With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you.
This week we saw an incredible real-time table tennis training device, a pair of sleek 3D printed lampshades, a new app that promises an auditory experience like you’ve never heard before, how to make a water balloon shotgun, 3D printed doo-dads getting crushed on a hydraulic press and more…
Ready? Let’s go!
This week we look at:
DESIGN
Interactive Table Tennis Trainer
“The basic idea of my bachelor thesis was to track the ping pong ball in realtime to create data visualisations for trainers and players. After a few weeks of working I started developing a projected mapped interface for the ping pong table to show the collected data. By projecting game obstacles on the surface I figured out that I can change the game play totally.”
“While designing this shades we have in mind the technology and way how the object is printed. Trying to avoid any support material and use as less material as possible 60-100g of material is used to build this structure for about 8 to 10 hours.”
APPS
“The HEAR app gives you unlimited control over real-world sound. Simply plug in your existing headphones and listen through one of the 7 free filters!”
“An entirely new type of productivity app for creating checklists and jotting down notes, whilst keeping everything organised with notebooks. Additional features include setting reminders and due dates to keep track of tasks and notes.”
DIY
“In this video I show step by step how to make a custom homemade longboard, all the way from which raw materials to use to shaping and finishing the board to applying grip tape.”
“Bring out the big guns! Have you ever seen a water balloon shotgun? Here’s how to make a High Powered Water Balloon Shooter that will fire 17 balloons at once!”
ROCK AWESOMENESS
Crushing 3D Printed Stuff with Hydraulic Press
“3D stuff vs. our press.”
Microsculpture- The Insect Photography of Levon Biss
“Microsculpture is a unique visual experience. A 10mm insect is shown as a 3 meter print, revealing minute detail and allowing the viewer to take in the structure of the insect in its entirety. The beautifully lit, high magnification portraiture of Levon Biss captures the microscopic form of these animals in striking high-resolution detail.”
And there you have it!
Send your cool tool finds to smoth@www.solidsmack.com, sign up for our newsletter there in the sidebar or ask us a question in the comments or via email about diy, design, tech or anything else. Smoth would love to help.
