Hack N Mod - Amazingly Cool Hacks, Mods, and DIY Projects

Sports Car Controlled Entirely via iPod Touch

joemyers — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:34:32 +0000

This GTO is controlled entirely via iPod Touch, allowing the owner to start the car, open the doors and trunk, roll down the windows, control the radio, arm the car alarm and even rev the engine – all from across the parking lot. Range is limited since communication is handled via bluetooth but we’ve seen a RC Mazda which can be controlled from anywhere in the world.

Oh, and did we mention that the car can also be controlled via voice commands? Awesome!

So, how did he do it? First of all, there is not once inch of original wiring in this dream machine – it’s been stripped down to the frame and completely rewired. All electronics are linked back to RedEye, a hardware/software combo made for remote control projects. Usually RedEye is used for home theater components, but using it to control a Pontiac GTO is a genius work-around. Check out the creator walking through his mechanical marvel in the video above and explore our most popular car projects:

Top Car Mods:

Use LED Deck Lighting to Illuminate your Next Party

Saikat — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:04:14 +0000

With a bit of planning, LED projects are a simple way to create outstanding lighting projects. This modder used LED light strips to illuminate his deck in any color he chooses. If we can create an Avatar-Style Pandora Jungle using fiber optics, this LED party deck should be a simple build!

The full tutorial walks you through the planning and installation process including mapping out the layout and detailing the measurements and angles that need to be covered. LED strips are very flexible and 12v waterproof. Controllers and amplifiers regulate the voltage to produce the multi-color display of the deck lights.

The DIY steps for the LED color deck took about a day and a half to complete. For more inspiration, check out our extensive collection of LED & Light projects.

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Complex Robotic Hand Built using LEGOs

Saikat — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:46:51 +0000

From a distance it may look like a regular robotic arm. Get close up though and you’ll see this robotic claw is made entirely using LEGOs. This is no kid’s project though, it’s an attempt at a functional likeness of the human hand. To replicate the human movement, power is fed through hoses from an external pneumatic compressor.

Manual dexterity comes from four movable fingers with two joints each and a thumb which can be bent and raised or lowered. The 4-motor, 4-valve pneumatic hand goes through the full range of hand movements from moving joints to rotating wrists. Believe it or not, this entire LEGO project was built in just over a weekend. It can grip any object and also give a thumbs up quite easily!

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Epic PSP Mod includes LEDs, Camera, Joystick + More

joemyers — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:35:40 +0000

This modder began with a stock PSP Slim 2000 and transformed it into what it should have been the day it left the factory. The new model features an extra joystick, 32GB flash memory instead of UMD’s, a second port for charging, built in camera for taking pictures, and a superb emulator.

The custom firmware gives you the ability to emulate just about any retro gaming system from NES, DS, Sega Genesis and N64. You’ll playing your favorites in one hand-held piece of geek heaven. Check out the video below where the modder walking us through some of his upgrades to the PSP.

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5X Zoom! Superb Cell Phone Camera Macro Mod

Joe L — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:14:08 +0000

Here’s a dirt simple mod which produces absolutely stunning results. By using a lens from an old DVD player, you can enhance your camera’s zoom as shown in the image above. Literally, all you do is remove the lens from the player and place it on top of your phone’s camera as shown below. That’s it! It’s that simple!

You’ll find the lens directly under the disk tray. If you’ve just upgraded to Blu-Ray, now you have something to do with your old DVD player. Or, if you have an old computer with a DVD drive, that will work as well. If you don’t have either, you can just buy a DVD drive for cheap on eBay.

More Results:

A superb, simple mod with outstanding results. For more DIY photography projects, check out the most popular in our collection:

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How to: Completely Functional R2D2 RC Robot

Joe L — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:10:14 +0000

While having your own slave pet R2D2 has been a dream of thousands of Star Wars fans, one dedicated man made his own functional and extremely realistic R2D2 robot. So realistic, it looks like it just motored off of the Star Wars set. He also has an entire build diary dedicated to his projects.

Don’t Miss: 8 Consoles + Projector in an R2D2 Robot

More Pics:

My conclusion: This thing is a babe magnet. As you can see, the creator takes his R2D2 to Hollywood premiers and charity events. So if you’re interested in building your own, all you need is a few thousand hours of dedication and follow the build overview.

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Arduino Powered Remote Control Lawnmower

Joe L — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:10:36 +0000

We’ve seen loads of great Arduino projects and even a few RC lawn mowers, but we’ve never seen the two combined until now. Â This project walks you through the entire build process step by step and includes a thorough guide for creating remote control robotics.

You can read the entire build tutorial to perhaps create your own robotic servant. Â Now all you need is a hammock to relax in while your new robot mows the grass for you

Automate your Chores:

Absolutely Ingenious Wooden Rube Goldberg Machine

Saikat — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:53 +0000

The Marble Lifting Machine would probably impress even Leonardo da Vinci. Mere words cannot describe the play of physics and craft that goes into this machine which has a single task â€“ take a steel marble and transport it to the top of the wooden structure, then to the bottom, and repeat for 24 hours without any electronic parts.

Don’t Miss: Top 7 Incredible Rube Goldberg Machines

That’s right, the only power is provided by gravity. The initial impulse is provided by a system of weights and counterweights. A complex network of wooden channels, lifting devices, pulleys, and trapdoors keep the marble in almost perpetual motion. The smooth flow of the marble towards the top is kept up by a series of governors and escapements.

Itâ€™s quite a journey for the marble up and down the 6 feet tall wooden device (a complete circuit takes about 24 hours). The marble makes 1300 trips from the bottom to the summit and back again and travels an equivalent distance of 12 miles. Â Â The video is not only about the motion but also how the sub-assemblies of the Marble Lifting Machine are put together. It’s science wrapped up in art.

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Music on the Front Lines: iPod Ammo Box Speakers

joemyers — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:30:42 +0000

For those who want an explosive new way to modify your music, look no further – The iPod Ammo Box is here. Â This ammo box is half A-Team, half Steve Jobs and one unique way to enjoy your tunes. Â Hereâ€™s what it looks like on the inside:

“TheÂ iPod/mp3 player can be connected on the outside of the A-BOX as well as the inside so you can listen to your tunes while running around with the A-BOX for example or just protecting your iPod from bullets and stuff.” Â By the way, the box has 2 x 70 watt amplifiers and – get this – woven Kevlar speakers. Â Unfortunately, it’s actually a commercial product, but we’ve posted it here for your DIY inspiration.

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See-Through Desktop PC and Gaming Desk

Joe L — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:01:15 +0000

This article was submitted by a Hack N Mod reader like you. Submit your projects and earn cash!

I was inspired by one of the previous see-through computer desks posted on HacknMod, but I wanted mine to be slightly different. Â I used my current wooden and installed a glass sheet on top. I then built an enclosure out of wood underneath and built my PC and Xbox 360 into it.

Control Panel:

I can sit back and control everythingÂ including: Â massage chair control,Â power button for PC, eject button for the Xbox 360, Â switches for the LEDs in the desk, and TV/monitors.

I built five LED fans ($3 on eBay) into the desk to keep things cool along with five temperature sensors so I can monitor conditions. Â I extendedÂ the USB ports to the front of the desk so they can be easily connected and the CD drives from the PC and Xbox have been re-arranged for easy access.

Hardware Specs:

Q8200 Quad Core @ 2.33Ghz
4Gb RAM
HD 3870 Radeon
Xbox 360 Elite

I hope you’ve enjoyed my project! Â Learn how to get your project featured on Hack N Mod.