Who says good things can’t come from your trash can?
Category Archives: Technology
Barefoot’s ATEV
Since I know y’all are just waiting breathlessly for updates on our new Electric ATV or ATEV from Barefoot Motors, here’s a recent article on Wired: Behold the Tesla of All-Terrain Vehicles.
Our vehicle is supposedly going to be ready in March. Y’all can start making travel plans to come test drive it; I’m starting the sign-up list now.
writing it down
“First, writing the decisions down is essential. Only when one writes to the gaps appear and the inconsistencies protrude. The act of writing turns out to require hundreds of mini-decisions, and it is the existence of these that distinguishes clear, exact policies from fuzzy ones.”
— Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. “The Mythical Man-Month” (via Brad)
Enigma: Crypto-Cryptography For Kids
[from my GeekDad post]
No, that’s not a typo. Graeme Base’s newest book Enigma can teach kids about cryptography, but it deserves an extra “crypto” for the clever way the subject is hidden in a story about magic, friendship, and family. Bertie Badger visits his grandfather, the retired magician Gadzooks the Great, and learns that he and the other residents have all lost their magical items. Bertie offers to search for them, meeting each of the quirky ex-tricksters in turn. The search itself is fruitless, even after the perpetrator (Grandfather’s rabbit Enigma) is found, but Bertie saves the day by showing where true magic comes from.
Continue reading “Enigma: Crypto-Cryptography For Kids“
Mr. Lee, the Three-Eyed Cat
[from my GeekDad post]
OK, so he’s not a mutant, but he’s no ordinary cat. Mr. Lee has been outfitted with his very own CatCam, designed and built by his owner, J. Perthold, from a keychain digital camera and some custom circuitry. The CatCam provides a peek into the daily adventures of Mr. Lee as he prowls the neighborhood.
The success of the original Mr. Lee CatCam has spawned more feline tech accessories, like the CatTrack GPS tracker and the forthcoming CatCam Live, a CatCam with integrated antenna for broadcasting live TV feeds. Each has detailed (but accessible) technical specifications and build notes; it’s obvious that Perthold is a real enthusiast.