Showcase

Visiting brmlab? Awesome! Here, you can see a list of things anyone is welcome to play with and that might be a fun experience. Members present at the place will be happy to show you details and help out, just ask.

(This is work in progress so far.)

Of course, this is just the things you can play with right away. You can see much more stuff in brmlab too - robots, 3D printer, and most of the projects.

TODO: We should have some things always ready to play with in regals in the front room. This page should also serve as a documentation how to use these things so anyone can use them.

Status: Working fine, no setup required!

Easy self-hypnotization - tweak your brainwaves. See brainmachine for details. Just get the glasses and headphones, put them on and flip the switch.

Status: Working fine. Minimal setup required (1 minute), don't be afraid.
Wiki: Live Wire Go Board

Play the board game of Go - and remember, everything is better with electrical shocks. See Live Wire Go Board for details, contains “quick setup” instructions. Basically, just connect the battery and enjoy the shocks.

Status: Not quite working. You may try to ask for help.
Wiki: Spectrometer

This is a demo of spectrometer technology, based on a shred of CD and a webcam and simple processing software.

Status: Working fine, no setup required!
Where: At the top of the shelves with showcase #1.

Feel virtual hand Sensory and multisensory illusions in last minute of the video

Status: Working fine, just connect it to electricity.

Status: Working fine, just connect it to electricity.

A robotic flower that seeks light. We held a workshop where we were putting these together. It originates in a Metalab project.

Status: Working quite fine. Minimal setup required (2-3 minutes), don't be afraid.

A neat 3d logical puzzle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ks1u0A8xdU

1. (boot up OpenSuse on brmvid pc; by default, it's booted up there)
2. make sure you have some webcam connected (you can check by running program called cheese if webcam works) and 3 cubes available (red, green and yellow)
3. turn the webcam away from you (this setup makes it easier and logical for you to control the game)
4. run program levelhead
5. place red cube in front of the camera, side named ENTER facing the camera
6. lets play. tilt cube to one side and the doll will follow that instructions. Your goal is to bring the doll to the exit of the maze. Read instructions on the top of the cube during the play.

Status: Working fine, just boot it up!

One specimen of the famous OLPC tiny green laptop for poor kids. We hold yearly OLPC developer meetings and received this as one reward. It is quite nice hardware with interesting software stack, so try it out.

Status: Some setup required. TODO
Wiki: Augmented/Virtual Reality

Vuzix VR920 stereoscopic glasses. Use them e.g. with a webcam and cheese effects.

Status: Working fine.

https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Passport

Status: Some setup required, please refer to the wiki page for instructions.
Wiki: Fun with Wiimote

Use the projection screen and Wii as a huge whiteboard. See Fun with Wiimote for details.

TODO: It seems this should be easily set up on brmvid, we just need a simple recipe on the wiki? (XXX: Plus get a 150CZK bluetooth dongle, if we have none yet?)

Status: Working fine.

A stock ThinkGeek gadget, on display just for fun. It runs on the water in tubes at the back of the clock. Try to figure out how it works.

Status: Working fine.

Imagine feeling magnetic field! BrmPaw is an anklet/bracelet with a compass and vibrating motors. The motor which points north vibrates!

HOWTO: Connect power wires (green ones) to the slot to turn it on. Wear with compass (the red piece of PCB) down. img

Status: Working fine, no setup required!
Wiki: WarZone
Where: On the local network, just connect with your notebook to the wifi or sit down at the nearest computer.

Wiggle through the security hole - to meet a tougher one. See WarZone for details. Just sit down and use one of our shared computers, your notebook, or just use it from home!

Status: Working fine, no setup required for watching. ~10 minutes setup required if you want to show your own animations.
Wiki: Brmlab LEDbar
Where: At the back window of the main room (socroom).

That row of boxes showing pretty colors. If it's not lit, don't be afraid and turn on the PSU, wait few seconds and reset the Arduino nearby.

If you want to show your own animations, ask for help (TODO will make it easier soon, check the wiki page).

Status: Works fine most of the time. ~15 minutes wiki-reading and setup required if you want to print anything yourself for the first time.
Wiki: RepRap
Where: In our hwlab.

Print out 3D models using the ABS plastic (used e.g. for molding lego bricks).

Status: Currently missing its laptop brain and GPS device.
Wiki: brmbot_outdoor
Where: In our hwlab, top shelf near kitchen door.

Our outdoor robot. Its primary task is being able to find its way around a park (not straying from roads) based on a map, a GPS and some sensors. One point of note is the way it sees the world around - using a very simple parabolic mirror.

Status: Some setup required, some members can help.
Wiki: brmScope
Where: In our biolab.

A high-resolution digital microscope with super-precise motion control. See brmScope for usage and technical details. You can find it in biolab.

Status: Works, but some setup usually required.
Wiki: presentation_center, laserprojector Where: The front stage of the main room.

We have digital ambient light control in our main room - it is possible to also control a bright halogen lamp and a strobe.

Also, you can find a laser projector at the top of the screen - it moves a laser beam very quickly, being able to either draw simple line art on a wall or produce some neat 3D effects with artificial fog (we also have a fog generator).

Status: Pretty sight + demo pieces of plastic. A lot of setup required. Someone took the arduino away?!
Wiki: LaserCutter
Where: Near the lady on the wall (main room - socroom).

DIY lasercutter built from DVD-RW laser and a bunch of motors, even though it can actually only engrave in dark plastic now.

Status: Works, but is complicated to operate.
Where: In the main room, next to hwlab the door.

Ultrasonic imaging device, medical-grade; we got it from a vet clinic and it works fine. However, its user interface is not exactly intuitive! Use a lubricant and carefully wipe the probes with paper towels after use, please.