Hack your Hardware: Difference between revisions

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"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!
"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!


Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!) Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them.  
Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!) Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). 90% of electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them.  


Possible projects:
Possible projects:


 
* Add an extra iPod input jack to your clock radio or computer speakers
* Add an iPhone input jack to your clock radio
* Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
* Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
* Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
* Extract the stepper motors out of a printer found on the sidewalk
* Extract the stepper motors out of a printer found on the sidewalk
* Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
* Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
* Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
* Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game platform
* Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game platform
* Add a dimmer to your favorite floor lamp
* A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop experimenter's power supply
* Replace the tired nicads in your favorite power screwdriver (or electric toothbrush, or other rechargeable toy)
* Replace the tired nicads in your favorite power screwdriver (or electric toothbrush, or other rechargeable toy)
* Hotrod your favorite power screwdriver with Li+ batteries
* Hotrod your favorite power screwdriver with Li+ batteries
* Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners


You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share!


Yes this could be dangerous, and you may break things. That's how you learn.
Yes this could be dangerous, and we may break things. That's how we learn.




Proposed schedule:  
Proposed schedule:  


Week 1: Take things apart, determine problems, solutions, parts to get.
Week 1: Take things apart, determine problems, solutions, necessary parts to obtain.
Week 2: Having obtained parts, put things back together and smoke-test! (If it doesn't smoke, it passes!)
Week 2: Having obtained parts, put things back together and smoke-test (if it doesn't smoke, it passes!)

Revision as of 15:10, 7 November 2008

Workshop proposal: Hack your Hardware

"No user-serviceable parts inside" -- we call bullshit on that!

Favorite gadget busted? Don't throw it away; fix it! (Or at least autopsy it for the good of science!) Bring in your hardware yearning to reach its maximum potential (or give its life for spare parts). 90% of electronics failures are caused by bad connections or simple mechanical problems: we'll show you what to look for and how to fix them. We give you permission to take things apart, see what's inside, and improve them.

Possible projects:

  • Add an extra iPod input jack to your clock radio or computer speakers
  • Add a USB hub to a desk lamp (or a bobblehead doll, or a stuffed toy, or...)
  • Hotrod your IR remote control to go around corners
  • Extract the stepper motors out of a printer found on the sidewalk
  • Fix that funky power jack on your old laptop so you can give it to Mom
  • Add another headphone jack (or FM transmitter?) to your laptop
  • Add a LED backlight or tasklight to a keyboard or a handheld game platform
  • Add a dimmer to your favorite floor lamp
  • A one-wire hack turns a discarded ATX PSU into a benchtop experimenter's power supply
  • Replace the tired nicads in your favorite power screwdriver (or electric toothbrush, or other rechargeable toy)
  • Hotrod your favorite power screwdriver with Li+ batteries

You will have more and better ideas. Bring them and share!

Yes this could be dangerous, and we may break things. That's how we learn.


Proposed schedule:

Week 1: Take things apart, determine problems, solutions, necessary parts to obtain.
Week 2: Having obtained parts, put things back together and smoke-test (if it doesn't smoke, it passes!)