on demos, we know the OEM kept the coveted headphone jack, but omitted one treasured feature in its place — the notification LED. Why did Samsung st ...more
Finding the right mix of custom ROM, kernel, and tweaks for my OnePlus One has left me flashing every new release I come across. This has led to many hours going through thread after thread trying to find the latest and best software out there for my phone. While I do enjoy th ...more
Smartphones and other Wi-Fi enabled devices send radio signals called probe frames to locate nearby wireless networks, which makes them easy to track by listening for their unique MAC address. To show how this kind of tracking works, we can program a NodeMCU in Arduino to snif ...more
General Motors (GM) seems to have gone to great lengths to avoid lawsuits as it launches its first hands-off driving system in its soon-to-be-launched Cadillac CT6. As GM makes the Cadillac CT6 available to a limited number of reviewers ahead of its launch this fall, early te ...more
Chance are, you or someone you know is that person in the gym: flexing in front of a mirror, posing for the perfect photos to show off your workout results. But finding the right picture is hard. The thing is, it doesn't need to be. A good gym selfie or workout video doesn't ...more
At night, it can be pretty difficult to see what's inside drawers and cabinets, unless you have night vision or something. Sure, you can turn on the light, but sometimes you're in such a hurry that you don't have 5 seconds to walk over to the light switch and turn it on. Perh ...more
There are plenty of times when it would be nice to be able to give other drivers a piece of your mind, or let them know you're having car trouble so they go around instead of riding your bumper. While there are several gestures that can certainly get the point across, none of ...more
In the past few weeks, you've already learned how to make your bike light up at night with some DIY rim lights and handlebar lights. But how about something a little more functional? Instead of using those tedious hand signals (which drivers don't even understand), spruce up y ...more
RFID chips are everywhere. They're in passports, credit cards, and tons of items you've bought in the last 5 years or so. Big retailers like Walmart started using tracking products with RFID as early as 2004, and today, they're used in everything from mobile payments to hospit ...more
Mason jars are a DIYer's best friend, nearly on par with duct tape and paper clips. Why? Because you can use mason jars for so many things besides just canning and drinking, and I'm not talking about other obvious uses like basic storage containers or miniature terrariums. I'm ...more
This detailed video series shows you everything you need to do to install an LED lighting gauge cluster in your Volkswagen MK4 (Jetta, Gulf, or GTI). Part 1 starts with disconnecting the battery, Part 2 has you remove the interior cluster, Part 3 you disassemble the instrument ...more
Plasma TV's are awesome but extremely fragile. If all that happens when you turn your plasma set on is a blinking LED light or it works for a while then turns off, you may have a blown capacitor on your power supply board. This video will show you how to fix the problem yourse ...more
Organic LEDs (OLED) are even more efficient than their standard LED cousins, but does that mean they're harder to make? Perhaps somewhat, but no excessively. Watch this video to learn how to make a DIY OLED at home, allowing you to make really cool light-up displays.
In this tutorial, we learn how to gel your flash to blend it with ambient light. First, you will need to be indoors with lights on and grab your camera. Make sure you have a separate flash on the camera, then take an amber colored film strip and place it over the flash. Next h ...more
In this episode of Digital Photography 1-on-1, host Mark Wallace goes in depth on the subject of light metering and flash balancing. Making use of a Sekonic light meter, Mark shows how to read the light levels in a room, and explains how to interpret those readings in order to ...more
You need a flash to add light to dark photography settings, but a flash might make your picture look blown out or overexposed. Here are some good tips, like adjusting your aperture or manual ISO to maximize your available light. A tripod will also help you by allowing a longer ...more
In this video segment learn the differences between flash and continuous lighting. Also learn about strobe lighting and the modeling bulb.
Want to replicate that cool effect when you can watch Christmas lights flash in time to music? It's easy! You'll need a set of speakers, an outlet adapter, excess power cord, a solid state relay and, of course, Christmas lights! Once you've gotten all your project pieces assem ...more
This video by makemagazine demonstrates a weekend project on how to make a LED light brick. The materials required for this project are listed on the link to the make magazine page in the info box or it can be orders as a kit from the make magazine store. Take the PCB (printed ...more
Flash photography isn't just for dark scenes; sometimes you need to battle the sun with 'fill flash.' Watch this photography tutorial video to learn how to use flash in bright light. Once you've mastered the tips on fill flash in this how-to video, you'll take much better pict ...more
Kipkay shows you how to turn an ordinary Bawls bottle into a cool crystal LED light.
This video instructs the watcher on how to use the flash of a Vivitar to add light to photos taken outside if a little extra light is needed. Turn the camera on AV mode, choose an ISO setting like 100 or 200, then take a reading, either off the sky or an object. Then use the V ...more
At 10 Feet about 525 Foot Candles Spread over 6 Foot Range - Spot. 216 Diffusion, get 10 foot spread and 80 foot candles. Great light, low power, efficient light with full dimmers and DMX connections.
This is a video tutorial on how to make a USB aquarium powered by a under-gravel LED bulb that is powered by a USB port. With a bit of simple engineering, build a circuit to provide elegant lighting to your aquarium. Connect the wiring to the air pump for a cool lighted bubble ...more
Let Forbes help you make a few do-it-yourself projects in record breaking time. This video tutorial contains information on how to make three various projects. Learn how to make your very own noise canceling earphones out of junk old headphones, make an LED light, and make a s ...more
How many trips up and down the stairs do you think it took artist Janne Parviainen to create this incredible topographical light painting? Apparently, quite a few. Using only one LED, he moves around his house, tracing all of the surfaces. Sometimes the exposure times are up t ...more