Open Source Hardware Gift Guide

ptorrone writes "Looking to give gifts this year that are open source? Here's MAKE Magazines "Open Source Hardware" gift guide. Open source 3D printers, TV-turn-off devices, iPod chargers, music players, Wi-Fi companions, educational electronic kits and more. Each of the kits, projects and open source hardware gifts in this guide represents more than just a holiday gift, it's a change to support this nascent open hardware movement."

Comments

I can predict an era

[wikinerd]

I can predict an era where 3D printers will be popular and inexpensive and people will be sharing definition files on the Internet for building their own 3D toys, and then at some point a Nigerian will come out seeking copyright infringement damages for the most popular 3D toys.

Good starter gifts

[faloi]

Look pretty good to give out as a beginning electronics kit for kids or people just getting into it. Somehow building my own phone back in the day doesn't seem quite as impressive.

Re:MP3 Player

[morgan_greywolf]

It's open source, right? You have the source to the MP3 player, you have the source for the Ogg/Vorbis, make your own firmware that supports Ogg.

Why nerds can't have girlfriends

[Anonymous Coward]

because you give them crappy "open source" gifts

TV-turn-off devices

[Bob54321]

You mean a finglonger?

3D Printer option: chocolate?

[dada21]

I have a long history with stereolithographic devices (I used to consult with CNC companies as a teenager and young adult), and my dream was to have a SL device that made custom chocolate bars and pieces. While proper chocolate has to be poured at the right temperature into the mold, I've always wondered if there is a future to make a machine like an SL 3D printer that can print in chocolate.

I've done some basic searching, but found no one even talking about it. Yes, it's corny, but I'd love to know if anyone has played with candy/sugar/chocolate as the substrate for a 3D printer.

Re:3D Printer option: chocolate?

[necro81]

The current issue of Make magazine has a short article on a rapid prototyper some guys built that does selective sintering of powdered sugar! Instead of a laser or electron beam to do the sintering, they created a jet of hot air to carmelize the powder. They've turned it open-source and called it the CandyFab project.

As for using chocolate, I don't know of anyone dabbling in that. But, I suppose there's no reason you couldn't build a fused deposition modeler that uses chocolate chips in a hopper as the raw material. What would you use for support structure?

Re:3D Printer option: chocolate?

[morgan_greywolf]

Well, they have cake printers for doing 2D images on cakes, so I imagine that 3D printers for doing chocolate or other candy is possible. A little Google search revealed some instructions for making your own 3D chocolate printer. Merry Christmas, Dada!

Re:3D Printer option: chocolate?

[Dr_Barnowl]

I think this one counts as "playing around"
http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-chocolate-printer-made-from-LEGO/

The RepRap guys have played around with the IDEA (and lots of other material ideas)
http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/MaterialsScience

And Fab@Home has been used with chocolate - shame it's the most expensive by far.
http://3dprinterusers.blogspot.com/2007/05/more-than-chocolate-cornells-fabhome.html

Note to /.ers

[Silver Sloth]

Leave this article where wives/girlfriends/parents can see it so that they can give them to you. Attempts to use these gift suggestions the other way round may be hazardous to the holiday spirit.