ShiftBrite RGB module doing its thing. I realized I didn't have any pictures of the modules lighting up in each color. Planning to get a datasheet written up within the next day or two.

 

The shipment of ShiftBrites should be arriving tomorrow has arrived today, after the customs delay in Alaska. The store is updated and ready for orders. Everyone who pre-ordered last night will have their orders shipped today!

The next stock shipment of ShiftBrites is on the way! Looks like they'll arrive on the 13th. I'll send out an email to the people who contacted me regarding availability, and update the quantity in stock as early as tomorrow depending on how accurate the shipment tracking appears.

Update: we had a customs delay in Alaska...have that ironed out, so hopefully the new stock will arrive tomorrow. When I get confirmation of this, I'll move forward with the email notifications and the stock quantity update.

(Update May 19th, 2008): Re-stock arrangements are complete, we may be ready to ship as early as June 10th and no later than June 20th, assuming no problems. When the FedEx tracking indicates the shipment is within a day or two of arrival, the store will be enabled for purchases to be shipped as soon as stock is in hand. I have a big list of email addreses from people who wanted to be notified; you'll all be the first to know! Use the contact link above if you want to get the update. I think I'll send out an email when the ShiftBrites are on the way, and another right before I enable the web store again.  Read more»

Well, I finally finished setting up a web store to try selling some of the ShiftBrite modules I had manufactured. If these start to go fast, I'll put in a larger order. The product page is available here, and everything should work though it's my first attempt at "e-commerce" I believe is the fashionable term (maybe in 1998). Let me know if anything looks strange.

Ahh, it's that time of year again. Maker Faire Bay Area 2008 is coming up quickly, and I'm in a rush to get my projects done. Worst case, I finish them while at the Faire, which could be interesting too! Above is a photo from last year's Maker Faire here in San Mateo (only a couple miles from where I live and work). My project was a device that makes it easy to send custom keyboard, mouse, or joystick input to a computer over USB. The demo was a model airplane with accelerometers, controlling the same airplane in a flight simulation game. It was really popular, we had people lined up to play the game! Some were actually interested in the hardware behind it.  Read more»

Over at Darker Technologies they're making good progress on the Maker Faire projects that we're exhibiting in the same booth this May. The first LED grow lamp array has been built and tested. It uses red and blue LEDs, since those are the wavelengths plants absorb (they reflect green, so no need to waste power emitting that color). He'll be testing the arrays on live plants this month, using other light sources as a control. If you're in the SF Bay Area this May, stop by the Maker Faire in San Mateo and check out all the great projects and exhibits! There's a lot to do! It's fun!

I like this ball throwing robot and the dog operating it. Unfortunately I can't find any build details, it looks like a lot of work was invested in the mechanism and controller.

I took a trip down to De Anza College for the monthly electronics flea market. Lots of interesting parts, gizmos, tools, and random clutter. Click on the photo above to view my Flickr set of the event!