Why NTSC has 29.97 fps

Standup mathematician, Matt Parker, explains why NTSC has 29.97 frames per second.

See also the behind the scenes on how Matt made this episode.

Sun power

I got a little sunburnt last week after a short time in the sun. Here are 7 solar powered creations that are better for harnessing the power of the sun.

Izmir International Fair 2016 - theme Innovation

We recently attended the annual Izmir International Fair. The theme this year was innovation and the exhibits included a mini maker faire.

Suburban train simulator

Virtual reality parachute

Virtual reality cycling

Virtual reality submarine

Mini Maker Faire 

Lots of 3D printers on display

Solar powered boat

Solar powered car

A drone motorcycle?

Robot arms

Intricate laser cutting laminated to produce interesting geometric effects

Robots

Octocopter

CNC producing a label

Laminated cardboard and LEDs 

Laminated cardboard sculpture

Wooden construction blocks. Not available on the App Store

Animatronics

Model of Artemis Temple constructed from sugar cubes

IDO3D art pens

In New Zealand we picked up an IDo3D art kit which has two resin pens and a UV torch for creating 3D art.

My daughter and I created a seahorse model following an example on the box.

Blue and green resin pens, plastic drawing surface and shape formers, UV torch.

Tracing parts of a seahorse with the resin pen

Curing and hardening the resin with UV

Joining parts together

The finished seahorse model

The cubic structural evolution project: Olafur Eliasson

On our travels in New Zealand we visited the Hastings City Art Gallery and we interacted with an exhibit:

The cubic structural evolution project, 2004, is a hands-on installation by Danish-Icelandic artist, Olafur Eliasson. Comprising thousands of pieces of white Lego bricks scattered on a large table, the work invites Gallery visitors to become ‘architects’ by using the Lego to create endlessly re-forming structures limited only by imagination.Towering cityscapes emerge out of the rubble of Lego bricks and constantly evolve as new visitors contribute to the work through construction, modification, destruction and re-construction – processes inherent to the lifecycle of any metropolis.

My children and nephews changing the sculpture 

It was fun to construct and add our versions of buildings, ladders, Donkey Kong, King Kong and other creations to the large white Lego structures.

The exhibit continues until 28 August 2016