You read it correctly; exoskeletons aren’t just fantasy anymore—they’re officially now a tool in the workforce. But unlike the mechanical aids you see in movies or television, these suits don’t enhance the wearer’s strength twofold but rather increase their endurance to help a person reach overhead. The suit in question is called the EksoVest. Created by the California-based Ekso Bionics under their EksoWorks technology line (which is meant for construction, manufacturing, and industrial applications), the EksoVest helps reduce the fatigue Ford employees experience when doing overhead tasks to check the ins and outs of cars in production. If you have ever changed a lightbulb before, you’ll know how straining it…

Most designers and engineers already know that Arduino is a powerful and versatile platform for creating electronics projects. Yet, knowing where to dive into learning about the powerful little computer isn’t quite so easy. From building robots to adding a little IoT intelligence into weekend projects, the Pay What You Want: 2018 Arduino Enthusiast E-Book Bundle is the perfect place to begin broadening your horizons in the world of Arduino. The project-based approach presented in the course teaches users how to create everything from DC motor controllers operated by a web page, slide switch, or touch sensors to constructing electronic operating status displays for just about anything. Best of all,…

When it comes to product design books, it’s not always easy to eliminate glamorized portfolios from those that get down to the real nitty-gritty of product design. And when it comes to those actually worth reading, Don Norman will never do you wrong. As a strong (and very early) advocate for user-centered design, Norman is a pioneer in UX and UI design principles that exist in many of the products we use today. In his book, The Design of Everyday Things, Norman dives deeper into not just why…but how smart design is changing the landscape all around us—and what you can do to give your designs a competitive edge. If…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. This Build Crew Created a Fortnite Double Barrel Shotgun Using LEGO Bricks Epic Games’ Fortnite is a popular third-person shooter-survival game that pits up to four players who work together to fight…

Even in a world full of change, there are many constants in the universe: taxes, Disney’s ever-present plan to own everything your childhood holds dear, and LEGO Star Wars kits. LOTS of LEGO Star Wars kits. While it can’t house the gigantic 7,541-piece Millenium Falcon, this 2,812-piece LEGO recreation of The Empire Strikes Back’s Cloud City includes a number of iconic scenes from the movie’s climax. For all the true Star Wars fans out there, you know you gotta have it. The Betrayal at Cloud City Set is split into four sections: the infamous torture room where Darth Vader had Han Solo frozen in carbonite (this includes the sensor balcony…

When it comes to functional workspaces, proper tool organization cannot be stressed enough. After all, does anybody enjoy having to bounce from drawer to drawer looking for that one special screwdriver? We didn’t think so. While it may not organize every took in your shop, the handmade Waterproof Waxed Canvas Tool Rool from Hide & Drink is still one of our favorites. In fact, we like that we can bundle specific tools for specific tasks in different rolls—making it easy to grab and go when the time comes. In total, each roll includes slots for six different tools (or a variety of small tools). Not to mention, the waxed canvas…