Science allows us to ask our most pressing questions and explore all sorts of curiosities. With some thought, hard work, and patience, we can use our explorations to build a better understanding and appreciation of the complex and beautiful world around us. This tutorial will teach you how to use an Arduino (uno) microcontroller, how…
Category: Citizen Science
Raspberry Pi Impact Force Monitor
How much impact can the human body handle? Whether it’s football, rock climbing, or a bicycle accident, knowing when to seek immediate medical attention after a collision is incredibly important, especially if there are no obvious signs of trauma. This tutorial will teach you how to build your very own impact force monitor! Read…
Renewable Energy Technology: What is it and How to Use it!
Now more than ever, folks like you and me have to step up and take a stand to protect and preserve our environment (and, quite honestly, our species). One great way to do that is to incorporate renewable energy technology into projects that use electricity. Even if the environmental aspect isn’t enough to get you…
Make Custom (& Inexpensive) Circuit Blocks!
Create, build, and play with your very own LEGO-inspired circuit blocks! Explore the basics of electricity and circuits, discover how sensors work and use ’em to design your own experiments, and incorporate upcycled materials to improve on your materials-sourcing & MacGuyver-ing skills! That old gum wrapper? Make it into a resistor or a switch! But…
IoT Pet Monitor!
Keep an eye (er, ear) on your beloved bbies while you are away! This project monitors the volume of sound in your home and if your pet gets too anxious and starts barking or making other loud noises, soothe their sad lil’ soul by turning on music or your own (pre-recorded) voice! This tutorial will…
IoT Industrial Scale!
What does a baby elephant weigh?* How much impact force does a jump have?? How can you tell if a rain barrel is full without looking inside??? Answer all these questions and more by building your very own Internet of Things (“IoT”) industrial scale using the SparkFun OpenScale board! This project is intended for…
Hazardous Gas Monitor
Build a portable gas monitor to check for dangerous levels of hazardous gases in your home, community, or on the go and prevent your friends from lighting a cigarette during a gasoline fight.* This tutorial shows you how to build a web-connected “canary” monitor for three hazardous gases: Liquid Propane Gas (“LPG”), Methane (aka natural gas),…
Faraday Cage Phone Pouch
This Faraday Cage phone pouch blocks all radio signals coming in or out of your cellphone. Material costs are about $10, it takes ~ 30 minutes to build, and it can fit in your pocket! The purpose of this pouch is to prevent access to your phone and its data (e.g. location) if and when…
Raspberry Pi Irrigation Controller
Gardening improves health and quality of life, connecting us to our local environment. Plus, you can eat organic fruits and veggies at very little cost. Alas, remembering to water can sometimes take a backseat to our busy lives. Fortunately, home automation is easier than ever with inexpensive and accessible microcontrollers like the Raspberry Pi 2 Model…
Raspberry Pi Soil Moisture Sensor
Conserving freshwater is one of those seemingly constant struggles, especially with a human population exceeding seven billion. In the United States, between 80 – 90 % of freshwater is consumed by agriculture, making it the perfect industry to implement more efficient ways of using water! Installing a soil moisture sensor is one way to optimize…