SuperPyramidExplosion!

A simple tank shooter game made in Game Maker my freshman year of college.  Controls with V, B, G, and the Spacebar.   Numbers 1-5 Select Weapons.  Mouse aims and mouseclicks fire.  These controls were originally mapped like this because they were actually mapped onto a Wii Remote.  The entire game was played with one hand on a Wii controller.

SuperPyramidExplosion!

Build Day!

All of the parts for the tDCS device have arrived!    This means I can build the mark 2 today.  (I have two working prototypes that were built to prove the concept but never used on a person)  The mark 2 is the version that I am comfortable putting on my head.  I'll post pics and videos of the build as I complete it.  I'll be at Noisebridge today putting this together.

Tdcs Concept Tree

I've been compiling information about TDCS for a bit now here is the concept tree.

tDCS update:  I have the first prototype 90 percent done.  I also have all the parts for the second gen of this device which I will be building as soon as I get the pcb from the manufacturer. Once the second gen version is done I will begin basic tests involving an IQ test before and after.  

So the tDCS device is almost done.  I am only waiting for a safety fuse and the proper EEG leads to hook up to the electrodes.
I also found a video on how to properly place the electrodes.  http://www.jove.com/video/2744/electrode-positioning-montage-transcranial-direct-current  More to come soon...

Sight from Sight Systems on Vimeo.

This video explores the primary danger and ethical dilemma created by the widespread adoption of advanced Augmented Reality technology.  While I disagree with some of the premises (I don't want to spoil it for anyone) of the short film it is a very good idea of what is possible with augmented reality.  In particular I will enjoy seeing everyday activities gamified.

Scroll down for spoilers.

























This short film deals with the ethical implications of augmentation technology and access to that tech.  One of the primary issues that is dealt with is an issue that is prevalent over and over again in transhumanist discussions is the fact that whoever creates the first working example of the technology holds a vast amount of power.  In deciding whether to share it or how to distribute it they create a new type of inequality. That of access to augmentation technology.   In sharing it they gain more power over the people who use the technology.  The person who uses augmentation technology without understanding and knowing how it was built or what it can do submits  themselves to the whims of the creator of said technology.  As the video so eerily pointed out.

Transhumanism: A Breakdown

     So what is Transhumanism anyway and why should you bother to learn such a long syllablous (that's a made up word that means full of syllables like transhumanism or prestidigitation) word?
Transhumanism is the belief that people should take a driving role in their own evolution in the hopes that mankind can reach the singulatiry. The singularity is the point at which our technology has become so complex that it builds on itself at an exponential rate.  Transhumanists hope that the singularity will bring with it advances in medicine and technology that will augment human ability and prolong human life (eventually indefinitely).  There are a number of transhumanist movements and not all of them are technology dominated.  Transhumanist also believe that social, cultural, economic, and political means are needed to have a say in our evolution.  Politics and culture can have a massive impact on our evolution by setting the trends and determining mating habits. While cultural aspects are important in the transhumanist movement technology is the key.
     Over the next few weeks I will focus on where the rubber meets the road in the transhumanist movement; technology.  After all a transhumanist movment is not much of a movement if there is not vehicle by which to guide out evolution.  Technology is this vehicle.  The next blog post will cover Brain Computer Interfaces using the Emotiv Epoch EEG headset.    We will cover the basic technology behind how it works, demonstrate the operation of the device and cover the ethical and moral implications of the spread and maturation of this type of technology to our greater culture.

Wow so I started off a little late and now I am a bit behind. (Who am I kidding I am WAY behind.) Who hasn't been there before?   If only there was something that could make me more efficient. What if there was just some way of thinking that would do it? Or a device that could turn up my intellect the way I turn up the volume on my speakers?

 Over the next few weeks I will be covering technology and methods that attempt to surpass the limit of the human brain.  We will explore the Transhumanist movement to see what the future of the human experience could include.  We will also be doing a number of projects.  We will start with Brain Mapping with an Emotiv Epoch. You have to know what the brain looks like to accurately explore it.  Next we will explore the brains plasticity by adding senses to the human body.  We will be gaining the super power of electromagnetic sensing through the use of magnets affixed to the tips of my fingernails.  Finally the coup de gras, building a device that actually makes you smarter. We will explore tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stmulation) and build a device that the military uses to increase the learning curve of it's soldiers 2.5 times.  Because when you start off late you have to run twice as fast.

A year in 3d printers

A few extruder experiments.

Once I get the extruder up and running I think I am going to try some new materials. I'd like to see if it can run hot enough to use UP filament. I'd also like to see if there are any new plastics that become useable at the new higher temeratures. There is also some stuff I want to do with color. I want to try interleaving by layer. I would create a plane that is as thick as the layer height of my printer and as long/wide as the xy build area. Then I just stack those with the same amount of distance between them (my layer height again). I difference that from the object I want to print. I save the resulting stl as something else. Then I open the original again. Do a boolean intersect with map stacked planes and save that stl. Then I just line up the two stls that I created. This would allow printing an object with alternating colored layers. With a small enough layer height we may be able to blend the two colors in the same way the pointillist paintings blend together to make a picture.

Makerbot Dual Extruder

So I am on the home stretch of my dual extruder upgrade. I ran into a few small snags. I forgot to order an extra extruder controller (duh) Luckily Dr. Glass of Freeside Atlanta was able to loan me one till I get mine from Makerbot. There was also only one e-stop port on the motherboard so I had to hack a cable to plug the 2 safety relays into it. Then I realized that I didn't have enough molex connectors so I had to cut off one of the sata power plugs and rewire it as an old school molex connector. SOOO I'm finally done with the hardware and wiring. Now I just need to tweak my REF values on the stepper controllers for the new extruders and install the new software.( Which means teaching myself github finally and compiling the latest experimental build for Rep G and maybe doing the same for the firmware too) This is going to be a treat because I am also forcing myself to learn how to use PLA at the same time so adventures are soon to abound...

Related articles

• Makerbot Releases New Extruder (techcrunch.com)
• More About "Dualstrusion" from MakerBot (makezine.com)
• Electronics: SATA to PATA/IDE Hard Drive Interface Adapter (murdr.blogspot.com)

New Nintendo Club reward

So that nifty super sized AR card that Club Nintendo members in Japan got just made it stateside. Get over there to order one now!

Swag for the LAN

I just finished the stuff for Tech-Node's upcoming LAN.  If you wanna get your hands on this sweet swag you'll need to show up...

Ordered Stepper Motors for Prusa Mendel SAE build.

I've been pretty busy recently with trying to gather all of the parts for my Imperial Prusa Build.  I went with this model partly because of the low cost and partly because the word "Imperial" makes me think of Darth Vadar...
Anyway I ordered four of these steppers for 10 dollars apiece. As well as one of these bad boys for 20 dollars.  I plan to use that last one on the extruder for precise control and feedback of the extrusion process.  I've finished printing all of the plastic parts (minus the brushings). They were printed on my UP.  One thing I like about having to print at 270C on the UP is that it means that  parts you make for other printers are that much more robust, temperature wise. Printing with  abs on a Mendel or Makerbot takes place at around 220C  So UP printed part have about 30 degrees more before they begin to get soft.  This makes the UP a good choice for printing extruder parts.  At about the third plate of the print I switched to printing on perfboard.  That completely removed any warping issues I had. Now all of my parts are perfect. I love it so much that I plan on not even having a heated build surface on the mendel and just use a large perfboard. I'll have to wait to buy the electronics and hotend for a bit (I do have a contest to fund after all ;-)   ) but I'll be finishing it in pretty soon.

Celestial Bodies, an experiment in Parametric game design.

I love Thingiverse. I love being able to download stuff and then actually make something from a downloaded file.  I especially love the parametric designs that people come up with.  Just by changing a few number around you can end up with something that is drastically different from what you started with.   Maybe even different from what the designer thought of.   It was this emergent design property that got me thinking, "What if I applied the principal idea behind parametric objects to game design?"  Game Developers are always looking for ways to create emergent behavior in their games. Why not? Creating emergent behaviors in a game lends to the verisimilitude of the game word, it adds depth to play mechanics, and allows the player to become more engaged in a game.  All of this while not requiring that lazy developer to lift a finger.  In fact separation from the developer is what makes emergent game behaviors... emergent.  Games like Little Big Planet, Mod Nation Racers, Minecraft, and Line Rider all thrive on the idea of emergent behavior as a cornerstone of their game design.  This is something that we commonly see in videogames especially online games, which leads me to Celestial Bodies.  One of my goals with Celestial Bodies was to leverage the internet connectivity of the 3D printing process, to create an emergent behavior ecosystem similar to the ecosystem that games like Little Big Planet and Minecraft enjoy.    By using the awesome power of thingiverse I am able to allow people to create their own game assets.  By creating their own game assets people create new ways to play,  keep themselves involved in the game, and offer free advertising when they show people their creations.   But most important of all it keeps the game fresh and fun.

Prediction Time!

I have been thinking about this and I think I may be onto something here. I think the iPad 2 will have 3d capabilities. Either via glasses or without.  Why would I think such a thing? Allow me to bring out my friend  "The Bullet"

• Apple is already rumored to be working on a 3d iPod.
• The rumored resolution on the new iPad is 2 times that of the original iPad. 
• There is no content for such a high resolution.
• 3DS

If I'm right you have to bookmark me. That's how the internet works right?

Related articles

• More iPad 2 rumors - SD slot and dual GSM/CDMA chipset (edibleapple.com)
• Apple rumor mill: The iPad2 getting a dual-core GPU, Retina Display (zdnet.com)
• Latest iPad 2 case has new hole suggesting Mini DisplayPort slot (geek.com)
• Apple iPad 2 to Come with a Costly Display & Vibrating Motor? (devicemag.com)
• iPad 2 specs starting to take shape (tuaw.com)
• iPad 2 rumored to have high-res screen, two cameras (teleread.com)

Rock Band instruments on the iPad

Video of how to connect your Rock Band 3 Pro instruments to the iPad using Korg i-MS. If you like this flattr it. Just click the button below.

Wearable 3d Print Contest!

I have been on the 3d printing bandwagon for about 6 months now. It's been a wild ride and it's about to get wilder.  I have come across a few articles about 3d printed fabrics and FDM high fashion but none of them seem to share files.   This places 3d printed fashion out of reach.

Until now. (Imagine that in the voice of the guy who announces for the movies)

Announcing the first Wearable 3d Print contest.
The contest runs till the end of February.
The winner will get 50$ from Linkreincarnate(Money Order)
50$ from  Makerbot.  (Yay Zach!)
50$ from trebuchet03 (in the PP3DP forums)
plus anything else that gets added to the prize pool. 
Feel free to Flattr this contest. All proceeds will be given away as prize money.

If we have enough people donate to the pool we may add a second and third place prizes depending on what the people who donate want.  People who donate to the prize pool can vote for a winner (or  waive that vote for the right to enter the contest yourself).  I would rather people donated money but gift cards or actual stuff is fine too.   To ensure no one calls foul the people who donate will be responsible for shipping the prize that they donated themselves.  I will never have any prize other than the 50$ money order in my possession.

The rules are simple,

• Make something wearable.
• Post your designs on Thingiverse as a Public Domain license with the word Wearable somewhere in the title. Also tag it with wearable so it's easy to find.
• Post your design files.
• Only post stuff that works.  (Ie you know it prints and the files are tidy.)
• Also entries must be wearable by a normal person, gnomes and lolcats need not apply.
• Enter as often as you like. 
• Feel free to enter past works so long as design files are shared and it is Public Domain.

Guidelines for winners...(you can still win while ignoring the following...)

• The bigger the better.
• Bonus points for 3d printable fabric or snap together type designs.
• Minimal vitamins (including cut filament because not everyone uses 3mm filament now)
• Avoid rings, earrings, and pendants unless it is truly EPIC (There are a lot of them already)
• Try to make something you would actually wear in public. (or a runway)  Scale mail is nice but you'll never have a girlfriend while choosing to wear it... not to say that scale mail couldn't win depending on who's doing the voting...

Something awesome

Please, everyone, take a moment to click on this link  www.http://kck.st/ibv3iQ.  It’s the most Earth-shatteringly awesome noun to happen to gaming since the 1980s.  It’s something new.  It’s something cool.  It’s a bunch of really cool things masterfully put together into one super-cool device.  If you’re a gamer, you will want this.  If you’re not a gamer, a gamer you know will want this.  This is the most perfect Christmas present ever.  If you love technology, you will salivate, but that’s completely okay and normal.

iPad/Android Arcade Machine going commercial!

You can pre order one right now on Kickstarter. http://kck.st/ibv3iQ
If I get enough preorders to buy the materials and tools I need for mass production then they will go on sale commercially. If you support my Kickstarter fund you will be one of the first to get one. Not only that but custom artwork will only be available for people who supported the Kickstarter fund. We also are offering a number of Diy kits for people who can't afford the fully assembled machines. There are even a few accessories on the low end to thank people who donate just a little bit.  We will be having a contest soon on twitter so follow me to find out what you can win!!!