Audio Treasure Hunt

Everyone loves treasure hunts. Running around on a quest to find your present makes any gift better. So just for fun, I designed my own variation of the game. I combined an Arduino microcontroller with an Adafruit Wave Shield to make an audio treasure hunt box.

The treasure hunters are given a code. When they enter the code into the box, it will play a short audio clip that gives them a clue as to where they should go next. When they arrive at this location, they will find another code, which they will enter and get another clue. This continues until eventually they arrive at the final location and find their present.

For step by step instructions on how to make this project, check out the Instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Audio-Treasure-Hunt/

Hot Wire Ice Cutter

Have you ever wanted to sculpt something out of ice? Well here is an easy way to do it that doesn't require a chainsaw. In this project, I am going to show you how to make a "hot wire ice cutter."

The design for this project is very similar to other types of hot wire cutters. Electricity is sent through a piece of Nichrome wire. This heats the wire above the melting temperature of the material that you are working with. The wire can then be used to "cut" the material by melting it along a narrow line.

Because ice sculptures are often larger and more difficult to handle, I designed my cutter to be handheld rather than stationary on a table. I based my design largely on the "Hot Wire Foam Cutter" by Instructables user FlyWoodKB. I made a few modifications to make it safer and easier to use with ice.

For step by step instructions on how to  build this project, check out the Instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Wire-Ice-Cutter/

3D Printing Pen Tutorial

In this project, I am going to give you a basic introduction to 3D printing pens and how to use them.

For a detailed walkthrough, check out the Instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-Printing-Pen-Tutorial/

Wearable Temperature Sensor and Alarm

When working in extreme temperatures it is important to monitor your body temperature. In freezing weather, your fingers and toes get numb and you can develop frostbite without even noticing it. Likewise, if your core body temperature can drop too low and you can start to start to suffer the effects of hypothermia before you are aware of it.

So I designed an automatic temperature sensor that will monitor the temperature of your fingers, your toes, your torso as well as the outside temperature. This can help you to stay safe when working in extreme cold.

For step by step instructions on how to build this project, check out the Instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Wearable-Temperature-Sensors-For-Working-in-Extrem/