Jun 2019 brain dump

Yet another brain dump post. (brain dump: snapshot of the internal state of a knowledge database for transfer or archiving purposes). Previous: Feb 2019, May 2018, Nov 2018, May 2018, Jan 2018, May 2017, April 2017, March 2017.

Hardware

• Teardown Casper’s clever little nightlight - Glow is a cute bedside light that looks like a HomePod starring in a Ron Howard sci-fi movie. It contains some surprisingly complex technology executed tastefully in a simple package. It’s a great example of technical sophistication enabling an intuitive user interface.
• ESP Home - This list contains a bunch of getting started and more advanced guides for using ESPHome. Technically, all ESP8266/ESP32 devices are supported by ESPHome.
• Etch-A-Snap — A Raspberry Pi powered Etch-A-Sketch Camera. Etch-A-Snap is (probably) the worlds first Etch-A-Sketch Camera. Powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero (or Zero W) it snaps photos just like any other camera, but outputs them by drawing to an Pocket Etch-A-Sketch screen. Quite slowly.

Laser cutter (CNC)

• SVG Nest - If you have some parts to cut out of a piece of metal/plastic/wood etc, you’d want to arrange the parts to use as little material as possible. This is a common problem if you use a laser cutter, plasma cutter, or CNC machine.
• Deep Nest - Deepnest packs your parts into a compact area to save material and time. It automatically merges common lines so the laser doesn’t cut the same path twice.
• Sliced Wave Addon - This Blender Add-on can generate interactively configured models of a sliced wave sculpture and can export them as laser cutter templates in SVG.

Art

• Stained Glass Windows Made from Stacked Laser-Cut Paper by Eric Standley - Virginia-based artist Eric Standley (previously) brings a whole new meaning to the term “cutting edge” with his methodical stained glass windows created entirely from laser-cut paper. Standley stacks well over 100 sheets for many of his pieces which involve months of planning, drawing, and assembly. The artist says his inspiration comes from the geometry found in Gothic and Islamic architectural ornamentation which he somewhat jokingly calls “folk math.”
• Antenna by Varvara & Mar - Series of digital prints on aluminium created by executing self-made algorithm multiple times. The code generates a unique visual composition each time when applied by spinning around a number of points, which create a line when colliding.
• Animated Pixel Lamp Is A Must For Any Chiptuner’s Bedroom - Lamps are quite often simple things, designed to light an area and perhaps add a touch of style to a room. Of course, it’s 2019 now, and we don’t need to settle for just that.
• Dwitter - is a challenge to see what awesomeness you can create when limited to only 140 characters of javascript and a canvas. Give it a go!
• mta.me - Conductor turns the New York subway system into an interactive string instrument. Using the MTA’s actual subway schedule, the piece begins in realtime by spawning trains which departed in the last minute, then continues accelerating through a 24 hour loop.
• Just For Fun - Showcasing Creative Projects.
• Light Bazaar by Chatswood - wonder of this tessellating kaleidoscope that showcases rapidly evolving computing, LED and interactive technologies. Inspired by Islamic architecture, textiles and music, the ancient play of light and symmetry transform into a thoroughly modern work of art at the corner of Chatswood Interchange and Railway Street.

Art Tools

• Polygon Tool - A Vue.js project for generating SVGs of polygons for plotting.
• TinkerSynth - Tinkersynth is an experimental art project. It lets you create unique generative art by making serendipitous discoveries through experimentation.
• Glitch - Glitch is the friendly community where everyone can discover and create the best stuff on the web. From useful tools that solve problems at work, to cutting-edge VR experiences, smart bots, and apps that help advance important causes, Glitch is a unique community where people have built over a million projects for you to discover, with new ones are popping up every day.
• Polyhedra - Polyhedra are beautiful 3-D geometrical figures that have fascinated philosophers, mathematicians and artists for millennia. On this site are a few hundred paper models available for free.

Web devlopment

• Wired Elements - A set of common UI elements with a hand-drawn, sketchy look. These can be used for wireframes, mockups, or just the fun hand-drawn look. github

Games

• Open Source Game Clones - This site tries to gather open-source remakes of great old games in one place. If you think that something is missing from the list.
• ALttP: Randomizer - is a new take on the classic game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Each playthrough shuffles the location of all the important items in the game. Will you find the Bow atop Death Mountain, the Fire Rod resting silently in the library, or even the Master Sword itself waiting in a chicken coop?
• itch.io - is a simple way to find and share indie games online for free.