Letting the magic blue smoke out.

For those who do not know what letting the magic blue smoke out reference’s, it simply means when something electronic is over powered, melted, or broken in such a way it may spark and produces smoke is a sign of death of a component or a device.
Often the smoke is blue when IC’s burn, other components may produce other colours based on the metals and materials they are composed of. Wikipedia of course has an article on this topic with more information, and I am sure could be expanded upon.

To see the magic smoke get released and what the Microscope has found click on the more link below.
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Trainoverlord on the test track.

This weeks post is of projects that have come threw the space or live in the space that move, fly, or simply put have motors and are really neat.  Click more for the 9 photos of Trainoverlord, a Quadrocopter, Line following robot, and a sick 6 legged robot I am calling Mr.Roboto.

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Lemon Muffins

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Assembly in Progress.

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This weeks post is starting with a bang, quite literately. Or is it a boom?

Starting things with a bang. The pyrotechnic device shown is used to create a waterfall effect. A number of such device was used at the opening ceremony's of the Olympic games .

This weeks post is a little bit more wordy then weeks of the past, due to making up for missing a week and providing a glimpse into what the author gets up to, as well as how last weeks adventures relate to what I do at the lab and a bit of a geek out. Last weeks post was missed due to being in London, Ontario, volunteering at the annual CITT trade show and conference.  CITT stands for the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology, its primary purpose is to link industry and individuals together so that effective communication can happen, as well as create closer ties to those within the theatre community to industry.

CITT does this via workshops, classes, tours, certification, open forums, AGM, and providing a venue annually that moves across the country so that over time each province will host the event. Last year CITT annual conference was in Victoria, BC. This year it was in London, Ont. Next year it will be in Calgary Alberta. With that said, I care to get to my point that the theatre industry is full of creative individuals. Not only artistic but electronic and electrically savvy who are alternative thinkers.

I am a theatrical technician, an artisan, an artist, a geek, as well as have been known for being a muse, and a bit nerdy.   Some are surprised that an individual so heavily in the arts would be so interested in hacking, and making. But in reality these things go hand in hand. Many effects and sets that support a theatrical production take months and if there are special allowances years to design or gain the skills to be able to effectively execute safely and realistically.

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Here we see the box for the tasty Raspberry Pi on the left, and on the right the ever advancing brain for Train Overlord.

Second laser pass to finish cutting the acrylic plastic.

Close up look at the laser in action.

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Last week one of Hack Labs members finished some much needed repairs to his stilts. The stilts specifically needed a spacer/pivot, to be built to repair the joint. Not everyone made it down stairs to watch him try out the fruits of his labour so here is a GIF to show what many missed.

Build Photos of the replacement joint.