00756, Walnut HID

I'm making a human interface design (imagine a funky keyboard) for a colleague for improved accessability. I've gone off on one and now I have a system of adding buttons to pieces of wood (or anything else I can make holes in) by drilling them, slotting in a plastic cylinder which holds a button and then wire wrapping (rather than soldering) on to an Arduino Pro Micro microcontroller. Then the Pro Micro gets programmed as a keyboard and mouse with encoder buttons as mouse and buttons sending keyvboard shortcuts.

The current version is a small four button, one encoder version:

The challenge now is to get the most functionality out of all the inputs, for example by pressing and holding one of the buttons so that an led lights signalling that all the inputs are now in a different mode.

Thought about putting a tiny screen on it to replace the leds, but it's not so nice visually.

More build pics:

The button and encoder caddies are CNC'd and then cast in silicone, so that multiples can be made in resin:

Other HIDs that got made recently have been more organic:

Wire wrapping:

00755, Richard's radio

A while ago I spoke with Richard about how best to convey the order of priorities that exist from his point of view.

We mused about a number of approaches to this problem and I suggested a device that could play back a message conveying the following sentiment:

"I haven't got time"

It's been about two months since we first talked about this and now it's finished.

More for Richard than for the post, here are the instructions:

WARNING: While the unit is intended for use in an office environment, it is technically not safe for work and may offend. Play at reduced volume levels to reduce litigation.

There are two buttons on the top of the unit. The smaller one will turn it on, illuminating the LED on the front panel.
Once the unit is turned on, press the larger button to begin the playback.
Volume can be adjusted using the large volume knob on the front panel. The volume knob has a high sensitivity, and so small movements will increase and reduce volume greatly. Turning clockwise to the limits of the rotation will produce the highest volume.
Switch off after use, using the smaller button. The LED will extinguish.
Battery replacement and access to the SD card are through the panel at the bottom of the unit, which currently require a torx head screwdriver to open.
In case of any problems or malfunctions return to the manufacturer.

00739, Carrom

This is from a while back, but left without posting.

A present for a friend - which is fine, until you consider giving someone a really big object and effectively saying, "Here, put this somewhere in your house and let it define you daily - if only because of how much space it takes up."

Oh, and it's Carrom. Think pool meets air hockey. The playing pieces are basically draughts counters.

Birch ply playing surface +walnut cushions = nice:

The design is now a standard for any on-wood graphics for me - multiple, sanded coats of varnish, followed by graphics airbrushed through stencils, followed by multiple, sanded coats of varnish. A graphics sandwich, if you will - meaning the paint won't soak into the wood, degrading the sharpness of the design, and the top coat protects against wear.

Process porn:

00729, the Wall at Work

This is the Wall at Work project.

The walls at work are quite dull and the walls in the room I work in are no exception.

I think we're not supposed to have stuff on the walls in case we all die or lose a limb as a result (as can often happen when mounting chainsaws and machetes on walls) - but I have anyway.

It looks like this at present, but will grow:

Wow, those pictures are not straight. But in reality they are - I use a digital inclinometer, natch.

00725, Easel

An easel for an artist's birthday present. Adjustable for height using a system of magnets and wooden battens.

THe CNC'd adjustment handles are a perfect fit for hands. You just want to turn them cos you can.