Do you think science is really , really cool ? Do you require to just dally with it , crap awesome things for no other reason than because you could ? You require to find a Science Hack Day , and go to it .
Tracking the tangible - time positionof theInternational Space Station on a modified orb . Image credit : Matt Biddulph
Science Hack Dayis a global phenomena where participants gather for 48 hours to get excited and make things with skill .
It ’s undecided to anyone — you do n’t need to be a scientist or a hacker , just someone who is enthusiastic and eager to make things . By mob eager geeks into the same physical quad with limited metre and a shared mission to make cool stuff , Science Hack Days grow creative collaborations explore all forms of science . Asthe prescribed website explains , “ A hack is a unique modification , an interesting mashup or a quick solution to a problem – perhaps not the most graceful solution , but often the clever . ”
test out anisodrag typefacein a homemade wind tunnel . mental image credit entry : Matt Biddulph
DNAquiri , a drinkableDNA cocktail . Image credit : Matt Biddulph
I ’ll be attending the San Francisco result this year , the first time I ’ll be showing up since 2011 . Last time around , I work with on the Quake Canary squad , producing a proof - of - concept earthquake early warning system by analyzing signals from the USGS seismometer connection , smartphones , and even a few geophone cores scattered around the room to find atomic number 15 - moving ridge arriver time . But by far the cool project , and the one I still list when draw the concept of a Science Hack Day to others , is the Syneseizure masque .
Thesyneseizure maskallows the wearer to“see ” by feeling vibrationsfrom talker mounted on a full - face mask . persona credit : Matt Biddulph
Theteam present their workwith an excellent flare pass for the dramatic :
Our consciousness does not carry realness – there is too much information in world to handle , our mentality would electrocute . Therefore , our various receptive cortexes have really complex information compression and processing algorithms to present us with the most useful information to help oneself us kill antelopes , run away from lions and get attractive mates . This means we disregard a lot of reality . Perhaps we can see a dissimilar aspect of reality by listening to our orb or looking through our nose .
Synesthesia is a condition in which one aesthesis ( good deal , listening , etc ) gets desegregate up with another . This can cause position in which someone “ smell ” sounds , or “ sees ” tinge .
For this ward-heeler , we designed and build a full head masquerade party that allows the wearer to palpate images in real sentence . The mask is set out with 12 speakers that connect with the skin of the face . When an image is captured with a webcam and convert into a 12 pixel black - and - white representation . The computer activates arduinos that control the verbalizer . If the pixel is white , the corresponding speaker is turned on . If the pixel is mordant , the corresponding speaker is turned off . This allows the wearer to sense ( via the vibrations of the speakers ) an persona on their face .
you’re able to watch the presentation includingexamples of visual input and a live demonstration of a user navigating while wearing the masquerade here . If this project is not a beautiful exemplar of catch excited and whoop together something dead unique with science just because you could , I do n’t know what is .
If you ’re in San Francisco , I highly recommend signing up for this year ’s result in October . It ’s an exalt , exhausting blast of quislingism with citizenry you ’d otherwise never work with , and an opportunity to indulge in skill - playtime . If you ’re far aside from San Francisco and are presently writhing in jealousy , check theScience Hack Day sitefor an upcoming effect near you . None listed?Here ’s a handy templet for starting one yourself !
San Francisco
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