Maker Message Monday!
Here is your weekly dose of “Maker Message Monday”, a list of what we are enjoying or pondering as Makers!
Random Shower Thoughts
“It took decades to get each of Marvel, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones to this climax. It’s possible we’ll never see an entertainment year of this magnitude again.”
Videos We Are Watching
How Blue LEDs Changed The World
Lighting accounts for 20 -30% of global electricity consumption and 6% of greenhouse gas emissions.
LED bulbs use about 80% less energy and last 25x longer than incandescent lighting.
They have the greatest potential impact on global energy savings.
In the 90s Japanese scientists discovered how to create Blue LEDs.
Fluorescent lights started being used in the 1930s. They contain toxic mercury, age significantly, and are prone to flicker.
In 1961 scientists from Texas Instruments invented the first practical light emitting diode.
The next 3 decades scientists were able to create red and green but they couldn’t get to blue which was needed to make white light.
The hunt to create a blue LED lasted almost 30 years.
A scientist from a chemical company in Japan called Nichia was the first organization to create blue LEDs.
In 2014, Nakamura was awarded the Nobel prize in physics for this invention.
Without this invention, many of the electronics we use in the world today would not be possible.
Solar panels and small batteries are now able to power 1.2 billion people who lack access to electricity.
Switching the world’s light sources to LEDs would reduce annual BO2 emissions by the same amount of 3/4 of the cars produced in the United States.
Articles We Are Reading
Russia Built A Battering Ram Drone To Knock Drones Out Of The Sky
Counter drone techniques are becoming a popular topic in military conversations.
Russia just displayed a new prototype for a “battering ram-inspired” drone designed to take out hostile quadrotor drones.
The drone doesn’t carry any payload other than its own bulk, which means it may be the first practical counter drone technology that’s cheaper to develop and deploy than the hostil drone was in the first place.
This strategy cuts down costs and makes the drone more versatile.
Since there is no explosion, it is one of the safest options when dealing with unwanted drones.
Watch the battering-ram drone in action by skipping to minute 36 in this video.
Read the full article by Dan Robitzski here.
Projects We Are Enjoying
DIY Neopixel Trampoline
Jumping on a trampoline just got a LOT more fun!
This project will teach you how to build a trampoline that changes colors with every single jump.
You will need a trampoline that counts calories based on how much you jump.
By manipulating the jumping sensor, you can trigger an effect when the sensor is triggered.
Use the tutorial by RooKosherba to replicate this project!
Digital Media Academy is Giving out 1,000 Scholarships to their Summer Tech Camps
The Nudelman Family Trust is granting one thousand full scholarships to Digital Media Academy summer tech camps. Launched by tech educators at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy camps are the best place for students to get their start as designers, developers, programmers, engineers, animators, musicians, filmmakers, and creators.
Digital Media Academy offers courses in 3D Modeling + Design, Coding + Artificial Intelligence, Film + Photography, Game Design, Music Production, and more. Camps are held in locations across the US and Canada, including Stanford, Harvard, and NYU.
As a part of their mission to increase the number of women in STEM, half of the scholarships will be reserved for girls.
Scholarships will be awarded based on both merit and need and will cover the cost of tuition, meals and facility fees.
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