Awesome Tech

Recently, engineer James Bruton put together a self-balancing vehicle using a hoverboard and omni-wheels. Now, he’s transformed that strange-looking machine into something that vaguely resembles a Star Wars speeder bike. It’s easier to steer now and can travel forward, but it’s not exactly something you’d fly between the trees on Endor.

Ascento’s agile robot has a pair of articulated legs that roll on bicycle wheels. This design allows it to ride on uneven surfaces, up and down hills, and even climb stairs with ease. It can autonomously drive at speeds up to 12 km/h and 8 hours per charge. Ascento has created a version designed specifically for autonomous security patrolling.

This fascinating factory machine sits along a conveyor belt as it waits for individual items to arrive on the scene. It then lowers a series of suction-powered grippers to grab each one, and then shuffles them along to the next stage in the packing process. It uses VMECA’s Magic Gripper technology to work its magic.

This desktop accessory provides the perfect spot for storing memory cards. It looks like a circuit board, but it’s just a wooden storage tray. It’s got slots for SD cards, Micro SD cards, USB flash drives, and more. Be sure to select the “SD card” option when ordering. It looks great alongside the EleksMaker USB hub.

Before digital synthesizers and drum machines, instruments like the Mellotron used pre-recorded tape loops to play short sound samples. Musician Hainbach got his hands on a Bandmaster Powerhouse, a 1970s analog drum machine that used custom 8-track tapes to play drum loops. Its now well-worn tape cartridges produce some fantastic lo-fi sounds.

Using lasers to clean metal can be very satisfying to watch. But with a powerful enough laser and a dirty enough surface, it can also be a feast for the ears. This short video shows how a fiber laser not only removes dirt from a rusty hunk of metal, but it sounds awesome doing it. Be sure to turn your volume up for maximum enjoyment.

Consumer 3D printers are great for producing small objects, but for larger things, you need to either buy a massive industrial printer or use one of those special printers that can print onto a moving belt. Emily the Engineer did neither of those things and instead modded a cheap 3D printer by adding long aluminum rails to extend its range of motion.

This unique, cyberpunk USB hub from EleksMaker features a stripped-down, caseless design with exposed circuitry. In addition to its three USB-A ports, it has an LED backlit volume control knob with a push-to-mute function and three programmable buttons. Sadly, the ports only support USB 2.0 speeds.

This desktop gadget adds a splash of color and movement to any space. It has 240 mini RGB LEDs, which light up in sync with your music. A built-in microphone detects sounds, and it offers multiple color display modes. It has a curved birch wood frame, and light-scattering panels in front of its 12 tubes give it a retro VFD look.

Most portable laptop stands are made from plastic or metal. This one is handcrafted from bamboo wood. The trio of wooden bars fit together to place your laptop at an angle, improving ergonomics and your posture. It offers two height positions, and comes with a carrying pouch so you can keep it in your backpack or bag.

This trio of JBL Authentics wireless speakers combines 1970s styling with big sound and modern tech, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The Authentics 200 has four drivers and a 90-watt amp; the Authentics 300 has 100 watts, larger drivers, and 8 hr. playtime, while the Authentics 500 cranks out 270 watts and 3.1 channel sound with Dolby Atmos.

After seeing a video of an artist making string art portraits, engineer Paul Morris Hill wanted to see if he could achieve a similar effect with a machine. This video chronicles some of the trial and error he worked through developing the machine and its software, eventually arriving at a system using a grid of nails. Paul posted a full build log on Medium.

The Pocket Tripod folds down to the size of a credit card and opens to form a versatile stand for smartphone photography. It has an adjustable tilt and works in landscape or portrait modes. Its interchangeable adapters work with a wide variety of phone and case sizes.

Want to upgrade to a standing desk, but already have a regular desk? The Jumbo DeskStand offers a double-decker design that lets you place your keyboard and mouse on one level, and your display (or displays) on another. Shelf heights are easily adjusted on its 10-slot ladder. Made from durable baltic birch plywood.

The Mandalorian revolutionized the way visual effects are made with the use of a gigantic video wall and CG backgrounds created by Unreal Engine. Since then, the tech has found its way into smaller productions. This video from Live Production Mastery shows how such a wall comes together from 560 LED panels to create a virtual production space.

Not to be confused with the Maglite flashlight brand, Moonside’s MagLight is designed to provide a colorful source of illumination for smartphone photography. The compact RGB light is encircled with bright RGB LEDs and can produce 16 million different colors, controlled by an iOS or Android app. It also works as a MagSafe-compatible wireless power bank.

Found most often in book readers like the Amazon Kindle, electronic paper or E Ink displays are known for their low power consumption and ease on the eyes. Posy gets up close with some e-paper displays to explain how they work and shares some fascinating super-macro footage of their electrostatically-charged dots.

The Vmonitor provides a pair of stacked 4K displays that fold up for portability. Both 22″ diagonal screens support 4K@120Hz with a 16:20 widescreen ratio. They work with all HDMI and USB-C devices and can display two sources at once. A built-in stand lets you adjust angles for optimal viewing. It’s also available in a 2.5K resolution model for a bit less.

This miniature replica of a 1980s boombox plays music from your phone via Bluetooth. It has two full-range speakers and a 10-watt amplifier, so don’t expect it to sound massive. While it’s made mostly from plastic, it does have shiny zinc alloy accents and a working AM/FM radio. It’s even got a tiny telescoping antenna, just like the real deal.

Most USB-C docks are pretty nondescript. But RayCue’s retro docks borrow their looks from the OG Apple Macintosh. The 128K Dock looks like a 1980s Mac, and packs USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, and headphone jacks. It’s also a Bluetooth speaker, a memory card reader, and a digital photo frame. The simpler Pocket dock looks like a tiny Mac keyboard.

The Polaroid I-2 represents a major leap over prior instant cameras. It’s Polaroid’s first analog camera with manual controls. The camera has shutter speeds from 1/250 to 30 seconds and apertures from f/8 to f/64, plus a long-exposure bulb mode. It’s also got automatic and multiple exposure modes and a sharp 98mm f/8 lens with LiDAR autofocusing.

There are some pretty cool backpacks on the market with LED screens, but this one from Yihong Technology works its visual magic differently. It uses a spinning fan blade with 510 flickering LEDs that display moving images using a persistence of vision illusion. It’s just for advertising and not carrying things, though.

Worry about the stuff you posted on social media 10 years ago and how it might come back to haunt you? Redact makes it easy to delete old posts from dozens of services, including Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and Discord, all in one place. It’ll wipe out old photos, videos, text, DMs, and more based on post age, keywords, sentiment, content type, and more.