The History of the View-Master
We are going to bet that as a kid, you had a View-Master. This toy has been around for decades and is, more or less, a handheld stereoscope. We never …read more Continue reading The History of the View-Master
Author Archives: Al Williams
The Requirements of AI
The media is full of breathless reports that AI can now code and human programmers are going to be put out to pasture. We aren’t convinced. In fact, we think …read more Continue reading The Requirements of AI
Ancient Ice production
Today, we take ice for granted. But having ice produced in your home is a relatively modern luxury. As early as 1750 BC, ancient people would find ice on mountains …read more Continue reading Ancient Ice production
Retrotechtacular: Mr. Wizard Jams with IBM
You may not remember [Mr. Wizard], but he was a staple of nerd kids over a few decades, teaching science to kids via the magic of television. The Computer History …read more Continue reading Retrotechtacular: Mr. Wizard Jams with IBM
Microfluidic Display Teaches The Basics
We’ve always been interested in fluidic logic and, based on [soiboi’s] videos, he is too. His latest shows how to use silicone and a vacuum to build a multiplexed dot …read more Continue reading Microfluidic Display Teaches The Basics
The WalMart Atomic Clock
In the realm of first-world problems, your cheap wall clock doesn’t keep time, so you have to keep setting it. The answer? Of course, you connect it to NTP and …read more Continue reading The WalMart Atomic Clock
There’s Always Room for 3D Printed Batteries
There are many applications where you have limits on how much you can cram into a particular space. There are also many applications where you need as much battery as …read more Continue reading There’s Always Room for 3D Printed Batteries
R2D2 Gets New Brains
While it is fun to get toys that look like your favorite science fiction props, it is less fun when the electronics in them don’t measure up to the physical …read more Continue reading R2D2 Gets New Brains
Inside Raiders of the Lost Ark (Atari Style)
It’s a bit ironic that an Atari 2600 game based on Raiders of the Lost Ark — a movie about archaeology — is now the subject of its own archaeological …read more Continue reading Inside Raiders of the Lost Ark (Atari Style)
The Engineering of the Falkirk Wheel
We live in an age where engineering marvels are commonplace: airplanes crisscross the sky, skyscrapers grow like weeds, and spacecraft reach for the stars. But every so often, we see …read more Continue reading The Engineering of the Falkirk Wheel