Golden Ratio Calipers

The Golden Ratio [phi (ɸ) ~1.61803399] is often found in the relationship between lines and shapes in nature. Some examples include the nautilus shell, sunflowers, and proportions of the human body. A tool with three caliper legs that divide the space by the golden ratio is useful for art and design and so I created a golden ratio caliper.

Handcrafted from laminated ice cream sticks and rivets, the construction used limited tools (pocket knife, sandpaper, rasp, and hammer).

Handcrafted upcycled golden ratio calipers 

The middle leg points to 13cm, dividing the outer legs (measuring 21cm) into 13cm and 8cm sections 

Another golden ratio related item I have created is the Approximately Φ coffee table

Bit of a makeover

I've given the MuzGadgets blog a bit of a makeover with a vector based banner designed in Affinity Designer from Serif and freshening up the look of the blog with new fonts and some color tweaking.

I have also removed some stuff, but all the blog posts since the blog started in 2007 are still here. 

Hourglass clock

I like this old style hourglass clock by Mike Sander which flips and advances the hour every 60 minutes. It is expertly handcrafted and the internal workings are a unique solution.

Slick 3D printing pen

Imagine drawing in the air and creating three dimensional structures. The Lix 3D Pen can make your imagination come true.

LIX THE SMALLEST 3D PRINTING PEN from LIX 3D PEN on Vimeo.

Learn more at http://lixpen.com/

Stackable Shelter

Here is a cool idea for emergency shelters. Inspired by an upside-down styrofoam coffee cup, the Exo Housing system is designed for rapid deployment at lower cost and higher efficiency than trailer homes, caravans or converted shipping containers.


Reaction Call to Action from Reaction on Vimeo.

Discover more on their indiegogo campaign and help provide emergency shelter for Syrian refugees.

Open Source Prototyping/Construction Toy

Here's an interesting gadget for constructing all sorts of stuff with recyclable materials.

Strawbees is a fantastic prototyping toy for makers of all ages helping you build huge mechanical objects from standard straws and cardboard!

Strawbees creators, Creatables lets you create the connectors with the MakeStation, a manual die cutting machine that turns waste materials into useful objects.

Amazing expanding table

One of the MuzGadget sisters is impressed with this unique Fletcher Capstan Table renowned British luxury furniture makers Fletcher Burwell-Taylor Ltd.


The Fletcher Capstan Table from Morph Studio on Vimeo.

The table remains truly circular as it transforms to double the seating with either a manual or electronic rotation. Based on a 19th century design by Robert Jupe, the current improved design has been worked on by designer David Fletcher since 1997 and has a smooth mechanism and hides the expansion leaves inside the table.

Priced comparable to a luxury sports car, the table is custom made for each customer (often superyacht owners), and is crafted from thousands of parts. David usually personally installs each table.

He describes the process that goes into The Making of The Fletcher Capstan Table. More information at Fletcher Tables.

The ProTravel Carry-on bag to beat travel drag

My family traveled to Paris in July with just carry on. Our apartment in Paris was up a narrow spiral staircase and lugging the bags up and down would have been easier if they were backpacks. That is why this Kickstarter project to launch the ProTravel Carry-on Bag from Minaar is so interesting. Designed by Kiwi travel junkies, Doug and Jimmy, the bag is packed with features for reducing travel drag.


Check out more about the bag you don't need to check-in on Kickstarter and Minaal.com

Cortex: 3D printed exoskeleton to replace plaster and resin casts.

Victoria University (New Zealand) graduate Jake Evill has designed a revolutionary 3D printed injury-localized exoskeleton to help the healing of broken bones. Using x-rays and a hacked together 3D scanner the lightweight but strong cast is custom printed and snaps together to provide support for the fracture.

Images: Jake Evill

The Cortex cast is waterproof and has higher density printing to provide extra support where it is needed.

Jake is seeking partners to continue development of the technology. More info at http://jakevilldesign.dunked.com/cortex.

Xi3: Ushering In the post PC Era

Two things I like in the design of computers: small form factor and multiple configurations/expandability. The new Xi3 modular computers do really well at this with a small robust strong chassis that is configurable with different swappable modules. Learn more about these innovative computers in the following video and on the Xi3 website.

Beautiful midi keyboard design

Here is a beautiful midi keyboard design by Bård Edlund.

MIDI keyboard design by Bård Edlund from Bard Edlund on Vimeo.
Most MIDI keyboards look like cheap toy spaceships from 1982. But music production is now a home activity. Here's a keyboard you'd be proud to have around.

See more about the design on EDLUNDART.

A Day Made of Glass

Glass is amazing stuff and this video shows just some of the technology made possible with glass.



Watch these other adverts from Corning Glass:
Corning® Gorilla® Glass: Cooking Up Tomorrow's Kitchen
Corning® Gorilla® Glass: King of the Office?
Corning® Gorilla® Glass: Channel Surfing

Smart lighting

NXP Semiconductors has developed wifi technology for lightbulbs allowing them to be controlled from any internet connected device.




As seen on Springwise.

After seeing one of the MuzGadget bro's remote controlled light switch, I had ideas about smart lighting similar to this about 10 years ago, but without the electronics and engineering skills I was unable to do anything about it.

Steampunk Exo Legs get international attention

Professor Damotimus Tipotus (Damien McNamara) of the Libratory Steampunk Art Gallery in Oamaru, New Zealand has gained international attention after his Exo Legs were placed first in Inventor / Scientist category of the 2011 Steampunk Fashion Show.


Some of the technology behind the legs is revealed in this video:


A Candian TV/web production company is keen to use the legs for the pilot of an upcoming series, and American film makers are interested in Damien's skills in weapons design. (See how to punk a Nerf gun!)

Read more about the Steampunk fashion show and the opportunities this has opened up for Damien on Stuff.

Open source hardware

Marcin Jakubowski talks about creating the Global Village Construction Set, a wiki of 3D designs for 50 different industrial machines for a self sufficient economy.


More at http://opensourceecology.org.nyud.net/index.php

Looxcie - an always on wearable camera

The Looxcie wearable camcorder lets you capture unexpected video moments and easily share them. Cool features include smart phone remote control, last 30 seconds clip capture and integrated bluetooth headset.

 

With the 180° rotating ear bud you can wear it on either ear, or you could get two and produce 3D point of view movies.

Looxcie Wearable Camcorder: Capture Unexpected Moments

Intelligent drinking glasses

These smart but low tech  drinking glasses tell you what is inside them.

Learn how 2009 - reddot design award winner, Damjan Stanković has designed the Cipher Drinking Glass at http://relogik.com/cipher

Pen from potatoes

I rarely use pens, but here is an interesting video about an ecologically friendly writing implement.

DBA 98 Biodegradable Pen from DBA on Vimeo.

New design

The MuzGadgets blog is nearly 3 years old and has been overdue for a design change. For the new look I have used the new Blogger Template Designer gadget.

Kitchen Computer Build

A DIY Kitchen Touch Screen Project



Read the details at The iPhone Inspired DIY Kitchen Touch Screen Project