Archiv der Kategorie: Fun

Somabar – The Automated Bartending Appliance for your Home

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

January 3, 2015 (Los Angeles, CA) – Meet Somabar, the first smart automated bartending appliance created for your home. This patent pending technology is the brainchild of two young entrepreneurs based in Los Angeles, Ammar Jangbarwala and Dylan Purcell-Lowe. “We are both fans of mixology and technology and consider ourselves nerds on the two subjects. Three years ago we had this ‘aha’ moment and realized bartending and mixology are about a century behind modern technology,” says Jangbarwala. “So we started playing around with pumps, tubing, a bulky HD screen and some programming and created an android app and a crude device that rested on a metal skid. But there it was, a robotic bartender sitting in our garage making cocktails in 5 seconds.”

 

After three years of refinement and a few dozen rounds of prototyping they have created a fully functional prototype with a sleek design. It’s a project they are truly excited about. However, “Due to the large manufacturing and development costs we will have to incur, we are limited in our ability to bring this to market,” says Purcell-Lowe. Therefore, they have taken their project to Kickstarter.com.

 

While there have been other automatic bartending machines created for clubs and bars, there has yet to be one created and priced specifically for the home appliance market. “We wanted to create something people could actually afford and use in their own kitchen,” says Purcell-Lowe “not just something they could only dream about.” Somabar stands at 15’’ tall and fits easily next to your coffee maker. It uses a Wi-Fi connected ordering system controlled through an Android and iOS compatible app with the ability to make 12 drinks a minute. But, what makes Somabar even more unique is that its patent pending technology is able to infuse craft bitters, while also thoroughly mixing every drink, before being poured into your glass. Its six liquor containers and bitters container, also called Soma Pods, are portable, dishwasher safe and easy to refill. Somabar is self-cleaning using an internal water-flushing system ensuring that every cocktail made tastes like your first.  It boasts an interactive menu of over 300 cocktails and makes each drink creation in under 5 seconds.

 

Their campaign is now live at: http://kck.st/11ChwPn

Pixel Pals Educational Electronics Kit – Integrated Learning Tool

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Chip – the first in a line of beginner friendly products debuts on Kickstarter

Chip, a Pixel Pals educational electronics kit, is the first in a line of beginner friendly products that goes beyond learning soldering skills. He can be incorporated into Arduino based projects as well as using the Pixel Power board in e-textiles. The kits are designed to be multifunctional, yet affordable.


The first character, Chip featured in this Kickstarter campaign, focusses on LEDs and basic circuitry. Once soldered, it can standalone with the Pixel Power board and serve as a fun toy or light. Chip can also plug into an Arduino Uno Rev 3 or into a breadboard where Chip can be incorporated into more advanced electronic projects or programming lessons.

Soldering Sunday created the Pixel Pals soldering kits to fill the gap between introductory and advanced projects. Each Pixel Pal will focus on a particular electronics component which will require soldering; but are Arduino compatible so that they can be programmed for other projects are used.

The kits are also designed to be affordable for organizations and parents who want to encourage STEAM education but are hindered by the large price tag of many existing educational products. The Kickstarter campaign, if successful, will help keep the production costs down.

Kickstarter is an all or nothing proposition. Soldering Sunday hopes to reach its goal of $2,500 to cover mass production cost of the Chip, Pixel Pal Soldering kit. The project runs from
November 3 to December 3, 2014.

To keep up to date with the project, follow Soldering Sunday on Twitter (@SolderingSunday), Facebook (www.facebook.com/SolderingSunday) or on their website (www.solderingsunday.com)

Also consider visiting the project on Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com/projects/solderingsunday/chip-an-electronics-kit-with-character) donating $1 on Kickstarter to receive updates.

Dynepic® to Launch Internet of Toys™ Platform & Debut Product on Kickstarter: 15 November

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Dynepic® is pleased to debut the future of toys with our premier device, the DynePod™, which will launch 15 November on Kickstarter.com.  DynePods™ operate on The Internet of Toys™ (IoToys), Dynepic’s state-of-the-art open platform designed to share cloud content and connect toys, merging elements of child’s play and technology to enable children to interact with their toys in revolutionary and modern ways.

The DynePod™ is an educational, Bluetooth connected toy designed to introduce fundamental concepts of customization, socialization, programming and engineering, by allowing children to create their own interactive programs for their toys. Using a graphical If, Then programming interface, developed under contract with the National Science Foundation, children can create a multitude of unique, useful programs that involve both the digital and physical world.  DynePods™ are modular, fully customizable toys that are compatible with a multitude of self-designed and 3D printed accessories, encouraging the next generation to start innovating.  Enabled by the Internet of Toys™ platform, DynePods™ can morph and grow with the child through cloud updates, as well as connect wirelessly with other DynePods™ and a host of other future toys linked to the platform.

„DynePods™ and The Internet of Toys™ platform will enable new play patterns and encourage open-ended exploration for the future of toys, for children, makers, and toy inventors alike,“ Krissa Watry, Dynepic’s Co-Founder & CEO, comments.  „We hope you will join us by supporting DynePods™ and the Internet of Toys on Kickstarter, 15 November.“ For more information on how Dynepic is working to build the COOL aisle for toys, please visit our website www.dynepic.com or contact us at [email protected]. A Press kit is available.

Founded in 2011, Dynepic® is focused on building cool connected toys and an open architecture and cloud platform to drive child friendly content in new and innovative ways. Dynepic® is a women owned, veteran owned, small business focused on creating the Internet of Toys™.  

Mindboards forums are back!

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

If you receive a mail like the following below, don’t panic, it’s not a phishing expedition by some ruthless hacker.  You’re seeing the fruits of the hard labour that Sebastian Trella has done to resurrect the Mindboards forums.  Please spread the news on your blog, if you have one.

Dear mindboards.net forum member:

The MindBOARDS forums have finally been moved to a new site and are operational again! In order to login to the forums on the new site you will need to do two things. 

First, go to http://forums.mindboards.net/. You should be redirected to the new hosting site which has URL = https://mindboards.trella.biz/. Click the Login link near the top right corner. On the login page click the “I forgot my password” link. On the Send password page type in your sourceforge username and the email address associated with your forum account.  This may be your username followed by @users.sourceforge.net or it might be another email address that you associated with your forums.mindboards.net account. You will get a message stating “the e-mail/username information submitted could not be found” If the values you enter do not match an existing MindBOARDS account. Otherwise you should receive an email with a link to reset your password. This email will contain a new password that you can use to login after you click on the link in your email to activate it.

Second, go to http://forums.mindboards.net/. Click the Login link near the top right corner. Enter your MindBOARDS username and the password from the email you received in the previous step. Once you successfully login, click the User Control Panel link near the top left corner of the page. On the User Control Panel page click the Profile tab. Then click the “Edit account settings” option on the left (the fourth item in the list). Here you can change your email address from [email protected] (if needed) to another email address of your choosing.  You will have to confirm that change by entering the new email address twice. You can also enter and confirm a new password. Finally, you will have to enter the “current password” from the email you received in order to save these changes. After you successfully save these changes you will have to reactivate your account. You should receive an email sent to the email address you entered on this page containing a link that will reactivate your account.

We hope to see you active in the newly reactivated MindBOARDS forums soon!

The MindBOARDS team

So don’t delay!  Sign up and we’ll see you there!

15-foot-tall robots coming to a reality near you!

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Boston-based engineers developing humanoid robots meant to be piloted by two people

BOSTON, MASS. — Three engineers are leading a team building fifteen-foot-tall, fighting humanoid robots in Boston, Mass., and they are asking the public for help to pull it off. It might sound like science fiction, but it’s not.
Experienced and talented engineers and entrepreneurs Andrew Stroup, Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein have teamed up to turn these robots into reality. At the end of October, they will launch a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level.
“People keep asking us, ‘Why build giant fighting robots?’” said Andrew Stroup, Co-Founder of MegaBots, Inc. “Our answer is always, ‘Why not?’” All three were raised on video games, movies and science fiction stories that included giant robots, and decided that it was time to turn their skills to good use.
Since the start of summer, they have built a fully functional torso, cockpit, arm, and two main weapons system of a MegaBot. The cockpit seats two adults, a driver who controls the robot’s movements and the gunner who commands the weapons systems.
„Having the MegaBot aim its cannon at you is a heart-stopping experience,” Gui Cavalcanti, Co-Founder 
of MegaBots, Inc. described. “Even if you know it’s not loaded. Here’s this gigantic, armored humanoid robot three times taller than you are, smoothly and quietly lining up its sights on you – it’s downright terrifying.“
The MegaBots team has completed parts of the dream. Soon, they will ask the public for help with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign. 
“There’s no doubt we want to bring MegaBots to the masses,” Matt Oehrlein, Co-Founder of MegaBots, Inc., proclaimed. “We want to know they want it to happen as bad as we do.”

PBL ROBOTS dice & card game

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

William Hessian and John „Sighless“ Supinski have spent the last year creating a brand new strategy card and dice game called PBL ROBOTS! „The game is a interesting mix of Risk and Magic the Gathering, except this game has giant 100 foot Robots!“ William said. The card game challenges each player to collect cards in a draft format in order to build their deck. When the battle begins each player slide their pilot card into the robot card, courtesy of a die cut cockpit in the center of the robot. Then players lay armor cards on the robot to watch the robot grow stronger and boost up the attack and defense. When players start attacking they roll dice to determine if the robot will blow of an arm, a leg or a head. Each pilot has a powerful critical form when you are down to one remaining limb, which gives the losing player a chance to make a comeback, but when a robot has lost of four limbs the game is over.

William and John have spent their free time at their apartment on the East End of Portland, Maine developing this intense card game consisting of 113 unique cards and 3 different game play modes. William is a local visual artist and activist, working at Preble Street, teaching at Rivertree Art in Kennebunk and volunteering at the Meg Perry Center. William did all of the artwork and design for the game and originally invented the concept for the game over ten years ago in Minnesota, but did not start finishing it until meeting Sighless in 2012. Sighless is a local musician in the Bumbling Woohas and works at the Maine People Alliance, and was the host of Turnstyle Thursday open mic at CTN Channel 5 for over a year. Once Sighless began working on the game he created a business plan, invented characters and began writing back stories. A group of artists called the Hidden Ladder Collective, which William and John helped start, began play testing the game in-between hosting art shows, art making gatherings and busking out on the streets. Other members of Team Robots, Abbeth Russell and Kara Oster made important contribution to the game.

Thursday, October 23rd the collective has launched the Kickstarter hoping to raise the $22,000 they need to print the first edition versions of the game. As of November 1st they have raised $7,000 towards their goal. Over 100 letters have gone out to game stores across the country. William and Sighless and PBL ROBOTS fans have been playing PBL ROBOTS demo events weekly at R Choice 2 Gaming Thursday Nights which is a free event open to the public. The group has been travelling to Louisana, New Orleans and the Midwest to demo the game.

While the game itself is optimal for players 12 years and older, due to the high level of strategy, the game is also very appealing to a younger audience. William teaches art at Rivertree Arts in Kennebunk and his 4th to 6th grade students have loved the PBL ROBOTS cards. „The kids come back the next day demanding to have another glance at the game, and their parents follow right behind curious to see what the kids are so excited about,“ William remarked. Because of the kids persistence William and Sighless invented a new way to play the game that makes it a little easier for a younger audience, but retains the fun and excitement of the longer game. The popularity of the game is already growing with over 900 Twitter followers and over 200 Facebook likes.

To check out their Kickstarter visit their website at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotcardgame/pbl-robots-dice-and-card-game (started at 7pm Thursday 10/23). The group is hoping to play the game with as many new players as possible all around the country while hoping to hit their goal by December!

LegoWorld 2014 Utrecht Pictures

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

HEROES WANTED! XPRIZE IS LAUNCHING A VIDEO CONTEST FOR 8- to 17-YEAR- OLDS TO FORM THE REAL-LIFE „BIG HERO 6“

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

XPRIZE has joined forces with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Disney Corporate Citizenship for today’s launch of a nationwide video contest designed to find the real-life counterparts to the animated heroes that will soon burst onto the big screen in „BIG HERO 6,“ an action-packed comedy-adventure from Disney opening November 7, 2014.

The DISNEY BIG HERO 6 – XPRIZE CHALLENGE invites young people between the ages of 8 and 17 to harness their creativity and come up with innovative ideas to tackle the world’s biggest challenges using science, technology, engineering, art and/or mathematics.
The six winners, the real-life „Big Hero 6,“ will travel to Los Angeles to walk the red carpet at the film’s Hollywood premiere in early November, go behind the scenes and meet the creative minds at both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, join a special „Visioneering™“ experience at XPRIZE headquarters, plus other prizes.

Video Submissions will be judged on innovation, creativity and presentation. Twenty (20) finalists will be selected based on the highest scores resulting from preliminary scoring by XPRIZE judges. In mid October, a panel of luminary S.T.E.A.M. expert judges will evaluate the twenty finalists‘ submissions and six (6) winners will be selected through a combination of the expert judges‘ scores and public voting results.

Said Walt Disney Animation Studios President Ed Catmull, „We are thrilled to work with XPRIZE to find real-life young heroes whose desire is to tackle the world’s great challenges. It’s an honor for all of us at Walt Disney Animation Studios to welcome them at our Studio and at the premiere of „Big Hero 6.“

„The young people who win this contest will be real-world heroes, ready and willing to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing our world today,“ said Trish Halamandaris, senior vice president marketing & communications at XPRIZE. „The XPRIZE Foundation is excited to be conducting this competition that challenges young people to be bold, creative and smart, and to dare to think big. We believe that solutions to the problems facing humanity can come from anyone, anywhere, and one of these kids just might come up with an idea that can truly change the world.“

In addition to the trip to Los Angeles, the six winners will receive reimbursement for one (1) Contestant registration for FIRST® LEGO® League for the competition season 2014-2015 in the US or Canada, and a Special littleBits® NASA Space Kit and cloudBit™ Starter Kit.

The contest is open for submissions from September 17, 2014, to October 12, 2014.

Participating kids will compete in two divisions: Junior Division (8-12 years of age), and Senior Division (13–17 years of age). All entrants must have prior consent from their parent or legal guardian in order to participate in the challenge. Registration details are available at xprizechallenge.org/bighero6.

The video submissions may involve a short story, sculpture, drawing, model, robot or whatever method best communicates the idea in the most creative way (please see Official Rules for further details, restrictions and limitations). They will be scored on how well they explain the problem, show their solution, and explain what they learned and the impact their idea would have on themselves and the world. The more creative and engaging their presentation is, the better their chance of winning.

Supporting XPRIZE Partners include FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), littleBits Electronics and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Challenge registration and video submissions start September 17, 2014, and end October 12, 2014. Public Voting will start October 15, 2014 and end October 19, 2014. Open to legal residents of US and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are ages 8 through 17 before September 17, 2014. Parental consent is required. Travel must occur on November 2-6, 2014 (or such other dates designated by Sponsor). For details, restrictions, and limitations and to enter, please visit Official Rules at: xprizechallenge.org/bighero6. Sole Sponsor: XPRIZE.

$40 robot has a shot at Kickstarter crowdfunding

Veröffentlicht am von
Antworten

Robotics company, Microbric has done the impossible by developing Edison a small
robot with an amazing array of sensors for under $40, making it the most affordable educational robot in the market. Edison was launched today on Kickstarter. This small yet feature packed robot is set to revolutionise how robotics and programming are taught in schools thanks to its easy to use drag and drop programming software, modular design and intelligent sensors that react to light, sound and remote commands. Its unique design and compatibility with LEGO products lends itself to creativity – the seed of fun robotics to inspire the inventors of tomorrow.

Edison was created to make robotics more accessible to students and hobbyists alike and is the brainchild of Brenton O’Brien, himself an electronics engineer with a passion for robotics. For over 10 years his company, Microbric, has been creating educational robots for hobbyists but his dedication to bringing robotics into mainstream education paid off when the Australian Curriculum changed in January to specifically include robotics within the Digital and Design streams.

‘I realised that my goal was within reach but that the main obstacle to bringing robotics into every classroom was the cost of buying kits for schools with already tight budgets. So I created Edison with the functionality of a much more expensive robot, at a fraction of the price,‘ Brenton said.

But, whilst Brenton’s dream may be within reach, it’s still not a reality until the funding goal on Kickstarter is met and the capital is raised to manufacture Edisons en masse.

Microbric’s Edison Kickstarter campaign seeks to raise $20,000 in 30 days via the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. If they meet their goal, the funds raised will foot the manufacturing bill of an initial production run of robots, which will then be sent to backers wherever they are in the world. If you’re interested in supporting Microbric’s campaign, visit the Meet Edison Kickstarter page. If you want to follow the journey of Edison from idea to reality, track the project’s progress on Facebook, Google+ and the Edison website (www.meetedison.com).

Crowdfunding is an increasing trend in fund raising for new initiatives. It involves the collection of finance from backers to fund a project. Crowdfunding is expected to completely transform venture capital over the next decade.

“We are launching Edison on Kickstarter because we wanted to give people the chance to be part of something that will change the way our children learn about robotics in mainstream education,’ Brenton said

“Now, every child in Australia can learn about robotics and the importance of technology to their future careers. I’m really excited about this launch and hope that parents and teachers alike will back Edison.’

Microbric is a small Adelaide based company which has worked with the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper in producing two collectable robots and initially selling its robots through Dick Smith Electronics. Now, creating all types of robots for over 10 years nearly 100,000 Microbric robots have been manufactured and sold in Australia and overseas. Microbric anticipates that Edison will be its most successful robot yet.

http://www.meetedison.com