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Showing posts from December, 2011

Crazy PC Modding.

Mod of the Year 2011 Published on 23rd December 2011 by Antony Leather 67 Comments Feature Mod of the Year 2011 2011 has undoubtedly been one of the best ever years for PC modding. In fact, so many projects have graced our world-famous modding forum that we've had real trouble sifting through all the incredible talent that's been on show this year. As it stands, this is our biggest-ever Mod of the Year competition, with 25 projects taking part. However, the back-to-back winner, Attila Lukacs, who claimed 1st place in 2009 and 2010 is absent, as he's still working on his follow up project. As such, this year's much sought-after Mod of the Year crown is definitely up for grabs, along with some epic prize bundles . That's not to say Attila wouldn't have had some extremely stiff competition. This year we've had some of the most ama

Science Public Lecture Series 2012

After a really?successful?series of physics and astronomy lectures (which went on for over a year!), there will be a more general science series of lectures starting in the new year with the space shuttle story on the 12th of Jan.? It's well worth coming down to the lectures even if you are not from a strong scientific background. I wouldn't consider myself among the most lowly of scientific minds and I always find them enlightening.? If you know of anyone who might be interested in these lectures please pass the message on. It's in my interest to advertise it because I enjoy going to them, the more popular they are the longer they will go on for!

Human tests begin on robot exoskeleton

via theengineer.co.uk These guys are doing amazing work. It looks like there is still a lot of work to be done so I doubt we will see any real help for a good while yet. One major issue is keeping a power supply to an exoskeleton.

Rwanda's poo-powered prisons

via bbc.co.uk This is an excellent idea. I can't imagine it smells particularly nice but everything else about this is cool.

Why don't I have a Lego Lunch Box

via lunchboxworld.co.uk For some reason I decided to look for lunch boxes. I came across this beauty.

Programming Board Game

via gizmodo.co.uk This will be on my childrens christmas list. This and lumps of coal of course ;-)

Another brilliant healthcare application for the Kinect.

via wired.co.uk I love seeing the amazing applications for the kinect. Also heard about this on the Wired UK Podcast. A great thing about this is that you could even start considering consultations from the home instead. The healthcare professional video calls the patient, asks them to walk in front of the kinect and then is able to analyse and conduct an interview remotely.

Learning skills from the older generation. The Amazings.

The Amazings is a new social enterprise launching in East London We help people who are about to retire or have retired create amazing experiences with the skills, knowledge and passion they?ve picked up throughout their life. We handle the advertising and payments ? all the Amazing has to do is decide when they want to run their experience, turn up, be amazing, and then collect the cash. via theamazings.org I heard about this on the Wired UK podcast this morning. I was hoping it was a national incentive but at the moment it's only in East London. What an excellent idea though.

MAKE | Homemade Carbon Fiber Violin

via blog.makezine.com This reminds me of my GCSE Systems and Control. I opted to make an electric violin! Essentially it consisted of me foolishly sanding a piece of wood for 2 years until right near the end my uncle swooped in and helped me make a fully working electric violin out of an old park bench. It turned out to be an excellent project. I think I still have the basic shape of the violin somewhere. I'll have to get it out and post it at sometime. I am sure there could be money made in custom making them to order...

Software Development Method acting

I listened to the first part of .net rocks show 722  whilst out for my lunch. Dan North mentioned the excellent output of developers sitting with traders coding and pushing. To me this is one of the ultimate ways to achieve excellent software. I am a big fan of the idea of method acting as a software developer. I am pretty sure someone else has already coined the idea.  Essentially I like the idea of sitting and working with the people I am going to write the software for. Working with them in their daily tasks as if I were a normal employee. It's how I started out coding. I worked in various jobs as an administrator, a construction estimator and many other roles. Initially with Excel and Access and then with VB.net and other tools I just wrote software that made my particular tasks and those of other people in the office easier. The code was outrageous but generally worked. When it didn't I could fix it easy enough, the person who had the problem told me there and then what wa

MAKE | Circuit-Bent NES

via blog.makezine.com A circuit bent NES! Pretty cool. I need to do a little bit o circuit bending me thinks. I feel embarrassed that my NES hasn't been warmed up for some time in fact.

Classrooms of Tomorrow, Today: Kinect Math App Available for Download | KinectEDucation

via kinecteducation.com Teaching maths with Kinect certainly makes maths more interesting. I think it helps answer the question asked by teens... "when are we ever going to need this?".

10 Billion Downloads! - Android Market

Android apps reduced to 10p to celebrate 10million downloads. There are some cool apps here. I have Paper Camera, Minecraft and Asphalt 6 already and can especially recommend Minecraft. It's quite basic at the moment but there are more updates coming for it soon. This is the perfect time to get it. Paper camera is also a nice little app for that price! GET ALL OF THEM! GO GO GO